Men are spoiled for choice with regards to what to do with their facial hair. At least, those that can grow facial hair in the first place (sorry to anyone unable to sprout anything convincing). Some men choose to let their beard grow out and simply give it a bit of routine maintenance, while others will invest solely in a beard trimmer to keep their beard at a regular length, and then there’s those men who will get rid of any facial hairs as soon as they appear using a safety razor or a disposable razor.
The ubiquitous safety razor hasn’t always been commonplace in the bathrooms of men worldwide, as straight razors were, for a long time, the shaving tool of choice. It wasn’t until King Camp Gillette came along in the late 1870s with an evolution of the readily available safety razor design, using a stamped blade made from carbon steel.
While the initial purchase of a blade and handle incurred a loss for Gillette, they made their money back with the replacement blades they sold, and that ultimately led to Gillette being consigned to history books forever, and to it becoming one of the most recognised names in shaving today.
What to look for in a men’s razor
There are various versions of razors available today, with safety and cartridge being the two most popular – for guys who want a seriously close shave, straight razors are available – and within these categories, you can find options from the incredibly affordable to the slightly more questionable expensive.
However, more expensive razors will likely be made from high-end materials such as ivory, ebony, and porcelain (usually of the fake variety). It’s certainly true that a slick shaving set looks superb perched next to the bathroom sink, as opposed to a basic plastic cartridge razor being thrown into the cupboard.
To make the best use of a razor, you will need to invest in good shaving cream or gel to provide ample lubrication and to prevent cutting your delicate face. You don’t want to walk around with unsightly scabs all day! While you can simply buy a basic shaving cream that you rub onto your face, more expensive versions will be made from ingredients that are kinder to the skin, and can be applied using a shaving brush to help prepare the hairs for shaving.
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We’ve scoured the web for the very best razors for men available to buy right now, catering to all budgets. Rest assured, they will all rid your face of unwanted hairs, revealing the rugged jawline beneath.
Gentleman Jon
1/16
Price: From $75
Gentleman Jon was founded to offer guys a more premium wet-shaving experience than what you receive from the products at your local supermarket but without the salon-style prices. Better yet, in true gentleman fashion, Jon provides everything you need for a perfect wet shave in one kit.
Combining a double-edge safety razor, badger hair shaving brush, and Jon’s own Alum block (which acts in a similar way to aftershave), you have all the tools you need to safely and effectively remove facial hair.
Truefitt & Hill
2/16
Price: From $110
British barber extraordinaire Truefitt & Hill knows just what it takes to make a guy look and feel good. Offering the very best of grooming experiences in their salons worldwide, Truefitt & Hill allows you to bring the same experience home through a range of premium products.
While the company has a range of cartridge razors that work with blades from the likes of Gillette, for the ultimate experience you’ll want the Sheffield Razor. Handcrafted in Sheffield, UK from local steel and polished to an incredibly high sheen. The handle has been designed to offer optimum levels of grip (you won’t want any slips now, would you?) and with a matching stand also available you can easily upgrade your at-home shaving experience.
Gillette
3/16
Price: From $11
A name synonymous with shaving and the name responsible for introducing cartridge-based razors to society, Gillette is a global powerhouse in the world of male facial hair removal.
But while it may be famous for its cartridge razors, Gillette still makes its original double-edged safety razor, based on the design first conceived by Gillette many years ago. Sporting a closed-comb razor head design and a genuine metal handle, you can effectively bring the 19th century into your bathroom.
OneBlade
4/16
Price: From $30
Another brand dedicated to all things shaving and improving the at-home experience is OneBlade. Understanding that men appreciate the disposable method, but wanting to offer them a more luxurious experience, OneBlade set out to create the ultimate single-blade razor.
The result is a razor with an ergonomically designed pivoting head, with just one blade attached, giving a smoother shave compared to the multi-blade cartridges you’ll find elsewhere. Refill blades are made from recycled materials so you needn’t worry about sending a heap of plastic to landfill either.
Dollar Shave Club
5/16
Price: From $8
For guys who want to shave on a budget, Dollar Shave Club is the answer. Working on a membership option with three tiers, guys can have a range of products including razors, creams, gels, and other grooming products for the rest of the body, delivered to their door at regular intervals.
Dollar Shave Club asks aspiring members to take a quick quiz to help determine which products are best suited to their needs, and membership levels and products can be changed at any time.
The Art Of Shaving
6/16
Price: From $150
High-end retailer of premium razors for men, The Art of Shaving was founded in Manhattan, NY in 1996. The company develops its own razors and shaving-related products to appeal to guys who take huge pride in their appearance. Select razors are made in collaboration with Gillette or Mühle, and you can also find own-brand models too.
The Art of Shaving’s own safety razors all have a smaller handle that is “properly weighted” to aid with easy glides across your face, making removing your facial hair a cinch.
