Gillette cartridges are expensive!

[bonbon]

Didn't think my definition of proper wet shaving would cause the discussion
Whatever works for you.

As mentioned, it's my definition. I used Gilette’ cartridges and foam/gel many years and wasn't enjoying my wet shaving at all.

After I switched to SR/DE and tried brush + soap/cream combinations it was like a new worlds for me. Therefore, given that cartridges are wet shaving as well, I decided to call it the proper wet shaving)

For those who found their shaving zen in other way, fell free to adapt/ignore my definition.
Cheers

 

[Ratpoison10]

Didn't think my definition of proper wet shaving would cause the discussion
Whatever works for you.

As mentioned, it's my definition. I used Gilette’ cartridges and foam/gel many years and wasn't enjoying my wet shaving at all.

After I switched to SR/DE and tried brush + soap/cream combinations it was like a new worlds for me. Therefore, given that cartridges are wet shaving as well, I decided to call it the proper wet shaving)

For those who found their shaving zen in other way, fell free to adapt/ignore my definition.
Cheers

To each their own.. I personally would never go back to carts. But I do agree shaving with them is a form of wet shaving.

 

[rbscebu]

Didn't think my definition of proper wet shaving would cause the discussion
Whatever works for you.
....

Some people take things far to literally.

 

[jason2]

Some people take things far to literally.

Or just like poking fun.

 

[Big Jim]

To each their own. I learned to shave with a DE razor and used them for at least half of my shaving life. Switching to cartridges finally got rid of the nearly daily nicks and weepers and although I pull our a DE razor occasionally for nostalgia, I will never return to them for daily use. Using good brushes and good soaps works for any kind of blade and I truly enjoy mixing up a great batch of lather with a nice brush.

 

[DougK]

Cartridge shaving doesn't have to be expensive, but you have to look outside what's offered in the local grocery or drug store and be willing to use older cartridge systems to take advantage of third-party offerings. That said...

My daily razor is the Gillette Guard, which I'd argue is Gillette's finest cartridge offering ever. I routinely get at least a week out of each single-blade cart and a couple of times I've gone a couple of weeks without realizing it. I change carts when the shave tells me I need to and don't worry about it otherwise. The cost-per-shave of that system is easily on par with anything I've experienced in the DE world.

I also quite like the UNO Shave Co. offering. It's a little more expensive than the Guard on a per-shave basis, but now that I'm used to their take on cartridge shaving, I can get some pretty excellent shaves from it.

This is where I'll also note that yes, my preferred cartridge systems are both single-blade. Why haven't I switched to DE then? Well, I did for a number of years and I may again at some point in the future, but right now, I like what I'm using. I have a couple of DE razors and a stash of blades in case I can no longer get the Guard or the UNO; a wise person always has a backup plan.

 

[jason2]

For my mach3 carts I use on my head I change out after that blue strip is gone and the white underneath is falling out. Then I figure it's time to change. It's like those toothbrush heads that change color.

 

[Lane101]

Cartridge shaving doesn't have to be expensive, but you have to look outside what's offered in the local grocery or drug store and be willing to use older cartridge systems to take advantage of third-party offerings. That said...

My daily razor is the Gillette Guard, which I'd argue is Gillette's finest cartridge offering ever. I routinely get at least a week out of each single-blade cart and a couple of times I've gone a couple of weeks without realizing it. I change carts when the shave tells me I need to and don't worry about it otherwise. The cost-per-shave of that system is easily on par with anything I've experienced in the DE world.

I also quite like the UNO Shave Co. offering. It's a little more expensive than the Guard on a per-shave basis, but now that I'm used to their take on cartridge shaving, I can get some pretty excellent shaves from it.

This is where I'll also note that yes, my preferred cartridge systems are both single-blade. Why haven't I switched to DE then? Well, I did for a number of years and I may again at some point in the future, but right now, I like what I'm using. I have a couple of DE razors and a stash of blades in case I can no longer get the Guard or the UNO; a wise person always has a backup plan.

Hi Doug,

Your view of the Gillette Guard is not surprising as it was created by Gillette specifically to target DE shavers in India and convert them to a shaving system. What is it about the Guard that you prefer over your backup DE razors?

Regarding Gillette in India after mixed results trying to penetrate the Indian market with their multi-blade systems, that were just too costly for most Indian market shavers, Gillette did some really thorough research and discovered that the key benefit that could convert many DE shavers was to provide a cost competitive system that would reduce the chances of nicks and cuts.

A typical target customer, often in rural villages without indoor running water, was shaving in a a residence using just a cup of water and small mirror making DE shaving more of a challenge than it is for most of us with modern western bathrooms/shave dens. The Guard directly addressed those challenges at a low price point allowing Gillette to significantly increase its Indian market share. On the current JioMart Indian web site a Guard razor and 12 cartridges is selling for roughly $1.40 (12 cents each) U.S. compared to about $13 for 8 Mach 3 replacement cartridges ($1.62 each).

Of course, since Gillette does not want to cannibalize any of it's high margin shaving system sales here in the U.S., they do not sell the Guard here. I've only seen it on ebay or Amazon at heavily marked up prices compared to what it sells for in India. In the U.S. on Amazon the Guard razor with six cartridges is selling for $12.49 versus roughly 75 cents on the the JoiMart site for the same item.

 

[DougK]

The Guard gives me a guaranteed comfortable shave every time, so I'd say Gillette's research was pretty spot on and they did their job well. I don't get a laser smooth, 24-hour shave, but I can easily get an all-day shave from it and I can only recall nicking myself once or twice in several years of usage. It's also nearly impossible to clog and it doesn't have a lubricating strip.

