CONSUMER REPORTS: Gillette really is better than Dollar Shave Club
Hollis Johnson
Razor blades are expensive—that explains why they're often kept in a locked display case at your local pharmacy.
Shave clubs offer a different—and sometimes less expensive way to stock up. Dollar Shave Club launched in 2012, and since then other subscription programs for men and women have followed.
The companies claim that their products trim your costs while delivering a clean, close shave. To find out, we compared prices and tried three of the clubs.
We asked eight male staffers to shave with four razors: Dollar Shave Club’s Humble Twin and Executive models; Gillette Shave Club's Fusion ProShield; and Harry’s Truman. All come with blades and a handle. Gillette's also comes with shaving cream. Harry's has all that, plus tacks on a travel blade cover.
Our staffers used each of the razors to shave their faces daily for eight days. They and our sensory experts also judged the closeness of the shaves after the first day using the razors, and after the last day, too.
The Gillette Fusion ProShield was the favorite; almost all of the testers said they would buy it. They liked it for shaving closeness and comfort, sideburn trimming, and ease of shaving under the nose. They also liked the handle’s grip and the shaving head’s angle. But it was the most expensive at $5.62 per five-blade cartridge.
Dollar Shave Club’s Humble Twin was the least expensive at 60 cents per two-blade cartridge. While testers who tried it on their bald heads liked it, this no-frills razor was the least favorite overall.
The Dollar Shave Club's Executive (six-blade cartridge) and Harry’s Truman (5-blade cartridge) landed in the middle—in terms of both cost and satisfaction.
You can cancel any of the shave clubs at any time, or change how often you get the razors delivered—though it can take a little digging on their websites to make a change.
Shave Clubs: Cost and Quality
Hollis Johnson
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