5 Best Cartridge Razors: Complete Guide to the Top Brands - Grooming Essentials Blog - Grooming Tips for Men and Women (2025)

by Garrick Dee | Last Updated: June 17th, 2020

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Cartridge razors are great options for men who don’t have the time (or not willing) to learn the intricacies of using a safety razor.

In this guide, you’ll learn the 5 best cartridge razors, how to choose one, and tips on getting good shave using a cartridge razor.

Despite all the downsides, cartridge razors still rake in sales because of its shallow learning curve and availability.

Right now the Gillette Mach 3 is the best cartridge razor available. It has 2 fewer blades and a lot cheaper than the Gillette Fusion ProGlide, so there will be less irritation.

Thanks to brand giants like Gillette and Schick, this tiny little device has grown into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today.

And more brands are coming into the fray.There are names like Dorco, The Dollar Shave Club, and Harry’soffer their products at a more affordable price.

Even traditional brands like Edwin Jagger have come up with products that integrate Gillette’s cartridges.

So there really is a lot of demand for these products right now.

An overview of the Best Cartridge Razors

Compared to safety razors, cartridge razorshave a relatively shallow learning curve. Combine that with low upfront costs and near-universal availability make it a favorite for a majority.

Take note that a cartridge is different from a disposable razor.

A cartridge, as the name implies, uses disposable refills whereas a disposable razor is what it is – disposable.

You throw it way just after a few uses.

So our goal in this guide is to share with you the best cartridge razors available right now.

Why Gillette is Still the Best and What You Need to Know

In the world of cartridge razors, the Gillette Fusion 5 blade ProGlide is still the best.

When you look at the head, this product is really similar to the Mach 3, but it has two additional blades.

The most significant upgrade, however, would be the handle. It comes with what Gillette calls the FlexBall to handle technology that allows this razor to adjust to the contours of your face.

Not just for the face

This patented system not only limited to shaving your face, but you can also use it for grooming the hair on different parts of your body like the armpit, chest, and even the thick forest down under.

Costs

In terms of the price, the razor itself isn’t expensive at just $13 for a one time purchase. The refills, however, are costly.

An 8-pack will be roughly twenty-two bucks, so when you do the math, a refill will cost a little under three dollars.

And even if Gillette says that these refills will last for up to a month, your mileage will definitely vary.

So expect a refill pack to last between one to four months depends on a lot of factors like beard density, growth, and how often you shave.

If spending $20/month on refills sounds expensive to opt for the cheaper Dorco Pace 6.

Even With A Cartridge Shaver, You Have to Know the Basics

If you’re shaving for the very first time using a double-edged or a straight razor is like driving a race car without first knowing how to drive a sedan. You need to know the basics of shaving!

Fortunately, in the age of the internet guides like this one I’ve written about wet shaving, you can quickly learn from experts at the comfort of your own home.

Knowing the basics will help you avoid razor burn.

Yes, even in a simple task of shaving, you have to learn techniques. And use the right products to avoid stuff like razor burn, cuts, and ingrown hair.

Less passes, the better.

The goal in shaving is to use as little passes as possible, and with these multi-bladed razors, that principle is as important as ever.

Instead of just a single blade touching your face, you have three, four, five, or six pieces of sharp metal raking on your skin.

The more passes you use, the more irritated your skin gets. That’s why prep is probably the most crucial step. And I will share with you some actionable tips you can use to make shaving a more enjoyable experience and not a chore.

First Have a Hot Shower

This is probably the most essential pre-shave routine you can make.Hot water really opens up the pores and softens follicles, making it easier for the blades to slice through them without pulling and tugging.

Another benefit of a hot shower would be the hydration it provides, making it less likely for the blades to skin across your skin and leave tiny vibrations.

If taking a hot shower isn’t possible, the next best thing would be using a hot towel and leaving it on your face for a few minutes.

The disadvantage of the hot towel technique, if you don’t wash prior,is not being able to clean excess oil and other impurities on skin and hair follicles.

Invest in Preshave Oil

Is pre-shave oil really worth the expense?

There is a lot of debate, and for you to understand, let’s first define what it is and how it functions.

Preshave oil contains ingredients like jojoba and castor oil that help retain moisture. The keyword here is retaining moisture. A rightproduct will hold water in the skin, providing moisture and making it supple.

What is supple?

This refers to the pliability or how the skin “bends” before it breaks.

According to Badger and Blade, “When a blade drags across the well-moisturized skin, the skin “gives” to the blade and will bend or conform significantly to the shape of the blade BEFORE it will be torn or cut by the blade.”

