To innovate does not mean to be the first to invent that thing; sometimes, enhancing the already existing item can be innovation. And the same is the case with Braun shavers. The company began when Max Braun, a German engineer, set up a small engineering shop in 1921 to make radio parts. Although Max is known as the inventor of electric razors, he was not the one who came up with the foil guard razor first. There are also innovative mattresses that can help alleviate bring relief to back pain sufferers.
Braun GmbH
The one name that will surely pop up in front of you when searching about top-notch razors is Braun. You will always find this name in the list of the best foil razors manufacturers in the world.
Shaving razors are not the only thing that Braun manufactures; they also make a range of calculators and kitchen appliances. However, the leading brand association that brings people back to the company is their epilators and razors. Braun is a razor market giant, leaving all wonder how they got to that place.
Ninety years of quality manufacturing and hard work is one crucial answer to that question. Founded in 1921, the company has evolved from a small workshop to the global giant we see and know today. They make over a billion dollars of profit every year.
Why Braun, Anyway?
It is easy to call oneself a market giant but delivering what you have promised is what makes the customers come back to you again and again. And this is what Braun has done; it provided its customers with the best and earned its customers’ loyalty.
Braun, widely credited with the foil razor’s design, has its electric foil razors to be world-class as per the common consensus. The key to the success of their razors is that they never left the history of precision engineering. However, Braun kept making enough changes to remain modern without compromising the razor’s key points that made them popular in the first place.
The reputation for long-lasting, concrete builds is what makes Braun everyone’s favorite. And they have managed to maintain this reputation across both cordless and corded markets, which is quite an accomplishment.
History of Braun Company and Its Electric Shavers
In Frankfurt, Germany, Max Braun established a factory in 1921 for making radios and its part. And it was the unfavorable beginning to what would become the most well-known brand of electric razors today.
Max Braun wanted to do something different, so he decided to manufacture an electric razor for the face. Schick was the one who originally invented the electric razors in 1930, and Max goes with repurposing it. However, because of World War II, the company refitted to create wartime materials and ultimately got destroyed at the end of the war.
After getting his factory rebuilt at the end of the war, Max Braun started getting his Braun electric shavers polished and ready to launch for the mass market. He decided that the best way to shave a face would be a foil guard system. He determined to enhance the shaver’s design after seeing the Remington foil guard electric shaver that was not selling well.
The company designed a much thinner foil to allow a closer shave. They did not offer its first electric razor until the 1950s, and finally, the S 50 Braun foil shaver had first sent to the market in 1950, and it made a splash.
Sixtant, launched in 1962, precisely established Braun as the leaders in the technology of razor as it was the first razor to sell over ten million units in a decade. In the 1950s, much of the manufacturing of Braun moved from Germany to the United States. It was one of the significant trans-Atlantic partnership of that period.
Nowadays, several product lines are produced in China; however, the Series 7 and many other razor ranges remain manufactured in Germany. In the early 90s, the epilators entered Braun repertoire, right after taking over Silk-Epil (a French manufacturing firm). Their legacy lives on the present in the flagship brand name for the series of epilators.
Moreover, it was the beginning of another brand, Oral-B, as well. However, the electronic dental aides remained under the banner of Braun for an extensive period. The Proctor and Gamble (P&G) group took over in 2005, and the following year, the company released the Braun Series 7 razor. It was a favorite among men and continuously topped several surveys till the present date.
Braun introduced Pulsonic technology in Series 7 for the first time to reduce discomfort and razor rash after shaving. The electronics are not the only reason for Braun’s popularity, ‘Braun prize for technical design’ is another reason for that. It is an award to motivate young designers.
With a stable of over 8,000 patents and over 100 design awards, Braun thrives in a way that its pioneers could never have imagined when establishing it.
What Makes Braun Electric Shavers Exceptional?
Braun continued to use the standard rocking motion of the blades of their electric razors while several other brands decided to go for rotary style electric shavers. After studying and doing their research, the company concluded that their system is ideal for capturing more hair per stroke than the competitor.
This makes Braun electric shavers better and more efficient at cutting the beard than the rotary style electric shavers. Irritation is a significant complaint of several men when they use electric shavers. However, cutting more hair per stroke minimizes the discomfort, and this makes Braun foil shavers the ideal and logical choice for men with sensitive skin.
To get a much closer shave, combine that with the ultra-thin foil. All the recent Braun Series shavers from Series 3 come with pressure-sensitive blades that adapt to the skin. Braun shaver cleaner is another thing that makes these razors unique and favorite. It is a self-cleaning charge station that helps disinfect and clean the blades on its own.
S 50 – The First Razor by Braun
The first electric razor by Braun, S 50, was a promising beginning for the category. The person behind the development of leading design innovation was Max Braun. The razor featured a perforated, thin metal foil covering the cutting blades. On the other hand, the models of the competitors had a comb-like metal layer.
The blades of the razor trim the facial hair when the user places its surface against his face. As compared to the incumbent devices from Remington and Schick, the S 50 had thinner foils and therefore resulted in a closer shave. It was a clear-cut case of better manufacturing techniques and superior designs, providing a better product.
Braun – The Best at Its Work
The attention to detail and high-quality parts help Braun stand out from the crowd of electric razors and secure the top position. It surely is fascinating to see a brand with a humble start evolved over the decades. Not only this, but the company is continuously working towards developing much better and user-friendly products that are both safe and don’t break the bank.
We are blessed that the advancement in technology has made electric razors comfortable, safe, and effortless to use. And for the people with sensitive skin, there is nothing better than Braun shavers.