This shaver performed well for about 3 years.
We bought it without the charge and renew because it can be cleaned under the tap; this turned out to be a mistake! Recently the pins on the recessed mains connection point have suffered from corrosion. One has now broken off and the shaver cannot be charged.
Optifoils have come good, however, giving me 12 months foil life when I was previously getting 9 from the older 2-piece foil and cutter assembly.
I will replace the 720s with the latest model which is not dramatically different; however I will use charge and renew at home in preference to tap water, and protect the mains connection point from water when I'm away on the road.
I am not sure why people choose to moan about their shavers. We grow hair on our face and unless we go caveman we have to deal with it!!
I used to wet shave everyday. I tried the hot towel method, the ice water approach and the stick your left finger in your right nostril method. However, I still nicked myself, got a rash and forgot to buy blades.
In the end I grew fed up with razor blades becoming more expensive and lasting fewer shaves a Gilette Mach 5 blade was good for 3 days and thats expensive shaving!
I have always had a Braun of some description in the bathroom but when I decided to forgo wet shaving I treated myself to the series 7 720 when it fist came out.
Any shaver will require some effort to get a decent result. My father has one of the new Panasonic's with a head the size of a mini cooper and that still requires effort to achieve a decent shave. At least if my attention wanders I won't slice myself with a shaver.
My old 720 took around 3 years of abuse before it gave up and I replaced it with this one which is more or less the same. I get a nice smooth shave whether I have 1 or 4 days stubble.
It is not unduly noisy and the unit goes ten to the dozen so I never get a pulling/tugging effect.
The foil lasts the 18 months Braun recommend and the unit feels solid and well made in my hand. Every other day I turn it on shove it under the tap, let it dry and squib some oil on it.
As for the cost tot up how much razor blades would cost over a year and this shaver is good value for money.
To sum up I am perfectly happy with my Braun 720. I am willing to put in the effort to achieve a good shave. As any body looking to use a shaver should be willing to do!
Thanks for reading.
I bought this 720s-3 in May '11 (3 months ago) to replace a Smartcontrol-3 and had high hopes of the linear motor and the Braun OptiFoil.
The linear motor does mean there is no difference between battery and mains powered use. I like the pop-out trimmer, it projects from the shaver body instead of sliding along the back. But those are the good points, it's downhill from there.
Braun's "most advanced foil" OptiFoil lost its edge after a couple of weeks and 3 months on, it is no better than the Smartfoil; I have to grind it across my face just as much as the old Braun. The older, less clever foils were the best on my face.
Foil and cutter are a combined block and can't be separated for cleaning (so if you really want one, by the one with the cleaner), I end up brushing in some face cleanser and then leaving it to soak for 10 minutes to get it somewhere near clean. Just rinsing under the tap does not clean it out. I had not appreciated they were fixed before I bought it.
Shaving intensity appears pointless, I tried it on "sensitive" and had to spend so much more time shaving I got more irritation. So it stays on "intense".
The charge indicator shows "high" up until the last one or two shaves when it shows "low". I only bought this Braun in preference to a Panasonic because it can be used on mains power.
The floating head offers no improvement over the fixed head of the SC3.
I had 2 weeks of "wow" shaving and now I am back to it being a time-consuming nuisance. I clean and oil the block each week, I can't believe I'd have to do it more often than that.
Ultimately, I should have just replaced the foil & cutter on the Smartcontrol-3 a couple of times a year. If the price falls to about £50 then the 720s-3 would be priced about right.
I rate this a 6 for its linear motor, pop-out trimmer and its ergonomics.
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