Skin that doesn’t “bend” will tear and quickly become irritated.

To help you further understand this concept, observe your hands during wintertime. Skin is dry, and there are a lot of visible “cracks.”

During summer it’s the exact opposite. Skin is pliable, and there are no visible “cracks” because it retains more moisture.

This principle applies to other things. Observe things around you. For instance, it would be easier to cut a dry, withered branch than a wet branch.

And this is the reason why pre-shave oil works. Not so much for the lubrication, it provides. Instead, it helps retain moisture making skin supple and more resistant to cuts.

Beneficial oils to the skin include:

Essential oils to avoid include:

Take note that a pre-shave oil is different from a shaving cream that I’ll get into next.

Shaving Cream – Stay Away from the Can!

Browse through the grooming section in a Walgreens pharmacy, and you’ll see a lot of canned shaving creams.

These products are the most popular and frankly the easiest to use. But give me a minute to warn you about potential issues and why you should avoid canned creams like the plague.

Avoid aerosol cans

High-Quality shaving cream does not come from an aerosol can full of propellants that dry out skin.

The highest quality creams usually come in a tub made from natural ingredients. These will not dry skin, but instead, it will moisturize and lubricate, allowing the blade to cut whiskers, not your skin.

It does not matter what type of razor you use – whether a cartridge or a safety razor. Excellent shaving cream can mean a difference between a terrible or a world-class shave.

Some misconceptions

One misconception that a lot of men make would be thinking that a good shaving cream will be expensive. But the reality is you can get a decent one for as low as $6 without the harmful propellants and chemicals that will sap out any moisture your skin needs while shaving.

You can read more about shaving creams in this in-depth guide.

If You’re Serious About Shaving – Invest in a Shaving Brush

One of the downsides of using traditional shaving creams if you call it a disadvantage would be the need for a shaving brush.

There are a variety of shaving brushes in the market primarily differentiated by types of fibers used – boar, synthetic, horsehair, etc.

Different types of shave brushes

One of the most significant benefits of a shaving brush would be even application of cream so that it goes between the strands of hair.

It also helps lift hair follicles up, which in turn allows the blade an easier time cutting. If you use your hands, the opposite could happen – instead of lifting hairs up, you flatten it.

A lot of high-quality creams will require you to use a shaving brush to get the best results, but you can still use your hands but don’t expect the same result.

The price of these tools ranges from $10 to hundreds of dollars. But the good news is you don’t have to spend three figures on a good brush. You can purchase something decent for as little as $12.

Aftershave Relief – Try an Aftershave Balm Instead

When you ask men about aftershave, 9 out of 10 will say it stings.

The reason why these products have alcohol is that it kills bacteria that could potentially cause infection.

However, even the smallest nicks would mean a painful aftershave experience because of the alcohol content.

Another disadvantage of applying alcohol on your skin is it dries it up, robbing it of the moisture at a time it needs it the most.

So instead of torturing yourself with an alcohol-based aftershave, why don’t you try an aftershave balm?

Instead of relying on alcohol as an antiseptic, these products use all-natural products that will not dry up the skin. But instead, provide an extra layer of moisture that your skin will love (and it won’t sting).

How Many Blades Do I Need? Does It Really Matter?

As with most cartridge razors, you have a wide variety of options.

As with the products we recommend, the Dorco cartridge has the most blades at 6. The bestselling Gillette Mach 3 has only 3 that raise the question of which one is better?

If you ask dermatologists and purist shavers, the majority would say a multi-bladed razor will cause more irritation.

The rationale is simple – more blades raking over the skin equals more irritation.

Gillette says otherwise.

In this 2006 article in the New York Times, they claim that their products have what you call a “hysteresis effect” wherein the first blade pulls the hair back to allow subsequent blades to cut closer until the fifth blade cuts just below the skin’s surface.

To combat irritation, manufacturers narrowed the gap between blades to reduce friction. In theory, this should lead to a more comfortable shave. But if you have sensitive skin, you may want to stick to a 2-blade disposable instead designed for such.

Gillette also claimed that their vibrating razor produced “gentle micro pulses that stimulate hair up and away from the skin.”

Rival Schick challenged that claim saying there isn’t enough scientific evidence.

Years later, Schick themselves also has introduced a vibrating razor they call the “Hydro 5 Power Select“ that did not impress these two men who tested it.

Thisleads me to the conclusion that you don’t really need a vibrating razor to lift up facial hair. Ashaving brush will do the trick.

