Best Cartridge Razors

The cartridge razor expertly dances between performance and convenience when it comes to shaving.

The best cartridge razor should not only cut your facial hair with ease but should also not cause any irritation, razor burn, or razor bumps – like the Gillette Fusion ProGlide cartridge razor.

In this guide, we review some of the best-performing razors currently available.

Cartridge Razors Compared

Ranking	Razor	Number of Blades	Price	Avg. Price per Refill	Award	Rating
1	Gillette Fusion ProGlide	Five	$15	$3	Best Overall	99.5
2	Schick Hydro 5 Sense	Five	$6	$2	For Sensitive Skin	98.2
3	Micro Touch Tough Blade	Three	$25	–	Budget Friendly	97.2
4	Gillette Mach 3	Three	$7	$2	Widely Available	95.7
5	Dorco Pace 6 Plus	Six	$22	$2	Six Blades	93.5
6	Dollar Shave Club	Four	$15	$2	Subscription Service	89.4

The 7 Best Cartridge Razors Reviewed

Of all the cartridge razors available on the market, the Gillette Fusion ProGlide is among the most popular.

This razor features the following:

• Five anti-friction blades
• Precision trimmer
• Flexball neck

Regarding the actual performance of this cartridge razor, it’s top-notch. This is the best cartridge razor for general shaving.

• Anti-Friction Blades

The blades on the Fusion ProGlide are thin and spaced close together, making it perfect for men of all skin and facial hair types.

The reduced friction coupled with the lubricating strip allows for greater shave comfort.

As the blades get used, the lubricating strip will turn white, indicating that they need to be replaced.

• Flexball Neck

Able to stay close to your skin no matter the natural contours of your body, the Flexball neck provides an added range of motion, making it perfect to use on the head, chest, or pubic region.

When you combine this added flexibility with the thin blades, you have a comfortable shave, no matter the area.

What customers are saying: There are mixed opinions on this Gillette razor product. Some customers find it of high quality, praising its flexible head and effectiveness, especially for those with sensitive skin. However, others have issues with its packaging, the number of provided cartridges, and feel that the blade sharpness isn’t what it used to be.

While Gillette may be the biggest name in razors when it comes to both cartridge and disposable varieties, by and far, one of their largest competitors is Schick.

Their flagship cartridge razor, which many men loved, was the Hydro 5 Sense.

A lot is going on for the Hydro 5 Sense, which includes the following:

• Five ultra-glide blades
• Shock absorb technology
• Seven gel pools

Ultra-Glide Blades

As the name implies, the Hydro 5 Sense is a 5-blade cartridge razor that provides an incredibly close shave with every use.

The ultra-glide blades reduce the occurrence of friction between both the blade, skin, and facial hair when it is being cut.

This results in a shave that doesn’t cut too deep or shallow, which would otherwise result in additional passes.

Secondly, these super-sharp blades will cut your facial hair quickly, thus reducing the tugging or pulling sensation on the root, which can cause post-shave irritation.

Shock Absorb Technology

Among all others listed, one unique feature of this cartridge razor was the inclusion of shock-absorbing technology.

Adjusting the pressure with each stroke, the razor knows when to apply or lessen pressure.

A common irritation issue for men with sensitive skin, this allows for an even-pressured shave that increases shave comfort.

7 Gel Pools

A trademark quality found in Schick cartridge razors is their gel pools. With the Hydro 5 Sense, you can purchase a cartridge razor with any of the following lubricating strip gel varieties:

• Hydrate – coconut oil (normal skin)
• Energize – menthol (normal skin)
• Sensitive – herbal extract (sensitive skin)

* Italics represent the name that Schick uses.

What customers are saying: Most customers are pleased with the smooth and close shave provided by this razor, praising its effectiveness and quality. However, some negative reviews mention receiving used or damaged products, missing replacement heads, and inconsistent pricing.

The MicroTouch Tough Blade is a great value pick.

What sets the MicroTouch apart from the others on our list and why you should consider it is the following:

• 3 Micro-thin stainless steel blades
• Engineered to shave comfortably
• Inclusion of 12 refill razors

3 Micro-thin Stainless Steel Blades

To get a comfortable shave, the razor blade should not only be thin but evenly spaced to prevent gunk buildup.

