Wooden Bowl or No?

Hey guys,

I've been looking into getting some new shave soaps and wonder what you all think about the wooden bowl option. Do you suggest spending the extra money to get the soap with the bowl or is it just a waste of money I could spend on more soap? The only reasons I can think of getting the bowl is that a) it looks cooler ; and b) once the soap is used up, I'm assuming I can re-use the bowl with a refill soap. That being said, AOS with the bowl is ridiculously prices IMO...but I suppose if I got something more affordable (D.R. Harris with bowl) I could always use the bowl with an AOS refill when I was finished with the DR Harris.

Any and all opinions are welcome...I wanna know what you all think...thanks guys!

I typically skip them. Just too expensive.

I gave my wife my old one that looks like this...

http://www.amazon.com/Kingsley-Shav...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1265260416&sr=8-1

I have a couple. My favourite is a warped, faded Kent bowl that has seen about 4 pucks.



ps you need at least a couple of nice bowls. Putting a puck of Penhaligans is a plastic tub is like wearing a pair of $300 shoes to play football. Like you, I'd give the pricey AoS one a miss. I'm quite fond of the GFT ones, they're more reasonable.

Ignatius said:

ps you need at least a couple of nice bowls. Putting a puck of Penhaligans is a plastic tub is like wearing a pair of $300 shoes to play football. Like you, I'd give the pricey AoS one a miss. I'm quite fond of the GFT ones, they're more reasonable.

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This is how I feel, too. Wet shaving to me is an entire experience that extends past the product and process itself. I like the bowls, they add a touch of luxury to the shave... and they look nice in SOTD photos.

Depends. If you keep the soap on the vanity counter, go for the nice wood bowls. If they stay under the sink, I have one word for you........Tupperware!

I have always opted to give the bowls a miss as the soap is far cheaper without the bowl but did actually pick up 2 soap/bowls a few weeks before xmas at tk max for well under half price, a kent wooden bowl and soap and a mitchells wool fat in a china bowl and although i know both soaps are the same for the price i could not leave them there they still have the kent bowl/soap for sale!

I go for the bowl. Much cooler.

What can I say...I'm a sucker.

I've got wooden bowls from AoS, GFT, Muhle Pinsel and most recently the B&B fundraiser bowl from Gentlemen's Best (engraved...ohhhhh yeah!).

I agree with cfriend's comment about the sense of luxury when you have a shave. It's about all the time I get to myself to just relax, so I'm gonna enjoy it dammit

I love my wooden bowls, TOBS and GFT, and I love the MWF porcelain-bowl as a kind of furniture in my bathroom together with my brushes and razors.
Plastic-bowls, e.g. Proraso and Omega, are okay but not exactly a delight to the eye.
So I am an admirer of the original soap bowls.

I skip them and opt for the cheaper aluminum screw tops from West Coast. I'd like to get the nice wooden ones.. but I'm just too cheap lol

taffy said:

I have always opted to give the bowls a miss as the soap is far cheaper without the bowl but did actually pick up 2 soap/bowls a few weeks before xmas at tk max for well under half price, a kent wooden bowl and soap and a mitchells wool fat in a china bowl and although i know both soaps are the same for the price i could not leave them there they still have the kent bowl/soap for sale!

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Hold on there just a second Mister!

Did you just say that you got a Kent bowl& soap, and a MWF soap and bowl at TJ Max??????????????????????????????????????


Inquiring minds want to know!

I used wooden bowls for years, but finally gave them up. They don't travel well, the finish goes quick, etc. Metal doesn't insulate from hot water. Ceramic or glass is too fragile. I just use plastic bowls these days.

I would say skip the wood bowl. They are overpriced, and not very practical.

If you want a wood bowl, but the cheapest one you can find, and then just mill, or melt all future soaps into that container.

I have Trumpers, kent MWF and Mama Bear in a wooden bowl and I enjoy it every time they hit my rotation.

It is just that bit more natural and luxurious...

I have three bowls - a DR Harris one, a Taylors of Bond one and the extremely nice L'Occitane bowl. The latter is used exclusively for the (quite large) Cade soaps, the Harris and Taylors for whichever soaps I fancy most at the moment. The rest of my products are stored in cheap, but dry plastic containers out of sight.

I'd say get some nice bowls and stick with them until you have to replace one. No need to buy a new bowl with every soap.

I like the bowls, yes they are more money but the look great as long as they fit your den decor. I use them over again buy using the lease expensive refills. I enjoy the added class so I use them.

No they do not travail well because they are not meant for travel. I use other methods for that.

It is all choice, if you like looking at Tupperware other than in your kitchen then go for it. Shaving is my pleasure so I do what I enjoy.

pcdad said:

I gave my wife my old one that looks like this...

http://www.amazon.com/Kingsley-Shav...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1265260416&sr=8-1

Click to expand...

I've loaded up on these $6 Cosmetic Solutions/Kingsley bowls on Amazon.com. That's a lot less than the l add-on cost for the bowl available from most soap manufacturers.

Seraphim said:

Hold on there just a second Mister!

Did you just say that you got a Kent bowl& soap, and a MWF soap and bowl at TJ Max??????????????????????????????????????


Inquiring minds want to know!

Click to expand...

I think it was at TK Maxx- a UK merchant, I believe. Sadly the Marshall's/TJ Max/Burlington Coat Factory, etc stores in the States do not stock such niceties.


I have found Grey Flannel edt at Marshall's - that's about it.

bythbook said:

I have found Grey Flannel edt at Marshall's - that's about it.

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Yep, that and Royall.