Drum-Roll Please: Who Makes The Best Cartridge Razor?

Now we reveal the best performing and most popular cartridge razors available right now and the reasons why.

Gillette Mach 3

The Mach 3 is one of Gillette’s most popular and perhaps its bestselling cartridge razor to date.

Gillette spent over $750 million for research and development and another $300 million for marketing before its launch in 1998.

Gillette spokesman Eric Kraus at the time said that the Mach 3 had progressive blade geometry to combat the drag and friction that come along with 3 blades.

This patented technology has springboard Gillette’s popularity worldwide and turned a lot of men into loyal customers until the Dollar Shave Club came along, but that’s another story.

It is also because of the Mach 3 that Gillette built a loyal following and still remains one of the best of not the best performing cartridge razors right now in terms of price and performance.

From the original Mach 3, Gillette has expanded the product line to include the following:

Take note that you can interchange the cartridges on different variants. So if you’ve already bought the razor and want to shift to a different blade, you can do that without having to buy an extra razor.

When you compare this to the Fusion ProGlide, Mach 3 is actually heavier. This a significant factor when it comes to shaving quality.

Heavier is better

Being heavier is definitely an advantage because you don’t have to put too much pressure as you normally would, which in turn means less irritation on your skin.

This is a big reason why a lot of purists prefer a safety razor over something like this.

But when you talk about closeness, the Fusion is still the razor to beat in this category because of the five blades compared to the three of Mach 3.

Other than that, everything leans towards the latter.

Bottom line

Gillette Fusion ProGlide

The Gillette Fusion ProGlide is the most advanced and one of the most expensive cartridge razors in the market right now.This razor has all the bells and whistles that you can possibly put on a cartridge razor.

This razor uses the same patented progressive-blade system found in Mach 3, but the only difference is it has two more blades.

Let’s look at the features

This razor will cut close because it has 2 extra blades but at the cost of irritation.

Easier to clean

Also, the gap between these blades is narrower, which means facial hair, shaving cream, dead skin, and all gunk can clog it, thus reducing the service life.

In terms of performance, a lot of menswear by this, and with the swiveling head, you can even shave “recklessly” without risk of the slightest nick as one consumer commented. But I would not recommend that since shaving should be methodical.

Does the vibrating feature work?

As for the vibrating feature of this product, it really boils down to personal preference. Since it has a microchip that controls the voltage, expect consistent performance throughout the lifecycle of the battery.

Many consumers simply don’t change the battery after it dried out and didn’t really notice any significant difference in terms of shaving performance.

If you do a lot of manscaping, you can even use this razor on different parts of the body, not just the face. You can shave your chest hair, groin, legs, and even your head with it. That’s the versatility the pivoting head provides.

Bottom line:

Schick Hydro 5

While Gillette was celebrating the success of the Mach 3 years back, Schick was in the cusp of releasing the first 4 blade razor, the Quattro, until Gillette sued them for patent infringement.

This is just a small sample size of how cut-throat the multi-billion dollar cartridge razor industry is.

Gillette competitor

Schick is probably one of the closest competitors to the Gillette brand, and their Hydro 5 is their bestselling product to date.

This razor has some unique features that could sway you from a trusty Gillette.

Uses Aloe Vera

Instead of using lubricating strips, Schick opted to use a “Hydrating Gel Reservoir” that contains Aloe Vera and vitamin E. Both of these ingredients have incredible benefits in terms of skin hydration – keeping skin from drying out.

This feature looks promising on paper, but in reality, it easily washes off once you rinse. That’s why it’s essential to use an aftershave balm.

Another great feature would be the blade guards that protect the skin from exposure to the blades. Less exposure to blades means less irritation.

Also, the blades have more space between them, making this product easier to clean.

There are several variants of the Schick Hydro 5 that include:

For men who like to sculpt their goatee or sideburn areas, this razor has flip trimmer when you flip up the HydroGel reservoir.

When you consider all things, in terms of shave quality, there really isn’t a large gap between the Schick Hydro 5 and the Gillette Pro Glide Fusion.

The only deciding factor I could think of would be the pivoting head that the ProGlide razor has that will allow you to use it on areas other than your face.

If you’re using this on your face, then you can save a few dollars per cartridge by going with the Schick.

Bottom line

Schick provides consumers with a more affordable option for shaving without a significant drop in terms of quality. Their cartridges are slightly cheaper than the Gillette but will give you the same shaving performance, and according to some consumers, their blades will last a little longer, but that will depend on a lot of factors.

