If you have settled on Gillette but are not sure which razor to actually buy, the answer depends less on the number of blades than on which refill family you want to keep feeding. This guide is for someone buying their first Gillette razor or replacing one, and it compares the current cartridge lines on the two things that matter at the sink: how the razor feels on your skin, and what the blades cost to keep replacing. If you already shave happily with a safety razor or an electric shaver and are not looking to change, there is nothing here you need. Five current options are below, each with the shaver it suits and the trade-off it asks you to accept.
How Gillette’s razor lines differ
Gillette sells three cartridge systems plus a separate premium line, and the handle you buy locks you into one of them. That is the decision underneath every “which Gillette razor” question, so it is worth thirty seconds before you look at prices.
- Mach3 (3 blades). Gillette’s 3-blade system, with its own refills that fit all Mach3 handles. A refill is built to last up to 15 shaves.
- Fusion5 and ProGlide (5 blades). Two handles that share the same 5-blade cartridge family: a Fusion5 handle takes all Gillette 5-blade refills (GilletteLabs excepted), and the ProGlide handle fits every 5-bladed cartridge. Buying either handle leaves you free to move between Fusion5 and ProGlide refills.
- SkinGuard (2 blades). A two-blade cartridge with a guard between the blades, aimed at skin that reacts to shaving. SkinGuard blades fit the SkinGuard, Fusion5, ProGlide and ProGlide Shield handles, so a single 5-blade handle can carry both the standard 5-blade cartridges and the SkinGuard ones.
- GilletteLabs is a separate premium handle and cartridge line; its refills do not fit the Fusion5 or ProGlide handles and it is not one of the five picks below.
The practical point: if you might want to switch between a closer 5-blade shave and a gentler SkinGuard shave, one Fusion5 or ProGlide handle covers both. A Mach3 handle does not, because its refills are a different 3-blade fit.
The best Gillette razors
Five current options, each with the shaver it fits and the drawback to weigh. Live price and availability sit on the cards.
Gillette ProGlide — best overall
The 5-blade handle to buy if you want the closest and most forgiving of the standard Gillette shaves and are willing to pay a little more per refill. ProGlide uses five anti-friction blades with a FlexBall pivot, so the cartridge rocks to follow the contours of your face rather than staying rigid, and its lubrication strip carries more lubricant than the Fusion5 strip. Around the jaw and neck, where a fixed head tends to lose contact, the pivot does most of the work. Who it suits: most everyday face shavers who want a close shave with less buffing over the same spot. What you give up: it costs more than a Fusion5 handle and its refills sit at the top of Gillette’s everyday range, so the per-shave cost is higher; and if your skin is genuinely irritated by multi-blade shaving, the two-blade SkinGuard below is the better direction, not a five-blade razor with a pivot.
Gillette Fusion5 — best value 5-blade
The same 5-blade closeness as the ProGlide for less money, with a plain handle instead of the FlexBall pivot. Fusion5 also runs five anti-friction blades, a lubrication strip and a precision trimmer on the back, and a refill is built to last up to 20 shaves. Because the handle takes all Gillette 5-blade refills, you can start on Fusion5 and move up to ProGlide refills later without buying a new handle. Who it suits: someone who wants a dependable 5-blade shave and refill cost lower than the ProGlide’s, and does not need the pivoting head. What you give up: the head is fixed, so it is a little less forgiving over the jaw and neck than the ProGlide, and its lubrication strip carries less lubricant. Neither is a fault; it is the difference the price buys.
Gillette SkinGuard — best for sensitive skin
The odd one out, and the pick for skin that reacts to shaving. SkinGuard uses just two blades, set further apart, with a guard bar that Gillette says sits between the skin and the blade edge; the idea is less tug and pull and fewer blades scraping the skin. Gillette describes it as clinically proven and dermatologist tested for sensitive skin, and its lubrication strip carries aloe placed before and after the blades. For a closer look at the razor on its own, see our Gillette SkinGuard review. Who it suits: anyone prone to razor bumps, irritation or ingrown hairs who still wants a cartridge razor rather than switching to electric. What you give up: two blades do not shave as close as five, so this is a comfort-first razor, not the closest shave in the range. No razor removes irritation for everyone; the guard lowers the odds, it does not remove the need for good technique, which is where preventing razor burn and irritation helps.
