Braun Series 9 PRO+ 9625S Review: premium shave, premium price, not perfect

I’ve been using the Braun Series 9 PRO+ (model 9625S with the PowerCase and stand) for a few weeks. I switched from an older mid-range Philips rotary and a basic Gillette manual razor, so I had a decent reference point. I didn’t get this for free; I paid real money, so I was pretty motivated to see if it actually shaved better or just looked fancy on the bathroom shelf.

My expectations were high because Braun markets this as their top model, and the price clearly reflects that. I was mainly looking for three things: a close shave that could genuinely replace my manual razor most days, comfort on the neck (my weak spot), and a battery that I don’t have to think about every other day. I also wanted something that travels well because I’m often away for a couple of nights during the week.

After a few full shaves—both dry and in the shower with gel—I’ve got a pretty clear idea of what this thing does well and where it’s just okay. It’s definitely not a cheap impulse buy, so the small annoyances matter. There are some smart ideas here, like the PowerCase, but also some weird choices, like the plug situation and the weight.

If you’re hesitating between this and a cheaper Braun Series 7/8 or even a Philips rotary, I’ll walk you through my honest impressions: how it shaves, how it feels in the hand, how the battery holds up, and whether the price makes sense. Spoiler: it’s good, but the value depends a lot on what you’re coming from and how picky you are with your shave.

Let’s be blunt: this thing is expensive. Even with discounts on Amazon, it sits in the top price range for electric shavers. So the real question is: does it justify that price compared to a mid-range Braun or Philips? In my opinion, it depends on what you care about. If you just want a decent shave and don’t care about shaving 2% closer or having a charging case, you can absolutely spend less and still be happy.

What you’re paying for here is a mix of factors: slightly better closeness, better comfort, a strong motor, the PowerCase, and a fancy design. The problem is that these improvements are incremental, not massive. Compared to my old Philips, yes, the Braun Series 9 PRO+ is better. But is it three or four times better, like the price suggests? Not really. The cheeks are nicer, the neck is a bit less annoying, but I still sometimes need a manual razor to get that last bit of smoothness in tricky spots.

If you shave daily, have a fairly dense beard, and hate skin irritation, you’ll probably appreciate the upgrade. If you also travel a lot, the PowerCase actually adds real value, because you can go weeks without charging from the wall. In that use case, the price starts to make more sense. On the other hand, if you’re an occasional shaver, have lighter facial hair, or are happy with a basic rotary, this is probably overkill.

So for value, I’d say: high-quality product, but not great value for everyone. You’re paying a clear premium, and while the shaver is good, it doesn’t feel like a bargain at any point. If budget matters, I’d look at a cheaper Braun Series 7/8 or a Philips mid-range model and accept a small drop in performance for a big drop in price.

Design-wise, this shaver looks high-end. The graphite color is nice, and it doesn’t scream “plastic toy”. The head is large, with multiple foils and trimmer elements lined up. It definitely looks more serious than cheaper shavers. The handle has rubberized parts that give a good grip, even with wet hands in the shower. It doesn’t feel like it’s going to slip, which is important when you’re working around your jaw and neck.

The downside is the overall size and bulk. This is not a compact shaver. The head is quite wide, and you really feel that when you try to get under the nose or around the corners of the mouth. I had the same issue as the Amazon reviewer: to get the moustache area really clean, I often had to go in with short, awkward angles, and sometimes just finish the last millimeter with a manual razor. It’s not tragic, but at this price, I expected it to handle tight spots better.

The weight is also noticeable. It’s not a featherweight gadget; after a full shave, especially if you need to go over some areas several times, your hand and wrist do feel it a bit. I’m not weak, and it’s fine for me, but I wouldn’t give this to an older relative with arthritis or reduced grip strength. It feels sturdy, which I like, but they definitely didn’t optimize for lightness.

The PowerCase is well thought out in terms of design. It’s a hard shell with a built-in battery and looks and feels solid. It’s not tiny, though, so in a small travel bag it does take up space. The stand, on the other hand, feels a bit pointless. It’s light, basic plastic, and doesn’t add much beyond holding the shaver upright. In practice, I mostly either kept the shaver in the case or laid it flat on the sink. So from a design point of view: shaver and case feel premium but bulky, stand feels like an afterthought.

