Our testers got a fine shave, though perhaps not quite as close as some others on this list. The cartridges can be purchased in packs of four, eight, twelve, and sixteen (with a cost-per-cartridge ranging between $2 plus shipping and $1.56 with shipping). Both handles take the same kind of 5 blade cartridge. And we think their handles (initially two, “ Truman” and “ Winston“) are certainly more stylish than the typical handle–they look more like a custom pen than a razor. One of the co-founders of the trendy Warby Parker eyeglass retailer, Jeff Raider, wants to do for razors what Warby Parker does for glasses: make a razor for a “more discerning” consumer with both style and a lower price than the dominant players, Gillette and Schick. However, many reported an unpleasant “gooy-ness” of the lubrication system when using certain types of gels and creams, and particularly traditional lathering soaps or creams.Ĭartridge prices ranged from $3.37 per cartridge in small quantities at retail outlets to $1.87 per cartridge in bulk (15 carts). It has a very good cartridge life–maybe better than the Proglide’s–with most of us getting a solid two weeks per cartridge (and a couple of us managed three weeks). Our testing suggests that the shave is better than their previous Quattro four blade razor (which had a notorious reputation of an overly-aggressive blade angle), though not as good as the Fusion. They distinguish themselves by having a “lubrication reservoir” on the cartridge and “skin guards” between the blades to reduce friction. They have both a three blade cartridge and a five blade cartridge: we’ll stick to the five blade for this article. Schick, the perrenial number 2 of the razor wars in the US, released their Hydro line in 2010. You may be tempted to try the steeply-discounted cartridges found on various internet auction sites but be aware there are counterfeits on the market. But two weeks seemed to be easily achievable).įREE EBOOK FROM SHARPOLOGIST: How To Get A Better Shave No Matter What Products You Are UsingĬartridge prices are easily the highest in the industry: $5 per cartridge (in a four cartridge pack) down to a slightly-more-manageable $3 range for a bulk pack (14-16 cartridges) from a warehouse like Sams or Costco. And for most of us the Proglide does provide very good shaves–better than the previous versions of the Fusion–and by most accounts they have a respectable cartridge life that degrades gracefully, which lowers the per-shave cost (we do think that a cartridge lasting an entire month, as their marketing campaign claims, is a stretch. It is generally acknowledged that the Proglide design improves on previous Fusion models. The Proglide features a lower-resistance coating on thinner blades. There are a number of variations (with some handles incompatable with each other) but the latest incarnation is the Fusion Proglide. The Fusion cartridge has five blades on the front, and a sixth blade on the rear for trimming. The Gillette Fusion is a five-bladed razor released in 2006. Yes, we know there are some good cartridge razors in other parts of the world–we’re looking at you, Raz*War and King Of Shaves–but this article will concentrate on the US market.) The Cartridge Razor Baseline: Fusion Proglide (For our purposes we’re taking a look at razors primarily targeted to the US. Sharpologist, with a little help from our friends over at Razorpedia, takes a look at seven competitors. But the price of replacement cartridges has given rise to upstarts who think they can provide the same shave more cheaply. For better or worse this five-blade (!) razor dominates the market. The blade pivot can provide a quicker, more consistant shave in some cases.Īnd sitting on the cartridge throne is the Gillette Fusion Proglide. But even we will admit–grudgingly–that modern cartridge razors have their place. Classic double-edge, single-edge (Injector, GEM), straight razor…it’s all good to us. 7 Challengers To The Throne: Harry’s, 800Razors, MyShavingClub, Manpacks, ShaveMOB, Dorco & Dollar Shave Club, and Schick HydroĪnyone who reads Sharpologist knows we’re all about the single blade razor.
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