Braun Series 5 5090cc Review: Bang For The Buck

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

The phrase “less is more” is applicable in life situations. And this is how I describe the Series 5 5090cc from Braun.

Yes, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of a Series 9 or 7, which is an excellent thing because it’s more than a hundred dollars cheaper than higher-end Braun shavers.

Plus you’ll get the cleaning station found in more expensive variants.

Unfortunately, this isn’t waterproof, so you cannot use it to wet shave. If wet shaving is your preference, opt for the Series 9.

The head has the “MacroMotion” technology, which means it can pivot back and forth.

This is great when shaving areas like your neck, and you can lock it into position for shaving parts like the lip and cheek area.

A quick look at the features

• The microMotion shaving head has three individual cutting elements that follow the contours of your face
• The pivoting head pivots back and forth to help maintain maximum contact on contours
• The middle part of the shaving head has the UltraActiveLift system that makes it easier to shave trouble spots like the neck and chin area
• CrossHair blades help give you a close shave
• PowerDrive feature helps cut off hair even if it grows in different directions
• 100% waterproof
• Only for dry shaving
• Comes with a clean and charge station plus a month’s supply of cleaning solution
• Lithium-ion (3.6 volts) battery will last for 45 minutes on a single charge
• Takes only 1 hour to recharge (with an optional 5-minute quick charge)
• 2-year warranty

Pros

• A cheaper alternative to the Series 7 and 9
• Three shaving heads will give you a reasonably close shave
• You can plug the cord directly to the charger – this is a great feature to have when you travel a lot because you don’t need to bring the clean and charge station
• The strong motor will last for years
• Pivoting head is an excellent help for shaving the neck area

Cons

• Only 45 minutes of run time
• Short power cord
• You can’t use this to wet shave
• Still expensive
• You need to buy refills for the clean and charge station

What to Expect from the Braun Series 5 5090cc?

Braun is a world leader when it comes to manufacturing foil electric razors thanks in large part to the German precision engineering that it brings to the table.

If you can’t afford the more expensive 7 series or 9 series, this is a good cheaper fallback option because it has a pretty similar feature set.

Flex Motion Tech

At the heart of the matter is the Flex Motion technology. This refers to the three cutting elements that each has its own suspension mechanism that allows it to follow the contours of your face.

Braun calls this the MicroMotion technology.

The series 5 and series 7 basically have the same 3 piece cutting head, and this is around $50 cheaper.

UltraActiveLift and CrossHair blades

If you look closely at the middle cutting element, it has what Braun calls the UltraActiveLift and CrossHair blades that act like a comb. It gathers facial hair that may be all over the place, lift and cut them.

Men with fuzzy facial hair that’s all over the place will love this technology because it will save them time having to shave with a cartridge or a safety razor 3 or 4 passes.

FlexMotion Tec with MacroMotion

The whole shaving head pivots (up to 40 degrees) back and forth. It also has three individual cutting elements that move independently to follow the contours of the face.

This makes it easier to shave areas like the neck. And you have the option to lock the head into place at 5 different angles for a more precise shave on areas like the lip and cheek.

To see the different features of this razor, watch this video…

100% Waterproof

Even with the clean and charge station, you can wash this razor using tap water.

Just make sure to dry the head thoroughly to prevent water seeping inside the blades and corroding over time.

It also comes with a cleaning brush that helps dislodge any facial hair trapped inside. But avoid using it on the foil part.

What Braun recommends is removing the head, tap it something substantial covered with a paper towel then brush the underside with the cleaning brush to remove excess hair and dead skin.

Despite being waterproof, you still cannot use this to wet shave. If wet shaving is your preference, then opt for the more expensive Series 9.

Comes with a Clean and Charge Station

This is called the 5090cc because “cc” stands for the clean and charge station.

Braun says this is the world’s only 4-action alcohol-based cleaning system, which means it will clean, lubricate, charge, and select the cleaning program for you.

But you’ve got to remember that when Braun made this claim, this was their top of the line model.

And this claim does not hold ground anymore because newer variants have this feature as well.

A cartridge will last a month.

If you buy this from Amazon, it comes with a single cartridge that will last for a month.