With blades made in Germany, a highly revered for its precision engineering when it comes to razor blades, the MicroTouch provides excellent value.

As found with the expensive cartridge razors of other brands, these razor blades have a non-stick coating that will lengthen the blade’s life.

Engineered to Shave Comfortably

While absent of any Flexball neck, the range of motion you get with the MicroTouch should still deliver acceptable performance for most shaving situations.

While it won’t stay as close to your skin when shaving your head or public region, the pivot head will do a great job on flat surfaces such as your cheeks.

With only three blades on the head, like Mach 3, the reduced number allows for less contact of the blade with your skin – making it a favorite cartridge razor for those with sensitive skin.

Inclusion of 12 Refill Razors

We found the love for the included refills in the reviews of countless men. With each razor blade able to last up to a month on a single use, you have a year’s supply of razors included with your purchase.

This allows the MicroTouch to deliver a much better value when compared to other cartridge razors.

What customers are saying: Customers have mixed reviews about this cartridge razor. Some find it to be the best razor they have ever used, providing a smooth shave with long-lasting blades. On the other hand, others regret their purchase, and it’s not as satisfactory compared to other popular razors, with the razor causing discomfort and having short longevity.

Originally introduced in 1998 and racked up an astonishing $750 million in research and development costs (source), the Gillette Mach 3 set the gold standard of which all other cartridge razors would be compared against.

Still being made today, the Mach 3 remains a favorite of men everywhere, especially those with either acne or sensitive skin.

The three key features that men loved most are the following:

• Stronger-than-steel blades
• Comfortable handle
• Skin guard and lubrastrip

Stronger-Than-Steel Blades

Coated with DLC (Diamond-Like-Cutting), the razor blades on the Mach 3 are super sharp and can cut your facial hair close to the skin.

While the sharp and close-cut is a large selling point, another is that the blades last much longer compared to cartridge razors of similar price point and quality.

Able to withstand about 15 shaves per razor, the Mach 3 provides great value.

Comfortable Handle

As you will see in our guide below, one of the most critical factors to get a good shave isn’t only the sharpness and quality of the blades but your grip on the handle itself.

The ergonomically designed handle that Gillette has put together allows for a firm grip that does not slip even if your hands are coated with shave cream, water, or a mixture of the two.

This allows you to get a close shave in fewer passes – a key factor in reducing razor burn and redness.

Skin Guard + Lubrastrip

The skin guard on the Mach 3 is a unique addition that allows for consistent results. Able to gently stretch your skin before the razor cuts the hair, the skin guard ensures that you only need to make one pass to achieve your desired results.

Once that pass has occurred, the lubrastrip on the other side of the razor head works to stop any irritation or discomfort.

Like most Gillette razors, the lubrastrip serves as a gentle visual reminder to replace your blade once it turns completely white.

What customers are saying: Most customers appreciate this cartridge razor for its performance, affordability, and smooth shave. They have been using it for years and find it convenient. However, some customers find the handle to be too small, lightweight, and feel like a toy, making it difficult to grip for adults.

If you are familiar with The Dollar Shave Club, then you are familiar with Dorco razors. Dorco is the primary provider of razors for The Dollar Shave Club. The Dorco Pace 6 Plus would be considered a comparable razor to TDSC “Executive” option – which is also a six-blade razor.

While we cover a variety of subscription shave clubs elsewhere, we want to focus on what makes the Dorco Pace 6 Plus so unique as a standalone cartridge razor.

When reviewing, we found that the following factors stood out with this cartridge razor:

• Angulated blade platform
• Common docking system
• Vitamin E, Aloe, and Lavender lubricating strip

Angulated Blade Platform

To make six blades work for this cartridge razor, Dorco had to get creative and develop a new head that would allow for a close and comfortable shave.

Their patented angulated blade platform allows for a shave that competes for head-on with the likes of Gillette and Schick.

These micro-thin blades not only slice through your facial hair with ease but are also set to resist clogging or gunking up – which can drastically reduce the life of a blade.

