In a recent AAAD post, we discussed the virtues of Harry's vs. Dollar Shave Club.
Ultimately, I went with Harry's.
And now.... I think I'm headed back to Gillette Fusion, even though they're three times the cost. Here's why.
Harry's makes beautiful razors. There's no doubt about that. (I bought a "Winston", which is shiny, slick, chrome.)
But there is a limit to the virtue of form over function.
Especially when that function is as critical as swiping a razor blade over your face.
The Harry's blade is, basically, a prettied up Gillette Mach 3.
That blade was a game-changer - it looked different, it packed multiple blades,
However, like the Mach 3, the Harry's Winston has a LOT of room between the top of the cartridge and the first blade.
That's where the moisturizer strip goes. It makes things go smoothly!
It also makes it difficult to, for instance, shave directly under your nose.
The Fusion addressed this issue by putting a "precision blade" on the back of the razor, for those types of tight spaces.
The Harry's blade required some serious contortion - and I simply wasn't able to get certain hairs.
More distressingly, though - I was CONSTANTLY cutting myself with the Winston.
I have been shaving for 25 years, and I can probably count the number of times I've cut myself shaving on one hand.
In my first week with the Winston, I had three incidents in which I needed to use a bandage to avoid getting blood all over the place.
That may have been a function of the Winston being "new" to me - or it may be because I had to attempt some weird angles to get around the huge moisturizing strip. Regardless, it was a hassle.
As it stands, it feels like a plastic (or hollow) handle, coated with a shiny plastic. If it weighed twice as much, it would feel like an Art of Shaving handle.
That's a minor quibble. The real issue is with the cartridges.
I started looking for Gillette replacements when I noticed that I was refusing to buy new Fusion blades, and instead using the old ones until they were old and dull.
Fusion was just too expensive.
The good news about Harry's is that the blades don't cost as much, so you're getting rid of the old ones and replacing them with new ones before they go dull.
But after a week or two with the Winston, I noticed that the blade wasn't working quite as well.
The hinge on the cartridge just doesn't last very long.
That's because there isn't really a "hinge", at all! There is a flexible plastic connector, which mimics the Gilette spring-loaded hinge - but it's just a stretchy piece of plastic.
After a few shaves, that "hinge" loses its ability to bounce back, and then the flexible plastic coating tears open.
At that point, you really can't use the razor any more. It's built-in obsolescence - the cartridge will go bad well before the blades go dull.
These are disposable razors, to be sure - but Harry's are a bit more "disposable" than I'd expected.
Unfortunately, when "durability" and "precision" are your drawbacks, that's bad news.
Harry's is NOT a bad razor. But it's a whole lot cheaper than Gillette, and after using the Harry's blades, you start to see why.
I'm not nuts about the situation, but I think I'm going to go buy some more Fusion blades.
2 (out of 4) STARS
We review lots of stuff here at All Apple All Day - and it's not all Apple! For instance, WOW Ultra TV vs. DirecTV Genie. Or a review of the ADT Pulse security system - or the LiftMaster MyQ automatic garage door system!
Ultimately, I went with Harry's.
And now.... I think I'm headed back to Gillette Fusion, even though they're three times the cost. Here's why.
Design
Harry's makes beautiful razors. There's no doubt about that. (I bought a "Winston", which is shiny, slick, chrome.)But there is a limit to the virtue of form over function.
Especially when that function is as critical as swiping a razor blade over your face.
The Harry's blade is, basically, a prettied up Gillette Mach 3.
That blade was a game-changer - it looked different, it packed multiple blades,
However, like the Mach 3, the Harry's Winston has a LOT of room between the top of the cartridge and the first blade.
That's where the moisturizer strip goes. It makes things go smoothly!
It also makes it difficult to, for instance, shave directly under your nose.
The Fusion addressed this issue by putting a "precision blade" on the back of the razor, for those types of tight spaces.
The Harry's blade required some serious contortion - and I simply wasn't able to get certain hairs.
More distressingly, though - I was CONSTANTLY cutting myself with the Winston.
I have been shaving for 25 years, and I can probably count the number of times I've cut myself shaving on one hand.
In my first week with the Winston, I had three incidents in which I needed to use a bandage to avoid getting blood all over the place.
That may have been a function of the Winston being "new" to me - or it may be because I had to attempt some weird angles to get around the huge moisturizing strip. Regardless, it was a hassle.