The battery is one of the strong points. On a full charge, the shaver itself gives me roughly the advertised 60 minutes. In practice, that means about two to three weeks of daily shaving for me, since I rarely go over 10 minutes per session. The LED indicator is clear enough: you see the remaining bars and have a good idea when you’re getting low. I never actually ran it flat; I just recharged when it dropped to one bar.

The PowerCase is the interesting part. It has its own battery and can recharge the shaver multiple times. Braun claims up to 6 weeks of shaving when you combine a full shaver battery and a full case. That’s probably under very short daily use, but even with my 5–10 minute shaves, it easily stretches to several weeks without touching a wall outlet. For travel, that’s genuinely handy: you throw the shaver in the case, plug the case in once in a while, and you’re set. No need to bring the stand at all, and the case also protects the shaver in your bag.

Charging speed is fine. A quick 5-minute charge is enough for one shave, which has saved me once or twice when I forgot to plug it in. A full charge from nearly empty takes about an hour. The only annoyance, again, is the plug type. Having to use an adapter in the UK for such a pricey product feels cheap from Braun. Functionally, it’s not an issue, but it’s not what you expect at this price.

Overall, battery and charging are strong points. If you travel a lot or just hate thinking about charging, this setup is very practical. The PowerCase isn’t just a gimmick; it genuinely extends the time you can go without hunting for a socket. Just be aware that the case is bulky, so you trade space in your bag for that convenience.

On the comfort side, I’d say it’s very decent but not flawless, especially on tricky areas. On my cheeks, it glides well. Dry shaving is fine; it doesn’t feel like it’s scraping or burning the skin. I can go over the same patch a few times without redness, which is better than my old rotary that sometimes left me a bit irritated. With a bit of pre-shave or light foam, it gets even smoother and the head slides easier.

Where it starts to show its limits for me is the neck and jawline. I have fairly coarse hair that grows in different directions in that area. The Braun marketing about the sensors adjusting power is nice, and you can hear the motor slightly changing tone, but in practice I still need to go over the neck multiple times and stretch the skin to get a decent result. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not super quick either. It’s more of a slow, careful process than a fast, effortless glide.

The size of the head also affects comfort in tight zones. Under the nose and around the lips, you end up contorting your wrist and doing small movements to catch the last few hairs. It’s not painful, just a bit annoying. I can’t say it’s worse than other foil shavers, but for this price range, I expected something a bit more agile. If you have a small or bony face, you’ll probably notice this even more.

Good point: I didn’t get any serious razor burn or cuts, even when pressing a bit harder to chase stubborn hairs. The foils and guards do their job. After a shave, the skin feels a bit exfoliated but not raw. So, comfort is good overall, especially compared to cheap shavers, but don’t expect it to solve every neck or sensitive-skin problem by itself. Technique still matters, and some areas will still require patience.

In terms of durability, the Braun Series 9 PRO+ 9625S gives the impression of being built to last. The body feels solid, no creaking when you squeeze it, and the buttons have a firm click. The head mechanism that pivots and locks also feels robust, not flimsy. After a few weeks of use, including a couple of accidental knocks on the sink, there are no rattles or weird noises. The foils still look intact, with no dents or signs of wear.

The fact that it’s fully waterproof also helps from a durability standpoint. I’ve used it under the shower several times, rinsed it under hot water regularly, and there’s no sign of water ingress or fogging under the display. The rubberized grip hasn’t peeled or become sticky, which sometimes happens on cheaper devices after some exposure to water and soap. As long as you don’t drop it from a big height, it feels like it can take regular daily use without drama.

Spare parts and long-term costs are something to consider though. Braun recommends changing the head every 18 months or so, depending on use. Those replacement heads are not cheap. So while the main unit is likely to last years, the real cost of ownership includes those replacement foils and cutters. If you’re budget-conscious, that’s something to keep in mind, especially since you’re already paying a premium for the shaver itself.

Given the 5-year warranty mentioned, I’m reasonably confident it will hold up mechanically. The battery is always the question mark in the long run, but Li-Ion usually does okay for a few years if you’re not abusing it. So overall, build and durability feel solid, but you’re signing up for expensive replacement parts down the line, which adds to the already high initial price.

