5050Cs is part of Braun’s mid-range Series 5. This series essentially falls between the entry-level Series 3 and more higher-end Series 7 and 9. The 5050Cs is a new addition to the series and made its first show in late 2019/early 2020.
It does come with some new features. However, we can’t help but notice it lacking some of the trademark Braun features present in earlier Series 5 models, for example, auto-sense technology. Nonetheless, it essentially has the same shaving head as earlier Series 5 models and promises to deliver the same performances.
It has a new overall design and some new handy features like EasyClean which enables you to clean it without removing the head. In addition to that, it comes with a couple of attachments in a precision trimmer and body groomer. We will go through how these features fare and affect the overall convenience of the shaver in a bit.
Table of Contents
Braun Series 5 5050Cs Highlights
Three-Blade Shaving Head: As said earlier, 5050Cs features essentially the same shaving head we see in earlier models. It has three shaving elements. Of these, two are SensoFoil which are your normal foil shaver blades featuring Braun’s octagonal perforations. Hairs are fed to these and they cut as close as 0.058mm. ActiLift, on the other hand, aligns and pre-cuts flat-lying and stray hair for a final cut by blades.
It is noteworthy that these shaving elements are flexible. This means when going through different facial contours, depending on the degree of pressure put on these blades they move in up and down directions. They move independently of each other but are synchronized for better shaving performance.
Wet and Dry Use: 5050Cs are 100% waterproof and can be used both for a wet and a dry shave. Thus, you can use it in the shower and with or without shaving cream, foam, or gel.
Charging Stand: In earlier Braun models, we see “CC” or “S” suffixes which mean clean and charge and solo respectively. This essentially indicates the configuration of the model in that whether it has a clean and charge station or not. However, in 5050Cs, we see the suffix “Cs” which indicates it only comes with a charging station that does not perform any kind of cleaning.
This is a major shift for Braun models and essentially a new configuration. In the future, we can see clean and charge models, charging stand models or solo models.
New Attachments: In earlier models, the Series 5 shavers had a trimmer. This had its use in aligning mustache or sideburns and also was handy in removing hair from difficult-to-reach spots. However, this essentially was a pop-up trimmer meaning you had to slide it up from the top end of the shaver.
Braun Series 5 5050Cs Review – Is The Shift For Better Or For Worse
Construction and Design:
In this new inclusion to the series, we see a major design shift. Earlier Braun models had more or less uniform thickness throughout. They had a rectangular shape. However, in 5050Cs, we see an almost round shaft. The shaft closes in near the head of the shaver and then the head widens again. Frankly, this design shift makes this model look more like a Panasonic Arc 4 shaver than a Braun 5.
In terms of construction, it has plastic construction. It has a black matte finish on the top and a grey plastic insert on the back. There is a white line that runs on the sides from the top to the bottom. The undersides of the head are also white. 5050Cs is made in Germany, so you can be sure of quality construction.
It has a simple LED display on the front side. This shows your battery status with three dots that indicate different battery levels. In addition, there are indicators for if the shaver needs cleaning, travel lock, plugged in, and if you need blade replacement. There is a thumb rest just above the power button. You can activate the travel lock by pressing the power button for 3 seconds.
Shaving Performance:
As said earlier, 5050Cs features the same shaving head as earlier series 5 models. Thus, you can expect similar performance. In terms of the closeness of shave, it performs pretty well. It may not be the closest shave you can get with an electric shaver, it is not disappointingly bad either. You may have to go over some spots a couple of times but this is where you have some stubborn hair like below the lower lip or chin.
Other than that, the blades are sharp enough and give a close shave. It performs perfectly well on the cheeks and neck without having to go over any spot multiple times. However, we do notice that the motor is perhaps less powerful than earlier models as it struggles with some areas.
In terms of comfort, Braun shavers are arguably better than any other foil shavers and so is the case with 5050Cs. Its head remains perfectly cool during the shave and you won’t feel any extensive yanking on the hair or skin. The combination of these factors makes this shaver good for people with sensitive skin particularly the elderly and teenagers.
