Gillette Fusion Manual Razor Review.
"really is an improvement over the Mach 3.." 2006-03-19
By Dallas Electronics Fan (Dallas,TX.)
I don't have Gillette stock or work for the company. I hate shaving. I have a tough beard and sensitive skin. A bad combination. I bought the Fusion on a whim. I didn't expect it to be signficantly better than the previous generation Mach 3 but hope springs eternal. After two weeks and 7-8 shaves with the same cartridge(!), I can wholeheartedly say that this is a very noticeable improvement over the Mach 3. The cartridges have an astounding life. The Mach 3 would give me about 3-4 shaves before the blades dulled enough to result in razor rash. The Fusion has at least doubled that and is still going strong. Amazing. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if Gillette is using a higher quality steel in the blades for the product launch. Time will tell. Secondly, I get far less razor burn from the Fusion. Almost none actually. Lastly, it's more difficult to cut myself in the nose/lip area which was something I had to watch carefully with the Mach 3. I'd guess this has to do with a larger blade surface area. In short, the Fusion really is an improvement over the Mach 3. As long as the cartridges continue to last for 8-10 shaves each, I will be a loyal customer.
"Great Razor but use different blades" 2006-02-02
By Greer
I bought the Gillette Fusion Manual Razor and shaved with the blades it came with and the shave was okay, no better then an Mach3. Then I tried the other Fusion blades, what a revelation.
The best shave comes from using the Gillette Power Fusion blades(orange color) with the Manual Razor. When I did this the shave was phenomenal, baby butt smooth. There was no irritation, no razor burn, simply a great shave.
Try this combination, you won't be disappointed.
"If you've gotta use a blade, use this one!" 2006-02-25
By C. W. Fitch (Wichita Falls, TX)
Let's face it. Guys usually don't get excited about new shaving products. Shaving's about as pleasurable as a molten lava enema. Fortunately, the right products can make it a little more bearable. I've never anticipated the release of a shaving product of any kind before, but this razor got me really intrigued. Could this be the razor that conquers my impossible face (and wallet) once and for all?
Gillette have been the masters of shaving comfort for several years now. Their introduction of the Mach 3 razor was a breakthrough, just like they said. A lot of you likely still use the Mach 3, but it's a good bet the Fusion will make you want to upgrade.
I'll admit, I was a little wary about using a five-bladed razor. I felt the same way about the Mach 3; I envisioned pressing too hard and slicing into my jugular, or worse, going to work with an entire roll of toilet paper on my face. Thankfully, the opposite happened, and I used the Mach 3 and M3 Turbo for years. I even bought into the M3 Power when it came out, but found there wasn't much difference in closeness or comfort (which is why I chose the manual Fusion over the Fusion Power). Still a really good shave, though.
Anyway, about the Fusion. First off, don't be intimidated by the five blades. They're close enough together that you really have to try to cut yourself. In fact, that's one of the beauties of this razor. Even a face like mine, which is very susceptible to cuts, accepted the Fusion's blades with very little irritation. The first couple of times I used it, I had to watch out for pressing too hard and suffered a couple minor nicks, but I quickly got the hang of it. The blades really do all the work. The head of the razor is bigger than the M3 as well, which actually does cut down on shaving time.
I've always liked the "indicator" strip on the top of the M3 blade that lets me know when it's time to change the blade, and it's here on the Fusion as well. It's made with aloe, if you're interested in that sort of thing, which supposedly aids in shaving comfort. You'll get about a week's worth of good shaves before the blade wears out, which works out to a pack of cartridges a month (about the same as the M3). It's best to pick these up in bulk (packs of 8); if and when you switch to this razor, you'll need them anyway, and you'll save a little dough in the process.
The extra blade on the back of the razor is rather neat indeed. It does help even out your sideburns and touches up those tricky spots right under your nose and above your chin. I wouldn't use it for beard sculpting or anything, but for tough areas it does a good job. Just be mindful of that blade when you're shaving near your ears. I accidentally nicked my earlobe shaving my jawline the first time I used it. Yeowch!
Changing the blade out is just as easy as the M3 also. Just pop, slide, and click a new blade in.
The "comfort guard" under the main blades is a slight improvement from the M3, but it's not really a "wow" factor. The "ergonomic" handle is pure gimmick; it does little more than make the Fusion look like a phaser from Star Trek. I would rather just buy the blades and have them fit on my Mach 3, but what kind of marketing savvy would that be? Oh well; the razor itself isn't exactly a bank-breaker, and you only have to buy it once.
