Razors by Mail

September 23, 2015 7:49 AM

So I kind of hate dealing with buying razors at the local CVS, and there are a couple of services that proide razors by mail (Harry's Razors and Dollar Shave Club come to mind; I assume there are others). Can anyone recommend one?

I'm fairly happy with my shaving supplies except for the blades, so I am much more interested in "blades-only" options than kits that come with cream, etc that I don't really want.

posted by GenjiandProust to Shopping (26 answers total)

Best answer: I recommend Dorco, which is where Dollar Shave Club gets their razors from.

I've used them for years.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 7:56 AM on September 23, 2015 [10 favorites]

I have tried both and did not like Harry's. DSC has blade cartridges that are more like what you would find at CVS. Harry's stuff felt a little cheap to me. I love using DSC.
posted by 4ster at 7:56 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Came to say Dorco. There are usually coupons floating around to make their prices even better.
posted by almostmanda at 8:01 AM on September 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

Nthing Dorco; I've found them to be comparable to Gillette, but significantly cheaper. My one complaint is that the little plastic pivoty part behind the blade tends to break if you drop your razor, but if you're not clumsy they'll last for a good long time.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:07 AM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Can't recommend one specifically but Harry's advertises on seemingly every podcast in the universe, so don't forget to take advantage of one of the advertised discounts if you decide to try them.
posted by Wretch729 at 8:09 AM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Harry's, etc. make the shave gear buying experience way more complicated and high-concept than it needs to be. I've been using Derby Extra blades (made in Turkey) for ~5 years now, and $20 will get you 200 of them, each good for 2-3 shaves if you rinse and at least partially dry them after you shave.

I use them with a Merkur Futur, but also had good results with a cheap, ancient Gilette that I found at a yard sale.
posted by ryanshepard at 8:26 AM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I love my Merkur HD Slant Safety Razor.

I grabbed it after reading this review on The Sweet Home.

It's not a shave club, but you can beat the cost.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:26 AM on September 23, 2015 [4 favorites]

Also supporting Dorco. I am clean shaven with a shaved head so I go through a lot of razors. Dorco has been good for me. I use the four-blade cartridges.

I see you've received some praise for double-edged safety razors. While I have a few and it's a nice relaxing experience on a weekend, I think they are too much of a PITA to deal with for daily shaving. Also, multi-bladed cartridges shave closer. There, I said it.
posted by Tanizaki at 8:32 AM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

I'm not sure if you're looking for disposables, cartridges or double-edged blades, but West Coast Shaving is where I get my DE blades. They have several different sampler packs, so you can try a bunch and find a blade that suits you. (Merkur Super Platinum Coated has been my favorite so far.)
posted by pheide at 8:46 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I've used DSC and Harry's (and am now bearded so I use neither) but I found Harry's to be vastly superior in quality... I had multiple DSC handles break and the blades dulled quite quickly. That's been a couple of years though, so perhaps their quality has improved.
posted by Jacob G at 9:09 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

It's not a shave club, but you can beat the cost.

I bought 50 blades for my slant in May 2013 for $20. I still have about 25 left. And the price is currently dropped to $12 for fifty since. Indeed. Cost is very tough to beat.
posted by kpraslowicz at 9:09 AM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Been a Dollar Shave Club customer pretty much since they started. I only use their cheapest 2-blade cartridges so it really is only $3/month for me. I like that I don't have to think about it, they just show up. Because I get 5 a month and don't always go through them all, sometimes I end up with enough still around to skip a month.

(I will say that the blades do generally only last a week - at least these 2-blade ones, dunno about the higher end ones. Never had a handle break. And if sometimes a particular cartridge seems to wear out faster than others it doesn't phase me because at 5 per month I can just change to a new one sooner.)

Plus since they started offering their "One Wipe Charlies" in single-wipe travel packets, I order a box of those every few months so I can keep a stash of them at work. Much preferable to the sandpapery TP my workplace provides.
posted by dnash at 9:13 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I tried DSC back when they first started, and found that their low-end handle was really cheaply made, and because of the subscription model they delivered blades faster than I could dull them, so the savings wasn't all I'd hoped for.

I'll be a dissenting voice on the Dorco stuff. I've been using their 3-blade cartridges for more than 2 years. I've had three handles in that time, and have had trouble releasing cartridges from the attachment mechanism on all of them. That mechanism broke on the first handle (cheapest model) before I'd used up my stock of blades, so I bought another. Not long after that, Dorco sent me a free promotional kit with the next higher-priced handle and some 4-blade cartridges. Over the course of a few months, the white rubber grip turned an unattractive yellow. Besides what I perceive as poor engineering and poor-quality handle materials, I don't care for the curvy, highly-sculpted shape because, as with so many overdesigned "ergonomic" forms, it confines you to holding it in specific ways. I also prefer smaller cartridges than Dorco offers.

I have to admit, name-brand cartridges are ridiculously expensive, and Dorco does provide a better value overall, but neither Dorco nor DSC's physical product holds a candle to my old Gillette Sensor.

Just a couple of weeks ago I found 138 new Sensor cartridges in a box at a garage sale. My remaining stock of Dorco blades is getting stuffed into the back of the linen closet for the foreseeable future. Anybody want them?
posted by jon1270 at 9:18 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I've been with DSC for a few months now, and I find their "executive" razor blades to be of much better quality (and also much less expensive!) than the Mach 3 cartridges I'd been using previously. Plus, since I can now afford to change my blade every week, my face looks much less cut-up and pock-marked.

