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The New Braun Series 3 Shavers: a quick look at the company’s updated best-seller

The Series 3 line has long been a favorite among electric shaving enthusiasts; the reasonable price, good performance and inexpensive replacement parts, all backed by Braun’s notorious reliability, were the key elements for the product’s success.

After several years of very strong sales, in 2015 Braun decided to revamp its line of entry level shavers. The new Series 3 includes several variations, with razors suitable for wet & dry or dry only operation.

In order to differentiate the new razors from the old Series 3 line, Braun decided to use a simple, but effective name scheme by only adding a 0 after the 3. For example, the old Series 3 380s is now the 3080s.

Let’s take a closer look.

What are the differences between the old and new Series 3?

Not too many, actually. The new Series 3 is more of an evolution instead of a revolution. Just like Apple does with its iPhones and iPads, Braun decided to incrementally improve and refine an already successful design.

The new Series 3 cutting system

There’s not much to say about it as the new shavers use the same cutting system as the old ones: a typical setup of two outer foils for cutting hairs close to the skin and one middle trimmer that cuts longer stubble. The three cutters can move independently to easily follow the facial contours. As with all modern razors by Braun, the blades and foils are integrated into one cassette and can’t be bought or replaced individually.

The replacement parts are still the 32s (silver) or 32b (black) cassettes that now feature an updated white micro-comb around the trimmer. This new element should catch and feed more hair into the cutting parts. As we know from the older generation, these cassettes offer great value for money as they are inexpensive (at least when compared to parts from other manufacturers) and must be replaced only once every 18 months. They are also backwards compatible with the old Series 3.

New color scheme

The new shavers are available with several accent colors depending on the model, like blue, grey, red and even white. The design is sleeker and more refined, but again, nothing too radical. They are still instantly recognizable as Braun Series 3 razors.

The new Series 3 models

The wet & dry capable shavers are the 3080s, 3040s and the 3010s, while the ones suitable only for dry use are the 3090cc, 3070cc, 3050cc, 3020s and 3000s. You can check out all the differences between them in the table below. Also, the cc in the name designates shavers that come with a charging and cleaning station. Speaking of which, the station seems to remain unchanged and that’s not a bad thing at all as Braun’s alcohol based cleaning solution is arguably the best in business.


Model

Operation

Clean & Charge System

Pop-up Trimmer

Precision Lock

Accessories


3080s

Wet & DryNoYesYesTravel pouch, charging stand
3040s
Wet & DryNoYesNoProtective cap
3010s
Wet & DryNoNoNoProtective cap
3090cc
Dry onlyYesYesYesTravel pouch
3070cc
Dry onlyYesYesNoTravel pouch
3050cc
Dry onlyYesYesNoProtective cap
3020s
Dry onlyNoYesNoProtective cap
3000s
Dry onlyNoNoNoProtective cap

Should you buy the new Series 3?

Well, that really depends; if you are currently using the older Series 3 then probably not. There aren’t any significant differences to justify purchasing the new shaver.

If you plan on buying a Series 3 for the first time, the updated models can be found at even lower prices than the corresponding old ones. If that’s the case, definitely go for the new one. If it’s the other way around, just buy the similar older model.

>> Check the Series 3 Shavers on Amazon.com <<

Another quick buying tip: if you’re only going to use it for dry shaving, go for one that includes the Clean & Charge System. It’s well worth the extra money. Also, the integrated long-hair trimmer is quite good and useful, so I would also skip the models that don’t have one.

Overall, the new Series 3 is a welcome revamp of an already excellent line of shavers; while it doesn’t bring any major improvements, it will most likely help Braun maintain its strong position in the entry level category of electric razors.

Image credits: http://uk.braun.com/en-gb, http://us.braun.com/en-us
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