Therefore, you don’t have to worry about any mild corrosion on the ends of the blade, which can, of course, lead to health and safety concerns.

Common Docking System

One of the biggest frustrations for men who use cartridge razors is that when a company introduces a new razor with an extra blade or lubricating strip, they also change the fitting of the razor blade.

This leads to waste as your old cartridge razors are rendered useless if the handle breaks.

Unlike other companies out to make a profit no matter the costs, Dorco smartly makes all their cartridge razors with the same fitting.

Therefore, if you want to try out one of their other handles or blades, you don’t have to worry; your existing blades will still work fine.

Vitamin E, Aloe, and Lavender Lubricating Strip

With Vitamin E, aloe, and lavender contained within the lubricating strip, the Dorco 6 Plus offers intense comfort making this a perfect razor for sensitive skin and razor burn.

Able to not only repair your skin through the inclusion of Vitamin E, but the aloe also provides instant comfort should any irritation occur when shaving.

What customers are saying: The majority of customers have praised this cartridge razor for its great price, quality, and long-lasting blades. However, some customers experienced issues such as razor burn, blades becoming dull quickly, and the moisturizer bar disintegrating after just one use. Overall, satisfaction seems to depend on individual preferences and experiences.

Shave clubs offer a great way to get a good shave with regular razor rotation.

As we have found when reviewing Harry’s, Dollar Shave Club, and others, while convenient, shave clubs often have many hidden costs that make them not nearly as cheap as one would think.

When doing a quick bit of math, you will often find that they are more expensive than if you were to buy a set of cartridge razor blades in bulk.

In addition, some major shave clubs, such as Dollar Shave Club, use Dorco razors and try to sell you additional products such as shave cream, aftershave, etc.

So, if you are (or have) been thinking about joining a shave club, our recommendation here is to make sure that you check what the annual costs are before signing up – you will probably be surprised.

What customers are saying: Customers have mixed opinions on this cartridge razor. Some are pleased with its performance and clean shave, while others report issues with attaching the blades to the handle, dull blades, and overall poor quality. The negative experiences have led to customer dissatisfaction and low ratings.

5 Considerations When Buying a Cartridge Razor

When buying a new cartridge razor, be mindful of the following:

Number of Blades

More blades help to displace pressure which leads to a more comfortable shave. However, a razor with more blades will experience a more aggressive hysteresis effect (i.e., lift-and-cut). While this natural phenomenon allows for smoother results, men with particularly curly facial hair may develop ingrown hairs (i.e., razor bumps) if the hair is cut too low. If you are susceptible to razor bumps, consider getting a cartridge razor with three or fewer blades. If razor bumps aren’t a concern, you can consider a four, five, or six-blade razor.

Battery-Powered

Once popular a few years ago, battery-powered cartridge razors have not been proven to result in a closer or better shave. Nevertheless, this feature was the center of a 2005 court case filed by Schick (source). 

The takeaway: Skip it; you don’t need a battery-powered razor.

Lubricating Strips

Lubricating strips or gel pools can provide great comfort when shaving. Their advantage is especially pronounced if you use a budget shave cream that doesn’t carry slick lubricating properties. In addition, some razors, such as the Gillette ProSheild, provide two lubricating strips – before and after the blades for greater comfort.

If you have dry or sensitive skin, put more weight on this feature. It is worth noting that the performance of the lubricating strip is directly tied to how often you change your razor blade.

Price for Refills

There is no denying that cartridge razors have a high long-term cost of ownership. Therefore, we recommend you take a moment to do some quick math to understand the long-term investment better.  

We recently learned that the average cartridge would last anywhere from six to 20 shaves.  

What Are You Shaving?

Whether it’s your head, beard, chest, or pubic region, the area you are shaving should be considered when reviewing all the cartridge razors. With companies like Gillette allowing for increased pivot and flex through their proprietary Flexball head, this simple mechanism can provide excellent performance no matter how curvy the contours on your body may be.

However, if you are shaving your face, a cartridge razor with a pivoting head will be plenty good for a satisfactory shave.