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Why is a thread on electric razors not the top comment on a post about the expense/waste of straight razors? I get that they have some downsides, but if we’re

• mtreis86 4y ago
  I think you mean disposable razors, because straight razors are the least wasteful.
• mrob 4y ago
  I started shaving a few years ago with a cheap Chinese electric razor. It needs cleaning occasionally but is otherwise trouble free. It shaves close enough to get a good respirator seal, which is close enough for me. It's impossible to injure myself with it, and it's so easy to use that I can literally shave while browsing the web. Unless you are concerned with getting the closest shave possible, electric seems the obvious choice.
  • neltnerb 4y ago
    And it's worth noting that a blade razor usually removes a bit of the top layer of skin, causing irritation, ingrown hairs (on top of avoiding injury from cuts). There are some really fantastic electric razors that are cheap and get close enough that it makes no visual difference, except they don't cut the hairs under the skin so I haven't had an ingrown hair in years and years.
    • radicalbyte 4y ago
      I haven't had ingrowing hairs since I switch to a Merker razor with Feather (Japanese) blades. You have to be very light handed, mind. Blades cost $0.25 each and I use about 10 a year.
      • kcplate 4y ago
        I use a Merker safety razor with feather blades too. Definitely recommend not just for the shave, but for the value.
        • dhimes 4y ago
          Same, but usually with cheapo blades. Shark/Lord mostly (from Egypt). You can get cheap Gillette, but they're from Russia so you may wish to wait.
          • radicalbyte 4y ago
            If you have thick hair then it's probably better to get cheap Derby/Shark/Lord blades and just use them for one shave. Gives a great shave every time & is still very cheap.
            • dhimes 4y ago
              Exactly my strategy. I take some time pre-treating my face, so I get about 4 days/blade.
          • kcplate 4y ago
            I get around a dozen shaves or more from a single feather blade. Bought a box of a 100 for $35 after trying a variety pack of blades and fixing on the Feather brand, and at around 3 shaves a week and just trimming up around my goatee and neck, I think I am somewhere around 1-2 cents per shave and probably golden until the robot overlords take over. Much better than $15/mo I was spending for cartridge razors. I’ll never go back.
  • moneywoes 4y ago
    Which model? I have a Philips one blade and it is pricey to replace and needs to be replaced often
    • kwhitefoot 4y ago
      I have a Braun series 5. It recommends replacing the cutting head after 18 months.
    • frou_dh 4y ago
      For the Philips with 3 circular blades, there are good replacement blades fabulously cheap on AliExpress. $3 for a set.
  • pbreit 4y ago
    May I ask which one? Flat across or the floating heads? Amazon is mostly the more expensive name brands.
    • aksss 4y ago
      I’m using a higher-end Panasonic I bought over ten years ago, which is a foil type rather than the three head. Works great. Still have to replace blades every so often - far less often than a safety razor - and the foil periodically/rarely. Electrics are never as close as blades (despite marketing) but far easier, far quicker, and amortized out over many years, pretty cheap. Cheap electrics suck, so prioritize best shave quality within the electric razor type (foil vs three disc) that’s most compatible with your face and get the functionally best example you can afford, ignoring add-on gadgets like cleaning stations etc.
    • mrob 4y ago
      I don't want to recommend a specific brand, but it's a floating head Philips clone.
    • neltnerb 4y ago
      I don't want to link to vendors, but I've had the "Philips Norelco OneBlade Hybrid Electric Trimmer and Shaver" for years, replaced the blade once, shave with it at least every other day, and it's been closer than anything else I've tried. But I've also had it several years and the technology I'm sure constantly improves.
  • secondcoming 4y ago
    With electric I find myself missing bits of hair occasionally. That doesn't really happen with a wet shave since the foam tracks where you've shaved.
• ARandomerDude 4y ago
  And I never cut myself or get razor burn with an electric razor. I also don't have to worry about running out of shaving cream or whether my shaving cream is too big to pack on an airplane. I switched to electric years ago and will never go back.
  • pmoriarty 4y ago
    "I also don't have to worry about running out of shaving cream or whether my shaving cream is too big to pack on an airplane." You don't actually need shaving cream to shave with a non-electric razor. You could just use soap -- which is hopefully available wherever you travel. You also don't need electricity.
• ohyoutravel 4y ago
  I also use electric. Bought a very cheap one in college and now a decade later only now needed to replace it because the battery stopped holding a charge and had to keep it plugged in while using it. About annually I would put a drop of oil on it and that’s all. Now I recently purchased a very expensive version (comparatively) and it does the same job.
• rhacker 4y ago
  I think it's preference. I started out using electric when I first started shaving when I was like 16 or something. As soon as I tried actual razors I couldn't go back. Been like 26 years now.
  • jader201 4y ago
    I guess it’s hard to imagine the upsides of straight razors justifying the (apparent) downsides. I mean, other than a somewhat closer shave, it seems like everything else about them is worse (expense, waste, time/effort, mess, cuts/removing skin, ingrown hairs).
