A $35 Safety Razor Pays for Itself in 4.5 Months
The average American spends $192/year on cartridge razor refills. A double-edge safety razor costs $35 once — and about 50¢ a month forever after. That's the entire case, right there.
Payoff Time
4.5 mo
Safety Razor vs Cartridge Razors
Product cost
$35
one-time
Annual savings
$186
vs Cartridge Razors
The Setup: Why Do Razors Cost So Much?
Gillette didn't invent the subscription model — they perfected it in hardware. The handle is cheap or free. The cartridges? That's where they make their money. A 4-pack of Fusion5 ProGlide cartridges runs about $16–20, and a typical shaver burns through one pack per month. Over a year, that's $192–240 quietly leaving your wallet for the privilege of a smooth face.
A double-edge (DE) safety razor flips this model. You pay $25–50 upfront for a well-machined handle that will outlast you. The blades? They're commodity items — a 100-pack of quality Astra or Feather blades runs about $10–12. Each blade lasts 3–7 shaves. The math gets embarrassing for cartridges very quickly.
The Math
Let's assume you shave 4–5 times per week and replace a cartridge every 2 weeks (2 cartridges/month), or you're already on the aggressive Gillette subscription. Here's how the numbers stack up over time:
| Safety Razor | Cartridge Razor | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $35 | $0 |
| Monthly ongoing | $0.50 | $16.00 |
| Month 1 total | $35.50 | $16.00 |
| Month 3 total | $36.50 | $48.00 |
| Month 5 total | $37.50 | $80.00 |
| ★ Breakeven (4.5 mo) | ~$37 | ~$72 |
| Year 1 total | $41 | $192 |
| Year 3 total | $53 | $576 |
| 5-year total | $65 | $960 |
* All figures are estimates. See methodology for assumptions.
Cumulative Cost Over Time
The lines cross at the breakeven point — that's when the savings zone begins.
After the Crossover: Pure Savings
Month 4.5 is where the two lines cross on the chart. Everything to the right of that point is money not going to Gillette. Over 5 years, the difference is $895 — for the exact same shave quality (arguably better, once you've dialed in your technique).
The shaving community has known this forever. It's not a secret. The only reason cartridges still dominate is convenience — they're at every drugstore checkout, and switching requires a small learning curve: the right angle, no pressure, quality soap. But the financial case is airtight.
Sensitivity Analysis: Your Results May Vary
Payoff time changes based on how much you currently spend.
Daily shaver (3+ cartridges/mo)
Every day, fresh blade every week.
3mo
$270/yr
Average shaver (2 cartridges/mo) (our base case)
2 cartridges per month — our base case assumption.
4.5mo
$182/yr
Casual shaver (1 cartridge/mo)
You shave a few times a week, stretch your cartridges long.
9mo
$90/yr
"A $35 safety razor saves you $182/year — and pays for itself in 4.5 months. After that, every shave is free."
What We Recommend
These picks represent different entry points — all have a faster payoff than staying on cartridges. We've calculated payoff using the mid-range cartridge spend ($16/month).
Parker 96R Safety Razor + 5 Blades
$20
upfront
2.6mo
payoff
$182
/ year
Great intro razor. Aggressive enough for a clean shave, forgiving enough for beginners. Add a 100-pack of Astra blades (~$10) and you're fully set up for $30 total.
See on Amazon →Prices updated automatically. Affiliate link.
Merkur 34C Heavy Duty Safety Razor
$35
upfront
4.5mo
payoff
$182
/ year
The community gold standard. German-made, perfectly weighted, mild enough for daily use. This is the razor most people keep for life. Our top pick.
See on Amazon →Prices updated automatically. Affiliate link.
Rockwell 6C Adjustable Safety Razor
$70
upfront
9mo
payoff
$182
/ year
Six adjustable blade gap settings means you can dial in exactly the aggressiveness you want. Better experience than the Merkur, longer payoff. Worth it if you're committed.
See on Amazon →Prices updated automatically. Affiliate link.
What we didn't account for
- → Learning curve. DE shaving takes 2–4 weeks to get right. Expect a nick or two while you dial in the angle. Most people call it a feature, not a bug.
- → Shaving cream. We didn't include the cost of switching to shaving soap or cream — figure $10–15/year for a decent puck. This barely dents the savings.
- → When it doesn't pay off. If you only shave twice a month and your cartridges last forever, this math falls apart. We assumed 2+ cartridges/month.
- → Electric razors. A totally different payoff calculation — that's a separate article.