I have expectations. A good shave, a) doesn't cause razor burn, b) leaves no stubble, and, c) has no cuts. These blades do that. For a long time.
I started my first one in mid December. It's now March 2. That's two and a half months on one cartridge, and it's still shaving almost like new. A shave with this old, genuine Gillette cartridge takes less than two minutes. Afterward, my face feels fine--no razor burn, no cuts--and it has only tiny hints of stubble (a few hairs) over my entire face.
I do not exaggerate: after two and a half months of daily use, I have no razor burn, no cuts, and no stubble. My face feels like any other hairless part of my body. It's hard to tell which way my beard grows. Rub it with the growth direction and there is no stubble at all. None. Rub it against the growth and you feel hints of stubble, like a fine emery board, in a few places.
I do not use shave cream and the lubrication strip on the cartridge wore off a long time ago. I shower, then swipe a wet bar of soap here and there on my face. I then splash warm water on and rub for one to two seconds to get a slippery coat of soap. Then I shave. The result is as I have written above: no razor burn, no stubble, no cuts. Day after day after day.
Gillette claims 30 days. I was HIGHLY skeptical. I truly believed brand-name blades are a total scam. Before this, I shaved with Dollar store twin-blade disposables at $2 for five and thought I was getting away with something. I got maybe a week of fairly clean, fairly painless shaves out of one of these disposables.
But the shaves aren't actually comparable. I tried a new one of those Dollar store shavers maybe three weeks ago. New out of the package. The shave took longer. I couldn't get several problem areas: obvious stubble remained. Even rubbing with the grain of my beard, I felt light stubble in most places. When I had rinsed and dried, I had a little razor burn. With disposables, I had a cut at least once a week. With this 10-week-old cartridge, I have had a total of one cut. A seven-week-old Gillette Fusion cartridge, used daily, shaved much better than a new-out-of-the-package disposable shaver.
Cost for 10 weeks of shaves:
Two packages of Dollar Store twin-blade disposables: $4, with not-so-good shaves and some razor burn and cuts, and all shavers are used up.
One genuine Gillette Fusion cartridge (in a package of 12 for $35): $2.90, and the cartridge is almost as good as new.
These cartridges are cheaper than Dollar Store twin-blade disposables. They shave better for weeks and weeks. After two and a half months, I still tell you yet how long they last.
These cartridges are a total no-brainer. Very few brand-name products are this much better than store brand. A twelve pack should last at least two and a half years. Cost per shave (at $35 for twelve): $00.04. You will have an extremely close, comfortable shave every day for weeks and weeks and weeks on each cartridge.
Your day starts with a shave. It should be this good every day.