Edwin Jagger DE89BL Chrome Reusable Classic Double Edge Safety Razor for Men

Why it's worth it

The DE89BL is a mild, three-piece brass razor built in Sheffield, England, with a closed-comb head that guides you toward the right angle almost on its own. It's the razor wet-shaving forums point beginners toward, and it stays good long after you're no longer a beginner.

The head is engineered to forgive bad technique, which is exactly what you need at first. The DE8 head uses a mild blade gap and neutral exposure, so a slightly wrong angle produces a mediocre shave instead of a bleeding chin. Published reviews and shaving-community consensus put it at the gentle end of closed-comb designs. If you're coming off a five-blade cartridge and have never thought about angle in your life, this is the softest landing available.

Solid brass, triple-chrome-plated, and hand-polished — this isn't a razor you replace. The body is machined from brass rather than the zinc alloy common at this end of the market, and the chrome plating is finished by hand in Sheffield. Owners who've had theirs for years report the finish holding up through daily wet use. The whole thing weighs about 2.6 ounces, which is enough heft to glide without feeling like a hammer.

From our review of 7 double edge safety razors, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +The head is engineered to forgive bad technique, which is exactly what you need at first
• +Solid brass, triple-chrome-plated, and hand-polished — this isn't a razor you replace
• +The wet grip is better than the price suggests
• +Blade cost drops to almost nothing, and that's the real payoff

What to know

• –No blade in the box, which is a genuinely annoying first-day surprise
• –One aggression level, forever
• –The chrome wants to be dried