I've not been very adventurous when it came to shaving my face.

I tried safety razors, but ended up looking like somebody trying to take the piss out Norman Gunston.

An electric shaver was somewhat less painful and more dignified, and the Phillishave I received from my folks for my 21st served me very well for years and years.  Eventually the power lead started playing up, so the old girl was replaced with a shiny new Phillips cordless, which worked better.

Then I got interested in the Braun range. Shavers that could clean themselves?  That'll do me!  So I bought a top of the line Braun and all was going to be well in the world.

But no..  The Braun wasn't all that I expected, right from day 1.

• It was horrendously noisy (I thought there was something wrong with it the first time I switched it on!)
• IT takes AGES to get a reasonably close shave! And some spots just never get shaved properly, as you can't get the bloody razor in there at the right angle. A Half Hour to get a half reasonable shave would be about right.
• The running costs are incredible!  Every few weeks it wants a new foil or a replacement cleaning cartridge!  Braun may have no friggin idea about how to make a shaver, but they sure know how how to charge for one! And I had to replace the charger lead too, at about $50.

So, this week I gave in.  I pulled the old Phillishave out again.  The battery was flat, but it charged up again just fine.  I can now shave in about 5 minutes and not be deaf afterward.

The only real downside is that I'll have to clean the thing now and then.