The Very Best Men’s Razors

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Special features:Blades not included |Hair and skin type:An all-rounder that can be used on coarse hair

When used correctly, a safety razor provides the best shave. That’s because its less irritating than cartridge razors (due to having a single blade, as opposed to five) while also being more cost effective (after your initial investment, a standard pack of refill blades costs $10 — a dollar a blade).It takes a second to figure out precisely what angle, pressure, and steadiness is required with a safety razor, but most guys are fast converts, says owner ofGrooming Lounge Mike Gilman. “It’sall about learning to hold the handle at a specific angle,” addsPatrick Butler, technical director of education and operations at Floyd’s 99 Barbershop. “Unlike a cartridge razor that will pivot easily, the safety razor needs to be guided by your own hand.”

Inmy guide to the best safety razors, the Merkur 34C has sat in the top spot for four years. Merkur itself is a top safety-razor brand, and the 34C is a standout thanks to its shorter-than-average three-inch handle: A shorter handle makes the razor easier to control, an attractive prospect to beginners and longtime shavers alike. “The Merkur handle is thicker, which gives you more weight to hold onto,” adds Butler.

If you’re prone to ingrowns or irritation, safety razors in general are a great pick due to the single blade I mentioned above. And, if your hair is coarser, you can mix and match your Merkur with a sharper or heavier-duty blade. Ultimately, it’s customizable, great quality, and over time will save you money. It’s a timeless pick.

Special features:Blades not included |Hair and skin type:An all-rounder that can be used on coarse hair

As much as I love Merkur, I’m yet to find a more cost-effective option than this razor from Edwin Jagger. Yes, you have to buy blades separately, but add a box for less than $10, and your first 50 shaves are only setting you back $40 — a bargain, in my opinion. Like the above option, the Edwin Jagger also has a shorter three-inch handle, which is great for ease of control. It’s weighty, too:Joey Tasca of Brooklyn-basedPersons of Interesttold me that the nice heavy feel of “something powerful in your hand makes you less likely to cut yourself.”Mark Miguezof Friend of a Barber mentioned that he actually switched to this razor after bad skin experiences with Gillette and Bic cartridge razors — he hasn’t had any irritation with his Edwin Jagger. A budget pick that will only cost you $7 to $10 every few months to maintain.

Special features:Comes with four refill blades|Hair and skin type:Good for sensitive skin

If you’re not quite convinced by a safety razor, or are traveling and forgot to pack your usual razor, you can find a cartridge razor in any drugstore. I think Gillette makes the best — not just because they’re so easy to track down, but because they’re so easy to use.The brand’s ProGlide razor is one Gilman uses on himself and one that works well with his sensitive skin. It has an outer coating of lubrication around each side of the blades, helping to smooth the skin before and after shaving, he explains. He also appreciates the flexball-style handle that lets the blade pivot and angle around the contours of his face. “This has saved me plenty of times as I try to shave under the jawline,” he says. “In the end, you are left with an amazingly smooth shave.” Replacement blades work out at around $5 each, though — so a little pricier to maintain.

Special features:Refills not included |Hair and skin type:Good for most hair types

If you want to go the even more affordable cartridge-razor route, the Gillette Mach 3, uses a three-blade cartridge, which is a nice middle ground between the single blade of a safety razor and the five blades of the Gillette ProGlide. Gilman is a fan.Steve Waldman, technical artistic director at theHair Cutteryfamily of brands, similarly likes how the three-blade design allows you to get around any uneven spots on your face, especially under your nose and around the corners of your mouth. The Mach 3 is also the cheapest razor on this list (and refills cost only around $2 a pop),making it a great starter razor for teens learning to shave.

Price:$$$ |Hair and skin type:Good for longer hair and sensitive skin

If you’re looking for an electric option to tackle longer hair (or to use on sensitive skin), I’ll recommend the Wahl Peanut every time — I mention it in my guides to the bestelectric razorsandbeard trimmers.DeAngelis calls it a “compact, sturdy machine that is going to cut what you need it to cut, but still allow you to work safely around your mustache and lips.” If used without those guards, the trimmer will cut facial hair down to a covetable five-o’clock-shadow length, say the pros, who note that a trimmer like this is also the best style of electric razor for people with sensitive skin — because it doesn’t cut so close, it’s less likely to cause irritation. While Wahl also makes acordless versionof the Peanut, most of my barbers prefer the corded style because they say it offers more consistent power.

Special features:Wet and dry functionality |Hair and skin type:Good for long and short facial hair

If you’re going electric — a good option if safety and cartridge razors always cause irritation, or are too time consuming — the best option for a close or stubble-free shave is a foil razor. It has a thin perforated sheet of metal covering the blades; individual hairs are fed through the tiny holes and cut by the blade below. The resulting shave is the closest you can get with an electric style, and shaving with foil razors can even reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs.

Darius Davie, founder of Groom Guy, calls the Braun Series 9 the “heavyweight champion” of electric razors. Endorsements from him and four other experts are why it’s the top pick in my guide to electric razors. “It cuts almost as close as a straight razor,” says master barberAngelo Ruscetta. “But the higher quality of Braun blades makes them less prone to irritating sensitive skin because they’re able to achieve so much power with thinner metal on the foil.” (Thicker foil is less effective.)

It can also be used wet or dry (great for shower shavers), has a 60-minute battery life (great if you forget to charge it often), a pop-up trimmer for detailing, and a self-cleaning pod that helps keep your shaver sharper and in good condition for longer. These extra features, premium quality, and great brand name justify the price tag, according to my experts.

Special features:Replacement blades not included |Hair and skin type:Good for ingrown-hair-prone skin and hairy necks

Rotary shavers are better for longer hair or guys who leave more time between their shaves. They can cover a lot of area, and while some rotary razors can cause irritation, Philips Norelco’s have “SenseIQ technology”: Like an electric toothbrush, the razor will tell you if you’re using too much pressure. There are also smoothing microbeads across the razor to reduce friction burn as you maneuver it across your face and neck.And for $100, you’re getting plenty of great features: wet and dry functionality, pop-up trimmer, 60-minute battery life.

Price:$$$$ |Special features:Blade requires regular sharpening |Hair and skin type:Good for most hair types

When I asked hot-towel barbers about their favorite straight razors, Dovo was the brand I heard most about. Grooming expert Arthur Iskhakov, owner of Barber’s Blueprint in New York, likes the razor for its five-eighths-inch blade, which he says is the standard for a good straight razor. He joinsYvey Valcin, founder of Yvey Salon, and three other experts in naming Dovo’s Inox straight razor the very best. “Handling a straight razor requires patience, practice, and discipline,” says Valcin. (Anyone curious about mastering the technique can read my in-depth guide tostraight razors.)

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