9290cc vs 9095cc/799cc
This is an update of my review (with a lot of cut & paste) of the Braun 9095cc comparing it to Braun's previous top-of-the-line 7 Series 799cc, because these 9 Series shavers are virtually identical - with the visible exceptions of the frosty silver plastic on the exterior of the 9290cc compared to the shiny chrome of the 9095cc, and the gold colored titanium strip on the 9290cc head (92S) compared to the blue strip on the 9095cc head (90S - currently virtually unattainable).  And the fact that Braun mysteriously certifies the 9290cc for use with shaving foam or gel, but does not for the 9095cc - although both are designated &#34;wet/dry,&#34; and to all appearances are identical except for cosmetics; the cleaning stations for both are identical.  There is a 9295cc version of this shaver if you prefer the shiny chrome, but pay attehtion to pricing because the 9290cc and the 9295cc are the exact same shavers with the exception of the exterior finish.<br /><br />First impressions:  I favor the appearance of the frosted-silver 9290cc over the shiny chrome of the 9095cc.  Less garish, fewer fingerprints.  Dimensions and all other exterior features (below) are identical.  The 9290cc, by the way, is the upgrade to the 9095cc, not the 9090cc which is not a wet/dry shaver.  It is also priced less than the 9095cc generally, which makes no practical sense since it is the newer (presumably improved) successor to this shaver; my advice is to bypass the 9095cc and get this one if you're in the market for a 9 Series Braun.<br /><br />Overall length of the 9290cc is about a half-inch over the 799cc, body width is similar, although the 9290cc is more tapered toward the plug connector. The 9290cc and 799cc both weigh about the same - just under 8 ounces - but the 9290cc doesn't feel like the same quality build, maybe because of all the plastic. The head on the 799cc is substantially metal, including the part attached to the shaver. The 9290cc head is almost all plastic except for the cutters, including the shaver connector. As a comparison, both replacement heads weigh about the same (about 0.7 oz), although the 9290cc head is considerably larger than the 799cc and has an additional cutter. Durability in use may be similar, but durability of materials is not. Maybe the 799cc is over-designed, but just feels more substantial.<br /><br />The attached trimmer on the 9290cc is a significant improvement over the classic Braun &#34;flimsy flapper,&#34; frequently broken on previous series shavers. It feels solid and is firmly part of the shaver body, with a positive up and down lock. The on/off button on the 9290cc is also an improvement, larger and better positioned (the 799cc button is small, recessed, and harder to push. It also collected tiny water droplets inside its clear domed surface when used wet, which was more esthetic than functional). The travel lock works the same - hold down the on/off switch for 3 seconds and the shaver locks for storage in your luggage.<br /><br />The head lock button on the 9290cc is potentially more solid compared to the notoriously rather delicate lock on the 799cc (time will tell), attached to the shaver body rather than the head, with a series of click-stops for the head for different angles. It has the odd function of locking the head when pulled down, and unlocking when pushed up - the opposite of what most Western users are accustomed to when using two-way switches. Maybe another Teutonic joke similar to the eccentric way some BMW controls work.<br /><br />The head itself is a little over an inch wide, compared to about three quarters of an inch for the 799cc, and is asymmetrical - it has two different flat cutters for longer hairs between the foil cutters - a gold strip for &#34;lift and pull&#34; like a rotary and a silver strip for straight cutting. Braun says the head can be inserted either way and it doesn't affect cutting efficiency; this may or may not be accurate based on other reviews.<br /><br />The cutting technology on the 9290cc seems similar to the Series 7 shavers, although Braun touts &#34;40,000 cross-cutting actions,&#34; I expect they calculate 4 cutting heads x number of cutting blades x linear speed, etc., for marketing purposes, because the linear motor on the Braun actually runs at 10,000 cpm. It feels like the &#34;Sonic&#34; technology of earlier Brauns, which is actually pretty good. It is definitely distinct in function and sound from Panasonic's top ES-LV &#34;9&#34; shavers' &#34;14,000 cpm&#34; high speed cutters, which actually provided (for me) a slightly closer shave than the 799cc. Noise level seems about the same among all these foil shavers, which are significantly louder of course than a rotary shaver. The slightly larger head of the 9290cc does cover more ground quicker, shortening the morning shave some compared to the 799cc. Replacement heads (92S) are usually commercially available for around $70-80, compared to the still usually UN-available heads (90S) that come with the 9095cc, sometimes priced as much as the shaver.  