Razor Battle! Fusion VS. King of Shaves!

For years and years I’ve been using Gillette’s Razor line up, from the Mach 3’s not long after they hit the market to the Fusion almost immediately after it hit the market.   I have pretty sensitive skin, so I am always looking to try out something new that will give me a great shave and still save my skin and keep it from breaking out or getting massive razor burn.   It’s not exactly an inexpensive venture when going for the sensitive skin products.  Usually I pay a premium to have the “Sensitive” label on the Cream/Lotion/Razor/Aftershave and it’s not always any better than the basic line of the same products.   They claim it’s specially formulated, but after a shave or 2 it becomes pretty apparent that my face is on fire and/or broken and dried up quickly after shaving.


So after years and years of using the Gillette Fusion razors and a plethora of shaving creams and lotions I have switched to the new (to me anyway) Remington KING OF SHAVES Azor 5 Razors.   I tried to research it online a little before I made the switch to see what other people are saying to get a feel for the market.  In the past I would just pick up whatever new razor hit the market and be disappointed - I’m looking at you, Schick - However, there wasn’t a whole lot of info on it and hardly any direct comparison reviews at all.  The price was definitely appealing, and the fact that they would call themselves the King of Shaves made it easy to at least give it a shot.  
So for anyone wondering what the differences and experience is, here is my take on it with a side/by/side comparison.  


First up, the Gillette Fusion:

This Razor has been in the market for quite a while and I'm sure most of you have at least tried them out, if not using it currently. It comes in 2 varieties - Powered and un-powered. The powered option supposedly helps with the shave by vibrating at a rate that helps make the hairs stand up and be less likely to be missed which, in turn, means less passes will need to be made and reduce razor burn. This doesn't seem to have any effect on my face or beard at all and it made my hand numb while shaving, so I stopped using it. The cartridge itself is pretty nice. The 4 blades on the front are spaced out nicely to give you a smooth shave without clogging up too badly, and the single blade on the back makes it really easy to trim up you lines better and is helpful when shaving under your nose. The head of the razor pivots to help keep the razors in line with the contours of your face, especially nice when gliding over your jawline from your neck. Also, there is a strip across the top that is Blue or Green and as you use the razor more it fades to white to let you know that it might be a good idea to switch out your blades. It was pretty accurate in my testing. As anyone that has forgotten to pick up a new pack of razors and are faced with the decision to skip shaving that day or use the "white banded" razor will tell you, it might be a good idea to skip the shaving. Again, my face is pretty sensitive so it may just be me, but I would need half a Styptic pencil to keep from bleeding out all day long. On average I would get about 3-5 shaves from a single cartridge shaving every other day. The biggest downfall of the Gillette razors? Price! At the time of posting, Walmart has a 12 pack of cartridges for $37. On average I would get about 3-5 shaves from a single cartridge shaving every other day. And having the Girlfriend use the same brand (We have separate razors, I don't share well) we would go through the 12 pack of razors once a month easily. 


Next up, Remington King of Shaves Azor 5:

Takes a minute to get over the name, is it long enough there, Remington?

The King of Shaves has a completely different design and comes in 1 flavor for the handle itself, a sleek, blue, white, and chromed out masterpiece. It's different. Looking at it side-by-side with the Gillette, it almost looks like was put together upside down. The head doesn't pivot like the Gillette and most other razors out there, it flexes at the white band just below the cartridge. The cartridge itself has 5 blades, tightly packed together to give you a smooth shave with less passes. Having 5 blades on a surface area about the same as the Fusion's, forces them closer together and much easier to get clogged. I fill up the sink with hot water and use that to clean my razors as I shave, and it always worked well with the Gillette, but the Remington requires you to clean your razor more often to help keep the clogs down. Just tapping the handle on the edge of the sink doesn't seem to work either. Once you have a clump of hair wedged in there, it takes a bit to get it out. There isn't a single blade on the back of the cartridge for the edging up process, which is one of the biggest downsides I've found so far. Anyone that just goes for the clean shave without having to worry about your goatee or how precise your lines are won't have a problem with this obviously. I'm not saying you can't get a clean line with this razor, it just takes a little more patience.
The design is quite a bit different, as I said before it looks upside down. After the 2nd or 3rd shave I was used to the change in grip that is required for this razor. It's hard to explain, but one review I read before getting it was that you use more of a painting motion when shaving. That's pretty accurate to an extent, I guess... Either way, just know that you have to hold it differently. It is pretty evident when you first put blade to face anyway. There is no warning strip to let you know when is a good time to change your blades. On average I am getting between 6 to 7 shaves per cartridge before I notice cuts, and it's nowhere near the severity that I was getting with the Gillette line. Biggest advantage of the Remington? Hipster appeal!! Use the King of Shaves razor before it's cool.... wait... hipsters seem to be going away from shaving... nm..... PRICE!! Currently you can pick up a 6 pack of razors for just $11 making them just over half the cost of the Fusion Razors, AND they last longer!!




Overall I've been satisfied with the Remington King of Shaves Azor 5 razors. They're not perfect, but they do provide a great shave at a great price.

To sum it up, Here's a List of Pros and Cons for both razors:

	Remington King of Shaves Azor 5
	Pros	Cons
	More Blades = Less Passes	Easier to Clog
	Cool Look	Different Design
	Longer Lasting Blades	No Warning strip
	Price
	Smoother shave
	Gillette Fusion
	Pros	Cons
	More Familiar design	Blades wear out faster
	Edging Blade	Price
	More Options	Less blades = more passes
	Less Clogs
	Warning Strip

Sorry about the extra lines on the table... I'll see if I can get those edited out.  My HTML Skills have fallen quite a bit since I stopped caring and everything formats itself anymore.


Thanks for reading, have a great day!