Braun Series 3 340S-4 Review: For Men With Light to Medium Beards

by Garrick Dee | Last Updated: July 18th, 2020

The style of shaving each man has is all personal preference, but they should also look at different factors like facial hair growth.

Men with light to medium beard growth would benefit from this sub-65 dollar electric shaver equipped with the tried and tested three blade head.

This variant does not come with a cleaning base, but it’s capable of shaving wet or dry.

Related: If you’re looking for a razor, you can check this article I wrote about the best razor deals right now for products like the safety razor, cartridge razor and much more. Get the best deals for yourself or buy it as a gift.

Men with sensitive skin should consider this because it’s one of the best budget options.

Braun says that this razor offers 30% less irritation compared to rotary shavers.

A quick look at the features

• Designed for men with light to medium beard growth
• Capable of wet and dry shaving
• It does not come with any cleaning station so you will need to clean this manually
• Triple action free-float system is capable of shaving up to a 3-day beard growth (according to Braun)
• Comes with a pop-up precision trimmer for sideburns and to shape your goatee
• 100% waterproof
• LED display shows your battery level and charge status
• Uses a Ni-Cad battery that will give you a 45 minute run time
• 2-year warranty
• Waterproof
• No cleaning base

Pros

• Way cheaper than newer generation Braun shavers like the Series 7 and 9
• If you have a medium beard growth, this may be a great budget option for you
• Easy to clean because it is fully waterproof
• You can charge it using the stand or plug directly onto the razor
• Excellent ergonomics – does not slip thanks to the rubber coating on the sides

Cons

• Struggles with thick facial hair (you’ll have to closely monitor your beard growth when you buy this)
• Head does not pivot
• Does not come with a traveling case
• Somewhat noisy

What to expect from the Braun Series 3 340S-4?

Men who’ve used this razor would call this a mid-level shaver suitable for men who have a light to medium beard growth.

If you have sensitive skin and thicker beard growth, you may want to invest in something like a Series 7 that has the intelligent sonic technology and 2x optifoil features that help it handle thicker facial hair.

But if you only have a light to medium growth, this should be an excellent primary option minus the extra accessories like the cleaning station.

Triple action cutting system

Like with all series 3 shavers, the 340C comes with a triple cutting system that features 2 foil cutters that flank a trimmer in the middle.

Unlike the newer Braun razors, this doesn’t have the ActiveLift Trimmer that can handle a thicker beard growth.

But like the newer variants, all the cutting elements are free-floating, so it will follow the contours of your face.

Unfortunately, the head of this variant is fixed and won’t pivot. So you’ll have to align the head 90 degrees at all times.

Wet/Dry Shaver

Men who like to wet shave, the 340S-4 is capable of wet or dry shaving. If you prefer dry shaving, then go for the 320S-4.

This shaver is 100% waterproof, so you can take it inside the shower and shave with you to take a bath (something I would not recommend) or shave underwater!

Plug it directly or on the charging base

What I like about this product is the flexibility it gives you to plug the cable directly on the shaver or on the charging base.

This is an essential feature for men who travel a lot because you will not need to bring the charging base.

But remember to buy a traveling case because it does not come with one.

Take note that this razor will not turn on when plugged in. It is a safety feature in place to prevent electric shock.

Easy to Clean

Even without the cleaning station cleaning, the 340S-4 isn’t a problem. You can wash it under running tap water with the shaver turned on.

Removing the shaving head is easy, so cleaning under running water will not be an issue.

It comes with a cleaning brush that allows you to clean the area below the shaver head, but experts recommend not using the cleaning brush on the foils because it can damage it.

If you want the cleaning station, then the 390cc would be a good option for you, and it’s only a few dollars more expensive but does not come with free shipping.

What comes in the box?

If you buy this on Amazon, you will get…

• the 340-S wet/dry shaver
• a small bottle of sheen oil
• plastic cover for the shaving head
• cleaning brush
• plug and charging station.

Product Specifications

Consumer Reviews

More than 3,000 men left a review in Amazon, and a majority say that gave them a relatively good shave.

Men who have average beard growth say that it was pretty close. The bad news is men with thicker facial hair weren’t happy with the results saying it wasn’t close.

It does pretty well on the neck area where facial hair tends to be all over the place thanks to the middle trimmer, but if you have substantial growth in that area, I may shy away from this razor and move up to the more aggressive series 7 or even a series 9.

Here’s a review from Electric Shaver Guide…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=5m39s

Even on 3-day beard growth, the 340-s was still able to give a pretty close shave, but anything more than that it will struggle. Also, the author says that he would not recommend it to men with thick beard growth.

Some consumers have compared this to brands like Philips and Panasonic and say this was better though noisier.

Quality-wise, the build quality is excellent, but there were some complaints about the power switch breaking down.

Where can I buy this?

You can buy this budget electric shaver in Amazon, and it’ll be eligible for their 2-day free shipping if you join Prime.

Extended warranties are also available of up to 3 years if you want that extra peace of mind.

Please note that if you buy through the link above, I will earn a commission, but at no additional cost to you, so it’s a win-win for both of us.

To wrap up

Comparing this to the other 3 series razors, it is hard to make a recommendation because all of them have the same shaving head; thus, it will have the same shave quality. The most significant difference would be the accessories.

If you like to shave wet, then the 340-S would be a no-brainer option, but if you don’t need the wet shaving option, I’d still recommend the 340-S because the 320-S is more expensive. If you prefer something with a cleaning station, then your best option would be the 380S-4.

This isn’t as aggressive as newer Braun shavers capable of cutting off denser beard growth. But for men with light to medium growth, this would be a great and affordable option.