Braun series 9-holes in the head

[Brownfast]

I have a Braun series 9 which I like ...except I've replaced the head four times in the last 15 months. Each time, the foil has developed holes within a few weeks, making it unusable. I have bought replacement heads on Amazon where they're listed (and priced) as genuine OEM Braun heads. I use a Braun charging/cleaning cradle and am very careful in how I handle the razor...but the holes keep happening and new heads are expensive. I even replaced the cradle, thinking that might be puncturing the head, but the problem keeps happening. Braun customer service has no explanation. I would like to keep using the Braun but am thinking of getting a Panasonic in the hope it's more durable. Does anyone have advice or an explanation?

 

[Jim Elliott]

Brownfast, welcome aboard.

That's a strange one because a Series 9 foil shouldn't be developing holes within a few weeks under normal use. My first thought would be that something is physically stressing the foil rather than the charging/cleaning station itself. If the holes are always appearing in roughly the same area, I'd take a close look at the cutter assembly underneath to make sure nothing is bent, damaged, or rubbing where it shouldn't be. I'd also consider whether you're shaving longer growth on a regular basis or pressing fairly hard against the skin, as both can shorten foil life.

If the replacement heads are coming from Amazon, I wouldn't completely rule out a quality issue either, even if they're sold as genuine Braun parts. Before giving up on the razor, I'd try buying a replacement head directly from Braun or a major authorized retailer and see whether the problem continues. Four heads in 15 months is definitely not typical for a Series 9, so I'd be looking for either a defective component in the razor itself or a problem with the replacement heads rather than assuming all Series 9 razors behave that way. If the next genuine head develops holes just as quickly, I'd seriously consider replacing the razor.