I can't speak to the lower levels of blades. The "executive" is the top of the line, and costs $9 per month. There are two lower classes of blades, which I believe are $7 and $4 per month, respectively. The $4 per month, or $1 per blade, is where DSC gets its name from.

You get a single shipment once each month containing 4 blades and a sample of some shaving product they are trying to promote that you can optionally add on to your subscription (you get a different product sample each month). So far, I haven't wanted to include any of the add-ons.
posted by tckma at 10:03 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I've tried DSC, Raswar and Harry's. I was a loyal Gillette customer for decades prior to that.

I'm using the Harry's stuff now very happily. Seems better made than the others, and, most importantly, gives me a very nice shave. I really like their handle design, both the shape and in how positive the blade lock is (blades never come out unless released). They have some nice accessories too. Cheaper than Gillette. Would recommend.
posted by bonehead at 10:10 AM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I switched to Harry's after the 15th podcast ad, and I've been quite happy with them.

The razor handle has a wonderful, solid feel, great design, and gorgeous colors. I have the Truman in bright orange, which seems like a steal at $10, and always brings a smile to my grumpy morning face when I look at it. I also like their post-shave lotion - smells nice but in a very low-key way, works well for me.

Harry's razor blades are not as solid as the Mach 3's I used to use - the plastic feels a bit flimsier - but the blades work well, and they're disposable, after all. I'm definitely a repeat buyer.

At $15 to try their starter set, with discounts from the various podcasts (e.g.), you really can't go wrong.
posted by RedOrGreen at 10:18 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Dorco nor DSC's physical product holds a candle to my old Gillette Sensor.

This was my reaction too, for both the Raswar and the DSC kit. The Harry's handle, on the other hand, is a joy. Simple, elegant even, feels solid, not like it will disintegrate into bits and the heads never come off, even when dropped (I shave in the shower).

I'm fanboying a bit, but I do really like 'em. It's nice to find a product finally that doesn't feel like it's disposable, but built to last.
posted by bonehead at 10:19 AM on September 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

I've been using DSC for about a year, and love it. Though I just found out via comments in this thread about Dorco, I'm not interested in checking them out because DSC has come through for me in spades in customer service. I needed an extra handle when my wife found the new razors and suddenly wanted to start using them - asked them how to get one purchased and shipped immediately, and they just sent me one free of charge. Recently forgot to update my mailing address when my office moved, got the shipping notification, then reached out and asked to re-route the shipment - they just sent me a duplicate shipment for free, expedited.

They are similar to Gillette in look and feel, yes. Prior to DSC, I used a Mach3/4/whatevercrazynumberthey'reatnow since I started shaving. I got a Harry's set as a groomsman gift a year or two ago, tried it out but didn't like the razors as much. It felt harder to get a good, close shave. Of course YMMV, I see others here had the opposite experience.
posted by hootenatty at 10:20 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I tried using Harry's for a few months and I really like the heft and design of their razors.

However, I also cut myself incredibly badly with a newish (only second use) blade. Only time I've ever cut myself like that, so I ended up dumping the Harry's blades.
posted by forkisbetter at 10:25 AM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

While we are here can anyone tell me how you settled on 3,4 vs 5 blade option? I have gone back from 3 to 5 and don't see or feel much of a difference, is this all just marketing or is there scientific data that makes one better than the other?
posted by any major dude at 11:07 AM on September 23, 2015

Also, multi-bladed cartridges shave closer. There, I said it.

My joke is I shave two or three times a year whether I need to or not.

I dislike beards, but I hate shaving more, so I go from Mr. Clean to Tad Kazinsky (Ted's hairier brother).

One of the reasons I've always disliked shaving is no matter how I do it I sweat blood after. I can wash in water (hot or cold), use shaving cream, shave in the shower, doesn't matter.

Then I found the razor I mentioned above. It doesn't shave that close, but man, I can go over the same area again and again with no issue. Not the closest shave in the world, but the nicest for my skin.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:15 AM on September 23, 2015

You can buy razor blades on Amazon, including on a subscription basis if you want.
posted by J. Wilson at 12:15 PM on September 23, 2015

$5 vintage stainless steel "Safety razor" from Ebay + 100-pack of blades from any hardware store.

Can't be beat in price. Looks and functions exactly like blades from shaving companies. Consumer Reports once tested several disposable razors and cartridge razors on the market, and found absolutely no difference in sharpness nor wear (not including failure of the whole mechanism, as mentioned above).

Fanboys will rave about their particular brand, but blind tests show no difference - and why would there be? The cost of producing hardened, long-wear blades would far outstrip the benefit (Would you pay 10x as much for a blade that lasted three times as long? Would tens thousands of others do it, too? Or should we just spend a little bit more on the TV spot?)
posted by IAmBroom at 12:16 PM on September 23, 2015

Best answer: I have been using Dorco for about a year now and prefer it over Harry's. I was cutting myself too often with the Harry's blades so once I saw a special I tried them out and really like their products. I don't ever have to think about blades now, which is awesome.
posted by Benway at 1:10 PM on September 23, 2015

Why not just order your blades online? Both Amazon and Drugstore.com offer a subscription service for items you need delivered on a regular basis.

For what it's worth, my husband has a very sensitive face and did NOT like DSC/Dorco, even the higher-end handles. He cut himself and daily and said all of the handles felt flimsy. No problems with his Mach 3 so we are just back to buying those and trying to avoid thinking about the cost.
posted by joan_holloway at 2:27 PM on September 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks for all the input. I seems that the results are so personal that I am going to have to try a couple and see what works for me.
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:40 AM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]