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Best Men's Shavers / Razors
For most men, shaving is a hairy fact of life. While some might enjoy the regular grooming ritual of a slow, wet shave, others are satisfied with a quick shave that gets the job done. Whatever your preferred shaving style is, knowing what you value in a good quality men’s razor for facial hair can make shaving a much smoother experience. Continue Reading...
28 listings
Oscar Razor
The Oscar Razor provides a quick, smooth and extremely close shave - all at an affordable price.
Provides a clean, close shave
Affordable price
Good customer service
- Value for Money4.2 (15)
- Causes Irritation Yes (3) · No (13)
Gillette Mach3 Turbo
As one of the oldest household names in shaving, the mixed response of reviewers to the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo is somewhat underwhelming.
- Value for Money2.3 (9)
- Causes Irritation Yes (3) · No (6)
Schick Hydro 5
Designed with 5 blades, lubricating gel pools and a built-in flip trimmer, the Schick Hydro 5 aims to tick off many boxes when it comes to providing a convenient and comfortable shave.
- Value for Money2.4 (13)
- Causes Irritation Yes (3) · No (10)
Coles Rapid 5 Razor
The Coles Rapid 5 System Razor presents an affordable option for shaving, at just $6.50 per razor.
Schick Xtreme 3 Sensitive Disposable
These disposable razors are especially designed for men with sensitive skin. However, reviewers found they aren’t especially effective at protecting skin while removing hair.
Is it better to shave with a razor or electric?
This is a question only you can answer, as both manual shaving razors and electric razors have drawbacks and benefits. What you choose will ultimately depend on how close you want your shave, how protected you want your skin to be while shaving, how much time you’re willing to spend shaving, and how much money you’re willing to part with up front.
Criteria | Electric razors | Manual razors |
Closeness of shave | A less close and precise shave than a manual razor. | A closer shave than an electric razor, as the blades make direct contact with skin. |
Level of control | You have less control, as the rotating blades are doing most of the work for you. | More control available, as you’re in charge of the direction and speed of the razor. |
Time commitment | Quicker to use than a manual razor - no wetting and lathering required. Time spent actually shaving is also shorter due to the electrically powered blades. | Takes time to wet and lather face, and to shave slowly and gently to avoid cuts and nicks. |
Skin safety | Less likely to cut or nick yourself using an electric razor - however, razor burn is still possible due to the high speed of the blades. | Easier to cut yourself or develop skin irritations like razor bumps and ingrown hairs, especially if using a cartridge razor with multiple blades. |
Difficulty level | Easy to operate, as the electrically operated blades oscillate evenly over your skin’s surface. | Depends on the type of manual razor you’re using, e.g. safety razors take more practise to use effectively than disposable razors. |
Upfront cost | More expensive upfront cost for the device than manual razors, usually starting around $80. | Cheaper initial cost than an electric model. |
Ongoing cost | Blades require replacing every 6-18 months, depending on the make and manufacturer of your shaver, and how often you use it. Can be $50 for new blades. | High ongoing cost, especially if you’re using disposable razors, or frequently buying replacement razor cartridges. |
Maintenance | Need to recharge or replace batteries, clean blades regularly, and lubricate blades with oil. | Easier to maintain than an electric razor, especially single-use disposable razors. |
Types of Razors
Disposable Razors
These are also known as disposable cartridge razors or multi-blade disposable razors. These razors can be bought in packets from supermarkets, and are made up of a (usually plastic) handle attached to a cartridge that can have anywhere between 2-7 blades on it.
In better-made disposables, the top and bottom blade edges will have a lubricating strip on one edge and a comb to help flatten skin on the other edge.
Pros
- Cheap to buy, as a pack of disposable razors from the supermarket can cost you $10 and under for 5 razors.
- Convenient, as a replacement will involve ducking to the shops. They’re also great to throw into a sports bag or to use while travelling.
- Good quality disposable razors are easy to use, as they are set at an ideal shaving angle. They also pivot and adapt to the contours of your face, making it easy to shave.
- Very little maintenance required. If you opt for single-use disposable razors, there’s no maintenance - you can use them once then throw them away.
Cons
- Blades become dull quickly, as they’re not made to last.
- More blades are more likely to result in irritated skin, especially if blades are dull.
- It’s expensive to keep replacing disposable razors, especially if you shave daily.
Shaving Systems
These refer to reusable razors where you keep the handle, but swap out old razor cartridges for new ones. The cartridge is the part of the razor that houses the blade, as well as a blade guard, lubricating strip and comb, if included.
