So i just tried my Gillette Fusion razor... a free sample Walmart sent...

[aphex]

Preface: I've tried many razors before, both electric and manual. Unfortunately as much as I always wanted an electric to work (and I tried to give my face weeks to adjust), my face just never played nicely with them and it never got as close as I prefer. Tried the Braun Sychro series, the Braun Activator, Norelco SpeedXL, Norelco SmarttouchXL, and a few others. Currently I am using a Mach 3 Power, the Mach 3 Turbo always worked well for me and I just like the massage/numbness the power brings to the table...

That being said, my free (thanks Walmart) Fusion showed up the other day and decided to take her for a test drive tonight. Did the usual routine, washed my face in the shower, etc...

First impression, wow, this thing is big. The head is noticeably larger than the mach3 series, but the weight isn't too much more. The blades on the Fusion are also smaller and closer together.

Usually, with a decent amount of growth, the mach3 needs quite a few swipes (4-5) going with the grain to clear a patch, usually washing out the razor halfway through. With the Fusion, many places were nearly clear with a single swipe, sometimes 2, but not always. It did feel like my face was taking a bit more of a hit from the swipes, but since i had to do fewer of them, my face got less irritated.

In the end, the Fusion took significantly less time for me to shave. Normally it takes me 7-8 minutes to shave, sometimes longer with significant growth. With the Fusion tonight, 3 minutes. My face is a bit red, but as with all changes, i have a feeling it will subside with time.

I have to say, i'm impressed.

 

[wazzledoozle]

I got a free sample of one, and after shaving, it felt like I had rubbed my face with sandpaper. Needless to say I threw it out and went back to my trusty Mach 3. :beer:

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle
I got a free sample of one, and I have to say that after shaving, it felt like I had rubbed my face with sandpaper. Needless to say I threw it out and went back to my trusty Mach 3.

Yes, you definitely feel it more on your face, but for me, it seems to work better.

 

[Schadenfroh]

I prefer the Mach 3.

 

[ImDonly1]

Clogs too easily...

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I have one (I bought it at Costco a few weeks ago - IIRC it was about $9.50 with four blades), and as far as I'm concerned it really, really sucks. I find it unwieldy, both on the multi-blade side and the single-blade side, and if anything I find it gives me a poorer shave than my ancient Gillette Sensor. Moreover, I'm lucky to get more than a few quality shaves per blade, whereas I can always use a Sensor blade for a couple of weeks. I've tried it with and without the battery-powered vibro-thingy, and for me it works very poorly either way. I will probably dutifully use it until all the blades are hopelessly used up (waste not, want not), then toss it. Since the advent of the Sensor I have tried a triple, quad, and now five-blade razor, and all of them were inferior to my good old Sensor.

 

[oCxTiTaN]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
I prefer the Mach 3.

same...mach 3 power

 

[JMWarren]

Aphex - Did you ever try a Panasonic electric? I've tried Braun and Philips/Norelco and they've never come close to Panasonic.

 

[AndrewR]

I used Mach 3 for years, but I finally tried the Fusion and will never go back. I found the Fusion to be smoother on my face and require fewer strokes in general. I don't understand the comments about it feeling worse -- maybe there's a technique issue?

Anyway, the huge thing that has sold me on the Fusion is that I started using it at the beginning of December and have just started using my third set of blades. So, over ONE MONTH per head?? Sold! I used to go through the Mach 3 ones about every 2 weeks at most so even though the Fusion blades cost more, the savings is huge with Fusion. And, yes, I shave every day.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: AndrewR
I used Mach 3 for years, but I finally tried the Fusion and will never go back. I found the Fusion to be smoother on my face and require fewer strokes in general. I don't understand the comments about it feeling worse -- maybe there's a technique issue?

Anyway, the huge thing that has sold me on the Fusion is that I started using it at the beginning of December and have just started using my third set of blades. So, over ONE MONTH per head?? Sold! I used to go through the Mach 3 ones about every 2 weeks at most so even though the Fusion blades cost more, the savings is huge with Fusion. And, yes, I shave every day.

It must be a matter of how fine our respective hair is, or something (mine is rather coarse), but I find the Fusion is ineffective and painful, plus the blades become unusable after only a few shaves. If I tried to stick with the Fusion (which would be insanity on my part), my blade budget would require a second mortgage.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I tried one and went back to the Mach 3. This razor clogs too easily, it is overly expensive and it doesn't really shave any better than the Mach 3 so I see no reason to switch quite frankly.