I usually get mine from Maggard; as of this writing they offer a Guard razor for $2.45 and a six-pack of carts for $3.95. I realize that's a significant markup over what it would cost in India, but even with shipping, I can't beat that cost with anything I can get locally, so I periodically stock up. Right now, I have enough cartridges to last me a year with a backup handle or two (including the ones my wife uses as she likes it too) for about the same price as a year of DE supplies (I'm hardly at the luxury end of that market either).

 

[rbscebu]

Although I haven't tried it, the Gillette guard from India with 6 cartridges costs about US$7 including delivery here in Australia.

 

[StewB]

[Yes, an older thread but still relevant--perhaps even more so]

And I thought the prices couldn't get more ridiculous...

$7.50 USD per cartridge? Seriously?

Just...wow.

 

[euro]

It is shocking, isn’t it? I’m surprised more people don’t move to DE razors. Maybe they aren’t aware of the option, or they assume DE razors are obsolete and inferior. After all, there has been no advertising for DE razors for decades now.

The razor blade industry has done quite a job, from offering a new, convenient alternative product to bamboozling the public into thinking this is the only product - and so they have to pay whatever the blade manufacturers wish to charge. The blade manufacturers effectively created a new monopoly, just by monopolising the advertising, even though the product itself was inferior. And it was in every blade manufacturer’s interest to go along with it because they could make far more profit if they too pretended you could only shave with five blades at a time.

It is sad to think that actually the old, DE razor technology gives a better shave for just a fraction of the cost, and nobody knows.

I have said before, I think we are all fortunate that some major nations like India never adopted cartridge razors. If they had, I’m sure there would be no DE razors at all now.

You pretty much nailed it. I hated shaving and I looked down on DE shaving. I had a high school teacher who was telling us about DE shaving and we made fun of him because we thought the new Mach3 was super cool. My dad tried to convince me to start with DE shaving, he always used to tell me that DE shaving is much better and cheaper. Nope. I was too stubborn. Many many many years later after trying everything from electric shaving to using hair clippers I met my ex girlfriend who was a hairdresser. She told me about DE shaving and I gave it a try. I never regretted it, the only regret I had was that I didn't got into it years ago.

People think that 5 blades are better than one. Nope. Seeing Gillettes newest products makes me laugh so hard, they're garbage and they're expensive. I get 20+ shaves with one Feather blade, full BBS now I have 800 Feather blades in stock. I could never get a BBS with any cartridge blade.

Barbers use DE blades, it's not only in India most 3rd world countries people use DE blades they're very popular because they can't afford those expensive cartridges. Oh boy those people don't miss out on anything, stick to the DE blades!

 

[euro]

[Yes, an older thread but still relevant--perhaps even more so]

....

And I thought the prices couldn't get more ridiculous...

$7.50 USD per cartridge? Seriously?

Just...wow.

Yep, same here in Holland. I'm baffled that people actually buy them. It's insane because for this price you can get 300 Astra SP's or 100 Permasharps which are superior to the Labs. One Fusion cart would last 3 shaves and it wasn't a nice experience shaving with them. I can get 3-5 shaves out of one Astra SP blade and with a Feather blade I get 20+ shaves.

 

[Alexland]

Yeah the Gillette Labs prices are insane. I think they are targeting a certain type of shopper that wants to spend more on a slightly exclusive product with the reassurance from the more premium packaging that it might be better even though it's just another bog standard cartridge razor.
I fell for "the best a man can get" marketing and would sweat a cartridge for a month in my 20s and 30s but then my face hair was thinner back then. I still have a Mach3 in a travel case for when DE might not be allowed in hand luggage etc. DE puts me much more in control of my skin appearance. Sometimes it's red from trying a too aggressive blade/razor combo or lazy technique but usually it's healthy, smooth and increasingly unblemished. The money I save on blades seems to go into high quality shaving creams that leave my face moisturised and looking younger.

 

[euro]

The money I save on blades seems to go into high quality shaving creams that leave my face moisturised and looking younger.

I completely agree with that, it's not only the shaving experience I like but the results. I didn't even got into DE shaving because of the money, saving money was just a nice extra bonus. You CAN save money if you want but the more you stay on this board the more shaving supplies you'll buy

 

[Lockback]

Yeah, I know I've spent a few bucks in the past year buying DE safety razors/blades/brushes/soaps/creams, more than I would have buying the latest 19-blade heated, vibrating WunderRazor from Gillette. But I've never enjoyed shaving more than I do now. I actually look forward to it every day as opposed to the drudgery of yet another cartridge shave. I was at the local store recently and saw a package of Gillette carts (I don't know how many) with a price tag of $32.99!
No thanks. I crossed the Rubicon and I'm never going back.

 

[Alex Jr]

And if they lasted 30 days as advertised it would be a little less absurd, at least for the regular fusion carts, not the labs.

But 5 shaves and they are done for me. Unless I want to fill my neck with red bumps.

Nope…

 

[StewB]

Also: Gillette "Labs"? Are we to envision serious scientists in white lab coats who do actual research? Maybe that's why these products are so expensive--so they can pay their "scientists"? Preposterous...

 

[Frito Ray]

A few months ago there was a gentleman from England who happily posted here about finding a new Gillette Sensor Excel at a good price. I believe it was his first and he enjoyed it.

I still have my handle, so while passing through a shaving ailse I glanced at the price and was shocked to see they were now at $30 Canadian for 10…nope, did not pull the trigger!

 

[euro]

Also: Gillette "Labs"? Are we to envision serious scientists in white lab coats who do actual research? Maybe that's why these products are so expensive--so they can pay their "scientists"? Preposterous...

I read somewhere on the internet that the manufacturing costs of those cartridges are just a couple cents. The profit margin is insane.