In the realm of men’s grooming, finding the right tools is paramount for achieving a polished and refined look. A quality safety razor is a key component in this pursuit, and today, we’ll dive into the features and performance of the Merkur Progress razor which was suggested to me by a member of the Wetshaving subreddit (shout out to Milangahuja, ty for the recommendation). Whether you’re new to safety razors or a seasoned enthusiast, this review will shed some light on the Progress and all of its unique features.
The Merkur Progress Long Handle Adjustable Safety Razor stands out among its peers for its precision engineering and customizable shaving experience. By offering an adjustable feature, this razor allows you to tailor the blade’s aggression to suit your individual preferences and needs. With a longer handle designed for enhanced control and maneuverability, the Merkur Progress ensures a comfortable and effortless shaving session.
Continue reading for my full unbiased review and unboxing of the Merkur Progress Long Handle!
How I feel About the Merkur Progress
Being one of the more expensive safety razors I have purchased (I purchase all of my own products and am not affiliated with Merkur), I found that the Merkur Progress was well worth the money. This is not the first adjustable safety razor I have tried (I also tried out the Crusader by Vikings Blade), so I have something to compare it to. Of the two, the Merkur performed far better in my opinion. The Merkur Progress felt better in the hand and I felt like I had better control with the longer handle. Adjusting the blade on the Progress was easier and felt like it had much more of an impact on the overall quality of the shave I got using it.
The standout feature is the adjustable blade setting, allowing you to customize the razor’s aggressiveness according to your preferences and the density of your facial hair. With the Merkur Progress, you have the ability to dial in the desired blade exposure, ranging from mild to aggressive settings. This level of adjustability ensures that you can achieve a close shave while minimizing irritation and discomfort. I found that I achieved my perfect level of aggressiveness with the adjustment knob set to “4”. Adjusting the blade to this level allowed me to easily cut through my thick coarse beard hair while still keeping the shave comfortable enough to not irritate my sensitive skin.
Another notable feature of the Merkur Progress razor is its long handle. Designed with ergonomics in mind, the elongated handle provides excellent grip and control, allowing for precise maneuvering. This ensures that you maintain stability and confidence throughout your shaving routine, resulting in a smoother and more enjoyable experience.
Unboxing the Merkur Progress Long Handle
The box of the Progress was the same as other Merkur razors I have purchased in the past. While not super fancy, the box itself is well-designed and protects the razor well.
On the rear of the box we also have a QR code that can be scanned for use instructions.
When unboxed, the razor itself is very shiny and has a clean design. The box also included a single Merkur safety razor blade.
A close-up of the underside of the plate reviews a company logo. The plate itself is not slotted like other safety razors I have purchased in the past.
Checking the Progress out from the top you can see that the comb has slanted slits in it.
The cap is removed by twisting the knob at the bottom of the Progress, allowing for cleaning and blade replacement.
While the plate isn’t slotted (a feature I’ve come to enjoy), rinsing is still super easy due to the deep channels that run under the blade on the plate.
The knob on the bottom of the Progress allows for adjustments and is marked with numbers.
In this last photo, you can see the size of the razor vs the size of my hand (my hands aren’t big or small).
What I enjoyed about the Merkur Progress
-
- Adjustable blade setting: The Merkur Progress features an adjustable blade setting, allowing you to customize the aggressiveness of the shave. This versatility ensures a personalized shaving experience, catering to individual preferences and varying facial hair thickness.
- Precision and efficiency: The Progress razor excels in providing a close and precise shave. Its well-crafted design and engineering contribute to its efficiency, allowing for smooth glides over the skin and reducing the chances of irritation or nicks.
- Long handle design: The long handle of the Merkur Progress offers enhanced grip and control during shaving. This ergonomic design makes it easier to navigate contours and angles, resulting in a more comfortable and precise shave.
- Durability and quality: The razor seems like it is built to last as it is robust and solid in design.
- Weight and balance: The Merkur Progress isn’t exactly light, but also isn’t too heavy. I found the weight of the razor to be perfect to allow it to glide on my skin.
- Easy to clean: Rinsing the razor between passes on my face was easier than I expected. The channels that run under the blade on the plate of the razor allow for easy cleaning.
What Could Be Disliked About the Merkur Progress
-
-
- Learning Curve: For those new to adjustable safety razors, the Merkur Progress may have a slight learning curve. Adjusting to the right blade setting and finding the optimal technique may take some experimentation. However, once you find the setting that works for you, the Merkur Progress performs exceptionally well.
- Price Point: Compared to other safety razors, the Merkur Progress razor may have a higher upfront cost. However, I feel like the Merkur Progress is solid and built to last, saving money in the long run due to its reliability and longevity.
- Included blade: While it was nice that Merkur included a replacement blade with the Progress, I found that I didn’t exactly love how it performed. After trying out about a dozen or so different brands of replacement blades, I find myself forever a fan of the inexpensive Astra Platinum blades.
-
Takeaway
In the world of men’s grooming, finding the right tools can make all the difference in achieving a polished and refined look. The Merkur Progress Long Handle Adjustable Safety Razor emerges as a standout choice, offering a customizable and comfortable shaving experience. With its adjustable blade setting, the Merkur Progress razor allows you to tailor the aggressiveness of your shave to suit your unique preferences and facial hair type. This level of versatility ensures a personalized grooming routine that minimizes irritation and maximizes comfort. Also, the longer handle and balanced weight of the Merkur Progress allow you to get a precise and effortless shave.
The only downsides of the Merkur Progress that I found were its cost and the need for experimentation to find the perfect blade setting. I found my perfect setting to be “4” after trying a few other settings while testing it out. Once I found the perfect setting for my hair and skin type, this thing performed like a champ.
Overall I found the Progress to be an exceptional shaving experience and would highly recommend it to anyone who is in the market for a great adjustable safety razor. The quality of the shave and overall experience were great, making this razor one of my favorites in my collection.
