this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2025
44 points (86.7% liked)

Buy it for Life

6929 readers
49 users here now

A place to share practical, durable and quality made products that are made to last, with an emphasis on upcycled and sustainable products!

Guidelines:

Things that are well-made and durable (even if they won't last a lifetime) are A-Okay!

Unlike that other BIFL place, Home-made and DIY items are encouraged here, as long as some form of instruction is included in the body of the post.

Videos links are not allowed as post titles, but you may use them in a text post.

A limited amount of self-promotion is accepted, IF the item you are selling aligns with this criteria:

  1. The item must be made with sustainable or recycled materials.
  2. If electronic in some way, the item must be open-source.
  3. The item must be user-serviceable (if applicable).
  4. You cannot be a large corporation.
  5. The post must be clearly marked with a [Self Promotion] tag in your title.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I've had a Braun Series 5 model 8975 electric shaver for 16 years now and this thing has outlasted basically every other consumer electronic I've ever purchased. It just works. Battery still holds a charge. It's great. Sadly, Braun seems to have stopped making series 5 replacement foils and the non-OEM ones I've tried are absolute junk. I hate to give up old reliable when it still works, but sadly I think it's time look for something new. Before they stopped making replacement foils, I would have purchased another Braun in a heartbeat when this one finally gave up the ghost, but now I'm on the fence. Does anyone have recommendations for a BIFL shaver?

top 14 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Tiuku@sopuli.xyz 18 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I recall someone criticised how nowadays a battery is fitted into every single electrical appliance. They were very much in favour of the good old cord, and the example they brought up was shavers.

It does make some sense. Likely you're only ever using it at home right next to a power outlet and the battery is one of the first parts to give in.

[–] Everto@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

I like the approach Braun took with the series 5. Mine has a battery (that's held up shockingly well over a decade and a half), but you could always plug it in and continue shaving if the battery died. I'll be very disappointed if that's not still the case on newer models.

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Holy shit does that bring back memories! I probably still have my Braun Series 5 somewhere (and yeah, it's probably at least 15 years old), but I haven't used it in some time.

I've mostly been using Philips OneBlade, but true BIFL would be a safety razor.

[–] Everto@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Oneblade looks interesting. I'll have to check that out. Do you dry shave with it?

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes, and use a combination of various attachments for grooming, and even got a third-party nose hair trimmer attachment that works pretty damn well, too! LOL

I tend to have really sensitive skin, and the OneBlade helps a lot. Philips says that you can use it wet or dry, with foam or gel, but also say that the best results are when you use it dry.

[–] Everto@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Nice! Thanks for the info. Looks like Costco has a bundle on sale right now too so I may give it a shot even if I end up with a more expensive shaver as well.

[–] solrize@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Plug-in Norelco. I can check the model number of mine later.

Edit: I didn't see a model number anywhere on it. Weird. Oh well, it is pretty basic and I've had it a long time. BIFL like you said.

[–] PP_BOY_@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I like my Norelco too. Just a basic battery one that's been around the world with me and lasted 10+ years. FWIW, almost all electric shavers owe their design to Braun. Read into Deiter Rams and his ~~legacy~~ impact (E: he still alive) if you're interested

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 6 points 2 days ago

I have a Remington from longer ago than that the still works fine, battery holds charge... However 16 years is long enough that I wouldn't trust any major brand to still be good.

[–] calliope@retrolemmy.com 3 points 2 days ago

I had that same style of Braun for quite a while!

I have had a Panasonic Arc5 electric razor for 7 1/2 years now and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.

I replaced the blades in 2022, even though I didn’t feel like I had to, and it was like getting a brand new razor.

[–] cloudless@piefed.social 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Even when they are available, the replacement foils by Braun are more expensive than buying a brand-new electric shaver from a different brand.

[–] Everto@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

They weren't cheap, but they were quality. At the cadence I shave I could usually get two years out of one before I noticed it getting dull. For comparison, the last off-brand one I tried was maybe 60% of the price, but lasted around 3 months before breaking mid-shave and coming close to tearing up my skin. So well worth it to me to buy the real deal. I'll gladly buy off-brand whenever possible, but something sharp running over my neck is where I draw the line lol.

[–] Thorry@feddit.org 4 points 2 days ago

I had one of these but it died. One day it simply wouldn't turn on anymore. So YMMV

[–] vpz@infosec.pub 4 points 2 days ago

I get a new Braun electric shaver about every 10 years or so. The shaver base lasts for a very long time. The Braun heads last about a year for me, so over 10 years they cost more than the initial shaver. I don’t buy the cleaning pods since to me a tap water rinse works just as well. I’ve not compared total cost of ownership against other brands as I’ve not had a reason to switch. I’m also interested in what others have to say. What is as good or better for their beard type?