When it comes to shaving, people tend to fall into two camps. There are folks who just want a close shave with a minimum of fuss, and for them, a quality drugstore razor works just fine. Then there are those who see shaving as a ritual: a warm brush, a carefully built lather, and precise bladework with an old-fashioned safety razor (the kind that uses flat, rectangular blades with two edges) or, if they’re really committed, an ultra-sharp single-edge (aka cutthroat) razor.

If you—or perhaps the dad in your life, with Father’s Day coming up—fall, or aspire to fall, into the ritual-shaving category, it’s worth investing in a luxury shaving products like the Merkur Model 37C or the Edwin Jagger Double Edge, both former Wirecutter picks, paired with a sampler that lets you try blades from a dozen or more manufacturers to find your favorite. (This is fun, and possibly the best thing about old-school shaving.)

But there’s also a new variant on the old-school process. Entrepreneurs and inventors have been trying to address some of the ritual’s downsides, coming up with razors that are more convenient, with easy-to-load blades, and whose features allow for faster shave sessions while still requiring skill (and yielding the sense of accomplishment that goes with it).

“The goal is to evangelize the Gillette users of the world and bring them over to the light,” says Patrick Coddou, whose Supply razor is one of three I tested for this story. (The inventors of the other razors—the OneBlade and the Leaf—said similar things. What’s interesting is that each takes a radically different approach to accomplishing similar goals.)

I spent several weeks shaving with each of these three razors and found them to be unique tools for the person who appreciates thoughtful design and quality manufacturing. And although each has a high cost of entry compared with that of traditional safety razors or modern cartridge systems, they can pay for themselves in the long run by saving you the $2-to-$5-per-cartridge cost of modern systems.

OneBlade
The Oneblade razor.
Photo: OneBlade
OneBlade ($100 at the time of publication for the hybrid, our favorite version)

How it feels to use: This razor combines the precision, sharpness, and technical action of a straight-edge razor with the ease of a pivoting head. Because of the head, this razor hugs your face with a minimum of effort.

Why it’s great: The OneBlade uses a special blade from Feather, a legendary Japanese razor maker. The blade looks a little like the kind you’d use in a cheap paint scraper (some people actually shave with those) but is of much higher quality. The key is that the blade is thicker and stiffer than a standard safety-razor blade; this design helps duplicate the straight-edge experience. At the same time, the pivoting head makes shaving easier by allowing the blade to hug your face with less effort on your part.

I also like that it’s available in several models, including a budget but nice plastic version, a mid-priced hybrid version (our choice) with a plastic and steel handle and a metal head, and a gorgeous all-metal version. The company also has a crazy-expensive gold-coated option.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: You have the option of only one (great) blade—and it costs more than standard double-edges, though it’s still cheaper than cartridge refills.

Cost of the handle: $20 (all plastic), $100 (plastic handle, stainless head), $300 (all stainless), $1,000 (gold plated)

(There’s also a limited-edition version that’s so ridiculously priced, we can tell you what it costs only if you invite us for tequila sunrises aboard your yacht.)

Cost of the blades: about $20 for 30 on a refill plan or $30 for 30 bought separately

Supply
The Supply razor in a leather zip case.
Photo: Supply
Supply ($75 at the time of publication)

How it feels to use: The Supply revives and updates the legendary Schick Injector razor, which for 50 years was the primary alternative to double-edge systems. You insert the blades using a spring-loaded cartridge, which allows for a thicker, stiffer blade whose sharp edges you don’t have to handle. The stiff blade means that you need to employ a light touch and careful positioning to avoid irritation. The reward is a very close shave.

Why it’s great: Injectors, invented by Schick, use a no-touch injector system for blade insertion. Injector blades are thicker and stiffer, offering a closer approximation of the straight-edge experience. Though the Supply doesn’t have a pivoting head, we think that’s fine: You’ll just have to learn how to drive a manual (that is, adjusting the blade’s angle to your face through hand and wrist movement).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: If you like a pivoting head, this isn’t your razor. The injector system requires a proprietary blade that costs more than standard double-edge blades.

Cost of the handle: $75

Cost of the blades: $6 for eight, direct from Supply; Schick’s still-in-production Injector blades also fit.

Leaf
The Leaf razor in its stand with replacement blades to the side.
Photo: Leaf
Leaf ($80 at the time of publication)

How it feels to use: The Leaf offers a totally different take on combining the novel with the traditional. It tries to blend the fast cutting action of multiple-blade systems with the precision and care needed for single-blade systems. Does it work? Yes, but this is still a serious cutting tool, with sharper edges, meaning your closest shaves come when you apply less pressure but more strokes than you’re likely accustomed to if you’re a cartridge user.

Why it’s great: The Leaf offers a beautiful, engineered pivoting head that allows you to stack one, two, or three edges, duplicating the multiple-cuts-in-one pass action of today’s cartridge systems. What’s great about this design is that you can use any standard safety-razor blade. The trick is that you snap it in half. This isn’t as crazy as it sounds: Safety-razor blades are meant to be bisected, and barbers who use straight-edge razors do this routinely to create refills for their cutthroat models. Once you’ve split your blade, a pivoting head with a thumbscrew and a series of hinges open to accept up to three edges. This means you can pick any safety-razor blade you want. As a result, the Leaf offers the most choice at the lowest price of any of the three razors here. Being able to vary the number of edges also allows for a highly customizable shave: One edge provides the equivalent of an old-school single-edge, with the added pivot. Two is a speedier version, lopping off whiskers at an increased rate. Three is a bit faster but also requires a bit more care for you to avoid cuts.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The beautifully complex razor head is large, and some people will find it tough to maneuver it around the mustache area. Snapping and inserting razor blades requires handling sharp edges and a number of moving parts.

Cost of the handle: $80 for the razor plus 20 blades (40 edges when snapped)

Cost of the blades: Traditional safety-razor blades, which provide two edges in this application, cost between 5¢ and 20¢ each and are available online from dozens of manufacturers.