Gillette Mach3 — best budget everyday razor
Gillette’s long-running 3-blade razor, and the sensible pick if you want a simple, cheap-to-run shave rather than the closest one. Mach3 uses three blades positioned to cut progressively closer, with a lubrication strip and a microfin guard that stretches the skin ahead of the blades, and a refill is built to last up to 15 shaves. It fits all Mach3 handles. Who it suits: daily shavers and anyone who finds five blades overkill or prone to pulling on their skin, and people who would rather spend less per shave. What you give up: a 3-blade shave is not as close as a 5-blade one, so you may need an extra pass on the neck; and because Mach3 refills are their own 3-blade fit, a Mach3 handle cannot take Fusion5 or ProGlide cartridges. If you believe you may want the 5-blade shave later, start on a 5-blade handle instead.
Gillette Sensor3 Sensitive — best disposable for travel
Not a handle you keep, but the Gillette to pack when you will not miss or risk a refillable razor: a 3-blade disposable in Gillette’s Sensitive build. It is the same idea as a Mach3 with the handle and head made as one piece, so there is nothing to lose and no refills to carry. For the reusable cartridge version, see our Gillette Sensor3 Comfort review. Who it suits: travel, the gym bag, a spare in the bathroom for guests, or anyone who wants a cheap razor to try before committing to a handle. What you give up: disposables feel plasticky next to a real handle and are not the cheap long-run option, since you throw the whole razor away rather than changing a blade; for everyday shaving a Mach3 or 5-blade handle is cheaper per shave over time.
What the refills cost
With any cartridge razor the real cost is the refills, not the first razor, and it is worth working out before you buy the handle. A pack works out at a per-cartridge price, and a cartridge is expected to give roughly 15 shaves on a Mach3 or up to 20 on a Fusion5 refill, so the family you choose sets your long-run cost. It is also the fastest way to spot a bad deal: a cheap handle with expensive refills is not the cheap razor. Buying a multi-pack usually lowers the per-blade price, and Mach3 refills in particular are sold in larger packs. If your skin is sensitive, the blade choice matters as much as the count, and our guide to the blades to look for on sensitive skin goes through it.
Which one should you buy?
- Closest everyday face shave: Gillette ProGlide.
- 5-blade shave for less, and a handle you can move to ProGlide later: Gillette Fusion5.
- Skin that reacts to shaving: Gillette SkinGuard.
- Simple and cheap to run: Gillette Mach3.
- Travel and spare razors: Gillette Sensor3 Sensitive.
Before you buy
- Pick the refill family first: Mach3 (3-blade) and the Fusion5/ProGlide (5-blade) handles do not share cartridges, so the handle decides what you can buy later.
- One 5-blade handle covers two jobs: a Fusion5 or ProGlide handle takes both the standard 5-blade refills and the gentle SkinGuard ones.
- Count the refills, not the blades: a cheaper handle with pricier cartridges is not the cheaper razor over a year.
- Closeness costs comfort: more blades cut closer but sit harder against the skin; if you already get razor bumps, start with fewer blades, not more.
- Check what is in the box: handles sold with a few refills are better value than a bare handle if the refills match what you want.
The bottom line
For most people, the Gillette ProGlide is the razor to buy: the closest of the standard shaves, with a pivoting head that helps it keep contact over the jaw and neck. If you want a 5-blade shave for less and a handle you can upgrade later, the Fusion5 is the value pick. SkinGuard is the one to choose when your skin reacts to shaving and comfort beats closeness. The Mach3 remains the simple, cheap-to-run everyday razor, and a pack of Sensor3 disposables is the practical spare. Whichever you choose, decide on the refill family first, then the handle, and check the refill cost before you commit. If you are still weighing a cartridge razor against a machine, our comparison of an electric shaver versus a traditional razor is the right next read.
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