91 of 96 people found the following review helpful:
I'm impressed +READ for a blade-extending TIP!
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.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
COSTLY
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.
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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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When I first used the Fusion, I thought this was the greatest shave I've ever had. It actually felt like the blades had taken off a layer of skin. Not to the point of pain, but a feeling I've never had before. Clearly the 5 blade system offers something others don't.
Then came the realization that the shave went downhill after the 3rd use. The lube strip was virtually gone and I didn't get the great shave I had the first time I used it.
3 shaves and I can tell a difference. Are you kidding me? No my beard isn't rough or super thick. But I'm not going to swap blades out every 3 or 5 days just for that great feeling of the 1st and 2nd shave. I've tried all the tricks to keep the blades in good condition and can not keep them sharp past a week.
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Razor blades are expensive enough as it is, and the trend of "more is better" has reached almost ludicrous points in the industry. What's that? Five blades, you say? Why, it must be better than four! Meh.
I have fine stubble which grows in at varying angles across my neck. The good news is that, while other razors have always been unable to remove all of my stubble on the first try, this blade does, in fact, take care of the problem. In addition to this, it aggravated the skin quite a bit (this might have as much to do with the vibrating action as with the five blades). The precious soothing-aloe strip had little to no effect on my skin (particularly in the neck area). If you have sensitive skin at all, this might not be the razor for you.
Contrary to the experience of others, however, the extra "trimming" blade worked well for me when getting the spots along the edge of my mouth, under my nose, and when shaping my vast hedge-like sideburns.
However, the five blades on the other side dulled remarkably fast. Considering my rather fine hairs, I'm used to exchanging blades once every week or so. Now I'm exchanging them twice a week. Seeing as how this product is already so much more expensive than competitors' products, and seeing as how it is designed to work exclusively with the Fusion razor (and vice versa), and seeing as how its lavish wealth of cutting action has clawed at my skin, I find it hard to recommend.
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When I first saw the ads on TV I thought it was a joke. Five blades!! I saw the item locally so I purchased it with the intention of shaving with it first thing in the morning. I am currently a Mach 3 user and I love it so I wondered if this Fusion thing would make a big difference. I honestly feel that the shave with the Fusion is of the same closeness at the Mach 3. However the Fusion has a HUGE bonus the extra blade (six) on the back of the shaving headto hit those stray hairs that remain under the nose that the Mach 3 normally misses. Also it is much easier to trim sideburns with the Fusion because you do not have to worry about hacking off a huge chunk with the mass of 3 blades with the Mach 3. A bit pricey and if the razor came at the same price as the Mach 3 I would commit to the upgrade, (Very Hard for guys to change hygeine products, we love the good old reliables). If you do not have a Mach 3 then I recommend purchasing the Fusion. Bottom line: Close shave, nice sideburn and stray hair trimmer, nice overall design of the handle, and a good looking razor. Thanks.
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I regulary buy this product because of the single blade that's located on the back. It's great for doing line-ups on your beard. Thank god you can get this product a little cheaper on Amazon because they charge you an arm and a leg for this product anywhere else, and you don't get much use out of one cartridge; about 4 uses, like the previous poster stated. Hopefully, one of Gillettes competitors will come out with a similar product that's competitively priced.
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Incredible close shave everytime. Contrary to these other reviews, I found the blades last a long time even with my thick daily beard. You need to understand, these blades are light and very thin, so no pressure is needed to shave. Just like driving an automatic car for the first time, you can't feel everything in the road, but no effort is needed for a smooth gentle ride. Been using this Fusion system for a few months now and my skin is clear from gentle smooth shaves. These replacement blades are a little more costly, shop around you can find deals. The Fusion razor is so worth it. Excellent razor!!!!
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