Mach-3 Compatibles that are Mach-3 cartridges?

[Hyrum]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but when I searched on the forums, I got a bajillion false positives.

Does anyone make 2 or 3 bladed cartridges for the Mach-3 that is not from Gillette? The latter work, of course, but am looking for more economical options. Thanks.

 

[smalltank]

original Mach3 with Vitamin E strip only..my dad uses this one

 

[cb91710]

No personal endorsement of any vendor, Caveat Emptor

http://www.zilostore.com/gillette-mach3-compatible/
http://www.ecrater.com/p/11710164/systemrazors-rockets-gillette-mach-3-compatible

I've seen clones in Walgreens and CVS too.

 

[BallisticBurrito]

You're looking on the wrong forum if you WANT to keep using cartridges.

 

[BlackBard]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but when I searched on the forums, I got a bajillion false positives.

Does anyone make 2 or 3 bladed cartridges for the Mach-3 that is not from Gillette? The latter work, of course, but am looking for more economical options. Thanks.

I used to buy 20 Gillette Mach 3 Turbo cartridges for $40.00 at Costco. The ones I have left over are probably now a lifetime supply.

 

[pipskicks]

I got cheap Chinese fakes (although I didn't know so at the time) on Ebay.

I got a 4-blade cartridge razor called the "Magnum M5" I believe and I think Walgreens or CVS had almost the same thing as their name-brand razor but I haven't really looked or seen it since. (the Magnum was expensive when I looked for replacements online, but they were reallllly cheap at Costco)


Anyways, the off-brands were definitely a step lower, but they were quite a bit cheaper and since both gave me razor burn, I took a little tugging and razor burn vs just razor burn.
God I'm glad I switched, if you go to disposables/non-name brand razor carts you may have a rough, literally, time with them if you have a dense beard like I do, they are dull compared to the DE's...

 

[hybwolf]

I can't believe the cost of cartridges anymore. I have not bought cartridges in over a year even though I have only been DE shaving for 3 months. For 7 months or so before starting to use a DE I was buying the 3 pack of mach 3 disposables from walmart for around $7. This did not seem so bad considering I was shaving every other day and streched the disposables to last a month.
I was in Target today and was looking at the cartridges price. These prices today are ridicules. Mach 3 cartidges averaged $2.75 and the Fusion was average $4 per. DE shaving was the best decision i made. I use Astra blades that cost $10 per hundred. I now shave every day and get 3 shaves with a sharp blade before tossing.

 

[Hyrum]

Thanks for the links and info. I appreciated it. And, yes, I have a very thick beard too. Worth a try though.

 

[cb91710]

I can't believe the cost of cartridges anymore. I have not bought cartridges in over a year even though I have only been DE shaving for 3 months. For 7 months or so before starting to use a DE I was buying the 3 pack of mach 3 disposables from walmart for around $7. This did not seem so bad considering I was shaving every other day and streched the disposables to last a month.
I was in Target today and was looking at the cartridges price. These prices today are ridicules. Mach 3 cartidges averaged $2.75 and the Fusion was average $4 per. DE shaving was the best decision i made. I use Astra blades that cost $10 per hundred. I now shave every day and get 3 shaves with a sharp blade before tossing.

Everything has gone up.

Ignoring fuel costs which fluctuate all over the place and are not a good track of inflation, one of my indulgences is the big XL 44oz iced tea. Most places are now in the $2.15 to $2.40 range with tax.
10 years ago that was closer to $1.60. Translated... something that sold for $16 in 2001 now selling for $24.
In general, over the long term, prices double approximately every 10 years give or take short term fluctuations.
Carts are no exception, high-tech items are a MAJOR exception where prices remain stable or even drop while features improve.

 

[michiganlover]

No personal endorsement of any vendor, Caveat Emptor

http://www.zilostore.com/gillette-mach3-compatible/
http://www.ecrater.com/p/11710164/systemrazors-rockets-gillette-mach-3-compatible

I've seen clones in Walgreens and CVS too.

I think those are going to be sketchy at best.

I have not seen any actual Mach 3 clones in the market place. I believe Gillette still owns the rights to patents on the Mach 3, which prevents other manufacturers from selling cartridges that are able to fit the Mach 3.