In terms of raw performance, the motor is strong and consistent. You can feel that it doesn’t bog down easily, even on thicker patches of hair. The Pro SensoAdapt thing (the sensor that adjusts power) is noticeable mainly through slight changes in sound when you move from light to dense areas. It doesn’t suddenly boost like a turbo, but it seems to keep the cutting speed stable so you don’t feel it dragging. That’s a plus compared to cheaper shavers that slow down on dense stubble.

Shave time for me is around 5–10 minutes depending on how thorough I want to be. If I’m in a rush and only do one or two passes, I can be done in about five minutes with an acceptable result. If I want a cleaner neck and jawline, I easily spend closer to ten minutes, because I go over those areas more carefully. So it’s not a super quick two-minute shave, but it’s still faster than doing a full wet shave with prep and cleanup.

Noise-wise, it’s not quiet. It has that typical foil shaver buzz. One Amazon review called it "quite noisy", and I’d agree. It’s not so loud that you’ll wake up the whole house, but if you’re shaving next to someone sleeping, they’ll hear it. Personally, I don’t really care, but if you’re sensitive to noise or used to a softer rotary sound, you’ll notice the difference.

Cleaning is straightforward. You can just pop off the head and rinse it under the tap. With a tiny bit of soap and warm water, the hair and foam rinse out quickly. The included brush helps remove trapped hairs if you dry-shave. Since this model doesn’t come with a cleaning station, you’ll have to do this manually, but it’s not a big chore. So overall performance: strong motor, acceptable speed, a bit noisy, but easy to maintain.

Out of the box, the Braun Series 9 PRO+ 9625S feels like a premium kit, but not everything is logical. You get the shaver itself, the PowerCase (a hard case that also charges the shaver), a basic plastic charging stand, the charger, and a tiny cleaning brush. That’s it. No cleaning station with this model, which is something you do get on some other Series 9 bundles. I knew that when buying, but it’s worth pointing out because at this price, a lot of people expect the cleaning base.

The shaver comes basically ready to go with some charge, but I topped it up fully before the first use. One annoying detail: my unit came with an EU plug, so I had to use a UK adapter. That matches what one of the Amazon reviewers said. For a product sold on Amazon UK at this price, that’s just lazy. It works fine with an adapter, but it’s another small thing to carry and easy to forget when you travel.

The manual is pretty bare-bones. It’s more like a collection of icons than real explanations. You do eventually figure everything out—how to lock the head, how to use the trimmer, what the battery icons mean—but it could be clearer. For a device with multiple modes and a charging case, a simple, clear guide would make more sense than this IKEA-style booklet.

Overall, the first impression is: premium hardware, cheap documentation, and a small annoyance with the plug. If you like unboxing experiences and neat, clear instructions, this one is a bit underwhelming. But once everything is charged and you’ve pressed all the buttons once, it’s straightforward enough to use daily.

Let’s talk about what matters most: how close it actually shaves. On my cheeks and flat areas, the result is honestly pretty solid. After a couple of passes, I get very close to what I get with a manual razor. Running my hand against the grain, I feel a tiny bit of stubble, but nothing visible. For office or everyday life, that’s more than enough. Compared to my old Philips rotary, the Braun definitely gives a closer, more even finish on those straightforward zones.

On the neck, jawline, and under the chin, it’s a bit more mixed. It cuts better than my old rotary, but I still have to work for it. I often need to change the angle, go against the grain, and sometimes use short, slow strokes. If I rush, I end up with small patches of roughness that I notice when I run my hand over them. It doesn’t miss entire stripes, but it’s not a quick one-pass job. So the "perfect closeness in every stroke" line from the product page is a bit optimistic for real faces with weird hair patterns.

The pop-up trimmer is handy for sideburns and edging around a beard line or moustache. It’s not the sharpest trimmer I’ve ever used, but it’s good enough to clean edges and tidy up. It’s also useful for tackling slightly longer hairs before you go over with the foils. If you let your beard grow for three or four days, I’d recommend using the trimmer first on problem spots, then shaving. Directly attacking a 3–4 day beard with the main head works, but you’ll need more passes and you’ll feel it pulling a bit more.

In short, effectiveness is high but not flawless. It’s clearly above cheaper electric razors, especially on flat areas, and close enough to a manual shave for most days. But if you’re super picky about a glass-smooth neck or you have very tricky growth patterns, you’ll likely still keep a manual razor for final touch-ups once in a while.