Build Quality
The Winston handle is SO close to being great - it really just needs some additional weight, for added heft.As it stands, it feels like a plastic (or hollow) handle, coated with a shiny plastic. If it weighed twice as much, it would feel like an Art of Shaving handle.
That's a minor quibble. The real issue is with the cartridges.
I started looking for Gillette replacements when I noticed that I was refusing to buy new Fusion blades, and instead using the old ones until they were old and dull.
Fusion was just too expensive.
The good news about Harry's is that the blades don't cost as much, so you're getting rid of the old ones and replacing them with new ones before they go dull.
But after a week or two with the Winston, I noticed that the blade wasn't working quite as well.
The hinge on the cartridge just doesn't last very long.
That's because there isn't really a "hinge", at all! There is a flexible plastic connector, which mimics the Gilette spring-loaded hinge - but it's just a stretchy piece of plastic.
After a few shaves, that "hinge" loses its ability to bounce back, and then the flexible plastic coating tears open.
At that point, you really can't use the razor any more. It's built-in obsolescence - the cartridge will go bad well before the blades go dull.
These are disposable razors, to be sure - but Harry's are a bit more "disposable" than I'd expected.
So, where does this leave us?
Harry's does so many things right, that the things it DOESN'T do right really stand out.Unfortunately, when "durability" and "precision" are your drawbacks, that's bad news.
Harry's is NOT a bad razor. But it's a whole lot cheaper than Gillette, and after using the Harry's blades, you start to see why.
I'm not nuts about the situation, but I think I'm going to go buy some more Fusion blades.
2 (out of 4) STARS
We review lots of stuff here at All Apple All Day - and it's not all Apple! For instance, WOW Ultra TV vs. DirecTV Genie. Or a review of the ADT Pulse security system - or the LiftMaster MyQ automatic garage door system!
Thanks for this write up. My husband and I both use Gillette Fusion blades, too. A couple of years ago we tried out DSC to cut costs, but I was getting nicks with every shave. I even got a couple of warped blades in my pack. Basically, the blades cost less but I was replacing them more often and getting all nicked up, too.
ReplyDeleteNow Harry's comes along with their nice looking handles and German blades, and although I'm temped to give them a try, it sounds like they're still not up to Gillette's level.
At least the Fusion blades last a long time. (And I've found the poorer I am, the longer they last...)
I shave everyday and each Fusion blade lasts between 6 ~ 12 months for me. (my beard/facial hair is extremely thick too.)
DeleteI had the same issues with the Dorco blades. They were cheap, but the cartridges would break so quickly, I hated throwing out perfectly good blades because of the cheap design.
ReplyDeleteBeen using Dorco blades for years..never had a blade break.
DeleteBeen using Dorco blades for years..never had a blade break.
DeleteI've used Dorco for a long time also. I've never had a problem, and their blades provide an equal, if not superior, shave compared to gillete.
DeleteI had the same issues with the Dorco blades. They were cheap, but the cartridges would break so quickly, I hated throwing out perfectly good blades because of the cheap design.
ReplyDeleteI love my Harry's razor. Have never cut myself. The cartridges have not worn. Try for yourself rather than reading a review. It's a great shave at a fraction of the cost.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review. I just purchased the gift set for my husband, I hope it works out for him!
DeleteI'd certainly recommend trying it out. It wasn't for me, but when the gift set costs the same as a pack of Gillette blades, it's low-risk - and you may like it.
DeleteMaybe you keep cutting yourself because A: no shaving cream or B: you are pushing hard. My razor is a Harry's and it has lasted me a long time (not a sponsor :P).
ReplyDeleteYou are spot on about the build quality. The flimsy plastic hinges break long before the blades are dull. The Gillette Fusion cartridge does not have that problem.
ReplyDeleteI tried the DSC because I like the idea. Unfortunately, the blades were AWFUL. I tried Harry's and they are great, as good a shave as I have ever had. Night and day difference. Harry's are really good. I just got them, about four shaves so far, and they work great.
ReplyDeleteI tried the DSC because I like the idea. Unfortunately, the blades were AWFUL. I tried Harry's and they are great, as good a shave as I have ever had. Night and day difference. Harry's are really good. I just got them, about four shaves so far, and they work great.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing the barrage of ads from various online purveyors of razors bemoaning the incredible expense of shaving, I really wondered what the problem was. I have been buying Gillette Mach III Turbo razors at Costco for years (decades maybe). The razors cost a little less than $2 a piece and last me a month, shaving every day. And I do not have a light beard. Actually, I could probably go longer but the fresh blade does pull a little less at the beginning of the month. Is $24 a year for shaving really a financial burden that requires all these online start-ups to solve.
