5 Best Razors for Men of 2020

Nothing feels quite as nice for a man as a clean shave in the morning. Shaving is something that everyone has to deal with whether it is time to get rid of that bit of stubble or you just need to do some tidying up.

The best way to get a clean shave that makes you feel smooth and refreshed is with a great razor. While trimmers and electric options have come a long way, nothing will get you the shortness and smooth feeling of a fresh shave.

Every man is a little different and we want to make sure that every razor can have its voice heard. We have looked at the best razors in many different categories to find out 5 favorites. Each one is built for a different purpose and we know you’ll love at least one of our picks.

We want to make sure you are getting the smoothest shave possible, so we are only going to look at the best options on the market. Aws a bonus, we will also look at how you can pick the best razor for you and what to do to achieve that smooth shave every time you take out your razor.

Some Things to Consider

Every razor you look at has a unique personality of it’s own that makes it stand out from other razors. Let’s see what to look for when picking your razor.

Size and Weight

The way a razor feels in your hands is one of the easiest ways to determine whether or not it will be the right unit for you. If the razor doesn’t have the right size or weight, you won’t be able to get that smooth shave that every man desires and deserves.

You want to try and hold a razor before buying it as it will let you feel what shaving with the unit is like. As we will see later, the different styles of razors can look and feel drastically different in the hands.

Lightweight is Good

A good shave can often take you a decent amount of time, so you don’t want a razor that is going to make your hand tired during the shave. You want to find a razor that you can hold comfortably in your hand for several minutes so your arm doesn’t get tired after a simple shave.

You will also have a harder time shaving with a heavy razor as you need to have as much maneuverability and freedom to move as possible.

Too Light is Bad

While you want a razor to be lightweight and maneuverable, you don’t want a razor that is too light. Getting a razor that is too light may be uncomfortable for some as the lighter weight can make you feel like you lack a sense of control.

Lightweight razors also indicate that corners may have been cut in the quality of a razor.

Most razors that are very lightweight are made out of very cheap material that doesn’t feel great in the hands. When materials like nice metals and comfortable rubber grips are used, the razor will start to feel a bit heavier in the hands than cheaper razors.

Choosing the Right Razor Style

What makes the razor market interesting is that you have a wide array of options to choose from when picking your ideal razor. The razors we have picked as our favorite all come in different styles, so let’s see what each one can offer.

The Options

The options you have when choosing your ideal razor come down to the way the handle and blade interact. Since all razors essentially do the same thing, the real thing that you as a buyer can choose is the way you hold the blade and how it is housed.

The most common style is going to eb a long and thin handle that uses blade cartridges that are easily replaced. This design is very common from most major companies as it is easy to use in the hands and provides you all the surface area you could need to grip the razor.

These types of razors are generally made with a metal or rubber grip to give you the best strength. You can find very affordable standard razor options that will work in a pinch and can also find much more premium standard razor options that look and feel great for everyday use.

If you are looking for a more traditional design, you may be interested in the safety razor. This style of razor looks like a blend of classic design and modern materials. The safety razor has a very unique look that is normally associated with more high quality metal construction.

The single blade design does not need to be replaced as often as the previously mentioned standard cartridge options. This style of razor usually comes in a slightly shorter handle and has a slightly heavier weight that allows for close and smooth shaves.

When you want to take things all the way back, the straight razor will make you feel like you just entered an old barber shop. While it certainly has a steeper learning curve than the other options, most who use a straight razor claim that it will offer you the best shave when you master it.

The simplistic design that looks like a knife on a handle has the potential to last you for many years if you take care of it. Taking the time to learn how to shave with a straight razor will offer a new level of class and elegance to your morning shaving experience.

The Blade

With each razor style offering a different look and feel in the hands, many people don’t realize that each option also has a different shaving characteristic. The blades that you use with each of these different razors all look different and require different levels of care.

The traditional razor design that uses disposable cartridges is unique in that each manufacturer offers a slightly different blade option. The one thing that is consistent between different brands is that modern disposable cartridges are going to be the most advanced shaving option on the market.

The modern disposable blade cartridge will have several blades in each cartridge to offer the most cutting possible. Many cartridges are also designed with special rubber surfaces that contain a lubricant that help the number of blades glide smoothly over the skin when shaving.

With the safety razor, we see a design that in many ways bridges the gap between disposable razors and the straight razor. The safety razor uses a single blade to achieve it’s cut, but it is shaped and designed in a unique way that is similar to the disposable razor.

Safety razors use their one large blade to achieve a cut that requires a bit more skill but rewards the user with a clean cut. The disposable nature of the blade combined with the singular blade to cut with makes this a great way to get a clean cut if you are willing to invest time and skill early on.

The straight razor blade is quite literally just like using a knife to shave the hairs on your head. The surface area of these blades are often twice or three times as large as those seen on the other blade styles. You need to take substantial time to really learn how to properly shave your face with this blade.

What makes this design so unforgiving is that it is just a single piece of sharpened metal without any shaving guards or protection to keep you safe. If you are not looking to be patient when shaving and want to just get rid of hair quickly, this blade style is likely not for you.

Razor Maintenance

We hope you’re now starting to get a better idea of which style razor and blade will best fit your shaving needs. If you want your razor to work it’s best and shave the smoothest, you are going to want to read about these tips to make sure your razor and it’s blades are kept nice and clean.

Even with the best maintenance, you are probably going to have to buy a new razor or blades later in the future.

Clean the Blades

If you take nothing else away from this article, make sure that you learn the importance of cleaning your blades. Even if you are using a cheap razor that you picked up at the store, cleaning your blades is essential to making sure you are able to use that razor again in the future.

The blades used on razors are designed to cut hairs in a very precise and clean way as to prevent any catching of the blades on your hair. Because the refinement of these blades needs to be so sharp, having them be dirtied or less than clean is going to make their performance worse.

When cleaning your blades, you want to make sure you are doing this after every use to some extent. Even if it is just running some clean water through the blades, that is better than nothing. For the best results, follow the instructions provided by the blade supplier.

Cleaning the multiple blades of a cartridge razor is going to look a lot different than the way a straight razor will be cleaned. One thing that many people fail to do is to make sure they dry their blades correctly. Cleaning the blades is great, but no drying them after the cleaning can lead to further deterioration.

Cartridge Replacement

If you are looking into the standard razor style, then you need to be ready to dive into the world of cartridges. While most companies have standard cartridge designs that work across all handles, some companies will create a range of different cartridges for different shaving styles.

From the number of blades per cartridge to any added lubricants, finding the right cartridge for you will allow you to get the best shave possible. When you shave with a cartridge razor, every time you shave the cartridge blades will weaken and get less effective over time.

Some manufacturers have recommended usage periods, but it is really up to the user to determine when replacements are needed. You can easily make each cartridge last longer to save you money if you properly clean and dry the cartridge after you are finished shaving with it.

Lubricating the Blades

The last thing you can do to keep your blades feeling smooth and cutting clean is to make sure you are using a form of lubricant to help the blades glide over your skin. This can come from either a shaving cream or balm that offers a barrier between your skin and the blades themselves.

If you were to just try and shave without any lubricant, your hairs would be less willing to cut and you would experience a lot of pain and nicking on your face. Lubricating the blades will help them to cut as smooth as possible and will also prevent you from feeling unwanted pain while shaving.

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