Let’s face it, we all probably spend a lot of money each year on shaving supplies, from handles and razor blades to shaving cream and aftershave. There are all sorts of different choices out there and sometimes trying to decide can be rather difficult. Do I just go cheap and get the basic stuff or do I spend a little extra and hope it doesn’t tear my face to hell like the cheap stuff?

Not only do these things get used on our faces, but our wives often have similar needs to us. Only, they use the products on their legs and other parts…so they like to have their own tools too. If your wife is like mine, she probably goes through blades like crazy and it gets rather expensive when you are spending $20 (maybe more) a month on titanium blades (or some other advertised rendition).

So, we have seen the advertisements from and about DollarShaveClub.com. They were entertaining, somewhat irreverent, and a bit tongue-n-cheek catchy. We started to talk about a possible solution to our monthly hair removal expense. This seemed like a good idea so we went to their website. We looked at the different models and decided that we should not go for the cheapest one, but opt for the middle option because we didn’t want it to be TOO cheap.

As you can see, there are three options: “The Humble Twin,” “The 4X,” and “The Executive.” The $6 a month looks like it is fairly affordable. With an additional handle, another $4 at the start, we thought we were set to go. We were thinking for less than $80 a year we wouldn’t need to do anything else when it came to shaving equipment. Plus, it is delivered so no shopping needed!

So far that plan hasn’t worked yet. We have been subscribed to this service for less than a year and already we have spent more per month, on average, than anticipated. While it still might be less than we would be spending on more pricey razors, the product lives up to its cheap billing. Durability is an issue even with “The 4X” handle AND the razor heads too.

The Best Laid Plans

Once we received the initial shipment my wife was excited to try out the new razors right away. She had been waiting a few days for it to arrive. On the second use of the razor head the thing started to fall apart. It appears to be a problem with construction and materials. It’s plastic, so I guess that is to be somewhat expected. However, the piece that broke should be designed to be more durable than it is.

Within the first week after getting the newly delivered razor heads, two were broken. Both broken in the same manner and in the same place. This doesn’t seem to be a coincidence, rather poor construction and design. The razor handle is inserted and attached at this point. It slides in and “grips” the piece that is hanging out in the picture below. A weak piece of plastic at the point where the two main parts of shaving components come together. If this part is going to break on a regular basis, then there is a problem in design for sure. (Or is there? Maybe that is all part of their evil plan in this “disposable world.”)

Needless to say, this was a rather disappointing start. The actual blades themselves seem to be fine but they don’t last through more than about 4 uses. The blades do clean out fairly well and don’t clog up much so that is nice. There are a few redeeming factors of the cheap(ish), middle group razors but that’s about it.

Unfortunately, the handle for this particular set of razor heads hasn’t fared much better and again falls victim to poor design and cheap material. In the case of the razor handle, on the surface it appears to be pretty “beefy.” It is made of solid metal and has a rubber coating/handle on it to make it feel substantial. But, the feel and appearance fall apart, quite literally, where the handle and the razor connect. The plastic that is supposed to contain the pivot point also happens to be its weakest point.

Because this tiny little plastic piece is the only piece that keeps the razor head from over rotating, it has to take a lot of pressure from the razor as it slides across the surface of the skin. Seeing as how it is thin plastic and that it is just barely attached to the black plastic “belly” of the razor handle, there is no way that it can withstand long-term usage. As such, we have now had to purchase four of these handles and the third purchase has already suffered this similar fate as the first two. That doesn’t give us much hope for the fourth handle.

I am not involved in the production and assembly of these things but it seems like a fairly easy fix. The bottom part of the razor handle (as seen in the photo above) should be made of metal. This point in the functionality of the razor is vitally important because the pressure from the razor head is constantly on it. The little plastic piece is not the best way to keep the razor head from over-pivoting. Once it is broken out, the razor has to be used in a very awkward position to make it still functional. Obviously, this is not ideal and makes it very difficult to get an acceptable shave.

Final Analysis

The Dollar Shave Club, on the surface, offers an affordable and convenient approach to buying shaving equipment and accessories. The affordability is hard to pass up when you are constantly having to buy this stuff at even big box store prices. Not having to think about making a trip to the store on a regular basis to buy this stuff is rather convenient because you sign up for an automatic shipment each month and it comes straight to your mailbox.

While the product may still be more cost-effective in the long run (that still remains to be seen), the functionality and durability of the product can’t be overlooked. Both pieces that get used on a regular basis, the razor head and handle, have some rather obviously glaring weaknesses making the product only marginally worthwhile. Until these weak points are addressed and fixed to make the products more durable, the Dollar Shave Club can only be deemed moderately affordable. Unfortunately, affordability is what they are selling and it doesn’t hold up under real world usage.

FINAL GRADE:  C+