ReplyDeleteI decided to give Harry's a try and see what all the fuss was about. It was only $3 for the free trial S&H, so why not?
First impressions were positive. Everything arrived on time and nicely packaged. The five blade razor head seemed a bit less bulky than the Gillette Fusion models I tried a few times when they sent me free ones in the mail. It lacked the trim blade, but that was pretty useless on the Gillettes as it didn't last anywhere near as long as the main blades.
The first shave was OK. It didn't seem any better than my Mach III but not worse either.
But within a few days, the Harry's razor started to pull. By a week it was worse than the Gillettes are after a month. At 10 days, I had to give up and throw it away. On top of that, the 5 blade head, while smaller than Gillette's is still too big. The whole five blade thing is just silly. Frankly, three blades is unnecessary as well. If Costco still carried the old twin blade Gillette Sensor I use to use, I'd still be buying those.
I suspected a problem when I looked at the "Shave Plans". They seemed to indicate that a razor would only last about 5 shaves as opposed to the 30+ I get out of a Gillette.
So, I'm done with Harry's and probably won't bother with Dollar Shave Club or Dorco either, unless they want to sent me some free samples.
Well, we DO have to say that initially, the shave received with this razor was better than with the Fusion and we WERE going to purchase refills, HOWEVER . . .
ReplyDelete3 days after initial use?
The darn thing BROKE !!!
NEVER, have I EVER had a Fusion break
Sticking with the Fusion
I'm disappointed. My face is on fire after shaving with Harry's razor. I've been shaving almost 30 years. The Harry's head is bulky and it's hard to shave under the nose and around the mouth. And with the lube strip and ridges to raise whiskers, it is hard to tell exactly where the blades are at all times. And, it was not a great shave. It left a lot of uncut whiskers.
ReplyDeleteI think the 5 blades is too much. That's 5 blades scraping your skin at one time. Two strokes is 10 blades, 3 is 15, etc. That's a lot of blade running.
I liked my Mach 3 which I will be going back to. I was hoping it would work. Alas, I didn't like the Harry's experience.
I got the Harry's gift package. I shave my face and my head daily for the past 15 years so I believe I am a shaving expert. The first time I used the Harry's blade I cut myself so deeply on the back of my head that I needed butterfly closures to hold the flap of skin onto my head. It was a horribly nasty gash and I probably should have gone for sutures. It was months before the wound was completely healed and I had a big welt for nearly a year. I have a permanent scar. I immediately went back to Gillette fusion. Interestingly enough my son-in-law had the same type of injury with his Harry's gift kit. I will never let cheap razors anywhere near my face or head again. I am worth the good razors regardless of the price. I actually did the math and the Gillette razors are not that much moer than the cheapie shaving club razors. The old adage stands true, "you get what you pay for".
ReplyDeleteI'm very disappointed in the Harry's razor. I shave daily and really had to work to make my face feel like I was getting anything near a close shave, but within just a couple hours I can already feel the stubble. Even my wife commented my stubble was much worse than before. I have returned to the Gillette Mach3
ReplyDeletei cut myself with harry's the first time using it as well. but i don't really blame them so much as me being used to inferior razors. i've adjusted my shaving to a lighter stroke, no more cuts, and a nice close shave.
ReplyDeleteUsed to use Gillete Mach Turbo, dumped it for Harry's and never looked back. My brother, brother-in-law and a number of friends are also using Harry's at this point. Highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteTried Harry's razor and shave cream. The blades are too close together and should be angled a bit more acutely to get a closer cut; the shaving head is a bit too stiff to easily adjust the pressure of the shave head on your face. By way of saying, the shave is not as close as with the Gillette Fusion. Compounding the issue of getting a close shave, Harry's shave cream has a great fragrance but is very thick, clogging the blades, further adding to the problem of a close shave. So I use Harry's from time to time but won't repeat buy--not a wow!
ReplyDeleteI got the free trial for Harry's and liked how it felt. The blade glided smoothly but was awkward to hold. I hated how the blade was hard to clean as the blades are so close together. I did like the shaving cream ad it has a woody smell to it. Overall i wasn't impress with Harry's. For $3 it wasnt bad but I rather stick to DCS for my shaving needs instead.
