Best Cartridge Razor?

As long as the criteria is best shave and not the most cost effective shave, for me it is a Gillette Power Fusion Pro-Glide. Not cost effective because I can only get three shaves from those very costly cartridges.

A close second is the Schick Power Hydro Five. Cartridges are a little less expensive and will go five shaves.

Using one of them once a week makes whatever else I use work better. If I skip a week, the Gillette Sensor really falls off. Otherwise, the Sensor will go five to seven shaves.

Using a Schick Quattro as my daily driver and one of the above mentioned five blade power razors once a week is really the sweet spot though. I can't say enough good things about my Quattro.

The King of Shaves cartridge razor is pretty good, and the cartridges are cheaper than those from the big boys. It's a UK company and I don't know if its products are available in the US, but they might well be in Australia.

My final cartridge razor was the King of Shaves Hyperglide - of all the cartridge systems I did try over the years, this was definitely the best of the bunch by a long way in terms of quality of shave and post-shave redness/soreness. The bendy head and opposite angle took a little getting use to though, and I did find it tricky getting in under the nose.

Gillette Guard. Italian Barber sells them cheap.

Thanks guys!

Appreciate the thoughts and comments

G'Day Mate,

Long time no speak!!

Go the Schick Hydro 5 Power Select. Excellent razor for both head and face. Never got an ingrown from it either.

Vijay

Schick Tracer FX. The diamond blades were even better, I remember running one cartridge for at least a month, and my beard has always been wirey! Of course, I was a poor college student so I pushed them. But irritation was never a big factor with Edge gel... lol

Oh the days of a face that was tough as nails. I miss those days!

Mach 3 was not bad, either. I'll still take my Fatboy with a Treet Classic over a Cartridge, though.

I don't know, since all I ever used was a Trac and Atra razor (1970's technology). However, they were good razors, and I still use them as a travel razor.

No idea about the real world effect of improvements since the 1970's. I suspect the changes have not really resulted in better shaves since then, but did dumb down users due to silly things like lubrication strips, rubber guides, and flexible blades.

So, the further up you went in the "food chain", the bigger the jump to a DE razor, I guess. For me, it was an easy switch. The shave feel differences between a light 1970's DE razor (e.g. Gillette Knack) and a 1970's Trac razor are only minute. And both razors are perfectly able to cut you when you're not careful. Which is a good thing, I think.

Gillette sensor hands down

My son won't convert so I got him a Gillette Guard and cartridges from West Coast Shaving to replace his Fusion and its expensive blades.

I'm currently using a Sensor Excel and had a Contour previously - so I'm going back to try the Contour. Blades are much cheaper than the Sensor.

Thanks for the input guys!

Mark1966 said:

I'm currently using a Sensor Excel and had a Contour previously - so I'm going back to try the Contour. Blades are much cheaper than the Sensor.

Thanks for the input guys!

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Most modern Contour blades also fit in the Trac handle. I think the Trac/GII handle is better than the Atra/Contour handle. The original, or a well made replacement, not the flimsy handles Gillette sells in India nowadays.

Simpler is better. Less gimmicks, less blades, better shave. In my opinion, at least.

A good reminder. I am going to order some of the Guards for travel purposes.

Like many guys, I used a Sensor as my main razor for years after it first came out around 1990. Before that, I mainly used a Gillette Black Beauty, and on occasion, a Trac II.

I've always enjoyed the Sensor. I usually pack a disposable when I travel, and still keep one in the medicine cabinet for a quick touch up, or even a full shave every once in a while - just for old times' sake.

20+ years on a sensor w/ now Excel blades - buy the cartridges off ebay to save a few $$$

I always had great success with a mach 3. A 10 pack of cartridges would last me a year or a little more. I'd get an average of six weeks per cartridge. However, at ten to eleven cents a piece, DE blades are still cheaper overall, even though I generally only get a ten days to two weeks per blade. Even now, if I'm in a hurry I'll reach for the old mach 3. DE shaving takes a little more finesse than I sometimes have time for.

Even on eBay the Sensor blades are about a third more than the Contour - so that was a factor.

We will see how the Contour goes !

Mark1966 said:

We will see how the Contour goes !

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Worse than the Trac II / GII , I predict. The pivot head is a pain.

If you like those cartridges (they are inexpensive indeed), I would recommend getting a good Trac (like) handle for it, with a fixed head.

Some time ago, I shaved with a Contour for a whole week, and was reminded again why I like the GII better.

vsingh said:

...Go the Schick Hydro 5 Power Select...

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+1. Here, it is branded Wilkinson Sword.

Eeyore said:

Worse than the Trac II / GII , I predict. The pivot head is a pain.

If you like those cartridges (they are inexpensive indeed), I would recommend getting a good Trac (like) handle for it, with a fixed head.

Some time ago, I shaved with a Contour for a whole week, and was reminded again why I like the GII better.

Click to expand...

Well I am coming from the pivoting head Sensor Excel so a least I'm heading in the right direction!