    • bluejekyll 4y ago
      It’s a little pedantic, but what you’re calling “straight razor”, you probably mean “disposable razor” or “cartridge razor”. There is also “safety razor” which has replaceable blade, shown in the article. The “straight razor” looks like a long foldable knife.
    • pacaro 4y ago
      So TFA addresses the expense/waste issue. If you're using a safety razor (or a leaf[1] if you prefer the multi blade style), and are buying blades from feather or similar. Technique will eliminate ingrown hairs/cuts etc, The exfoliation provided by using a razor (disposable, safety, or straight) is something some people find desirable (see also microblading) YMMV Time and effort is more interesting to me. For me the time spent shaving (and on other parts of self care) is part of the value of shaving in the first place. This isn't a process that I choose to speed up As for travelling, I use a soap puck rather than shaving foam or cream, so TSA doesn't care about that, blades are more of a crap shoot. [1] https://leafshave.com https://leafshave.com — I use one of these for armpits and back hair, and then a traditional style merker for face
    • juve1996 4y ago
      It's not about "closer shave." Electric razors never get close enough for me. Complete areas of my face they do nothing to and it just causes irritation on my skin. Frustrating, takes way too long vs my DE razor. > (expense, waste, time/effort, mess, cuts/removing skin, ingrown hairs). Eh, shaving isn't that hard. I know we've gotten lazy but holy crap. A DE shave never results in any of that for me. Shower, lather, apply, shave. 5 minutes.
• hammock 4y ago
  All good points. But the biggest thread on this post isn’t about shaving at all, it’s about cast iron pans.
  • fuzzfactor 4y ago
    I use my cast-iron pan before I leave for work, then I shave my face on the way using a ladies' electric single-foil type. Actually these came with a trimmer on each side of the foil which you need when taking down a full bush, but I remove these and just use the foil. It takes a lot of passes but I have plenty of time while traveling. Brush & blow it out completely every time. I tried reversing the procedure and shaving before I left for work, but the cast-iron skillet proved about as useful as tits on a bull while commuting. Fortunately, the lady who gave me the shaver and the skillet decided not to use them while commuting herself, so here I am the lucky one.
• FpUser 4y ago
  >"I get that they have some downsides, but if we’re talking about the expense/waste of straight razors, then it would make sense to consider electric razors." I've tried using electric, even expensive ones few times in my life but had always ended up with skin irritation starting to develop. No soup for me ;(
• raesene9 4y ago
  Yep, I've had two electric razors in my adult life (now in my late 40's) and they do the job well enough for me. Need periodically washed out and regularly charged, but apart from that they're maintenance free. Both Philips, only got rid of the first one as it got broken by being knocked off a high shelf. The idea of shaving being expensive, just seems ... odd.
  • cagey 4y ago
    Same for me; I've used Philips/Norelco rotary shavers for almost[1] all of my 45+ shaving years. As the battery technology has gotten better (NiCd: awful!; NiMh: decent; Li-Ion: wow!), the shavers last longer and longer; I bought a dup of my current shaver on sale for $20 as a backup maybe 5 years ago, but it's still unopened. So the idea that "shaving is getting expensive" strikes me as silly; I'm sure you could spend thousands if you wanted to, but that's a choice. [1] I tried a Braun "wet or dry" shaver, but one drop in the shower was the end of that "upscale purchase".
  • dopa42365 4y ago
    Got a Moser 1400 years ago for like 30€ or so, it just works. For a plain presentable 1mm trim in 2 minutes every few days, it's more than enough.
• Beltiras 4y ago
  I have a weird combination of skin type and hair. My skin will inflame if I use an electric razor, even using a cheap 2 layer razor will make me itch and scratch for a week. The two things that do work are shaper electric ones (can't get a close shave with that) and 3 blade cartridge ones. Thankfully I can get away with rarely grooming completely, just use the shaper.
  • jseban 4y ago
    I think that's true for everyone, definitely for me and my acquaintances. The only thing that works well are multi blade cartridges or two passes with a double edged razor (never tried a straight razor).
• steve_adams_86 4y ago
  I’ll add my support for electrics too. I shave my head as well as my face, and I’ve only gone through two razors in 15 years. I’m only a couple years into using the second one. The first one I actually broke down, cleaned, and partially repaired several times. I replaced wiring that had corroded and had to replace small parts. I suppose I might be on my third by now if I couldn’t repair stuff. They do the job quickly and make it so a regular razor is easier to use if you want that close of a shave. I rarely care that much because the electric gets almost indiscernibly close by my standards
• sorenjan 4y ago
  The manufacturers already thought of that. Now there's Philips Oneblade, electric razors where you have to replace the blades like with manual razors.
  • draw_down 4y ago
    I broke one of those simply taking it out of the packaging. I was flabbergasted how fragile the thing was when I really looked at it.
  • morsch 4y ago
    And on the other end, manual safety razors that need a battery (e.g. Gilette Power Fusion).