The heads are functionally the same for all Series 9 shavers and are interchangeable, and identical in appearance except for the different colored &#34;Lift & Cut&#34; strips.  Longevity should be about a year based on Braun's literature, depending on your beard and shaving technique, but there are reports that this head wears faster than the Series 7 heads. There is no 3-speed control on this shaver like that on the 799cc (which I found useful for sensitive parts of my face); it has one speed - full on.<br /><br />The cleaning station has a simple, less cluttered look, but similar in function; it uses the same cartridges as previous units, inserting from the back instead of the front. It also uses a drying fan, like the Panasonic, a plus and a minus. It does a better job drying the head than Braun's earlier induction technology, but runs for 40 minutes after cleaning is done and although quiet, isn't noiseless, whereas the induction drying for Series 7 units was completely silent, and only lasted about 15 minutes. LED indicators notify you of cleaning fluid level, and abbreviated information about cleaning status. LEDs on the shaver will identify when the shaver needs to be cleaned (I use daily), and battery level, similar to the LCD indicators on the 799cc. The front LED panel on the shaver will give you a numerical reading of time left when you get down to the last 10 minutes, otherwise the standard diminishing bars indicate battery life. The shaver is centered in the unit as opposed to the oddly canted shaver position for Series 7 units. Braun says the cleaning station and fluid actually sanitizes the head, which may or may not be important to you, unlike the water-based Panasonic or Philips cleaners. Counter space occupied and height are similar. Any of these shavers can just be rinsed in running water, so a cleaning unit is not absolutely essential, although convenient.<br /><br />The shave: I've been using a Norelco 9700 as my favorite go-to shaver for a while (a rotary shave), so to write a fair review I switched to the 799cc for a couple of weeks to accurately compare foil shavers. Face-feel and beard growth are different using rotary and foil shavers, so a period of adaptation is required (usually 2 to 4 weeks). Shaving with this shaver is somewhat of an improvement over the 799cc - it does seem to provide a closer and more comfortable shave than the Series 7 shavers on their Normal setting - closer to the Panasonic - although both Series 7 and Series 9 shavers require multiple passes for me to get a reasonably smooth shave. I use shaving soap and a brush, so the wet/dry technology is a must. If you shave exclusively dry, the 9090cc is cheaper and provides the same shave.<br /><br />Battery longevity is similar to the Series 7 shavers - about a week between charges on the road, for me. You can charge the shaver without the cleaning unit, with the cord, which is similar in size/shape to the Series 7 cord - with a similar LARGE plug, which is actually a transformer for multi-voltage, with coiled cord. Like all wet/dry shavers, you can't shave with the cord attached but must recharge; a few minutes will get you one shave, less than an hour to completely recharge. Comes with a quality hard plastic/foam zippered travelling case, signature Braun. The Panasonic travel case is the least protective in this group of expensive shavers, and is essentially a &#34;faux-leather&#34; bag with a zipper; they do provide a plastic head cover, which protects the head but nothing else. The travel case is a rather important, often overlooked item for travelers, especially considering how airline luggage is handled these days, so you don't end up wrapping your $300 shaver in a pile of socks or underwear.<br /><br />Final evaluation is that the 9290cc Series 9 is worthy of its Braun lineage, somewhat better than the Series 7 line as far as shave and functionality (for me), somewhat less compared to build quality and esthetics. Replacement heads are available commercially now for less than $100 generally, which is a positive change from the 9095cc heads being essentially unavailable for more than two years, or priced more than the shaver.  It's a good foil shaver for traditional wet shavers, perhaps not as close as its Panasonic rival or as comfortable as the Norelco 9000 Series (hence four stars), but a better shave than any Braun to date.
Rating: 4 stars