Electric Shaver or Razor Blade: Which Should You Buy and Why?

Photo by Moisés Delgado on Pexels

With the variety of male grooming technologies available, it’s easy to feel confused about what to choose, whether it's an electric shaver or a razor blade, as the market is flooded with options.

The shaving industry is a booming market¹. Despite recent reports that the American market has shrunk² because more male millennials are growing out their beards, the prognosis for the rest of the world market is still favorable. That’s because even in beard-loving countries like India, there is still a lot of demand for grooming products. Having a beard is no excuse not to groom. One needs to use a shaving tool regularly to make it look awesome.

So, if you’re looking for a tool to help maintain your beard or shave off the unruly, wayward whiskers, you might be confused between an electric shaver or a razor blade. In this post, we will break it down to help you decide which of the two would be the best pick for you.

• What’s an Electric Shaver and a Razor Blade?
• Benefits and Pitfalls of an Electric Shaver
• Benefits and Pitfalls of a Razor Blade
• Which Should You Buy and Why?
• Naked Armor Razor Blade

What’s an Electric Shaver and a Razor Blade?

Electric razors offer modern options, while traditional razor blades have evolved from ancient tools.
Photo by YGphoto on Depositphotos

An electric razor is a razor with a rotating or oscillating blade. As the name suggests, it is powered by electricity from batteries or an AC/DC outlet. Jacob Schick³ released the earliest model to the market in 1930.

Three kinds of electric razors exist: a clipper, foil, or rotary.

1. Clippers work by sending a series of serrated blades buzzing side-to-side, which cuts the hair in a sideways motion.
2. Foil razors, meanwhile, have a thin layer of foil that covers the oscillating blades—this has two purposes. The first is to help lift the hair away from the skin so that it can be cut neatly. The second is to limit blade-on-skin contact.
3. Finally, rotary razors have three to four rotating heads that lift the hair away from the face and cut it inside one of the rotating components.

Razor blades, on the other hand, have existed since the dawn of civilization. With the simple copper blades used by ancient Mesopotamians, razor blades evolved along with modern civilization. Today’s razor blades come in three types:

1. Disposable plastic cartridges
2. Double-edged blades used by safety razors
3. Single-edged blades used by straight razors

Benefits and Pitfalls of an Electric Shaver

Electric shavers are fast, convenient, and energy-efficient, but they don’t provide as close a shave as traditional razor blades.
Photo by belchonock on Depositphotos

The best reason for using an electric shaver is that it’s fast and convenient.

Because they roll up the skin, forcing hairs up before cutting them, one does not need to go over the same area for a second time. You also don’t need to prepare lather because the electric shaver can work as well as a dry shaver.

It also costs 30x less energy when compared to a disposable cartridge. An electric razor runs 5-6 watts⁴, consuming 0.35 kilowatt-hours annually. In comparison, dudes using a disposable razor use a quart of hot water, using 10.4 kilowatt-hours a year.

The downside to convenience is that it doesn’t give a close shave as much as a razor blade. Because of the nature of its blades, you can’t cut close to the hair follicle. It, therefore, leads to a 5 o'clock shadow appearing sooner.

You must also ensure that the batteries are fully charged because the shaver runs on electricity. Otherwise, it will die in the middle of the shave, and the results will look laughable. That said, an electric shaver that needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet is also less used as a portable, traveling shaver.

It’s also loud and heavy, although recent models have been lighter and quieter.

Benefits and Pitfalls of a Razor Blade

Razor blades offer a closer shave, a meditative routine, and long-term value, but require preparation and careful use.

A razor blade is more reliable in giving you a very close shave for a more extended period.

You can manually control the blade to cut closer to the skin, making it perfect for shaving intimate areas. The blade friction can also exfoliate the skin to remove dead follicles.

But to achieve this result, you must prep your whiskers with lather, which means investing in lathering products.

Using a razor blade also means that you need to shave your hair slowly and gently. This isn’t necessarily a downside, as the shaving ritual can benefit your mental health. There’s a meditative aspect to a wet shaving routine, especially when done regularly each morning before you start the day.

It is also more cost-efficient than an electric shaver. Like most machines, an electric shaver will often need to be replaced with a new model as it depreciates over the years. In contrast, razor blades, particularly straight razors, can be long-term investments because they acquire value as heirloom pieces over time.

Which Should You Buy and Why?

If you want something reliable and affordable for a long time, get a razor blade.

Razor blades stay incredibly sharp for optimal shaving for longer periods. They are not prone to periodic design trends; the basic modern design templates for safety and straight razors, in particular, have remained the same since they were first produced in the 19th century. They also give reliable, awesome results.

In particular, you would want to pick a straight razor. Among all the three razor blade types, only the straight razor can genuinely give you a close shave. It’s also versatile because its single blade can be used efficiently for various shaving angles.

Using one is also the best way to help save the environment from global warming. Because when you use a straight razor, you definitely won’t use electrical energy, the production of which can produce carbon emissions.

Naked Armor Razor Blade

At Naked Armor, we take immense pride in our luxury straight razor blades. Crafted from premium Japanese steel and exquisite hardwood, our straight razors combine elegance with exceptional functionality. Whether for shaving or trimming, you’re not just getting a timeless heirloom piece—you’re owning a high-performance razor designed to exceed your expectations.

Check our site to see more of our razors.

More Naked Armor Tips on Shaving

The Newbie Guide to Razor Blades for Shaving
Multi Blade Razor Vs. Single Blade Razor: Which One Shaves Better?
How Often Should You Change Razor Blades?

References

1. Prescient & Strategic Intelligence. (2019, April 22). Razor Market is Expected to Reach $20.2 Billion by 2024: P&S Intelligence. GlobeNewsWire. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/04/22/1807183/0/en/Razor-Market-is-Expected-to-Reach-20-2-Billion-by-2024-P-S-Intelligence.html
2. Settembre, J. (2019, August 31). Men with beards are taking a heavy toll on the razor industry. Market Watch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/men-with-beards-are-killing-the-razor-industry-2019-08-01
3. Jacob Schick Invents the Electric Razor – Today in History: May 13. (n.d). Connecticut History. https://connecticuthistory.org/jacob-schick-invents-the-electric-razor/
4. Buchanan, M. (2010, December 29). Electric Razors Really Are Better (for the Environment). Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/electric-razors-really-are-better-for-the-environment-5720395