All told, this is the Porsche 911 of razors. It's a smooth ride, it's comfortable, it's fast, and yes, even though the blades are pricey, it's worth it to me. If I had my druthers, of course, I'd use an electric (they're much less expensive in the long run), but they're just not compatible with my face and Rocky Mountain-ish peaks and valleys of my neck. (Believe me; I've tried five different kinds.) The Fusion's the closest shave I've gotten with a blade yet. If you really saw the difference between the M3 and M3 Power on your face, you'll probably notice it with the Fusion Power as well, but I figure I'm paying enough for the one without the motor.
I'm glad I made the switch, and after comparing with the Mach 3, I won't go back. Try it and see for yourself.
"Another good point.." 2008-11-04
By D3v (CA USA)
I rate these razors at the top of them all. I've used them all, and simply cannot complain about them. I used to use the Shick quattro and thought it was the best, four blades, right? Wow, what a difference. But it's not just the 5th blade that does it; they use MUCH higher quality metal for the blades, and what really makes a huge difference is that on the fusion, the BACK of the cartridge is OPEN, so that each time you dunk it for a rinse, all of the hairs come right out, and it's 100% clean for the next stroke. Those were the two major weak points on the 4 blade razors, they are closed off mostly on the back, so when you do a fair stroke, it fills with small hairs, and tapping or shaking it around in water just doesnt get it out, and it just gets worse, and worse, and worse...
Best razor ever. Make sure you wet your face at least 1 min beforehand, use a thin cream, rinse the blade often, and dry it after shaving. I've never had a cartridge last me less than 2 or 3 weeks, usually a month is the norm. I bought 2 8 packs, and they lasted me 14 months..
Anyhow, that's my 2 cents; the open back makes a HUGE difference, along with the ultra high quality blades. I have SUPER sensitive skin, and tried every blade razor but avoided shaving until this one came along. The only thing I think should change is a slight price drop, but as long as they don't go UP in price I'll keep using them for life.
"Beats out my Mach 3 Turbo hands down" 2007-01-09
By Matthew Maples (Oxford, MS USA)
I went from disposables to the Mach 3 Turbo when they sent me one in the mail, and i loved it, got so much closer. Now i use the Fusion exclusively. Some say the 5 blades is a gimmic, but i can feel a difference in that i dont cut myself at all, and the surface is wide enough to cut more at a time.
By Dallas Electronics Fan (Dallas,TX.)
I don't have Gillette stock or work for the company. I hate shaving. I have a tough beard and sensitive skin. A bad combination. I bought the Fusion on a whim. I didn't expect it to be signficantly better than the previous generation Mach 3 but hope springs eternal. After two weeks and 7-8 shaves with the same cartridge(!), I can wholeheartedly say that this is a very noticeable improvement over the Mach 3. The cartridges have an astounding life. The Mach 3 would give me about 3-4 shaves before the blades dulled enough to result in razor rash. The Fusion has at least doubled that and is still going strong. Amazing. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if Gillette is using a higher quality steel in the blades for the product launch. Time will tell. Secondly, I get far less razor burn from the Fusion. Almost none actually. Lastly, it's more difficult to cut myself in the nose/lip area which was something I had to watch carefully with the Mach 3. I'd guess this has to do with a larger blade surface area. In short, the Fusion really is an improvement over the Mach 3. As long as the cartridges continue to last for 8-10 shaves each, I will be a loyal customer.
By Greer
I bought the Gillette Fusion Manual Razor and shaved with the blades it came with and the shave was okay, no better then an Mach3. Then I tried the other Fusion blades, what a revelation.
The best shave comes from using the Gillette Power Fusion blades(orange color) with the Manual Razor. When I did this the shave was phenomenal, baby butt smooth. There was no irritation, no razor burn, simply a great shave.
Try this combination, you won't be disappointed.
By C. W. Fitch (Wichita Falls, TX)
Let's face it. Guys usually don't get excited about new shaving products. Shaving's about as pleasurable as a molten lava enema. Fortunately, the right products can make it a little more bearable. I've never anticipated the release of a shaving product of any kind before, but this razor got me really intrigued. Could this be the razor that conquers my impossible face (and wallet) once and for all?
Gillette have been the masters of shaving comfort for several years now. Their introduction of the Mach 3 razor was a breakthrough, just like they said. A lot of you likely still use the Mach 3, but it's a good bet the Fusion will make you want to upgrade.