ReplyDeleteI tried the harry's gift set. My one month old fusion blade shaves better than a new Harry's blade. Harry's blades led to several cuts every shave along with razor burn. It's crap and not worth it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe every face and beard is different. My experience: I can shave two weeks before the hinge breaks on the Harry's. With Gillete the closer I got to a week the worse the shave, the more my face burned and I always got some cuts. Seldom cut my face with Harry's blades. Only complaint is I would like a trimmer blade on the Harry's to shave under my nose. Why do blades cost so much from Gillette and Shick? Simple when there are only 2 companies it is whatever the market will bear!! I have switched to Harry's and the old farmer's saying is true, "Cows get fed. Horses get fed; but pigs get slaughtered!"
ReplyDeleteI have the same problems as the reviewer ...
ReplyDeleteThe blade head pivots back, breaks and becomes unstable after around 4-6 uses. That really sux for me because I prefer a using a broken in blade to a new blade (to harsh)
Also shaving under the nose is very difficult and you have to be really careful. I could live with that but I cant live with the breaks
Ok so I tried Harry's. I did not think the first shave with a Harry's blade was as good as the 20th with a Gillette Fusion.
ReplyDeleteI could not use the original version due to the burning sensation it left. I bought the new version for my son, who has a very light beard, and he does not like it either. I waited for his opinion before I used V2 and it is not much better for me than the original. They still have a long way to go.
ReplyDeleteTried Harry's today for the first time. Am a long time Gillette Fusion Power user (used 3rd party power handles before Gillette came out with them). One thing that kept me from getting Harry's was no trimmer blade. Now that they got one, I thought I would give them a try.
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify: I don't get these to save money. Quite honestly, I go through about a blade a month and the Harry's blades are still pretty expensive. Harry's blades are $2.00 each. If you buy Fusion blades on Amazon (pack of $12 for $34.19) it equates to $2.83 per blade. This would be less than $10.00 of savings to me per year - big deal. I mainly got Harry's because of looks and style. I know it sound vain, but I hate the orange blue look of Gillette. It makes my shower look like a clown threw up a razor. Getting a classy Gillette compatible handle that looks as good as Harry's would be $100 ordeal ($200 for power option). This was a no brainer to the $25 Winston.
First impression is that the Harry's gives me a smooth shave with clean lines. I find that I didn't really miss the power option to get a decent shave with these blades. The main difference is the Harry's don't really pivot. You would have to push with enough pressure to the point of cutting yourself to get these suckers to pivot. That being said, I kind of liked it better. It gave me more control of knowing where the blade was going to be. The only negative is when I was done I discovered that my neck was nicked. I haven't been nicked in years and never with a brand spanking new blade out of the box.
I can typically get a month of shaves out of a Fusion blade before it needs changing (I shape a 3-day beard in the shower - so my blades don't go through a lot of wear and tear). If the Harry's lasts as long, then I'll continue use them. If not, then they would be more expensive than the Fusion blades and just not worth the cost for style.
My primary complaint with Harry's is that they must sponsor no less than 12 'shaving review' websites, each one extolling the virtues of the Harry's shaving system, with not a single negative comment. Knowing this, I declined to place my order. A company which has to pretend to get all positive reviews in order to get any doesn't need my business. Business practices are often a good indicator of the quality of the product you can expect from a company. In the case of Harry's, their advertising budget would be better spent in true advertising than trying to deceive the public with fake review sites.
ReplyDeleteI started usig Harry's a few months ago and love them. I nicked myself twice at first...in truth though I nicked myself on occasion with my Gillette razors too. Overall after getting used to the razors it has been the best shave I have had and I now look forward to shaving. My only complaint is that sometimes razor quality isn't consistent....still good but on occasion you get a wonky blade that just isn't as smooth as the other blades.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTried Harry's for a month now. I like the close shave but with the 5 blades and lubricating strip it is very difficult to shave around my gotee and to trim my sideburns. It's way too bulky. I gave it a fair shot but I am going back to my Gillette Sensor with two blades. It's a much better razor for my needs.
ReplyDeleteI’ll just add my voice to the pack: I have been using Harry’s a few months, but have switched back to Dorco. Harry’s: blades feel great while shaving, nice simple razor (i.e. not a Star Trek design) BUT get cuts and nicks at least once every few days. I don’t get that with any other blade. Dorcos: cheaper, don’t feel as good, shave well and never a cut.
ReplyDeleteI will say that I really do not care at all about the packaging of my razors, since I throw that away.
I googled this because I cut myself again. Several time it was a slip as this time. I shave fast, I dont enjoy it so changing my "shaving style" is just not worth it. I am cancelling my subscription.
ReplyDelete