Braun 7680 Syncro Pro Solo Shaver Refurbished

PROS:
1. It holds a charge for a long time, they say 50 minutes, I haven't tried to run the battery out yet, but I tried going a week without charging it and it ran fine.
2. It is self cleaning (although you do incur the cost of purchasing the cleaning solution packets), but you don't have to brush the hairs out, and an additional bonus is that shaved hairs seem to go INTO the foil, not fall away from it, which means your bathroom counter doesn't turn into a small haired carpet.
3. All three of the modes this shaver functions in, work as designed. The pivot mode provides good flexible motion, the locked mode provides good control, and the extended long-hair trimmer mode performs as expected.
4. Cool design (love the blue light), great feel, not too heavy, not too light, solidly built (dropped it once, no apparent harm done).
5. Comes with a "smart-chip" that learns how you shave, and will start customizing your shaver to behave how you behave (keeping it fully charged, cleaning cycles, etc.)

However, there are some downsides to this shaver (which is why I rated it 4 instead of 5 stars).

CONS:
1. I don't know if it is just me, but this shaver does *not* work well if you allow your beard to grow for more than 48-72 hours. Once the hairs get past a certain length, the shaver proves very ineffective.
2. This shaver does *not* work well on damp skin, whether that dampness is from natural sweat, or from moisture in the air from a recent shower, it causes the shave you get to be rather uneven at best.
3. The shaver does *not* work well with the way my neck hairs grow. My neck hairs grow in a type of a swirling pattern. So in order to get a decent shave I end up having to feel for each grain and try to arc the shave out from the epicenter in a sort-of counter swirl.
4. The shaver foils get rather warm if you use the shaver for over about 1.5 minutes. Not warm enough to cause burning or even discomfort, but still rather warm.
5. The automatic cleaning mode does *not* clean the long-hair portion of the shaver, which is slightly higher than the foils when it is in the cleaner-case. To clean the long-hair blades you need to bust out the cleaning brush.

Overall this is a superior shaver for the money Braun wants for it. While it is true I listed a few negatives about it, I am rather certain it is just me, and that cannot be helped. Under optimal shaving conditions this shaver provides a quick, clean, and smooth shave, exactly what it is supposed to do.


Superior shave, excellent build quality. EXTREMELY NICE!   November 8, 2003
Pruitt Hall (Greensboro, NC USA)
94 out of 99 found this review helpful

I used to use a Norelco during my college days and did so up until my mid 20's when I started sporting a mustache. The tri-head Norelco just couldn't 'touch up' near the 'stache, so instead of spending time using BOTH the Norelco and a blade, I just went back to blades. That was until I recently had a friend marvel at how great the Braun 7680 was; I listened mostly out of amazement, because he sports a mustache too. It sounded literally 'too-good-to-be-true', but enticed me enough to buy one. I can genuinely tell you, he wasn't kidding.

The Braun 7680 is a very 'Teutonic' looking piece of equipment; very high tech, but classy, if that makes sense. Fit and finish of everything is of the highest caliber. It comes with: the razor itself, a very nice leather carrying case, a cleaning brush, the instructions, a hard clear plastic foil protector,a charging/cleaning stand and a bottle of the cleaning solution.

At first, you plug the power cord into the razor and start a 4 hour charging procedure; Braun cautions you to NOT start using the cleaning stand for the initial charge (stating that the 'Smart Logic' built into the razor needs this first, necessary charge in such a manner). I did so, at $170 who needs to second-guess the manufacturer?

It charged in almost four hours to the minute; the timer is unbelievable in this thing. What it states on the LCD can be taken with authority from my impressions. But enough tech; how does it shave? Unbelievable comes to mind, initially. VERY, VERY easy on your skin. My beard is not heavy, but it is coarse. The Braun just glides over your facial contours with the lightest touch. I experience no burning, nor irritation at all. As past reviewers correctly state, you do have to somewhat stretch your neck skin to get the absolute best shave.

The joy of this shaver comes from NOT having three heads setup in a triangle, which really kills close touch ups. Being straight, you can get comfortably close to mustaches, goatees, etc. The trimmer is more aggresive than the trimmer on a Norelco, but ALL trimmers on shavers to me are a convenience item, at best. They cut great; but they're always mounted in a position that I assume makes the best use of the shaver's powertrain, and, realistically, you just have to contort a lot to get them into position. A simple trimmer, such as Norelco's superb little mustache/beard trimmer, just make life so much easier.

If you're new to an electric, I simply cannot emphasize how important it is to TAKE TIME and let your beard/skin get accustomed to using the electric. Norelco used to include a little pamphlet in with their shavers (years ago!) that actually put some thought into scientifically explaining it; I had the good fortune to have a college room mate that paid his dues with a Norelco and he coached me well in this. Whatever the scientific reason, I can tell you, it takes about a month for everything to start working together. I can't put it any simpler than that. Don't EVER judge ANY electric by the first two weeks; and DON'T get tempted to use a razor to touch up; you're simply delaying the process.

One final note, that may interest some readers: You're going to have a high tech 'rocket launcher' (I don't take credit for this; another reviewer CORRECTLY termed it thusly) on your bathroom counter. This may/may not matter to you, but make no mistake, you WILL notice it; it's about 3 times bigger than the shaver (and gleaming, high tech BLACK) and unless you have a power socket UNDER your bathroom cabinet, it's gotta go somewhere! My wife adds this little bit of trivia to the review, as she HATES the recharging stand, forcing me to use the downstairs bathroom for storage, as she has a 'theme' to our master bedroom. Go figure! Oh yes, one last thing that's important: the cleaning solution tanks. Once the cap is off of them, they CAN leak; i.e. once you install them, place the recharging stand where you won't move it; if you tilt the stand, they DO leak!

