Braun XT5 vs OneBlade – Which is Best for You?
After recently testing the Braun XT5 and its potential for multi-grooming tasks, it made sense to compare it with the previously reviewed Philips OneBlade (Noreclo for you, USA guys!).
Braun and Philips are always competing in the men’s shaving and grooming arena, and Philips was the first off the mark with the OneBlade, so Braun naturally had to compete and bring out a very similar product.
While Braun made a great effort to bring a multi-tool like the OneBlade, which can trim, shave, and body-groom, to the market, it did not match the OneBlade on any level (personally, although some others feel differently).
I will go into more detail about how they compare in performance further along and why the OneBlade is better. Let’s take a quick look at what they should do and their similarities first.
There are various OneBlade models.The best model to compare with the XT5 is the OneBlade Face & Body because it is the closest comparison model, rather than the OneBlade Face.
The Tasks They Should Do
The obvious aspect they share is the ability to shave facially, trim beards, and groom the body.
While multi-tools seem like a great way to accomplish various grooming tasks with one device, you will find throughout my many reviews that they never do every type of task very well and are usually good for one thing (e.g., facial shaving, trimming, or head shaving).
This multi-tool issue was the case with the XT5 and OneBlade (i.e., they both trim and shave facial hair best, rather than body grooming, although trimming the nether regions is pretty good).
Let’s Compare What’s Most Important
Let’s compare the build quality, design, ergonomics, comfort while shaving and trimming, costs, and performance.
| Feature/Aspect | XT5 | OneBlade |
|---|---|---|
| Build Quality | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Ergonomics and Grip | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Blade and Comb Replacing | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Facial Shaving | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Beard Trimming/Edging | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Body Grooming | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Charging | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Replacement Blades | 6 months | 4 months |
| Price Comparison | Approx: $40 USD (£35 GBP – €40 EU) | Approx: $50 USD (£59 GBP – €59 EU) |
Build Quality and Design
There is not much difference between them in terms of design quality. They are both well-designed and slim devices.
The OneBlade is slightly longer than the XT5, which could benefit those with larger hands. They are both similar in width.
Removing the blade head differs quite a lot with these devices. The XT5 twists off easily, while the OneBlade is a little more awkward and clips inside the handle section but does not lock in very well. The OneBlade being more awkward and not locking was not a deal breaker because of its other advantages over the XT5 (i.e., performance mostly).
Ergonomics and Grip
The OneBlade’s rubberized sides are very grippy, which I like, but it has no grip on the top and bottom.
The upper section of XT5 is all rubber, with a lined rubberized section for the thumb and another lined rubberized section on the back. These lined sections are placed in ideal areas, and the rest of the rubber helps grip the device in other ways.
The XT5 has the advantage over the OneBlade in terms of grip.
Neither has or even needs a lot going on with ergonomics. The head’s top section curves toward the shaving/trimming area, and that’s good enough (both are very similar).
Blade Section
The blade section of the XT5 and OneBlade is unique, as first seen with the OneBlade. Both have flat surfaces that shave with a trimming edge at the top and bottom.
This section of the blade on the XT5 is made of metal, while the OneBlade is made with a combination of metal and plastic. The OneBlade looks like a kind of solar panel.
An advantage of the XT5 blades is they only need replacing every 6 months (approximately), while the blades of the OneBlade last about 4 months (used twice a week). I cannot vouch for the longevity of the XT5 blades, but the blades of the OneBlade do not last as long as 4 months –more like 2 months, but that depends on usage, of course.
As you’ll see in the performance section below, the OneBlade blades perform much better than the XT5, which is more important than anything else!
Combs
Both devices make it very easy to switch the combs, and both come with various sizes and a body comb.
The only negative is what I mentioned above about the OneBlade (blade not locking); the blade pulls off when removing a comb when it should stay attached to the handle.
The combs on the XT5 are double-sided, which means they can trim back and forth. This is an advantage over the single-sided OneBlade combs. However, the XT5 combs prevent the head from flexing back and forth fully, as it would without a comb, unlike the full flex movement of the OneBlade (with combs attached).
Charging and Battery
OneBlade: The Face & Body model takes 4 hours to charge, providing 60 minutes of runtime.
XT5: The battery runtime is 45 minutes, and it takes 10 hours to charge fully.
The OneBlade is the clear winner!
Braun XT5 vs OneBlade Performance
As seen in the individual review articles, I tested both devices with facial shaving, edging, head shaving, and body grooming. I tried to get as many uses out of the trimmers/shavers as possible.
Facial Shaving
The OneBlade felt much more comfortable than the XT5. The XT5 pulled a few hairs, especially around the mustache area.
I tried shaving three times with the XT5 and found I always got some hair tugging and it was way too slow to get the job done. On the third occasion, I gave up and got a razor out.
Both devices won’t give a razor-close shave and kind of leave a little stubble (as expected), but the XT5 was just –bad!
Beard Edging and Trimming
While I don’t have the opportunity to grow a full beard at the moment because of all the shaver and razor reviews I do –I was able to let a week grow and test out some of the trimming/edging ability.
The XT5 and OneBlade are ideal for trimming and grooming beard hair because they are very slim and not bulky. Both work equally well; I can’t say one outshines the other.
Body Grooming
Both devices are not best suited for grooming large areas like the chest as the shaver/trimmer head is too small compared to a standard trimmer or hair clippers.
I gave up trimming the chest with XT5 as it was tedious and took too long, but I persevered with the OneBlade and finished the job.
Trimming around the groin, armpits, and even the scrotum area is easy with both devices because of the small shaver heads and slim design. But the OneBlade was the best out of the two.
I got a couple of nicks shaving the balls without a comb with the OneBlade (– as expected –), and I wasn’t even going to attempt to let the XT5 near them. My advice regarding getting a close shave around the crown jewels is to use a good cartridge razor.
Price Comparison
As you can see below, the Braun XT5 is the cheaper initial option. However, the OneBlade replacement blades work out slightly cheaper when you do the math.
–The OneBlade retails for approximately $50 USD (£59 GBP – €59 EU). Two replacement blades cost around $25 USD (£22 GBP – €59 EU), and each can last for around 4 months (depending on usage).
–The XT5 costs approximately $40 USD (£35 GBP – €40 EU). Replacement head costs around $20 (£15 – €18 EU), lasting 6 months (depending on usage).
Final Thoughts – Which Is Best?
I was expecting more from the Braun XT5 and thought it would compete well with the OneBlade, but unfortunately, as we can see, the OneBlade was a much better product for me.
I like the XT5’s extra rubberized section and how the head section removal is better than the OneBlade’s. I also like the XT5’s metal blade face. However, the OneBlade surpassed the XT5, especially when using it (the most important aspect).
Both are good beard edging and trimming tools, and their small and slim designs make them ideal for travel. However, the OneBlade is better at shaving, and both are not great for trimming large areas.
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