Pros: Decent shave under the right conditions, excellent self cleaning system, powerful trimmer
Cons: wish the shave was closer, considering the price
The Bottom Line: If you want a top notch quality shaver, this is the way to go. If a closer shave is what you want, look at Remington or Panasonic units.
shecker's Full Review: Braun Activator 8585 Electric Shaver
I had a Remington Interceptor 3 shaver which died due to battery failure. At the time, Remington had stopped selling this line and were shutting down their stores. Time for a new shaver, but which one? I liked the idea of a self cleaning system. I heard Braun was the best shaver that had a self cleaning system. The activator had just come out, so I decided to get one.
The shave quality is good with this shaver. It shaves close, but can be made to shave closer under the right conditions. This will be explained shortly. I've had this shaver for several years now and it still runs like the day it was brand new. At the time, this shaver provided me the best shave I could get. The shaver is well balanced, so maneuvering it isn't a problem. I've seen a couple reviews where people call it a brick, but as for me, I like the design. If you want a brick (a well balanced one), check out the Remington ms-900. Now, it's time to get into the features.
One of the first things I noticed about this shaver is the cleaning system. It is housed in a somewhat round charging base. There is a cartrige that fits into the bottom of the base which contains an alcohol based cleaning solution. When the shaver is in the base, there is a button that locks it into place. There are 3 levels of cleaning that are available (economy, normal, and intensive), but you don't pick which one is used. The shaver has a chip inside that does this. The process takes about an hour to complete. When it's done, the shaver is cleaned, oiled, dried, and ready for use.
Another cool feature is the shaving head. When you are shaving, you can allow the head to follow your face, or you can lock it into a fixed position. This allows the shaver to have flexibility while shaving.
Now, we get to the trimmer. I have never seen a trimmer that can do what the one on this shaver does. If you are careful and diligent, you can use the trimmer like a pair of hair clippers. Yeah, this means you could shave your head with them. Braun does not recommend you do this, but I've done it multiple times. All I can say is it works great.
Now, it's time we get into the quirks with this shaver. Many of these apply to just about any shaver you buy, but some are specific to this unit.
If you want the self cleaning system to work properly, the shaver will need to charge a bit. If you try engaging the system when the battery is discharged all the way, it won't start. Rather, the shaver will continue charging. Let the shaver charge for about 5 minutes, then push the clean button. The shaver then should go into the cleaning cycle. Don't pull the shaver out during the cleaning cycle. Cleaning fluid will be all over the heads and the shaver will not be useable. Plus, if the fluid gets into the electronics inside the shaver, it could cause problems. Oh, and when it comes to the cleaning cartrige, use common sense. The liquid inside is poisonous, flamable, and can damage certain finishes. Store and use it for its intended purpose. If used every day, the cartrige will last about a month. The longest that the cartrige will last is about 3 months if you don't use it every day. The reason is the alcohol slowly evaporates over time. Replacements cost about $5 a pop. You will find more information in the manual that comes with the shaver.
If you will remember, I said that the shaver shaves close, but closer can be achieved under the right conditions. And here they are. A couple are obvious, but one may not be. First, keep the shaver clean. A clean shaver performs better than a dirty one. This shaver is not a wet dry unit, so don't clean it under running water or you could kill the unit. Use the brush which comes with it. The brush is in the hard travel case which comes with the unit. When you pull the shaver out, you will see the brush under it. Or, simply put the shaver in the charging and cleaning station after each use and start the cleaning cycle.
Keep the unit charged. If you are in the middle of a shave, you don't want to run out of juice, do you? If this does happen, the shaver can be plugged in and you can finish up. The power adapter will also charge the batteries. The shaver should last at least a week on a full charge, but much depends on your shaving habits. Trial and error will tell you the story. You may have noticed the shaver comes with just one power adapter. This adapter also powers the charging/cleaning base. One other thing, if you want to keep the batteries in good condition, it is a good idea to run them all the way down, then charge them. If you don't, they could develop a memory. If this occurs, you won't get full use out of them anymore. The shaver will do this for you, assuming you use the charging base, about once every 6 months.
Keep the shaver oiled. There are some products out there that are designed for this purpose. The easiest one to use comes with the shaver. Yep, the charging/cleaning base oils the shaver for you during the cleaning cycle. However, if you are traveling and don't have the base with you, you can find some products in the store. One is called shaver saver. It comes in a can similar to a hair spray can, but smaller. A little spray and the blades are oiled and ready to go. I don't know if this product is sold anymore, since it has been years since I looked for it. If you can't find this product, there should be something similar you can get. I haven't tried this, but perhaps a drop or 2 of clipper blade oil might work just as well. If you try this, let me know how it works.
Maintain the cutters and screens. This means, when they are dull, replace them. According to Braun, they should last about 18 months, but this will greatly depend on your shaving habits. You are looking at about $40 for a replacement cutter and screen. Now, we get to the slightly less obvious condition for a close shave.
Get a pre-shave product. I didn't say shaving cream, there is a big difference. There are products specifically designed for electric shavers. There are several brands out there. The most common is Williams Lectric Shave, which can be found at retailers like Walgreens or CVS Pharmacy. Remington also makes a product for this purpose. The product can come in a liquid, lotion, or a powder stick. If you go with the powder stick, use it sparingly because you will clog the shaving heads if you use too much. You may ask what does a pre-shave product do. The short version is it makes your hair stand up so the shaver can cut it. A side effect is it oils (but does not clean) the shaver.
Here's the more detailed explanation about pre-shave products. Hair can lay down flat on the skin surface. This makes it difficult for a shaver to cut it. Body oil and moisture can add to this problem. Both can keep the hairs laying flat on the skin surface. A pre-shave product cuts through body oils and moisture to allow the hair to stand upright. A hair that is standing upright has a much higher chance of being cut than one that is not, hence the closer shave. Now, comes another way that helps out quite a bit.
Do a primary shave and a secondary shave. Do the initial shave before you jump in the shower. Take your shower, then dry off. Now, hairs that were missed should be standing. Do the secondary shave and those hairs should be cut. To minimize hairs left over, use a pre-shave product during the primary shave. This has worked with just about every shaver I've used, and particularly well with this unit.
Now, we get to the trimmer. As stated earlier, Braun does not recommend you use the trimmer as a pair of hair clippers. However, the trimmer design is excellent and allows for this luxury. If you decide to shave your head with them, you will want to go with, not against the hair growth. This will keep the trimmer from getting bogged down. If it does get bogged down, you are likely going too fast. Back up to clear the trimmer, then proceed at a slower pace. Eventually, the trimmer will cut most of the hairs off. Once this is done, then you can go against the hair growth to cut missed hairs. This is time consuming, but if clippers aren't available, it is an option. If you are in a hurry, get yourself some good hair clippers. Andes makes some of the best I've seen. If you want more information about clippers, go to a beauty supply store. They will likely know more than your big retailer. Or, ask the local barber.
The Braun 8585 is an excellent shaver. It's features and rock solid performance make it a shaver that I think is one of the best. This is something I would definitely recommend to my friends. It doesn't have the closest shave around and is a bit expensive. For a lower price and closer shave, you should give Remington and Panasonic a closer look. However, if you want top notch quality, this shaver is the way to go. It will give you years of use. You won't be disappointed.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 160 Noise Level: More quiet than most
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.