So, as a summary: Great shave, even better if you're used to electrics. Great quality, very nicely made piece of equipment. Huge, very noticeable recharging stand. Five stars, for sure!


Converted Norelco User   September 2, 2003
49 out of 50 found this review helpful

The batteries in my Norelco (model 5885XL) gave out after about four years of usage. Having been a Norelco user ever since I started shaving well over thirty years ago, I was a little wary of buying anything else. I was going to buy another Norelco until this Braun caught my attention as its self-cleaning ability was attractive; I found the cleaning of the Norelco messy. Changing over has been a positive experience. The Braun 7680 is pricey but after about a month of usage I have found that the price is worth it for several reasons:

1. It provides a closer shave than the Norelco. I thought the Norelco did okay but perhaps because the foil head of the Braun is thinner, it can provide an even closer cut.
2. When the shaver cuts any hair there is a distinct buzz to the sound. I now know if I have shaved the area clean from that sound. This is especially helpful in the morning when I have just gotten up and not fully awake when shaving.
3. The trimmer works much better than any of the Norelcos I have ever had. I donyt know why none of the Norelco trimmer function ever worked well but the Braun trims it cleanly. The Norelcos did such a weak job that I always had to use a separate blade razor to trim sideburns when I used them. Here also because the Braun is a straight edge with its foil system, its easier to cut in the sideburns area versus the rotary, which if one is not careful could leave a circular cut on the sides.
4. The cleaning system actually works. No mess and easy to set up. The stand for the cleaning system takes up a bit of space though and looks like a rocket launcher but it achieved my desire of not having to clean out all that hair mess every week or so from the shaver.

The LCD screen is functional but I especially like the feature about how long the last shave was, it is reassuring to see when the amount of time I used to shave was not too long. The blue light indicator for charging or cleaning is aesthetically pleasing.

The only drawback so far is the position of the power button on the shaver. The shaver has three settings, one for fixed head, one for swivel head and the third to activate the trimmer. The button is loose enough and located in such a position that it is a little too easy to change inadvertently the settings from 1 to 2. It doesnyt detract from the shaving process but is just a slight bit annoying. The setting for the trimmer is far enough on the setting that an accidental activation of the trimmer is not likely though.

Now, I will just have to see how long the battery lasts on this. I donyt see why the makers donyt have a replaceable batter for these units.


Braun 7680   May 1, 2003
A. Abcar (Glendale, California United States)
40 out of 40 found this review helpful

I have had many electric shavers in imy life. Recently I've been using the Mach3 line of blades. I had to switch to an electric because I have sensetive skin and the blade was irritiating my skin too much.
I think Braun makes the best shavers in the world. The Norelco's are as effective as manually pulling each hair out! The Panasonic line shaves close but they tend to irritate more than even the blades which defeats the whole purpose.
This shaver in particualr is absolutely amazing. The shave is very close (I would say 98% as close as a Mach 3 blade shave) with minimal irritation and razor burn.
I have found the using a preshave such as "Williams Lectric" pre shave helps minimize any irritation and gives an even better shave.
The cleaning feature is brilliant. You just shave and put the shaver in the stand and all maintenence (cleaning/lubrication and charging) is taken care of. Also if you have sensitive skin, the shaver will be sanitized to reduce irritation next time you use it.
Some have complained about the cost of the cleaning cartridges. I think you will find the cost a fraction of using high end blades and shaving foams/gels. It's a minor point and in my opinion the benefits far outweight the minimal cost...
Overall, I highly recommend this shaver to anyone that is tired of shaving with a blade.


Shaving Nirvana!   June 10, 2003
32 out of 36 found this review helpful

Due to my very sensitive skin, I can't use a regular razor more than one or two days in a row. My neck will get bumpy and bleed, and my skin gets real dry. Thankfully, the Braun 7680 solves all that . ..

This is my second Braun shaving system, and I just retired my Braun 6500 series after four years of constant use since the battery failed to take any more charge. Prior to the Braun 6500 series, I tried a Norelco with the flex-head system, but it could not match the performance of the Braun 6500.

My expectations were way high when I got the new Braun 7680. That cleaning system thingie looked weird at first, but I kept an open mind. After two weeks of solid use, I offer the following observations:

Pros:

1. This is the best shaver ever built by Braun or anyone else that I ever used. Cool design, lightweight, sturdy. But these things are meaningless without a good shave - that is where this little beauty really shines! After 7 minutes, I have the closest shave I can get with no razor burn or dry skin. Smooth as a baby's bottom!

2. The cleaner pod makes this system a "must buy." No more brushing hairs and dulling the cutter block - now just pop the shaver in the pod, push a button, and voila! Fifteen minutes later, the shaver is clean and good as new, with a nice scent added to boot. (Note that my sensitive skin was not affected by any of the cleaning solution, which is mostly alcohol and evaporates quickly).

Con:

1. Though advertised as "smart", that is BS. The shaver clock will turn off and on with each switch of the on/off slider. I turn my shaver off several times before I finish shaving each day, and the clock just does not work - it only calculates from the last time I turned it on.

Overall: Buy this shaver, true Shaving Nirvana! The little computer glitch is only a slight mar on an otherwise outstanding product.