I'll admit, I was a little wary about using a five-bladed razor. I felt the same way about the Mach 3; I envisioned pressing too hard and slicing into my jugular, or worse, going to work with an entire roll of toilet paper on my face. Thankfully, the opposite happened, and I used the Mach 3 and M3 Turbo for years. I even bought into the M3 Power when it came out, but found there wasn't much difference in closeness or comfort (which is why I chose the manual Fusion over the Fusion Power). Still a really good shave, though.
Anyway, about the Fusion. First off, don't be intimidated by the five blades. They're close enough together that you really have to try to cut yourself. In fact, that's one of the beauties of this razor. Even a face like mine, which is very susceptible to cuts, accepted the Fusion's blades with very little irritation. The first couple of times I used it, I had to watch out for pressing too hard and suffered a couple minor nicks, but I quickly got the hang of it. The blades really do all the work. The head of the razor is bigger than the M3 as well, which actually does cut down on shaving time.
I've always liked the "indicator" strip on the top of the M3 blade that lets me know when it's time to change the blade, and it's here on the Fusion as well. It's made with aloe, if you're interested in that sort of thing, which supposedly aids in shaving comfort. You'll get about a week's worth of good shaves before the blade wears out, which works out to a pack of cartridges a month (about the same as the M3). It's best to pick these up in bulk (packs of 8); if and when you switch to this razor, you'll need them anyway, and you'll save a little dough in the process.
The extra blade on the back of the razor is rather neat indeed. It does help even out your sideburns and touches up those tricky spots right under your nose and above your chin. I wouldn't use it for beard sculpting or anything, but for tough areas it does a good job. Just be mindful of that blade when you're shaving near your ears. I accidentally nicked my earlobe shaving my jawline the first time I used it. Yeowch!
Changing the blade out is just as easy as the M3 also. Just pop, slide, and click a new blade in.
The "comfort guard" under the main blades is a slight improvement from the M3, but it's not really a "wow" factor. The "ergonomic" handle is pure gimmick; it does little more than make the Fusion look like a phaser from Star Trek. I would rather just buy the blades and have them fit on my Mach 3, but what kind of marketing savvy would that be? Oh well; the razor itself isn't exactly a bank-breaker, and you only have to buy it once.
All told, this is the Porsche 911 of razors. It's a smooth ride, it's comfortable, it's fast, and yes, even though the blades are pricey, it's worth it to me. If I had my druthers, of course, I'd use an electric (they're much less expensive in the long run), but they're just not compatible with my face and Rocky Mountain-ish peaks and valleys of my neck. (Believe me; I've tried five different kinds.) The Fusion's the closest shave I've gotten with a blade yet. If you really saw the difference between the M3 and M3 Power on your face, you'll probably notice it with the Fusion Power as well, but I figure I'm paying enough for the one without the motor.
I'm glad I made the switch, and after comparing with the Mach 3, I won't go back. Try it and see for yourself.
By D3v (CA USA)
I rate these razors at the top of them all. I've used them all, and simply cannot complain about them. I used to use the Shick quattro and thought it was the best, four blades, right? Wow, what a difference. But it's not just the 5th blade that does it; they use MUCH higher quality metal for the blades, and what really makes a huge difference is that on the fusion, the BACK of the cartridge is OPEN, so that each time you dunk it for a rinse, all of the hairs come right out, and it's 100% clean for the next stroke. Those were the two major weak points on the 4 blade razors, they are closed off mostly on the back, so when you do a fair stroke, it fills with small hairs, and tapping or shaking it around in water just doesnt get it out, and it just gets worse, and worse, and worse...
Best razor ever. Make sure you wet your face at least 1 min beforehand, use a thin cream, rinse the blade often, and dry it after shaving. I've never had a cartridge last me less than 2 or 3 weeks, usually a month is the norm. I bought 2 8 packs, and they lasted me 14 months..
Anyhow, that's my 2 cents; the open back makes a HUGE difference, along with the ultra high quality blades. I have SUPER sensitive skin, and tried every blade razor but avoided shaving until this one came along. The only thing I think should change is a slight price drop, but as long as they don't go UP in price I'll keep using them for life.
By Matthew Maples (Oxford, MS USA)
I went from disposables to the Mach 3 Turbo when they sent me one in the mail, and i loved it, got so much closer. Now i use the Fusion exclusively. Some say the 5 blades is a gimmic, but i can feel a difference in that i dont cut myself at all, and the surface is wide enough to cut more at a time.
