WE’D BE TEMPTED to say that what you use to shave says a lot about you, like some sort of personality test. But the truth is, many of us use a variety of things to shave throughout our lives. We, for instance, have used everything at one point or another (and not just because it’s literally our job). We’ve used cartridge razors, safety razors, electric razors–the whole gamut. And we’ve come to realize that not only is what you use to shave a deeply personal choice, but it can also change depending on what, where and how you need to shave.
Disposable razors are kind of the unsung heroes of the shaving world. They don’t get a lot of attention but they have a purpose. They’re simple, designed single or just a few uses, are easy to travel with and, let’s not forget, are typically the cheapest option out of shaving tools. You see them at the gym, in hotel rooms, and other places where you might want to shave but don’t want to lug your full routine. They’re simply designed to get the job done without many of the trappings that can bog down more complicated razors (because sometimes you just need to shave without the fussiness, you know?). They are ideal for shaving all parts or your body without needing to switch razors to avoid cross contamination. Whatever reason you have for using a disposable razor, it likely is specific—and a disposable razor is probably not the only tool for shaving in your repertoire.
Best Disposable Razors for Men
BEST OVERALLGillette Mach3$9 AT AMAZONREAD MORE
BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKINGillette Sensor3$7 AT AMAZONREAD MORE
BEST VALUEBIC Single Blade Razor$3 AT AMAZONREAD MORE
SHARPEST RAZORBIC Flex5$11 AT AMAZONREAD MORE
BEST DOUBLE BLADE RAZORSchick ST2 Disposable Razor$10 AT AMAZONREAD MORE
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The downside to the simplicity and ease of disposable razors is that they can sometimes be harsh on your skin–particularly if you have sensitive skin or struggle with ingrown hairs. The good news is that modern disposable razors run the gamut in terms of design and features and many are specifically designed with sensitive skin in mind. What kind of disposable razor your choose depends on a variety of factors, but most importantly your skin type, so we tested as many as we could get our hands on to find the very best for every possible type of face.
What to Consider
Disposable razors are similar to cartridge razors, but still have specific things you should consider when choosing the right ones for you.
Blades
Just like cartridge razors, disposable razors come with a range of blade counts, typically between one and five. Just like with your typical razors, the general thinking is this: the more blades, the closer the shave. This is true, however, depending on your skin and hair type, more blades may not necessarily be better. For instance, if you have coarse or curly hair and struggle with ingrown hairs, multiple blades can actually cut hair so close that it has a hard time breaking through the skin as it grows out (ingrown hairs are hair that is caught below the skin). Similarly, if you have sensitive skin, more blades may be too harsh on your skin and strip it too much, leading to post-shave irritation and razor burn. Typically, a single blade is recommended for these skin and hair types. We recommend choosing a razor that has many blades as your skin can tolerate so you get the closest shave possible without side effects.
Features
Typically, disposable razors are simpler than a cartridge razor because they are designed to be thrown away completely. This means you often won’t find some of the bells and whistles you do in more elaborately-designed cartridge razors. However, we’ve noticed that disposable razors these days often have similar features like lubricating strips, pivoting heads, and sometimes even edging blades. None of these are necessary for a good shave, but they can be good to have depending on your personal preference and sometimes your skin type. If you’re looking for a disposable version of the cartridge razor you’re used to using, you may want to find one that has the same or similar features.
Quantity
Since disposable razors are designed to be thrown out completely, they always come in multi-packs. How many are in the pack, of course, depends on the brand. Consider how of you’re going to use them, the total cost of the pack itself and how many razors are included, and how often you’re going to need to buy new packs. Typically, the more razors, the more economical the total purchase.
Material
Since disposable razors are designed to be thrown out, there is an inherent sustainability issue. They usually can’t be recycled because they are mixed material (usually plastic and metal). It would be great if they could, but since they can’t, consider what material they’re made from. Some disposable razors these days are made with recycled plastic or other more eco-friendly materials. If sustainability is important to you, look for razors that are made from these materials since they’ve attempted to be more sustainable on the front end (since they can’t do anything about the recycling issue). And if sustainability is really important to you, consider whether you want to use a disposable razor at all.