A 3-pack refill will cost around $21, so that equates to about $7 per refill. Compare that to Gillette refills that efficiently cost over $20, it’s a pretty good bargain.

And you can actually extend the cycle of the cleaning cartridge to over a month by using it every other day since cleaning the shaver without it is possible.

Regular in-depth cleaning sessions would be beneficial to the longevity of the shaving head though Braun recommends that you replace it every year.

Precision Trimmer

Aside from being a shaver, the 5090cc also comes with a trimmer that will help you trim the sideburn and shape your goatee.

It does have a more rounded head, and it pops up from the side, which makes it read easy for trimming sideburns.

Lithium-Ion Battery

Powering this machine is a 3.6-volt lithium-ion battery that takes a full hour to recharge.

There is an optional 5-minute quick charge just in case you’re in a hurry.

When fully charged, it will give you around 45 minutes of cordless run time.

One feature I like is you have the option to plug in the charger directly on the shaver or the cleaning station.

This is great for frequent flyers because you don’t need to bring a massive cleaning base.

Nice touch Braun.

Hard Travel Case

Again another benefit for frequent travelers is the addition of a hard case that protects your shaver from damage while in transit.

What Comes In The Box?

Product Specifications

See it in Action

Unboxing, features, and first impressions…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe1wcnmJTR4

Not only did he shave his beard (that seems to be a few days old) but also his head.

With this, you don’t even need to buy a razor for your head.

Make sure to watch the whole video as he also shows you tips on how to clean the head and save on the cleaning fluid.

Consumer Reviews

Overall the 5090cc got a lot of positive reviews with some men proclaiming that this is the best electric shaver that they’ve used.

I wouldn’t go that far because each man’s needs are different. So let’s breakdown what works with this razor and what does not.

What’s good

First, let’s go with the positives. In terms of closeness, a lot of men said they’ve had a close shave. Some even shared tips on how to use this.

One said that your face and facial hair should be dry before using this, or it will not run as smoothly.

Another said to use just a light touch and let the shaving head do the work for you.

Again, if you’re switching from a cartridge or a safety razor, there will be a slight learning curve.

The addition of the travel pouch is excellent because you’ll have something to store this in when you travel.

While the clean and charge station may seem like a gimmick, one consumer said that it wasn’t because it does deep clean the shaving head and extends the life.

If you want to make the cleaning solution last longer, make sure to rinse the blades first before using the cleaning station.

After using the cleaning station, remove the cartridge and cover it, so it does not evaporate.

Now let’s go to the negatives.

One consumer mentioned that the power cord is too short for his liking that if your bathroom does not have an outlet near the faucet, you’ll have no place to store the cleaning station.

Men who have thicker beards should avoid this razor according to reviews.

If you thicker growth, you may want to go with the series 7 or series 9. For men without any issues with ingrown hair, a rotary shaver might be a better option.

While others complained about the position of the popup trimmer (head blocks the view). Plus, the location of the power switch that is not ideal because you can accidentally turn it on or off while shaving.

But you have to remember these comments are subjective and as will all Braun products expect a solidly built razor that will last for years.

Where can I buy this?

You can buy this electric shaver from Amazon, and it’s eligible for the 2-day free shipping if you enroll in Prime. Don’t worry, even the trial account gives you that benefit.

Another reason to buy in Amazon would be the extended warranty they offer of up to 3 years.

Please note that if you buy through the link, 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

This razor is an excellent option for men who make a lot of business trips because it isn’t bulky. And you can plug the charging plug directly on the razor, which does not necessitate bringing the cleaning station.

Even though it has a cleaning station, you can use running water to rinse off gunk from the cutting heads.

Doing this will save you some money because you don’t need to replace the cleaning cartridges every month, as Braun suggests. But if you’re planning on storing, pop it out the cleaning station and cover it to prevent evaporation.

Refills aren’t that expensive at $7 a pop, but if you really want to save, you can use it 2 or 3 times a week and extend the contents of the refills for 2 to 3 months.

This razor has a similar shaving head as the Series 7 and is around $50 cheaper, so it is a better deal, in my opinion.

The head though does not pivot from side to side, but if that isn’t a big deal to you, then my vote is for the series 5.