For a face-shaving starter set, consider Harry’s Original Charcoal kit with five refills and gel. For a brush-and-soap routine, Gentleman Jon’s6-piece safety-razor kit is the fuller traditional option. For legs and underarms, Billie’s Cool Blue set offers a handle, four refills and a magnetic holder, but you must add your own lubricant. Choose by shaving task, not just the gender on the box. If you already have a razor you like, skip the kit: replace the blades and add a shaving cream or soap instead.
What a shaving kit actually includes
A starter kit may supply only a handle and blades; a fuller wet-shaving set adds lubricant and tools. The three sets below have different contents. None should be assumed to include a travel bag or aftershave. Of those, the razor decides how the shave feels and what you keep paying, because the blades are the recurring cost. A kit can bundle the lubricant and extras cheaply, so judge it by its blades first and its extras second.
What to look for before you buy
The razor type sets the difficulty. A cartridge kit is the easiest place to start; a safety-razor kit asks you to build a lather and mind your angle, with separately priced double-edge refills; an electric kit skips the lather entirely and needs charging instead. Choose the style you will actually keep using.
Check the blade cost and availability. Replacements should be easy to find in the format the kit uses. A cheap handle with expensive cartridges is not a cheap kit over a year.
Check lubricant size. A smaller tube can suit travel or trying a new formula; a full-size container makes sense only if you expect to use it.
Choose extras you will use. A stand or a travel bag earns its place; a second brush usually does not.
1. Harry’s Original Charcoal kit: a face-shaving starter
The Charcoal set here includes a Harry’s Original handle, five refills and shave gel. It is the most direct choice when you want a blade shave without adding a brush and soap. Check that replacement cartridges are for the Original handle; Harry’s Plus is a different system.
Choose it when you need both a handle and lubricant. Skip it if you already have a cartridge razor you like, or want interchangeable double-edge blades. The gel is a consumable, not a reason to replace the handle when it runs out.
For more on choosing a men’s kit and the alternative trimming option, see Best Shaving Kits for Men.
2. Gentleman Jon 6-piece kit: for traditional wet shaving
This set combines a double-edge safety razor, brush, shaving soap, bowl, alum block and starter blades. It suits someone who wants to learn traditional wet shaving rather than assemble the basic tools separately. The bowl and brush serve a purpose only if you will actually build a lather.
The trade-off is technique: learn light pressure and the razor’s angle, and allow time to lather. The starter blades let you begin; buy a small blade sample before committing to a bulk box. Do not choose this kit just because an alum block is included, and skip it if you want the simplest cartridge routine.
3. Billie Cool Blue set: for legs and underarms
This exact Billie set contains one Cool Blue handle, four refills and a magnetic holder. It is the more useful choice here for someone starting a body-shaving routine who wants blade refills and a place to store the razor in the shower. It does not include a separate shave gel, cream or travel case; add a lubricant you already tolerate.
Do not assume the refill count is the same as Billie’s direct starter kit, which is sold in a different configuration. Buy Billie refills for this handle rather than a different brand’s cartridges. If you already own a suitable body razor, replacement blades alone may be enough; the holder does not make a new handle necessary.
Packing a shaving kit for travel
A kit bag keeps the razor, cream and aftershave together; seal liquids separately because the bag does not prevent leaks. Before you rely on the hotel, check what is actually provided — Do Hotels Have Razors And Shaving Cream? covers what most hotels stock. If you pack an electric shaver instead, its battery is subject to airline cabin rules: Can you Bring an Electric Shaver on a Plane? explains the limits.
Who should skip a pre-built kit
If you already own a handle you like, a kit mostly duplicates it — buy replacement blades and a tub of cream instead. Kits are also a poor deal if you like only one item in them, since you pay for the rest. A pre-built kit makes sense when you need most of its actual contents. Billie still needs a separate lubricant; traditional shaving requires learning the technique even when the tools come together.
The short version
Pick Harry’s Original for a cartridge face-shaving starter with gel, Gentleman Jon for a brush-and-soap safety-razor routine, or Billie Cool Blue for a body razor with four refills and a magnetic holder. Check what is missing and how much refills cost before buying. If you already have a razor you like, replace its blades instead.
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