How We Selected
I’m a grooming writer with more than a decade of experience testing shavers, including disposable razors for men. I’ve tried every major disposable razor on the market, and evaluated their effectiveness, quality, and value. I also reached out to a variety of Men’s Health staff editors to get their feedback on my top picks, and came back with this shortlist of the absolute best disposable razors for men.
BEST OVERALL
Gillette Mach3
Now 36% Off
$9 AT AMAZON$13 AT WALMART$13 AT TARGET
PROS
- Suitable for sensitive skin
- Strip turns white when blades become dull
- Multiple blades give a close shave
CONS
- Not recyclable
You may think that using a disposable razor means you need to compromise on some features, but these disposable razors are pretty darn close to the cartridge razors you may be used to. There are three blades, which provide a very close shave with minimal irritation with the help of a lubricated strip that conditions skin while you shave. Plus, the strip turns from green to white when the razors get too dull to use (typically around three shaves), so you never have to question when it’s time to throw it out. The flexible head hugs the contours of your face and the ergonomic handle is easy to grip and feels nearly as hefty as a reusable handle.
In our testing, we found that it’s pretty hard to tell a difference between the shave these razors deliver and their cartridge brethren. The fact that they’re packed with similar features probably helps and make the shaving experience easy and smooth. The packaging claims that these are ideal for sensitive skin, and we believe it. We didn’t get any irritation after using these, provided that we switched razors fairly frequently (at least as often as the lubricated strip indicated we should, if not more frequently). The secret, we found, is to never us a dull blade—if you try to use them for too long, they’ll start to leave irritation behind, sensitive skin or not.
Read more: Best Electric Shavers for Men
| Blades | 3 |
|---|---|
| Features | Lubricated strip, coated blades, pivoting head, ergonomic handle |
| Quantity | 4 |
| Material | Plastic, rubber |
BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
Gillette Sensor3
Now 22% Off
$7 AT AMAZON$7 AT WALMART$7 AT TARGET
PROS
- Specifically designed for sensitive skin
- Can be used up to 10 times
- ComfortGel strip contains aloe
CONS
- Not recyclable
Shaving with sensitive skin can always be a harrowing experience, no matter what kind of razor you use. These disposable razors, however, do a great job of mitigating irritation as much as possible. The ComfortGel strip is more lubricating than other kinds of strips and contains aloe to further help soothe skin while you’re shaving. There are three blades (typically fewer blades is better for sensitive skin) but they are spaced well so they minimize nicks and dragging, plus are easier to rinse so hair doesn’t clog them up. The pivoting head adjusts to the contours of your face for a gentler shaving experience and, perhaps best of all, you can use these up to 10 times (instead of the typical three to four) before switching razors.
Safe for sensitive skin is always a bit of a tricky claim to test because levels of sensitive skin vary and shaving is always a little hard on skin no matter what. These razors, however, do a great job backing their claims up. The aloe-laced lubricated strip really does feel moisturizing and even though there are three blades, the shave never felt harsh or too abrasive and we didn’t experience any razor burn after the fact. And while the razors themselves are not recyclable, we like that you can use them three times as long as others, which helps not just extend the time between throwing them out, but stretches their value, too.
| Blades | 3 |
|---|---|
| Features | Pivoting head, enhanced ComfortGel strip, anti-slip handle, easy rinse blades |
| Quantity | 4 |
| Material | 50% recycled plastic, rubber |
BEST VALUE
BIC Single Blade Razor
PROS
- Simple, single blade design
- Pack contains a lot of razors
- Can be used multiple times
CONS
- No extra features
- Not recyclable
There’s something to be said about simplicity. The general feeling about razors is that the fewer the blades, the better they are for sensitive skin or people who struggle with ingrown hairs. That’s because more blades, while they deliver a very close shave, sometimes cut hair too close, which can lead to a great chance of ingrown hairs and other issues like razor burn. These ultra-simple disposable razors only have one blade, and basically no other features, which isn’t a bad thing. They’re basically like a safety razor, so if you’re a fan of single-blade safety razor shaving, these are a great option.
