See full version: Do electric shavers really need cleaning stations or is it just hype
I washed the head weekly of my previous Panasonic shaver with a little liquid hand soap and running water. After the head dried it began to develop a slight odor which I ignored. Panasonic makes no mention in their owner’s manual about using any lubricant and I never used any. It’s the only time a shaver I owned developed an odor. Shaving dry and just brushing out the cuttings has never developed any odor nor required lubrications. here
I agree that to disinfect your shaver is not needed unless you share your shaver with others in your family. here
Just to amplify on the sanitizing thing, discussed to a fare-thee-well in other razor threads on this site (reference Barbicide). This coming from a medical professional with a little experience in infectious diseases. Sterilizing, or even sanitizing, a DE or SE blade, electric shaver or even a straight razor is not absolutely necessary unless you are aware that the razor/shaver you are going to use has been exposed to an infectious source (an HCV patient for example), and depending on time elapsed, perhaps not even then. You are unlikely to die or even contract a serious illness from using an unsanitized, unsterilized blade or electric shaver, although interestingly as a historical oddity, it has occurred (the most famous being Lord Carnarvon who bankrolled the discovery of King Tut's tomb). But overall, the odds are with you. [links]
The other thing is, it is more beneficial to a foil shaver that has that cutter in the middle under the cover? Rotary shavers like the newer Norelco Prestige which cuts so well, maybe it is not as helpful with this type of shaver.
I am wondering if this is just a marketing thing where the companies make more money off you when you continue to buy refills. I mean if you just run your shaver under water, is that really all we need to do? Does the cleaning station really make that much of a difference. Does it really help add the life of the cutter.
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So to sum it up, if you like/want to try a process cleaning of your shaver or want to attempt to save a few bucks.. try an aftermarket solution.
I used to clean my older Braun, and Norelco shaving heads in rubbing alcohol when I would do my weekly shaver cleaning. When everything was dry and reassembled each head got a shot of Remington Shaversaver with the shaver running.
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Another issue that has come up in connection with the Braun cleaning dock is the battery charging feature. Every time that you plug your electric shaver into the Braun Clean and Renew dock, it automatically recharges your electric shaver battery. here
It is available with selected models of the 5, 7 and 9 series of Braun electric shavers. As the name suggests, it is both a docking station, (in that it recharges your shaver), and a cleaning system, as it also cleans, lubricates, and dries your Braun electric shaver, keeping your blades in peak condition…all automatically.
The contacts that provide the current to recharge the electric shaver’s battery seem to be the main culprit. These contacts can become fouled, and dirty, and don’t always provide enough current to charge the battery.
Another point of contention that is pointed out by seasoned users of the Clean&Renew Station is the need for regular cleaning of the cleaning dock itself. To assist, Braun has published a guide to the cleaning and maintenance of the cleaning dock.
Some manufacturers recommend that you let the lithium-ion batteries in their appliances run down as far as possible before being recharged. They’re giving you a tip to increase the life of your battery. Perhaps having the recharging feature be optional when using the Clean and Renew station would be a better option. I choose to fully discharge, and fully recharge my battery every 3 months or so. [links]
Thank you for your comment, Barry. That’s a very interesting recipe and I have been dabbling lately with mixing a few ingredients myself. Making the solution from scratch is a different topic though, here I just wanted to share an easy, basically ready-made alternative. here
Since the concentration was 100%, I used some distilled water to bring it down to somewhere between 70% and 80%.
they sell a pack of 6 compatible cartridges on Amazon made by a different company than Braun:
https://www.amazon.com/Refill-Cartridges-Braun-Clean-6-Pack/dp/B07K4S3TWJ/ here
That’s a great workaround and I’m sure it will be useful to Series 9 solo owners — or to those that don’t use the cleaning station.
I do think that after some time it would be beneficial to also run your shaver through an automatic cleaning cycle. I’ve had many Braun shavers throughout the years and no matter how rigorous I was with cleaning the shaver, after a few months I would start to see some dirt buildups inside the cassette that I simply couldn’t remove. And also dried lather/shaving cream is really a pain to clean. more
Thank you for your comment. The alcohol must be mixed with the content of the CCRrefill packet (you can order it as they also ship abroad). It’s all you need in order to make the solution. here
After using electric shavers for many years, and reviewing many different models, I’ve come to realize that keeping your shaver clean is extremely important. Cleaning your shaver after every use will greatly improve its lifespan. Many people have reported that their shavers have stopped working after a few years and I”m sure a lack of maintenance had a lot to do with several of these cases. Therefore, considering how important it is to clean your shaver after each use, I would have to say that electric shaver cleaning stations are worth it. The reason I recommend going with the cleaning station option is that they. make cleaning your shaver much more convenient, and we all know convenience makes our lives better. more
If you’ve ever done some research on electric shavers, you’ll know that there are lots of different models to choose from. Each of the main shavers has several different models. For example, the Braun Series 7 has the 790cc, 760cc, and 720 S models. Same thing with the Norelco SensoTouch 3D shavers. There’s the 1250xcc, 1280xcc, and then the 1250x, 1260x, 1280x and 1290x. here
When you have a dishwasher the dishes usually get cleaned the day they were used. When you clean your dishes in the sink, there’s always the chance that they get left on the counter overnight. The same thing applies to electric shavers. It’s important that you clean your shaver right after you use it, and the cleaning stations definitely help with this. Another reason why they’re worth the extra cost is that they’re pretty darn cool. Anyone who’s into high tech gadgets will really appreciate some of these cleaning stations. Press a few buttons and your shaver lowers down into the cleaning unit and is thoroughly cleaned, fully dried, and charged back up for your next shave.
Well, it seems to be all about marketing and upselling. You see, the shaving performance of the SensoTouch 1250x is the same as the 1280xcc. The same applies to the Braun 720 S and the Braun 790cc. What’s different among these shavers is their extra features. So the question is, are these extra features really worth it? Are electric shaver cleaning stations worth the extra cost? here
Now, there are on-going costs with maintaining a cleaning station. When your cleaning cartridges expire you will need to replace them. But for anyone who’s buying an electric shaver in the $200 price range, an extra $5 per month shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, most people can reduce that to $5 every two months, because many people don’t shave every day, and there is always the option to clean the shaver manually once and a while. The bottom line, if it won’t push you over your budget, I think electric shaver cleaning stations are worth the extra money. That being said, most shavers do come with the option of just buying the razor itself. So if you are interested in saving a bit of money and just buy the razor, do your very best to keep it clean. more