Crabtree & Evelyn (Edwin Jagger) Best Badger Brush

I'd been using a "pure badger" and boar bristles up until this. I was at first unhappy that this was so much softer than the brushes I had used. However, after a few shaves I no longer miss the abrasive feel of boar bristles and have embraced the smooth feel of quality badger. I don't think I'll ever have the kind of money to afford the really high end brushes, maybe some day I will. Until then, this does me just fine. It lathers incredibly well and has a mighty good sized knot.

I echo what everyone else has said. For the price, this thing is a gem. In fact, I am thinking of buying a couple more just to stash them away should C&E stop carrying this thing. I doubt there will be this good of a bargain on a brush once C&E stops carrying it.

I bought this brush before I knew what EJ brushes were. Now I have come to realize they are my favorite type of brush. Every time I use this brush and see the Sheffield, England stamp on it, I think about the quality I got, without even knowing it. I am glad this is a product you see recommended so highly here and other places for first time users of a badger. Although, as has been said, it is a brush for anyone, not just beginners.

Yes it is small, and yes the hairs don't feel as good as a silvertip would or produce lather as easily, but its $35, most badgers in that price range aren't half the quality of this one. Once you have a few brushes you begin to realize the quality of the build you got with this one. It is solidly put together and feels so in the hand.

I read all the reviews, and they were all positive save one. Maybe that person got a bad one, but trust the other reviews. If you are looking for your first brush, look no further.

The fact that it comes with a travel container is a nice plus. That would be another $8 or so if you had to purchase it separately, adding even more to the value. When I purchased my EJ silvertip it came in a carboard tube and I paid 5x's more.

Crabtree and Evelyn Edwin Jagger Pure Badger made in England is a travel brush. Other than the great screwtop carrier this brush is awful. I travel a lot and this brush travels well but I expect from day one for a year to have lots of hair come out on each shave. I foolishly have had three of these brushes. I like their soaps but I would never recommend their brush. In addition they have terrible customer service for issues. They don’t care what you think once their product is out the door.

Before I started DE shaving (and before finding B&B), I had switched from shaving with canned shaving creams and gels to a boar brush and Surrey soaps from the local Walgreens. My wife, in an effort to upgrade my shaving experience, bought me this brush, 3 GFT coconut soaps and wooden bowl, and an Edwin Jagger handle for Mach3 cartridges. I almost immediately retired the handle for the cartridges. In the garbage. I stopped using the wooden bowl after the first soap was used. Seemed a little unsanitary to have a wet wooden bowl sitting next to the sink. However, I kept the brush and continue to use it nearly 4 years later. I truly didn't know the monetary value of any of these gifts, but the quality of the badger brush over the boar brush was clear!

I own the EJ make of this brush.

This is my first brush, badger or otherwise, so I don't have anything to compare it to. Nevertheless, I feel like I have another great shaving implement on the sweet spot of the price/value curve.

The bristles are neither especially soft nor uncomfortably stiff. I can't complain.

The density of the bristles isn't exactly generous, and I think this brush would vastly improve if the density were increased, all else remaining equal. This does not hurt the lathering or overall feel of this brush which I find to be well worth the price.

This is an excellent first brush.

The best all around performing brush that you can get. I've been using a C&E BBB for about a year now and like it better than the Rooney's I've owned. Rarely looses a hair and has the perfect stiffness and scratchiness that I want. I like it so much that I got a second one when I found C&E was discontinuing the BBB. If you can find one get it while their still available. I purchased a EJ BBB since everyone says it's the same as the C&E but the EJ was to soft and floppy compared to the C&E.

A dynamite lathering machine and great buy for the money. My first brush and a regular in my weekly rotation. If I were limited to only one brush I could definitly live well with this little gem.

Danny

Of the two shaving badger brushes I own this is my second favorite, it lathers very well, especially when used with a mug and its just overall great.

I can't add much to what is already known, but I will say that I got this brush after owning a nice Simpson silver-tip PJ2. And I use it as much or more than any other brush. Why? It is easy to work with, ergonomic, lathers well, performs well in soaps and creams, exfoliates well (just slightly scratchy), and is just a good all-around performer. What more to say?

Great beginner brush, plus makes a wonderful travel brush if you put it in a pill bottle with holes punched in the top.

This is my first brush and it's great! My friend who got me into wet shaving has a synthetic brush from The Body Shop, and although it may be softer on the tips, the CE brush has excellent quality. Many people say that this brush is too prickly, but once you soak the brush and press it on the face, I got a soothing soft feeling. The price is great which I learned quickly that you can spend as little or as much as you want. Being new to the whole wet shaving experience, I am very happy with this product.

The Crabtree & Evelyn Best Badger was the fourth brush added to my arsenal, and after only a handful of shaves, I can honestly say that if one considers the ROI, it might be the best.

