Two foils, two philosophies
Two foils and a trimmer, or three blades?
Both are entry foil shavers, both are wet and dry, and they sit at the entry end of this family. Braun puts a trimmer between two foils; Panasonic puts three cutting elements in a row and publishes its battery figures in full.
| Compared on | 3040si | ES-RT37 |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting elements | Two foils and a middle trimmer | Three blades |
| Pop-up trimmer | Integrated precision trimmer | Pop-up with 30 blades |
| Runtime | Up to 45 minutes | 54 minutes |
| Charge time | Not published | 1 hour |
| Quick charge | 5 minutes for one shave | Not published |
| Water rating | 100% waterproof | Washable under running water |
| Foil shape | Not published | Arc-shaped, for under the chin |
| Manufacture | Made in Germany, stated | Not published |
| In the box | Not published | Cable, cleaning brush, cap |
| Listed on amazon.com | No | Yes |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these products answer different questions.
No amazon.com listing was found for this one. We hold references for other markets but none for the United States, so it may not be buyable here — which is the first thing to weigh against anything below.
Take the Braun for the five-minute quick charge and the narrow head. On a morning when the shaver is flat, the quick charge is the specification that matters, and no amount of runtime replaces it.
Take the Panasonic for the documentation and the trimmer. Fifty-four minutes on a one-hour charge, arc-shaped foils and a thirty-blade pop-up trimmer — every one of those is published, where Braun leaves three fields empty.
They are different geometries, not two grades. More cutting elements generally means fewer passes; a middle trimmer between two foils is aimed at catching longer hairs on the first pass. Neither listing publishes a figure that would settle it.
2 foils + MicroComb · 3 flex blades · 100% waterproof · 45 min · made in Germany
Two Braun foils either side of a middle trimmer, three flexing blades, a MicroComb that Braun states catches more hair per stroke, a body it states is 100% waterproof, and forty-five minutes of runtime with a five-minute quick charge.
Best for: A daily shave, wet or dry, with a narrow head for under the nose.
3 blades · pop-up trimmer, 30 blades · 54 min · rinsable
A three-blade foil shaver with arc-shaped foils shaped for under the chin, a pop-up trimmer carrying thirty blades of its own, an hour to charge for fifty-four minutes of use, and a head that rinses under running water.
Best for: A daily dry or wet shave, with the head rinsed at the tap afterwards.
≈ $120