Plus, their value cannot be denied. For less money than many other packs of disposable razors, you get 12, which means that not only do they last along time, but they’re really great to keep anywhere you might need one: your dopp kit, your gym bag, you name it. We found in our testing that the shave, while not quite as close as some other razors on this list, is very nice and non-irritating and we didn’t really miss the lack of other blades or features. However, if you have very sensitive skin, you may want to opt for something with at least a lubricated strip.
| Blades | 1 |
|---|---|
| Features | None |
| Quantity | 12 |
| Material | Plastic |
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SHARPEST RAZOR
BIC Flex5
$11 AT AMAZON$7 AT TARGET$11 AT WALMART
PROS
- 5 blades cut very close
- Edging blade for sideburns and details
CONS
- Not recyclable
These disposable razors are pretty much as close as you’ll find to a cartridge razor. With five titanium blades, they come out of the package ultra-sharp and effectively cut through thicker beards or a couple days of growth with ease. We found that you do compromise a little bit of comfort for the sake of sharpness, but that kindof a given when you you start getting into the five blade category. These are for guys who aren’t worried about sensitive skin and instead want something quick, sharp and ultra effective.
We also appreciate the added features like the lubricated strip (which contains aloe and Vitamin E) which actually does add comfort to a very close shave and the bonus edging blade, like the kind you’ll find in cartridge razors, which is great for detailing around facial hair and sideburns. If you’re used to a cartridge razor shave, but want to switch it up or have an option for travel, these are the closes we’ve found in both design and shaving.
| Blades | 5 |
|---|---|
| Features | Pivoting head, moisturizing strip, ergonomic handle, edging blade |
| Quantity | 4 |
| Material | Plastic, rubber |
BEST DOUBLE BLADE RAZOR
Schick ST2 Disposable Razor
PROS
- Easy to clean feature
- Simple design
- Thin blades
CONS
- Not recyclable
If you like to toe the middle ground between one and several blades, these are right there in the middle. With two thin blades, these disposable razors provide a smooth, close shave without the risk of going too close like some versions with lots of blades. The thinner blades help keep these fairly gentle as well. The design is simple, but still has some extra features like a lubricated strip that helps condition and soothe skin while you shave, which we found is a welcome addition.
There’s also a “push clean” feature which is supposed to help rinse the blades more effectively. In our testing, we found that it’s a bit better in idea than practice, but we still didn’t have trouble rinsing these between strokes–there are only two blades to worry about after all. We won’t claim that these are the most technologically advanced disposable razors out there, but if you’re after simplicity with a little extra, these are exactly that. Plus, most importantly, they get the job done very well.
| Blades | 2 |
|---|---|
| Features | Lubricating strip, rubber grip handle, push clean |
| Quantity | 12 |
| Material | Plastic, rubber |
BEST SINGLE BLADE RAZOR
Bevel Disposable Safety Razors
PROS
- Single blade safety razor design
- Made with wheatgrass, a plastic alternative
- Lightweight
CONS
- Not recyclable
Safety razors are popular for a lot of reasons, but mainly because they’re thought to be better for people with coarse or curly whiskers who are more prone to ingrown hairs and razor bumps. However, safety razors can also be heavy and tricky to travel with, which is why these disposable versions are so innovative. The design is the same as your classic single blade safety razor, but instead of metal, they’re made from a blend of plastic and wheatstraw, a more eco-conscious plastic alternative. That means they’re crazy lightweight and easy to pop into your dopp kit or gym bag to take with you anywhere you need to shave.
We will offer this disclaimer: because they’re so lightweight, the sensation of shaving with these feels different than your classic safety razor. So, it may take a little getting used to whether you’re a safety razor pro or not. If you’ve never used a safety razor before, we would suggest starting with a real one before trying these. However, once you get the hang of them, they’re a great travel option.
| Blades | 1 |
|---|---|
| Features | None |
| Quantity | 5 |
| Material | Plastic, wheatstraw |
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