Walgreens, Rite Aid, Dollar General, Meijer, Family Dollar, and Kroger all sell their own brand of razors that have 3 blades, but they feature a different mechanism of attachment, and are thus not compatible with the actual Mach 3.

 

[PugslyCat]

I have not seen any actual Mach 3 clones in the market place. I believe Gillette still owns the rights to patents on the Mach 3, which prevents other manufacturers from selling cartridges that are able to fit the Mach 3.

I believe you are correct about the patents preventing other manufacturers from making compatible carts, at least for any of the newer designs. Last year I was searching for store branded Mach 3 compatible carts. Most that claimed to be just that were actually compatible with the older Trac II razors but not the Mach 3.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

Everything has gone up.

Ignoring fuel costs which fluctuate all over the place and are not a good track of inflation, one of my indulgences is the big XL 44oz iced tea. Most places are now in the $2.15 to $2.40 range with tax.
10 years ago that was closer to $1.60. Translated... something that sold for $16 in 2001 now selling for $24.
In general, over the long term, prices double approximately every 10 years give or take short term fluctuations.
Carts are no exception, high-tech items are a MAJOR exception where prices remain stable or even drop while features improve.

Yup, rent and food has gone way up. I keep hoping that wages and new jobs will go up too but not holding my breath.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but when I searched on the forums, I got a bajillion false positives.

Does anyone make 2 or 3 bladed cartridges for the Mach-3 that is not from Gillette? The latter work, of course, but am looking for more economical options. Thanks.

Have you tried getting a completely different handle? They don't cost much. The costs and benefits of the Mach 3 come from the original cartridges, which have a much more complicated design than it may appear. There's nothing special about the Mach 3 handle, which is why Gillette sends them out for free to guys on their 18th birthday.

There are other 2 and 3 blade handles out there. If you like Gillette, the sensor works fairly well. Decide what blade/cartridge you want first, then get the handle that matches.

 

[cb91710]

Yup, rent and food has gone way up. I keep hoping that wages and new jobs will go up too but not holding my breath.

Wages are up, depending on what you are comparing to.
I'm making almost exactly 10x what I was making in 1981-1985... but I was also working fast food, the order desk for a produce company, building bicycles for Pep Boys, and deburring aluminum castings while in college.
Comparative salaries? I'm making a little over double what I was making (same job title) in 1994, and I'm making 25% less than I was in 2009.

 

[ltiultiu]

Even though Gillette owns the connector patents, I see a lot of clone handles, very high end Art of Shaving handles. I wonder if AOS pays Gillette royalies?

I think those are going to be sketchy at best.

I have not seen any actual Mach 3 clones in the market place. I believe Gillette still owns the rights to patents on the Mach 3, which prevents other manufacturers from selling cartridges that are able to fit the Mach 3.

Walgreens, Rite Aid, Dollar General, Meijer, Family Dollar, and Kroger all sell their own brand of razors that have 3 blades, but they feature a different mechanism of attachment, and are thus not compatible with the actual Mach 3.

 

[dzagales]

Not trying to plug them or anything but try http://www.dollarshaveclub.com/
They have a couple of different prices if you are looking for cheap carts
for ~$1/month you get 5x 2-blade carts/month
$6/month you get 4x 4-blade carts/month
$9/month you get 3x 6-blade carts/month

 

[ltiultiu]

Pretty good prices, but we need to make sure people know that the cheapest option is actually $3 per month. It's a marketing gimmick. The $1 per months does NOT incl. shipping but the other two more expensive options have shipping incl.

To be fair, they have a "Not So Hairy" option where you only pay 1/2 and have cartriges shipped once every two months only.

Not trying to plug them or anything but try http://www.dollarshaveclub.com/
They have a couple of different prices if you are looking for cheap carts
for ~$1/month you get 5x 2-blade carts/month
$6/month you get 4x 4-blade carts/month
$9/month you get 3x 6-blade carts/month

 

[ltiultiu]

Third party sellers on Amazon (not Amazon itself but 3rd party sellers) have the best prices for brand name Gillette cartridges.

 

[not4pr0phet]

Even though Gillette owns the connector patents, I see a lot of clone handles, very high end Art of Shaving handles. I wonder if AOS pays Gillette royalies?

AOS is owned by Gillette

 

[NeverOne99]

AOS is owned by Gillette

Holy schnikes!