MERKUR FUTUR 700 Adjustable Double Edge Safety Razor - Matte Chrome, Adjustable Razor With Dial, Made in Germany, Plastic-Free, Snap-On Cap Design, Straight Bar

This is the one! I started DE shaving several years ago with a Merkur 34c and it works great and a must for beginners. However, it requires several passes and I often left stubble. So I ordered a Merkur Futur and it was awesome but I ordered it in shiny chrome. Not an easy razor to handle in the shower with wet hands. I used tape, rubber bands and even rubber dip on the handle but in the end, I just hated the grip. So, I ordered the Merkur Futur in brushed chrome and it's perfect, the grip is awesome wet or dry. I only use it on setting 1 or maybe 2 but two passes and I'm done. Beard is gone and I'm still amazed after every shave. This is the razor for me. Thank you Merkur!

Easy to load a new blade because of the magnetic top, way less expensive than buying cartridges, and I get nice close shaves out of it. The shave itself feels like a barber is giving you a straight razor shave. There’s no irritating tug and pull as you drag a razor across your face.

I bought this almost 3 yrs ago as a 50th birthday gift to myself. I have multiple reasons of why I wanted a double-edged razor. My reasons are 1) get a better shave, 2) get more involved with my shaving experience, 3) become more ecological, 4) lower my costs.1) I get a great shave from this razor. It's my first razor of this type I have ever bought and am not disappointed. I can change the aggressiveness with a turn of the handle. I don't know how other double-edged razors work. Are they able to adjust the aggressiveness with a turn of the handle? With this option on this razor, I think it is perfect for a beginner. As the instructions say, start at "1" and adjust it until you're comfortable with the results. Also, I would get ingrown hairs that were a pain to shave. I read in an article that with every swipe of a disposable blade is a scrape to the skin. A disposable with 2-7 blades is 2-7 scrapes to the skin. So, that one hair you're trying to get and swipe 2-5x, do the math. This creates tougher skin and makes hair more difficult to reach the surface. With a double-edged razor, one swipe is one scrape. And it gives such a better end result. I have had way fewer ingrown hairs.2) With disposables, it's too easy to just shave and not think about it. I wanted to be more invested and understand the process better. I bought a fogless mirror (I shave in the shower), shaving cream cup, shaving cream, after shave lotion, a shaving brush and razor blades. Did it take some time to get used to the process? Anything worthwhile takes time to understand. And it is so worthwhile. I could give the list of products I bought for my process, but that was part of the fun. If someone wants it, ask and I will put it in here.3) Do you ever think about where those disposables go when you're done? I do. Since they've touched skin and probably blood, they aren't recyclable. You would have to dispose of them as someone does needles, in a biohazard container. They use plastic to mold them. I couldn't do that anymore. So much waste!4) Cost! How much do the disposables cost? Gillettes? $45 for 12 cartridges? Sure, Harry's and Dollar Shave have lower costs than Gillette. But they use the same process to make them; plastic and metal that isn't recyclable. My total cost to begin this process was about $170 in 2020. It's closer to $210 now. Most of the items I bought are durable and I still use them. The only things that I need to buy are razor blades, shaving cream and after shave lotion. My razor blades cost $8 for 100 blades, shaving cream is $16 about every 6-7 months and after shave lotion is $16 every 6 months. I just bought more blades after 3 yrs. I have a used blade container I put used blades in that isn't full yet. It's close though. The containers for the shaving cream and after shave lotion are recyclable.If my reasons intrigue you, then please try going this direction. I haven't regretted it once.

I ditched disposables switched to using a double-edged safety razor years ago when I purchased a Merkur 23c and I have never looked back. Contrary to the commercial, disposable razors are more about catering to shaving noobs than defining any sort of “manliness”. Looking to up my ante and get an even closer shave than the 23c, I splurged on the MERKUR FUTUR and I’m hooked.WHAT YOU GETA work of art and a flawless blade …HOW IT LOOKS, HANDLES AND FEELSAfter years of using my 23c, shaving with the FUTUR is like exploring a new frontier. It looks, feels and handles differently. Unlike the knurled, thin and long handled razor I’ve become accustomed to using, the FUTUR is smooth, stubby and heavy. While there is no knurling, the handle of this razor is thicker and has a cut-away that assuaged my initial concern of gripping a smooth surfaced razor (I have large hands). Additionally, the extra heft of this razor enhances it “grippiness” without derailing its aesthetic design. The weight of the FUTUR feels like you are holding a tool, not a razor.I found the look of the FUTUR particularly appealing, simply because no other razor looks like it (I opted for the brushed chrome finish). This razor has a simple, yet space-aged appearance to it.SHAVING WITH THE FUTUREI somewhat knew what I was getting into when I decided to purchase this razor … a shaving challenge. To be quite honest, this razor is not a suitable first-time safety razor ... face carnage may be an unintended outcome if this razor is not handled correctly. The FUTUR provides six progressive levels of blade gap by twisting the razor head or handle (level 1 being the smallest gap and level 6 offering the widest gap). A wider gap means there is less of a barrier between the blade and your skin.Even inserting the blade is a delicate and somewhat challenging process. Instead of the twist off/separate and insert or butterfly mechanism used to install blades, the FUTUR requires you to pinch the ends of the razor head and pull up to access the blade “bed”. This isn’t a problem when there is no blade in the razor but requires careful attention when changing blades as the “pinch and pull” technique isn’t so easy.Changing the razor setting presents another challenge as the razor head must be held to twist the handle in order to change the settings. This is another precarious situation that could be disastrous if don’t focus on the process and your fingers accidently grab or slide on the blade.I have tried all settings and find the base setting of “1” is more aggressive than my 23c razor. With that being said, I don’t adhere to the “rules of shaving” and prefer to shave against-the-grain for a baby’s butt smooth shave. I find a setting of “3” with the grain and a “1” against the grain more than adequate to satisfy my needs. While I have experimented with a “6” setting, I find it a little too aggressive, unless the stubble between shaves is minimal (there is a fine line between exfoliating and accidently performing a skin graft). What really separates the FUTUR from my previous razor is that the weight of the razor does all the work and I simply need to focus on carefully and lightly guiding the razor across my face. This is light years away from the disposable technique of grabbing the razor like a baseball bat and forcefully dredging it across your face like your raking leaves in the fall. Merkur states this razor is suitable for body shaving (let’s assume that’s at the “1” setting), but that is one challenge I’m not ready to accept.If you are an experienced safety razor user, want to add a little shaving variety/challenge and don’t mind paying a premium, then the MERKUR FUTUR is worth a shot. I initially balked at the price, but realistically, this razor (with standard care) should last a lifetime. It is a thoughtfully designed razor that looks/feels right and gives you shaving options. My only issue with the FUTUR is the delicate process needed to change blades and adjust the blade settings.