The Best Men’s Razors for a Clean Shave

Many of us grow up learning how to shave with a cartridge razor, which believe it or not, is just over 50 years old. Gillette introduced the first cartridge razor, the Trac II, back in the early ‘70s. The cartridge made it much easier to learn how to shave, and it put folks on the fast track to the notion that “more blades are always better”, as we now see some brands offering cartridge heads with six(!) blades on them. That’s a lot of razor drag for anyone’s skin to handle, especially since the single-blade safety razor had been in use some 70 years before the cartridge came about. (Fun fact: Both were brought to market by Gillette.)

So, what is the best razor for men, among these core options? The truth is that what’s best for you might be different than what’s best for the next guy. It boils down to things like your skin’s proneness to irritation, bumps, and ingrown hairs, as well as how often you’re inclined to shave in the first place (out of preference or out of speed of your hair’s growth). On top of that, different body parts might demand different types of razors and blades altogether.

Read on for a look at the different types of razors, and to learn which one(s) are best for you, along with our picks of the best men’s razors in various categories, from cartridges to safety blades to straight razors.

Best Razors for Men

The Expert: I’ve been a grooming journalist for more than nine years and have written for nearly every U.S. men’s media outlet in that time, including GQ, Men’s Journal, Robb Report, and Gear Patrol. I love trying new products, speaking with brand representatives, helping readers perfect their self care, and offering up my own skin and hair as a petri dish.

From a full shave to a carved-down mustache (and even a goatee once, which wasn’t a fit for me), I’ve looked good, bad, and dare I say ugly plenty of times over (and ugly usually equates to redness, irritation, in-growns, and the like). So I’m happy to present you with the best razors here—the ones that kept my skin from freaking out, and which helped me craft whichever style I wanted (good or bad), so long as nothing ugly and painful emerged.

What to Consider When Buying Men’s Razors

There is no singular best razor for men, because the best razor for you is not going to be the best pick for the next guy. That’s because we all have different sensitivities and hair types, as well as different preferences for how frequently, where, and what we shave. So, if you want to know which razor is best for you, you’ve got to consider all of these things first.

It might even be that two different types of razors are best. Heck, I suggest every guy owns a manual razor of some type, be it a cartridge, safety, or straight-edge, as well as an electric shaver for those moments he can’t risk any redness or irritation, no matter how trusty his manual blade is.

Here’s a quick 101 on the difference between those four if you need a refresher:

Cartridge razors: These have become the marketing standby in terms of razors and what we envision these days. They have a straight handle, possibly with a head that pivots or hinges with the cartridge head. That head has anywhere from two to six blades and a cushioning lubrication strip (or two).

We experts have become a little skeptical of all the different ways brands try to “trick out” these cartridge heads, given that even the most simple, pared down versions of them (let’s say, two blades, and one lubrication strip) work really well. More blades doesn’t mean better and can sometimes yield even more irritation because you’re running that many more blades over the skin.

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Safety razors: This is the purist’s take on the razor, and the predecessor of the cartridge. It’s a weighted handle along with a single or double blade installed at the head, which itself can be single or double sided. (The idea is that with a double-sided one, you get double the mileage out of each blade.) There’s a slight learning curve with safety razors, but the weighted handle and the (usually) rounded cover atop the blades encourage the proper 30-degree angle and appropriate force needed for safe, steady use.

Here, too, is proof that a single blade can often accomplish the same task as a six-blade cartridge, and with far less risk of irritation or ingrown hairs. Safety razors are preferred almost universally by guys with thick, coarse hair, who are particularly prone to in-growns.

Straight razors: The words “straight razor” likely stir images of Sweeney Todd and a knife-like razor with a handle that folds parallel to the blade. But you don’t need an expensive, barbershop-worthy piece of equipment to achieve the same results at home. Some straight razors have interchangeable blades just like safety razors, which saves you from having to sharpen and prevent rust on the larger blade that barbers use.

This type of shave takes lots of patience and precision, though some smaller straight razors are excellent for edge work and minor detailing (like drawing lines around the mustache, or simply cleaning up your neckline). In those instances, the smaller, more refined tasks are less difficult to manage than a full-face shave, but man, nothing feels as refreshing as a well-executed straight razor shave. (Eh, maybe ‘executed’ is the wrong word to use in tandem with Sweeney Todd.)

Electric razors: These can be shavers or something closer to a trimmer or even models in between. The main thing is that they don’t break the surface of the skin, so they don’t give you as close of a shave, even if they do give you the appearance of a fresh shave. Some even have options to give you stubble, if you like that look.

Although a razor typically refers to the body of the device (think handle and grip) and not the blades, different razors provide different blade setups. Sensitive-skin types do best with minimal blades, so if that includes you, avoid the five- and six-blade cartridge options, and instead choose a two- or three-blade one, or better yet, a safety razor. To that end, guys prone to ingrown hairs or people with coarse hair should consider a safety razor, because their sensitivities demand minimal blades, but extremely sharp ones at that.

How We Evaluated Razors for Men

Below are the best razors for men, in my own studied opinion. I categorized them based on some sensitivities and hair types and picked some from every core razor category, including cartridge, safety, straight-edge, and electric models. There are disposables, detailers, and even a bald-head razor, too.

Although there are many razors available for shaving one’s various body parts, I kept everything here focused on the neck up. The commonality among them is, of course, that they offer maximum smoothness and minimal irritation—assuming you shave slowly and steadily, and practice proper razor hygiene. (See the Q&A at the end of this article for more on that.)