Great Shaving Bowl!!
I have been wet shaving for almost 4 years with a DE razor.  I purchased this shaving bowel to produce hot lather for my shaves after creating lather in a bowl I borrowed from our kitchen plate collection in which I placed shaving soap and a dab of Avalon shaving creme and made my lather on top of the soap for all this time.  The soap remained in the bowl all the time.  So I was making my lather on top of the soap.  This worked ok, but not great.  Often the lather was cold and seemed lacking.  So I ordered this bowl which being empty can be heated by running hot water in it while I soak my shaving brush.  Then I pour out the water and put some soap and cream on the the shaving brush and build my lather in this heated bowl.  Also the bowl has swirls which help in the lather building process as opposed to being smooth.  Using the same ingredients and amount of time I made much more lather which was warm also.  Also I am splurging and getting some Baume.BE shaving cream which I expect to further enhance my shaving experience.  I am fighting off the urge to go the straight razor route.  We will see.<br /><br />Other shaving bowels I looked at had a smaller opening with an inward lip to prevent the lather from spilling out. A problem here would be lack of mobility as you manipulate the shaving brush to make lather.  Plus I don't really see the problem with lather spilling out.  In my case doesn't seem to be an issue and if it does so what?<br /><br />Also there were two 1 star reviews because of broken bowls and lack of adequate packing materials.  Mine came packed very well thank you!
Rating: 5 stars