The couple of attachments you get fit securely on the shaving head with the EasyClick feature. The pop-up trimmer in earlier models because of its position had limited utility. These new attachments perform better but you carry the risk of losing them or blunting the edges when not in use.
Battery Life and Charging:
5050Cs features a Li-ion battery and these generally have good power retention. This shaver has a runtime of 50 minutes and takes about one hour of charging. Once fully charged, you can use this shaver for four to five shaves. However, if not in use, it can retain power for a good period of time.
The charging stand this shaver comes with has no groundbreaking features and has not much to talk about. You simply plug the power cord and place the shaver on it for a charge. However, you can also charge the shaver without placing it on the stand.
Accessories And Replacement Parts:
Along with the shaver itself you get:
- A charging stand
- A charging cord
- One cleaning brush
- One precision trimmer
- A body grooming attachment
- One smart plug for voltage adjustment
- One protective cap which prevents damage to the blade against accidental falls.
The replacement head for 5050Cs is 52b and is readily available.
- A new budget option in Braun Series 5
- Features a new design which is more ergonomic
- It corporates same shaving head, so delivers a similar performance to earlier models
- 100% waterproof shaver makes wet and dry shaving possible
- EasyClean feature enables you to wash the head without removing it from the shaver
- 50-minute runtime with one hour of charge
- Black matte finish give it eye-catching looks
- Comes with a precision trimmer and body groomer attachment which fit securely
- Simple interface
- Travel lock
- A good option for people with sensitive skin
- Shaving elements are sharp and provide a close shave
- ActiLift takes care of flat-lying and stray hair
- Replacement parts are easily available
- Good battery life
- Struggles with more stubborn hair
- Attachments carry the risk of getting lost.
- The charging stand essentially adds no value
- Does not come with a travel case
- Can’t be used when plugged in
- Probably has a less powerful motor than earlier models
Braun Series 5 5018s vs 5020s vs 5050Cs
Along with 5050Cs, Braun also released 5018s and 5020s. In essence, these are different configurations of the same shaver. The shaver is essentially the same, but these models differ in terms of the accessories they come with.
Braun calls 5050Cs as white and 5018s and 5020s as blue. This is based on the color of the line that runs on the sides from top to bottom.
As said, these models essentially have the same shaver which incorporates the same motor and same shaving head. Therefore, there is no difference in the shaving performance of these shavers.
In terms of accessories, 5050Cs come with a charging stand which 5020s and 5018s lack. Other than that, 5050Cs has a precision trimmer and a body groomer. However, 5018s comes only with a precision trimmer and lacks a body groomer. 5020s, on the other hand, comes with a precision trimmer and also has five beard attachment combs which give you the ability to adjust beard length from 0.5mm to 7mm.
Price-wise, 5050Cs comes just under $100. However, you can get your hands on 5020s and 5018s for under just $80 and $70 respectively.
Conclusion:
5050Cs promises to add a new dimension to the already extensive series 5. It has a beautiful design and top-notch ergonomics. In addition to that, it utilizes the same shaving head that we are used to seeing in Series 5 models. Thus, we can hope almost the same shaving performance from 5050Cs.
However, we probably can assume that Braun has dropped the Autosense motor that was a trademark of Series 5. I did notice slightly less power than some of its predecessors, but I have relatively soft hair texture and sparse stubble. Therefore, for people who have denser hair growth, this may be a problem but it is yet to be seen.
Other than that, it carries the same promise as earlier Series 5 models and that too at a lesser price. This essentially means that you get a close shave without compromising on your comfort. Thus, if you have sensitive skin, this shaver is a good bet. In addition, you get some useful accessories for your different grooming needs.
We hope the price drop is just to be more competitive and this new addition performs as good, if not better, as we are used to from seeing Braun shavers.
- Design
- Comfort
- Shaving Performance
- Features
- Battery