You can buy shaving systems at supermarkets, though it’s also common to find monthly subscription services for men’s shaving systems, like for the popular Oscar Razor.
This usually involves ordering one razor handle and cartridge to begin with. Then the razor manufacturer will mail you your chosen number of new cartridges every month.
Shaving systems have similar pros and cons to disposable razors. However they are usually made with better quality materials - including the handle and the blades.
Safety Razors
These are more traditional men’s razors that evoke a nostalgic, barber-shop feel.
These attractive steel razors feature a short, solid handle that holds a cutting head.The most common type is a double edged safety razor. This has a replaceable, double-edged blade, which is surrounded by a safety bar. The bar protects the skin during shaving. Safety razors are designed for long-term use.
Is a safety razor really better?
In a nutshell, if you’re willing to put in the time and patience to learn the skill of using a safety razor effectively, you could be rewarded with plenty of close shaves that are both gentle on your skin and bank account.
Safety razors have earned themselves a strong following in the male shaving community. Here are some reasons why.
Pros
- Offers a close shave, with superior precision. Also gives you more control over your shave - as you choose the angle and level of pressure.
- High longevity, as a well-maintained safety razor can last you years.
- Affordable - the initial cost is often around $60 (but can range from $30-$150) and replacement blades are cheaper than cartridge razor replacement blades. They’re also cheaper than disposable razors, when you consider the ongoing cost of the latter.
- Blade replacements are compatible with most safety razors - you don’t have to match the blade replacements exclusively with the razor brand.
- Easier to clean than cartridge razors, as most designs have a gap between the blade and the bar, so don’t get clogged as easily.
Cons
- Potentially steep learning curve, as the handle is heavy, the head doesn’t pivot and you have to manually set a 30-45 degree angle - while using the correct amount of pressure.
- Can result in lots of cuts and skin irritation in the beginning stages of transitioning to a safety.
Safety bar designs
Safety bars come in different designs - some will expose the blade minimally, resulting in a more gentle shave. Other safety bars expose the blade more to the skin, resulting in an aggressive shave. Neither is better or worse, it just depends on what feels more comfortable to you.
A gentle shave
- Flat bar: This offers the most gentle, and least aggressive type of shave using a safety razor. It’s the safest choice, and has a gentler learning curve - but may require more passes to remove all hair.
A medium-aggressive shave
- Scalloped safety bars have a bevelled guard, which provides a medium amount of aggressiveness. They’re good for sensitive skin, as you won’t have to make multiple passes over skin (which you’d do with a flat bar), and they’re not as abrasive as blade designs used to achieve aggressive shaves.
- Closed comb bars are also good as a happy medium, as the safety bar closes the combed blade on the bottom.
Aggressive shaves
- Open comb: Here the comb-like blade is completely exposed to the skin. It’s a very effective - and aggressive - blade design, and tackles thick, coarse hair with ease. It’s also the friend of men who shave infrequently. However, since the sharp blade is so close to the skin, open combs are only recommended for experienced safety razor users.
- Slant bars: These safety bars are positioned at a diagonal (instead of in a straight line). As a result they use a slicing motion instead of a cutting one. This means you have to apply less pressure to get a clean shave the first time around.
If you’re not sure
If you’re new to safety razors you might not know the level of aggressiveness you prefer. If this is the case, you can start off with an adjustable safety razor.
This lets you adjust settings that control how exposed the blade is to your skin. Figuring out what feel you prefer and using that setting may end up being more resourceful than choosing safety bar design without trying it first.
What is the best way to shave for sensitive skin?
If you have sensitive skin, you may be sick of your skin being in a constantly bumpy, irritated or bleeding condition after a shaving session.
Switching from disposable razors to a safety razor may help be more soothing to your skin, as disposable razors are more likely to cut skin with their multiple blades.
Marketing for men's razors commonly spouts the view that the more blades in a razor, the better. However, this isn't neccessarily true for sensitive skin. When more blades are making more contact with your skin, it's likely to make skin more irritated.
Skin can also become more irritated and sensitive when the razor that you’re using is unclean. If you’re using anything other than a single-use disposable razor, maintaining razor hygiene is important. Otherwise bacteria builds up on the blades, thanks to a mix of old hair, dead skin and shaving cream residue.
When this makes contact with skin, it can make it more irritated, and even leave you with infected bumps that are painful.
Quick tips for razor hygiene
Some tips for razor hygiene include rinsing your razor with hot water after every use, covering the blades in a clean plastic cover, storing the razor upright in a dry, non-humid spot, and replacing your razor regularly, before you start to notice the blades have already become dull or dirty.
