Review (5/5): Low cost, quality OEM replacement
SUMMARY:
I found these blades to be a much lower cost, good-excellent quality alternative to stock Gillette blades.
MAINTENANCE? Note, however, I always perform proper cleaning maintenance after each shave. To wit: I brush off the blades using the tooth brush bristles to get in between the blades, then blow on it a few times to clear off most of any remaining water droplets. This greatly retards oxidation and corrosion of the blade edges. For anyone groaning right now, that "whole big process" takes all of 10 seconds! That's fast by any measure.
LIFE:
Using the above standard methodology of use, I got just as long a use per blade as stock Gillette's ... roughly 2 months per blade .. before there is a any hint of snagging, rather than cutting, my hairs.
FEEL:
I found the slightly larger size of the blade head felt a bit odd but only on the very 1st shave. It soon felt good, even reassuring, as it provided a broader surface to go over my skin.
CUTS?
One reviewer said they cut him easily. I, too, have been cut, but it was by the stock Gillette blades. Frankly, it's going to happen with any blade ... eventually. Some units of any make blades will be slightly off on rare occasion or have inconsistent edges than can cut or scratch. Then, there's the matter of user technique.
After 4-5 decades on this earth, a shaver should get a sense of their skin hairs, how they slant, how sensitive the skin is underneath, and, most importantly, how tough their skin has become. These things are even more critical for women who are forced to shave areas infinitely more sensitive than those of men. Mature adults usually have tougher skin from loss of collagen, sun degradation, and for simply having shaved many 1,000's of times. Younger shavers tend to have sensitive skin and are less attuned to the proper angles at which to pull the shaver to deal with their skin profile.
I took the above side trip to highlight that for some, the minutest difference in blades could cause some shavers to cut themselves - not necessarily due to blade defects or construction style but, perhaps, simply because they have not spent as much time adapting their technique to a new blade as they did to their previous one. That is, days or weeks versus many years! Remember how many times new shavers cut themselves when 1st shaving? The same experiential curve applies to those changing blade models - not matter their age or shaving experience level.
VALUE:
So far, for me, these low cost blades are a tremendous value. Plus I bought a 5 pack for $0.97 on a 1-time CVS sale. Then bought another at the regular (way cheaper than OEM) price of $16 for 10. So, I'm good for another 1.25 years at 2 months per blade.
COST PER SHAVE:
Excluding the clearance price I got on a 5-pack, the $16 price for 10 = $1.60 each. With a mean time to replacement of 2 months (for me), that equates to $1.60 / 60 days = $0.0267 cents per shave or roughly $0.81 / month or $9.74 / year.
BLADE AGING PROFILE:
The "newness" feeling and sharpness wore off at about the same rate as do my Gillette blades.
To wit: 1-5 shaves = feels like new using 2-3 strokes/pass
5-20 = 3-4 strokes/pass
20-40 = 4-5 strokes/pass
40-60 = 5-6 strokes/pass
Only then do I toss and replace unless, of course, I come upon a blade that seems to have aged quicker for whatever reason.
CONCLUSION:
They look, feel, and age not much differently than Gillette blades and cost 50-75% less. Look for CVS in-store at your local branch then check Amazon to ensure you find the lowest cost.