First off, you absolutely cannot beat the quality of this brush for the price. Over the last seven days I have seen a couple of hairs shed, but that isn't out of the ordinary for most brushes at such a low price point. The quality appears to be quite good with average density. This brush has the stiffest bristles of all of those I currently use, but I'm finding that I quite enjoy a stiffer brush when shaving more than a days worth of beard - it really massages the face and raises the hair.

Some people prefer a large brush handle, and while my own brush harem has a large handled beauty in it, I prefer the smaller handed brushes myself. The small bulb shape is quite easy to work with, though I might prefer a slightly more substantial base similar to that of the Vulfix 2235, the ergonomics of this brush are still fantastic.

With the exception of a larger and much more expensive brush, the CE Best Badger creates the best lather of anything I have yet experienced, and wow does it hold water well (these pretzels are making me thirsty). The stiffness of the bristles really allow me to work a soft and thick lather together in my scuttle. Much more so than the softer brushes I have previously used.

Overall this is a tremendous brush for the price. Yea, there are better ones out there, but for people just getting started or for those who want to keep a few bucks in their pocket where possible, this is a fantastic brush. It is the one that I will be recommending from now on to friends looking to enter the wet shaving world.

I recently purchased the C&E brush at the Mall of America store. Previous to this brush I was using a Wilkinson Sword brush I purchased at the grocery store. What a difference! I can create thick creamy lather in about 3 turns of the brush. The bristles hold the heat and moisture very well. It has lost a few bristles, but I understand from other reviews that this is normal for the first bit. Everyone says this brush is a great place to start. I totally agree.

OK, I'm feeling really guilty! Being somewhat new to wet shaving, I stopped in a local shop and purchased this brush along with a stand and C&E almond soap and walked out for less than $15.00. Returning to work and thinking this just couldnt be right.... I called the shop back 3 times to try and confirm a mistake and was assured that the brush and stand was $6.00...... now i'm feeling really guilty and need to go back there this weekend..... it just isn't right! Somebody slipped big time!, and I just don't feel right using this brush knowing they screwed up and charged me too little.
For me this is a huge step up from a Boar Bristle and mated with my Merkur 38c, Feather or Derby blades and KMF shave cream is the best shave i've ever gotten.
It certanly is worth every bit of $35.00 and more! I need to sneak up on my KMF cream if I want to whip it up a bit before it turns to peaks.
Get one while you can!, great brush and a real bargain at $35.00
T

I have just purchased this brush as a replacement to an old possible horsehair brush that SWMBO bought for me 10 years ago as a set with a puck bowl. The horsehair worked very well actually. However the badger is just a machine and I love it.

A great but at any price and I cannot imagine purchasing a more expensive brush unless it was battery powered or came with a valet.

This was my first brush, and I have nothing but good things to say about it. The ergonomics, density, the stiff yet soft bristles, all contribute to its ability to whip up a mean lather...It's simple, functional, and attractive. All in all, a pleasure to use and own. Hard to beat for 35 bucks!

This brush is a great bargain! It is a solid performer and I highly recommend it! I use this as my soap brush! It did loose a couple of hairs, but it doesn't deter me from giving it a great review. Get em while they're hot!

I've had the C&E Best brush for about a month and am happy with it. This is my second good brush, the first one being a pure badger with a chome handle that came with a three-piece shaving set. That brush gave me great lather for years, but I much prefer the C&E with its ergonomic and more tactile handle. It whips up great lather and dries quickly. The bristles are fairly stiff, but don't feel prickly to me. I'd equate the brush's feeling to a nice skin massage. I can't compare the C&E Best to the lauded Rooneys and Simpsons, but I can't imagine anybody throwing stones at this price point. Highly recommended.

Well, I had a long review written and my browser lost it so I'll just summarize. Get this brush. Now. Even if you have a shelf full of premium brushes I'm sure you can find a use and/or place in your rotation for this little gem. This is my 2nd brush and I really wish I'd gotten it first. I've spent the first 2 years of my wetshaving lifetime with a floppy brush. This brush is great for soaps which is what I was really hoping for. I can now start adding soaps to my routine. I've tried numerous times, but just couldn't get a good lather with my floppy brush.

First brush that I have had in years. Others were always the cheapo boar bristle brushes from drug store.

Got this one as a starter brush mainly cause it did not cost me an arm and a leg and had pretty good ratings from B&B members.

Have no problem making a lather from creams or my Tabac soap. Just learning though and refining my lather making technique.

Only problem I have is the handle. I have medium large hands and the handle smeems just a tad small for me. I can get away using it even forever as I don't have SBAD yet. Also the brush is a bit small for my shaving mug but then my mug is really large.

Would recommend this brush to any beginner and in fact to anyone newbie or vet.