Are more expensive razors better? We tested 14 models and found the key to good shaving

Razors can be said to be a blind spot in the knowledge of most female compatriots.

Many girls can't understand——

What the girls couldn't understand was that he said he shaved every day, but there was still stubble on his chin! Why?

In fact, if the beard cannot be shaved cleanly, it may not be because the boy is sloppy, but because the razor is not powerful enough!

This time, Dad selected 14 popular razors from major brands for the review:

Next, we will guide you to choose a razor based on four dimensions: beard type, skin condition, time required and usage experience.

01

Hard short stubble VS fine beard

This review opened the door to a new world for our female editor. It turns out that the razor not only clamps the beard, but also pulls the hair!

If you want to reduce the discomfort of shaving, it is important to choose the right type of razor. Otherwise, you will have to shave with tears and pain every day...

Smart friends should have discovered that this review covers two major types of shavers: rotary and reciprocating.

Next, let’s talk about who are the best partners for hard short stubble and fine beards——

Rotary

A rotary shaver is a shaver whose blades rotate like fan blades, and the blade head is composed of multiple circular blade nets.

Since the blade is rotating, it is not very friendly to friends with long beards and will pinch the beard.

Friends with hard and short beards can take a look at rotary shavers. The three round blade heads can fit the skin better and it is easier to shave the shorter beards on the chin.

Reciprocating

The blade heads of reciprocating razors are mostly in the shape of a straight line. The working principle is that the motor drives the blade head to move relative to the left and right in a straight line, removing the beard back and forth.

The reciprocating shaving method solves the problem of beard pinching of long beards better, and can shave the beards cleanly relatively quickly.

However, the vibration and sound are relatively loud when in use, and it will also be more irritating to the skin.

Sharpness

In order to determine the king of no-beard shaving and to explore which one is sharper, rotary or reciprocating, we also sent 14 razors to the laboratory to test their sharpness.

Refer to the sharpness requirements in GB/T 23132-2008 "Electric Shavers", and use artificial hair for testing. The curling rate should be less than 30%.

The results showed that the sharpness of all 14 razors met the requirements.

Rumor has it that the reciprocating type is sharper and more likely to damage the skin and cause dandruff. To further verify this, we also collected the stubble shaved off by male colleagues during the trial and observed it under a microscope.

It can be seen that whether it is a rotary or reciprocating type, it can cut off the beard cleanly and neatly, and at the same time, it is difficult to see dandruff and grease.

Therefore, the sharpness of our razors is sufficient. If you want a better experience, you still have to choose according to your beard type.

We have also summarized the key points for selection here, remember to save them!

02

Smooth rough skin VS sensitive acne skin

In addition to beard type, boys also pay attention to their skin condition when choosing a razor. After all, not everyone's skin is as smooth as the male models in the advertisements.

People with sensitive or acne-prone skin should choose a less irritating razor, otherwise their face will turn red or even bleed after shaving.

Temperature rise

After starting to work, the temperature of the shaver will rise. For friends with sensitive skin, choosing a shaver with a lower temperature rise can reduce the chance of burning pain on the skin after shaving.

After laboratory testing, the results of the temperature rise of 14 razor blades are as follows:

We can see that the temperature rise of the reciprocating blade is higher than that of the rotary blade overall. This is because the reciprocating blade has only one blade head and the motor speed is faster.

In terms of temperature rise, the Fei L Pu series and No. 8 small M performed better; No. 9 Xu M and No. 2 Fei K were also good.

Knife net hardness

Whether the razor will irritate the skin also depends on the hardness of the blade net.

The blade net is relatively soft, which can improve the fit with the skin and shave more cleanly, but it is also prone to cause stinging sensation, as well as scratches and abrasions on the skin.

With reference to the requirements on mesh and blade hardness in GB/T 23132-2008 Electric Shavers, we recommend that people with sensitive or acne-prone skin choose mesh with a hardness of no less than 400HV.

The laboratory used a Vickers hardness tester to measure the hardness of each knife net.

The results are as follows:

In terms of blade hardness, the better performers are No. 2 Fei K, No. 5 Fei L Pu, No. 6 Chao R, and No. 10 Ben T.

Considering the temperature rise and the hardness of the blade net, people with sensitive skin and acne-prone skin can consider:

03

Rushing to work vs having plenty of time

Let me share another little-known fact with my sisters: many boys have two razors at home, one manual and one electric.

electric

When rushing to work on weekday mornings, of course I use an electric shaver to save time and get 5 minutes more sleep, how nice!

So which of the 14 shavers shaves faster? We asked our lab to test the speed ratings.

The electrical researcher calculated the working efficiency of the electric shaver based on the rated speed and the number of blades (= rated speed * number of blades):

Those who have difficulty getting up can focus on No. 13, No. 6, and No. 8; No. 12, No. 1, No. 2, No. 7, and No. 14 can also be considered.

Manual

A male editor who wishes to remain anonymous said: "A manual razor gives a clean and elegant shave. If you have time, you must use a manual razor!"

But manual shaving is not that easy. Hot compress, applying foam, shaving, washing face and applying aftershave, a complete and comfortable process takes at least 10 minutes.

For a novice, being in a hurry will lead to mistakes and scratches.

In fact, there is no need to worry about whether to use a manual or electric shaving razor. Only children have to make the choice, and adults can have both! If you are in a hurry, use an electric shaving razor. If you have time, use a manual shaving razor.

04

Real person trial

In addition to the data, the user experience of electric shavers is also very important. We selected 7 male colleagues with different beard types and asked them to try 14 razors in turn.

I have to say, this may be the trial that has the most impact on family relationships in the history of Dad’s Review.

After nearly two months of growing and shaving beards, we summarized everyone's experience with the trial:

After some trials, those with beards became firm supporters of the reciprocating style, while those with stiffer beards concentrated on the chin and above the lips preferred the rotating style.

The difference in user experience between different razors is really huge. If conditions permit, we recommend that you go to a physical store to experience it before buying.

05

Last words

After reading this, I believe girls can understand boys’ difficulty in choosing a razor. It is really as difficult as choosing a lipstick color!

Finally, let me summarize the ideas of choosing color razors for everyone——

If there is a boy around you who always has trouble choosing a razor and always finds it difficult to shave cleanly, share this article with him.

Editor | Tang Tang

Design | Damao