Dorco Pace 6 Plus

If you regularly watch cable TV, I’m pretty sure you’ve seen “The Dollar Shave Club.” But are their blades really f—ing great?

This start-up has taken the shaving world by storm with its subscription-based business model.

Their marketing on TV has been aggressive and so effective that it ruffled the feathers of Gillette enough for them to file a lawsuit against them.

What does Dorco have to do with the Dollar Shave Club? Well, they are the primary suppliers of the blades they sell.

6 blades!

I’ve already featured a 5 blade razor, but Dorco has one-upped Gillette and Schick by manufacturing the world’s first 6 blade razor! Yes, you heard that right this razor has six freaking blades!

Perhaps the most significant selling point of Dorco products is the price – for only twenty bucks, you can get ten, yes ten refills and a handle. Not even Schick can beat that price point.

Ergonomics

Unlike their competitor, the MicroTouch, Dorco’s handle is sturdy, has good ergonomics, and plenty of grips. Plus, it has a good weight that should factor in your selection process.

A heavier handle means you will need to apply less pressure on the razor to shave, thus reducing the chances of razor burn.

The head also pivots, albeit less than a Fusion ProGlide, but enough to allow you to work on tight to shave areas like the chin and neck area without causing too much irritation.

Bottom line

Performance-wise, six blades should give you a closer shave, but it still falls short when you compare it to the more established Gillette Mach 3 and Fusion ProGlide, but when you consider the price difference, you have yourself a gem of a product here.

MicroTouch TOUGHBLADE

Another newcomer to the scene, MicroTouch, has been pretty aggressive marketing their new product.

The TOUGH BLADEeven hiring former star quarterback Brett Favre as their brand endorser.

This is the same brand that produced the MicroTouch One Touch safety razor.

German-made

MicroTouch says that their products use three German-engineered stainless steel blades covered with a non-stick coating that will last for a full month!

So that’s about twenty bucks a year, excluding shipping.

Available anywhere

Like Gillette and Schick, this product is widely distributed. So you can pretty much buy these razors in a majority of Pharmacies in the United States. It is also available in online retailers such as Amazon.

But how does itperform?

Does it deliver its promise of 12 cartridges lasting a year?

Let’s find out.

When I dug deeper into researching consumer reviews, I found out that it did not last that long.

While the blades were decently sharp, it did not last for a whole month.

You should expect it to last half a month at best.

Can it outperform a Mach 3?

In terms of shave quality, don’t expect this to outperform a Mach 3. You will definitely not get a baby-butt-smooth shave with this product, but for the price point, it’s pretty decent.

And perhaps the weakest link to this product would be the handle.

As I combed through reviews, I noticed that a lot of men complained about the locking mechanismbreaking prematurely (even before you use up the refills). The locking mechanism is what holds the refills in place.

The issue should not be a big deal until you realize that MicroTouch does not sell handles separately. If you want another handle, you’d have to fork out another twenty bucks and buy the whole set!

Bottom line

This product is all about marketing. Brett Farve endorsing this razor will get men to at least have a look because he was a football star.But buyer beware, there are red flags. The blades will not last a month, and if the handle breaks prematurely, you’d have to buy another set for $20 because they don’t sell handles individually.
If you’re looking budget cartridge razor, I will lean more towards the Dorco over this, but I wouldn’t blame you for trying it out.

To Wrap Up This Cartridge Shave Off

In terms of value and performance, it is hard to beat the Gillette Mach 3.

It was Gillette’s most successful product to date in terms of sales and turned a lot of men into Gillette converts.

The 3 blade system will not shave as close as a Fusion ProGlide, but it’s hard to argue with the price. There’s more gap between the blades, so it’s easier to clean and will last longer.

If you’re only shaving your face, this would be the best option.

But if you need something more versatile, perhaps you need to shave your head, armpits, legs, or the privates, then the pivoting ProGlide would be a better option.

Brands like Schick and Dorco provide a cheaper alternative but as a user of Gillette.It’s hard to beat it in terms of quality. But I can’t blame you if you want to save a few bucks with these products because they’re also good but not as good as a Gillette.

I must warn you that the Dorco because it has 6 blades, will cause more irritation only because it has more blades. If you have sensitive skin, avoid the Dorco and go with the Mach 3 with fewer blades.

Take note that the Mach 3 also has refills designed for sensitive skin.

The MicroTouch looks promising, but the issues are a big concern for me, particularly the sub-standard handle. The fact that you can’t buy the handle on its own is a deal-breaker for me.