Customer Reviews

Gillette Fusion Manual Cartridges, 12-Count

5 star:		(145)
4 star:		(54)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(44)

 

 

I've been very happy with the Mach III for the past few years --but then a Fusion razor and cartridge came in the mail and I figured I'd give it a try.

I'm probably a good one to test razors... see my photograph--not only do I shave my face, (though I typically have a goatee), but I also shave my entire head as well.

I've been using the same Fusion blade now --daily on my face, and just about every third day on my head-- and despite some claims to the contrary, it's still going strong... after almost three weeks!!

Why has my blade lasted this long, despite my pretty heavy usage? EVERY time I shave, after thoroughly rinsing the blade, I GIVE IT A QUICK SPRAY WITH SHOWER CLEANER. (Such as "Clean Shower" or any of the no-wipe cleaners that you spray after using the shower.)

Then I set the razor so it's standing with the cartridge end down.

This does two things. The shower cleaner ensures that no film of water remains to dry on the edges of the blades, leaving spots for microscopic rusty areas to form,) and standing the razor blade-side-down makes sure that gravity takes any debris or water that MIGHT be left on the blade, DOWN and AWAY from the blade edge, since the edge of the blades face UP when you have the cartridge down.

Prior to doing this on the Mach III blades, I'd also get about 3 or 4 good shaves out of a blade... but once I tried it, I got as many as 30. It makes a HUGE difference! I should also point out that I almost never get nicks and cuts. (I've been shaving my head for about 4 years, and I think I've nicked it shaving ONCE... .part of the reason is because I'm very careful about using my blade-cleaning technique.)

Note to Gillette... Send me a lifetime supply of Fusion cartridges and I'll consider removing the blade-life extending tip from this review! ;-)

- Jonathan Sabin

I shave about every other day due to skin irritation from other razors that I have used. I purchased a Gillette Fusion razor with a $4 off coupon out of the Sunday news, and that gave me the razor for about $1 after the in-store rebate.

This is easily the best razor I have ever owned/used. One pull of the razor across my face makes the skin unbelievably smooth. I won't be switching to anything else after buying this product.

TIPS:
Don't throw the cartridges out after the aloe "indicator" strip fades - that thing is useless junk added on to make you replace the blades more often than is necessary. Keep a bottle of alcohol handy with your shaving supplies. The thing that dulls most razor blades quickly is hard water deposits of calcium and other minerals that build up on the blades when they dry after rinsing. They key to getting the most use out of the blades is to rinse the water off with alcohol after use, and then let the blades air dry. I can get more than a month of shaves out of a single cartridge before the blades dull and start to nick or pull at the skin. Buying a 12-pack of blades lasts me longer than a year . . .

The Gillette Fusion is a great blade but doesn't last long. I found a secret that makes a blade last 4-6 months. After shaving, rinse the blades well, knock the loose water from the blade by taping on a dry towel and then blow on it until it is very dry. Shaving does not make the blade wear out---rust does. Leaving the blade wet will lead to micro-rust in a few days so figure out how to dry it after using and it will stay very sharp for months. Try it and you will see.

I have been using Gillette's Fusion Razor for a few weeks now and it's a nice razor with some pros and cons compared to Gillette's other blades. Gillette has some of the nicest products on the market, and I expected the Fusion to blow me away, but unlike the jump that was made when the Mach3 came out, I was not as excited after my shave as I was for the hype beforehand.

The Good

- The 5 blades are very smooth and glides across the face easily.

- Shaving time IS reduced with this new razor.

The Bad

- With so many blades, I felt like I was shaving off layers of skin. I feel there is a limit to how many blades are realistic, and this felt like it was too big for my face and I could seriously cut myself if I wasn't careful.

- Shave isn't much better than the Mach3 Turbo. While shaving my skin felt really smooth, but my hairs grew back just as quickly as they did with the Mach3 Turbo (no noticeable improvement).

- This razor is SO big I found it hard to get around facial areas like I could with the Mach3.

- The lotion strips on the M3 Power feel better and seem to last longer than on the Fusion razor.

- Design and look of the Fusion isn't as slick or nice as the M3 Power.

- Blades are no longer interchangeable. They went with a new interface for putting blades in that seems to take a step back, and having to buy the new razor to work with the new blades was a sneaky move in my opinion.

- The single blade on the back is useless. It's very hard to get the angle correct, and it barely gets anything off. The M3 Power got in tight spots just fine.

In conclusion, I plan to stick with my M3 Power. 3 blades seems to be just the right amount for getting in all areas on the face. While it might take a shave or 2 more to get all the hairs off then it does with the Fusion (on the large surface area portions of my face mind you), the M3 Power just seems safer in general.

This is more like 3 1/2 stars. Yes it's a nice shave, but it's not worth all the hype or additional financial burden this new blade will put you back.

**** RECOMMENDED

Buyer beware. I do NOT believe these are by Gillette. I bought these and they absolutely do not work as well as the real thing. The first thing I noticed was a broken seal on the package. The first cartridge broke in half when removing from the holder. The worst part is that the shaves are terrible. It feels like shaving with a tweezers. It is my opinion that anyone buying these will get ripped off. This is my first rip off when buying through Amazon so I will continue to use them.
Note: I previously obtained Gillette Fusion Cartridges through Amazon from DAB and they were fine. These came from toponeenterprise.

Over the years, Gillette has managed to make men pay more and more for their shaves-and we keep buying into the increased cost as if this is inevitable or necessary. The Fusion offers a good shave, but the price of the blades doesn't justify the result.

Not too much to say, but the Fusion is my favorite razor. They cause the least amount of pain, and get the closest shave out of anything I've used. This is probably the best price you will be able to find anywhere ever, except for some knock offs that won't be nearly as good. It may be slightly cheaper to buy them in a larger number, but really.. not that necessary. Just buy enough to get free shipping and you're set. Cheaper than any other website, cheaper than a 40 pack at Costco.

These are full of win.

The blades appear are either defective or bootleg; meaning that they are knock off brands. Possibly made in china somewhere. These are not the real thing, and I want my money back.

They got me. I got a sample Fusion razor and wow what a shave!

I was hooked, and now I spend my time looking for refill blades on line. They are simply too expensive in a retail store - thus the 4 star rating. Online you may find them still somewhat expensive but you can buy them without selling off your portfolio.

The shave is smooth as silk and franky it's worth the extra cost. It's a better shave in half the time.

Somehow I ended up with one of those "free" razors as a pull to get you to buy the product. I've seen all the humor on multi blade razors that do seem over the top. Well, surprise! This sucker really works. I mean, it really works. Cleanest shave I ever got. No pull, no nicks, no need to take a second stroke. Expensive, yes, but worth it for me.