Rockwell Razors
7/16
Price: From $60
Believing that the best option for guys looking for the best shave doesn’t lie with cartridge razors or membership clubs, Rockwell Razors was founded, taking the classically styled double-edged razor and giving it a completely modern update.
With five razors on the books, made from various materials and offering differing levels of precision, there is something for everyone when looking for a new razor that won’t tug or pull at the skin. Blades are fashioned from Swedish steel to prevent rust while retaining their sharpness, and each is good for up to 8 shaves.
Schick
8/16
Price: From $7
Schick is, like Gillette, one of the founding brands within shaving. Established in 1926 by Jacob Schick and with its inaugural single blade safety razor system appearing at the same time, Schick has continued to evolve as a company, introducing new products to continually help guys achieve close comfortable shaves.
Part of Schick’s Wilkinson Sword label, this double-edge razor is one of the more affordable safety razors out there. Serving up triple-coated stainless steel blades that are incredibly easy to swap out, you will be able to achieve a barbershop level of precision in the comfort of your own bathroom.
Böker
9/16
Price: From $35
German company Böker dates back to the 17th century when it was founded as a cutlery company in Remscheid. The company moved to Solingen in the late 1860s, an area of Germany famous for the production of swords, knives, and razors. The latter is something Böker has become particularly renowned for, producing a range of straight razors and safety razors that are some of the best-in-class.
This low-profile safety razor uses a closed-comb head to help prevent any nasty cuts and the handle, machined from a solid brass billet, has been made relatively long to provide greater surface area to hold, making it more stable in the process. It accepts Böker’s own double edge blades that are some of the best in the business.
Harry's
10/16
Price: From $10
Working in a similar vein to Dollar Shave Club, Harry’s also allows guys to sign up to a subscription service that sees razors, blades, shaving creams, and other grooming products appear on their doorstep. Harry’s has a few razors to choose from, each of which is designed to be ergonomic and to deliver a close, comfortable shave using German-engineered blades.
Harry’s also donates a small percentage of sales to male mental health and suicide prevention charities and allows its employees to take five days of paid leave each year to volunteer at a charity of their choice.
Merkur
11/16
Price: From $32
Part of the Dovo brand (which itself is responsible for some first-class straight razors) German company Merkur offers a huge selection of razors for guys looking to get away from cartridges. The range includes various head styles and builds of handles, but all are designed to assist you in achieving the best possible shave.
This 34C Heavy Duty double-edged safety razor is a good middle-ground option for newbies and veterans alike, benefitting from a shorter-than-usual, yet thick, handle to aid with manoeuvrability.
Blackland
12/16
Price: From $169
American shaving company Blackland claims to take inspiration from the watch industry, saying that even though you can find well-performing models for affordable prices, it’s the luxury watches that bring with them a great sense of pride, as well as an interesting backstory. This, therefore, goes some way to explaining the higher cost of Blackland’s razors, but they are designed to last a lifetime.
The Vector razor uses single-edge blades and has been specifically engineered to offer the best possible shaving experience. With owners claiming it handles like a Porsche, it’s the epitome of luxury shaving.
Timeless Razor
13/16
Price: From $70
US-based razor company Timeless was founded by a father and his four sons. Still owned by the family – all of whom are machinists and engineers – Timeless set out to develop a high-performance razor that would last for years and years.
Timeless has a few razors in its inventory, made from a range of materials including titanium, stainless steel, and bronze (you can customise your own too), all of which use a double-edged blade to deliver an impeccable shave time after time.
Supply
14/16
Price: From $59
Proudly claiming that if a product isn’t hard-working, long-lasting, or ruggedly handsome, then it doesn’t get made, Supply seeks to develop and produce some of the finest shaving-related products on the planet. With just one razor in its repertoire that has been the recipient of thousands of rave reviews, it could well be your new favourite.
Employing a single-blade approach to cut hairs in one swoop, Supply’s Single Edge 2.0 razor also offers three customisable shave settings to adjust how close it gets to your skin. The initial cost of the razor may be higher than some others, but its blades will last many shaves, so you’ll make your money back in no time.
Oscar
15/16
Price: From $20
Australian-owned Oscar was founded in 2008 to offer guys a more premium subscription model, which sees high-quality razors and complementary creams and gels sent at regular intervals to help you keep your face in tip-top shape.
Razor MD
16/16
Price: From $69
Razor MD can have its history traced back to 1920s Brooklyn, NY, when owner Scott Saltzman’s family-owned and ran a successful pharmacy. Realising he was never going to take over the business, he instead listened to customer needs and set out to create barber-grade products that people could easily use at home.
Not only did this include razors and other tools, but oils, creams, and gels too. Razor MD’s products are made in the USA and follow many of the original recipes from the early days, and are now backed up by a solid collection of razors.
The NK69DE uses double-edged blades to effectively trim your facial hair with precision and without irritation. Blades are simple to change, and being compatible with Gillette’s Double Edge blades, are readily available.