 

[ballmode]

Mach 3 is genius

 

[Viperoni]

Clogs too easily, and I found the Fusion too "dull".
Mach3 works pretty well.

 

[zylander]

Ive been thinking about trying out the fusion, but my Mach3 is already so good I dont have enough motivation to try the fusion.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle
I got a free sample of one, and after shaving, it felt like I had rubbed my face with sandpaper. Needless to say I threw it out and went back to my trusty Mach 3. :beer:

Me too. The wife got one as a sample somewhere, probably just like you guys did, and I thought I had shaved with a bench grinder.
The Mach 3 Turbo is far superior.

Oh, and I usually shave against the grain from the start, but I bothered to read the instructions on a shaving cream can the other day, which said to first shave with the grain, then come back against the grain.
Damn if that doesn't work. Closest shaves I've ever had. I guess going against the grain with nothing but stubble left from the first pass is the ticket.

 

[ScottFern]

I have a Gillette Fusion and Schick Quattro and when comparing them I absolutely would take the Quattro hands down every time. The Fusion has a horrible design when it comes to allowing the shaving cream and whiskers to flow out of the razor and it usually ends up getting clogged half way through my stroke.

The Quattro on the other hand does a much better job with disposing of the excess shaving cream and whiskers by exiting the back of the razor through several small holes. The Quattro, FOR ME, does the best job in shaving my face and getting a close shave fairly quickly.

Just my .02

 

[JEDIYoda]

replacement blades for the Fusion are approx $20 for 4 cartridges.....do the math....$$$$

 

[ScottFern]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
replacement blades for the Fusion are approx $20 for 4 cartridges.....do the math....$$$$

I just dropped $49 shipped on 48 Quattro Titanium blades on ebay.

 

[thawolfman]

<3 Fusion, but it does clog too easily.

Although the Fusion Gel is awesome...

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: ScottFern
I have a Gillette Fusion and Schick Quattro and when comparing them I absolutely would take the Quattro hands down every time. The Fusion has a horrible design when it comes to allowing the shaving cream and whiskers to flow out of the razor and it usually ends up getting clogged half way through my stroke.

The Quattro on the other hand does a much better job with disposing of the excess shaving cream and whiskers by exiting the back of the razor through several small holes. The Quattro, FOR ME, does the best job in shaving my face and getting a close shave fairly quickly.

Just my .02

I've been shaving (on a regular basis) for over 30 years. EVERY Schick blade I've ever used felt scratchy, where the Gillette blades feel like they're honed to a smoother finish.
I've used the Mach 3 since it came out in the 90's, and see no reason to switch. It doesn't get as close as it was advertised when it first came out, but IMO, is better than the older twin-blade razors that preceded it. Only tried one "powered" manual razor, and wasn't impressed with that, so I stick with the "non-powered" version.
I too have been through several high-end electrics over the years, (Remington and Norelco) and none shaved as close as a blade, yet all irritated my face badly. I wish I could stand it long enough to just quit shaving, but after a few months of the scratchy scraggly growth, (usually over the winter) I just GOTTA shave it off...

 

[EightySix Four]

When I turned 17 apparently I had signed up somewhere as a year older than I was, because I got razor's from just about every company congratulating me on turning 18, woops.

Schick Quattro: Good shave but God it irritated my face, just couldn't deal with it.
Mach 3 (already had): Good shave, little irritation, overall great razor.
Fusion: Shaved almost exactly the same as the Mach 3 but added the convenience of the single blade on the back.

Overall me and Schick just don't get along, and the Gillette's cause zero irritation for me.


BTW: hair is pretty course, grows fast, shave every or every other day.

 

[BUTCH1]

Got my free sample yesterday, not even close to Mach3 smoothness...

 

[Ruptga]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
replacement blades for the Fusion are approx $20 for 4 cartridges.....do the math....$$$$

Get a beard, do the math

 

[EightySix Four]

*thinks to self* Wonder if I could use the poor man excuse to be allowed to grow a beard in my HS?

 

[trmiv]

I like my Fusion power. I used the Mach3 since it came out, and switched to the Quattro for a few months, but went back to the Mach3. I switched to the Fusion a month ago, and I'll probably stick with it. The shave is about the same as the Mach3 to me, but I like the added benefit of the single blade on the back.