  • neltnerb 4y ago
    I've replaced the blade on mine like once in years... I'm honestly surprised by the different experience. Maybe it's because I use a trimmer on the lowest setting before trying to do a real "shave", so any stubble is short.
• moneywoes 4y ago
  Any suggestions please?
• jwilk 4y ago
  What electric razor do you recommend?
  • Someone1234 4y ago
    The generic answer is the Braun Series 7 7071cc. That's a "good enough" electric razor for most people.
• kareemsabri 4y ago
  It's weird that men still shave at all to be honest. The world is casual enough that you're not expected to have a "close" shave. I use a Wahl Peanut with no guard, takes maybe one minute. Costs $65 and lasts 5 years easily. You can also use it to give yourself a buzz cut, if you're so inclined, and save even more money.
  • mr_mitm 4y ago
    Believe it or not, some men like the look and feel of a close shave. And for many, saving money is not a number one priority when getting a hair cut.
    • kareemsabri 4y ago
      That'a fair, I believe it. I've tried it and do like it. But the marginal gain in closeness I get from a wet shave versus the method mentioned above, when paired with cost, razor burn / irritation / breakouts, and cuts, doesn't seem worth it to me.
    • jseban 4y ago
      It makes you look younger, that's probably the fundamental benefit (same reason women shave).
    • neltnerb 4y ago
      And plenty have partners with one preference or another...
  • HalcyonicStorm 4y ago
    As a brown man living in a post 9/11 United States, I get treated extremely differently when I have a beard vs when I am clean shaven.
• drgvond 4y ago
  > Why is a thread on electric razors not the top comment on a post about the expense/waste of straight razors? The post doesn’t even mention straight razors [1]. Also, I’m not sure electric razors are the less wasteful solution. Any electric appliance is likely to be much more environmentally costly to manufacture than a simple gadget. It certainly can’t compare with safety razors (or double-edged razors, as called in the article). I won’t comment on the convenience of electric razors. My very limited experience with them (and not only mine) is that they don’t work on all beards, or if you don’t shave every day. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_razor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_razor
  • robonerd 4y ago
    > It certainly can’t compare with safety razors I've been using a safety razor for years and figured I was getting a pretty good deal out of it. Then a few months ago I reached into my travel bag without looking and sliced my finger open badly; the resulting stitches and tetanus shot came out to about $200, probably wiping out whatever money I'd saved by using them. I still think it's a good deal.. if you're careful.
    • pfranz 4y ago
      I've looked around a lot, but find traveling with safety razors to be surprisingly annoying. I cant really find anything that will clip or wrap around the top like I can for cartridge razors. The other problem is flying with them. Since they're large and metal they often get flagged. If I remember correctly, the advice was to put the blades in your checked bag, but I still get flagged because they see a big handle and I often travel without checking a bag. I also switched away from a DE when I shave in the shower. I'm too afraid of dropping a heavier handle with a sharp blade attached. I still much prefer DE/safety over cartridge.
      • robonerd 4y ago
        I suppose I've been getting lucky, but I've flown probably two dozen times (domestic in the US) with safety razor + blades in my carry-on luggage and it's never been noticed. The first time was a mistake, but after their scanners didn't notice I stopped caring. This has reinforced my belief that the TSA is mostly worthless. I'm not sure how I'll pack my razor next time (the time I cut myself was the last time I traveled) but I'll have to change how I do things going forward. Maybe I'll put the whole thing into one of those plastic clamshell soap containers, although that would be a bit bulky. One subtle problem I've noticed with shaving in the shower is whisker splinters. Twice (both times during the pandemic, after not shaving for two or three weeks) I've gotten a whisker embedded into the bottom of my foot and didn't figure out what the strange pain was until a few hours later when it worked itself in deep enough that I couldn't ignore it anymore. I think this only happens if I've let my hair grow too long, so now I avoid this.
• ghostly_s 4y ago
  Your talking about electric 'shavers'. "Electric razors" AFAIK don't exist. There are plenty of good options for keeping your hair neat but I've never seen of one that can give you the type of clean shave you get with a plain ol fashioned razor, at least not if you have coarse/dark hair.
• deleted 4y ago
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• Zak 4y ago
  I've tried three different electrics and in every case the performance degraded over time making them less comfortable to use. A replacement head restored the original performance, but it was not inexpensive. I'd estimate the costs were not very different from cartridge razors for a typical user who would not be able to replace the batteries when they wear out. Options that take AC power or use field-replaceable batteries would be better, but those don't seem to be the norm now. I use a straight razor now. The initial cost was high and there's a learning curve, but comfort is great ongoing costs are minimal: shaving soap (much cheaper than anything that comes in a can, even for premium options) and cubic boron nitride paste for my strop (this is not conventional).
• rlue 4y ago
  Because the existence of one sensible alternative doesn't negate the prolific success of an insensible one. This blog post is about industry shoving wasteful and overpriced new trends down our throats, not about the best way to shave.