Merkur Alu (also called Big Grip)

My first venturing away from the world of Mach-3; boy, was I happy. The razor features unique handle making it easy to hold and use under different angles. In the store, I tried other Merkurs, but the handle felt skinny and unsuitable for my chubby fingers. This one seems fitting naturally. I enjoy it so much that I often shave again after returning from work.It also has modern look (yet looks expensive) - I love it!

It's longer than the HD, but shorter than the Futur. It's a three-piece razor and the head is identical to the head on the HD.

Here's my breakdown of each area with an explanation of my score.

Price: Middle of the road. I was able to find it for under $40.00 shipped, but I had to look around pretty good to do that.

Quality: It's well build and looks like it should last quite awhile.

User Friendly: See the comments under grip below and add the fact that because the head is the same as that on the HD, it use characteristics are very close to that of the HD.

Grip: I have some carpal tunnel issues and some arthritis that causes some numbness in my hands from time to time. I got this razor to use when I'm having those problems. I had some tingling in my right hand when I began my shave and it did not get worse during the shave, which is all I was hoping for when I got this. Definite home run here! It's heavy, almost as heavy as the Futur. For me, this wasn't a problem, but it could be for some.

Ease of Blade Replacement: It's a three-piece. Not hard to change blades.

Agressiveness: The head is identical to that on the HD and is not adjustable.

Adjustability: It's not adustable.

Balance: It's longer than and HD, but shorter than the Futur. It's seems a little handle-heavy, but I had no problems holding the razor by the indentations in the handle and moving around during a typical three-pass shave.

Overall: if you have issues with your hands, or have very large hands, this could be a good addition to your collection. It's a very good shaver and I like the way it looks (though I do wish a plain chrome version were available rather than just red or blue).