There are certain things that I generally hate buying, but that are necessary, and razors are among them. Back in my younger days, I used to use a Schick Quattro, but found the cost of replacement blades, which were about $2 apiece if memory serves me correctly, to be an unnecessary addition to the budget. And so I searched for a much cheaper alternative.
This search obviously lead me to disposable razors, which are certainly not a new thing. I’ve used the brand carried at Big Lots, which are $1.90 for twelve (again, if memory serves me correctly). Those razors are actually really good for the price. But like any true “bargain hunter“ (or in my case: broke-ass), I wasn’t satisfied. What if I could get the same quality disposable razor, or better, for even cheaper? Well, the hunt took me to the place where I always go when looking for such deals: Dollar Tree. And what did I end up with? A ten-pack of Pacific Multi-Color razors, which retail for, like the name of the store implies, one single dollar. But how did they stack up to the Big Lots razors? Keep reading. I’m getting to that.
The first thing that sticks out about the Pacific razors are, obviously, the colors. Whereas the blades I was used to were a thin, cheap-looking gray plastic, the Pacific’s are much thicker around the handles, and adorned with beautiful, almost neon colors ranging from purple, to yellow, to pink. When all is said and done, there are five total colors (green and orange round out the assortment) in each bag, and since you get ten razors in a pack, you get two of each color.
From there, the specs between my normal razor, and the Pacific’s, are pretty much exactly the same: Both feature twin blades, and both of them have those lubricating strips above the blades. Now it just all came down to performance…
…and the Pacific’s leave quite a bit to be desired. I do not have thick facial hair, so when I grow mine out (which I tend to do thanks to laziness and unmotivation), it’s the wiry, almost transparent type that you see frequently being flaunted by those white-trash types, who honestly believe their childish peach fuzz makes them look cool. Worst-case scenario: I’ll wait about a week-and-a-half between shaves, and by then I have about an inch facial hair built up. Even by those standards, my usual razor had no problems cutting through the thick jungle brush all in one sitting. In fact, I could usually get two shavings in using a single razor, without much of a problem.
The Pacific’s, on the other hand, start off well enough, but usually by the time I get to my neck (the one area, ironically, where hair actually seems to grow with any kind of consistency), the twin blades are starting to sputter; the backed-up hair between the blades weaken the razor’s effectiveness, and it quickly starts to feel rather uncomfortable. The solution? Throw away the razor, and take out a new one. This finishes the job, but at what cost? Well, now I have gone through two razors in one sitting. So essentially, I’m getting only five razors for $1.00, which isn’t nearly as appetizing as ten, or even the twelve for $1.90 that I am accustomed to.
To end on a positive note, I will say that the grip is better on the Pacific’s, as they feature a ridged handle for easier control. But that’s like food that looks good, but tastes like crap–it’s ultimately meaningless.
Overall: 4/10. It’s a razor, it’s only $1 for ten, and it cuts, so it can’t get too low of a score. But when you have to go through more than one in a single sitting (for just one area of your body, mind you) when you don’t get much facial hair to begin with, there’s a problem. The razors are weak, and last a good deal shorter than the ones I am used to. I would stay away from these if at all possible, though they will work in a pinch.
NOTE: In scouring Dollar Tree’s own website, I’ve found that they also carry the brand carried at Big Lots that I mainly use. The brand is Personna, and they also retail 10 for $1. I’ll probably give a much more in-depth review of those razors in the future, but it’s nice to know there is an alternative to these.