(Last updated November 2024)
When people look for a razor for head shaving, they’re usually already wet-shaving their heads and looking for the best option for their specific needs, or curious about moving from a buzz to a clean shave.
This list breaks down the best razors for shaving your head bald based on a number of factors, from closeness of shave to ease of handling and everything in between.
I’ve been shaving my bald head for nearly 20 years and I’ve personally tested as many razors as possible to produce a list of the best razors for head shaving based on what’s important to different types of people.
What are the best razors for shaving your head? The full list:
- Best overall / closest shave / best safety razor – The Leaf Razor
- Best Under $20 – Gillette ProGlide Shield
- Best design / easiest to handle – HeadBlade Moto
- Best disposable razor – BIC Flex 3
- Best blades subscription – Harry’s
Quick comparison
| Razor | Link to Buy | Best For: | Blades | Closeness of shave | Ease of Handling | Head Flexibility | Moisturizing Strip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Leaf Razor | Click here | Best overall / best safety razor | Max 3 | Excellent | Fair | Good | No |
| Fusion5 ProGlide Shield | Click here | Best under $30 | 5 | Good | Good | Excellent | Yes |
| HeadBlade Moto | Click here | Best design (easy to handle) | 4 | Fair | Excellent | Good | Yes |
| BIC Flex 3 | Click here | Best disposable | 3 | Good | Good | Excellent | Yes |
| Harry's Truman Razor | Click here | Blades subscription | 5 | Good | Excellent | Good | Yes |
What to look for in a head shaving razor
- A close shave – an obvious point, and not the only consideration
- Little-to-no irritation – especially important for sensitive skin
- Number of blades – this will depend on whether you need a close shave or protection for sensitive skin
- Design – if you’re clumsy like me, you’ll need something that’s easy to handle
- Flexibility – a flexible head adapts better to the contours of your scalp, reducing shaving cuts
- Price – we’re looking for value – not just the lowest price
Best overall / closest shave / best safety razor: The Leaf Razor
Why should you trust this review?
- Expertise: I’ve been shaving my head for nearly 20 years and in that time I’ve tried lots of razors
- Experience: Unlike many online reviews, I’ve actually tested and used this razor over a number of months.
Pros
1. Closest shave I’ve ever had
2. Comfortable
3. No irritation
4. Eco-friendliness
Cons
1. Weight means more care needed
2. Price:
Unfortunately, the Leaf isn’t the cheapest. If you’re on a budget you might want to check out the next recommendation:
Best under $20: Gillette ProGlide Shield
Our budget option is the razor recommended by Gillette themselves for head shaving.
Pros
1. Design helps blades maintain contact with the scalp for closer shave
2. Precision trimmer for edging and detailing
3. Reduced irritation thanks to ProGlide Shield technology
4. Quality
5. Extra features, e.g. battery-powered vibration for a smoother shave
Cons
1. Longevity:
While the blades last a long time, the lubricant strips can wear off quickly and even peel off on the scalp.
This is less of an issue if you use a good shaving cream or pre-shave oil rather than relying on the strips to lubricate your head.
Best design / easiest to handle: HeadBlade Moto
Why should you trust this review?
- Expertise: I’ve been shaving my head for nearly 20 years and in that time I’ve tried lots of razors (none as unique as this one!) so I like to think I know my stuff.
- Experience: Unlike many online reviews, I’ve actually tested and used this razor, reviewed it for YouTube (coming soon!), and included my thoughts below. All images below are my own.
Pros
1. Ergonomics – best handling of all head-shaving razors on the market
2. Price
3. Design features – e.g. rollerball & vents in the casing
Cons
1. Smoothness – reasonable, but not as close as the Leaf
2. Slight sting after shaving
Best disposable razor: BIC Flex 3
Why should you trust this review?
- Expertise: In the near 20 years I’ve been shaving my head, I’ve lots of disposable razors so I have plenty to compare against.
- Experience: Unlike many online reviews, I’ve actually tested and used this razor, reviewed it for YouTube (coming soon!), and included my thoughts below. All images below are my own.
Pros
1. Closer shave than most disposable razors
2. Design – e.g. pivoting head, ergonomic handle, anti-slip grip.
Cons
1. Not the most comfortable shave
2. Blade quality:
The Flex 3 blades’ performance seems to decline quickly, even for a disposable. You’ll get 2-3 really good quality shaves with a close finish, then the blades start to blunt.
This increases the risk of scalp irritation and means you’ll have to remember to buy a new one more often.
If you’re the forgetful type and you don’t think you’ll remember to buy a new razor often enough, I’d recommend a razor with a blades subscription. Next, I’ve recommended the subscription service I happily used for years:
Best blades subscription: Harry’s
Why should you trust this review?
- Expertise: I’ve been shaving my head for nearly 20 years and in that time I’ve tried lots of razors, so I like to think I know my stuff!
- Experience: Unlike many online reviews, I’ve actually used this razor over several years. It was my go-to until I switched to the plastic-free Leaf razor which gave a closer shave.
Pros
1. Convenience – arrives through the mail like clockwork
2. Flexibility – delivery & billing dates can be moved easily
3. Ergonomic rubber handle with weighted core – easy to hold onto
4. Customer service – excellent company to deal with
5. Cruelty-free brand according to crueltyfreekitty.com
Cons
1. Edging blade makes it easy to cut your ears
2. Material – handle can grow black mold in the engraved lettering (but they happily replaced it as a ‘one-off’ so it seems like they’re aware of the problem).
3. Not recommended for head shaving according to the website.
(I ignored this for years and was pretty happy, but this probably explains the issues with the edging blade catching my ears and the closeness of the shave).
Summary
For me, the decision of which razor to recommend for head shaving is an easy one. The Leaf Razor gives easily the closest shave I’ve ever had, and that’s what’s important to me.
However, it is pricey at around $80, so if you’re just getting started with head shaving I’d go for the much more reasonable HeadBlade Moto at around $15. If you just need a bargain, the Fusion5 ProGlide Shield comes in as the best razor under $30, blades included.
The trade-off with the Moto is that the shave isn’t quite as close. It also irritated my scalp just slightly, so if you have sensitive skin then choose the Schick Hydro instead, which is designed to reduce irritation.
For the convenience of not having to remember to order your blades every month, I had a great experience as a Harry’s subscriber.
If none of the above appeal to you but you still want to shave your head, maybe an electric shaver might be more your thing? There are a number of pros and cons for both electric shavers and razors for shaving your head, and it depends on what’s most important to you.
And once you’ve got the right tool for the job, find out all the other ways you can look better bald with my free guide:
Did I miss your favorite razor? Let me know which you use and why in the comments below!
Have you ever used a Henson, Rockwell 6S, etc.?
Also, the very inexpensive (which I need!) sub $30-$50 razors? Are there any others you might recommend?
Same with shave soaps?
Harry’s is incredible. First cartridge and i’m at 14 head shaves (granted,I don’t have that much to cut and i’m on it daily or at least every other day). My problem is that I want to recycle the blades plus save some cash!
B.J. Huntingburg, Indiana
I haven’t used either, but I’ll add them to the list to review!
The HeadBlade Moto is very good value for the price. It’s a little more gimmicky than your DE razors and the like, but I really like using it.
Harry’s are great though, and I was a customer for years. Sadly they recommend against using their razors for head shaving!
When you use the leaf, how many blades are you using? I understand you can use one, two, or three. Thanks!
Thanks for your question Christopher. I’ve experimented with different combinations to get the balance right.
At first I was loading up all three blades, but I found the bottom one of the three was just too exposed and I was getting shaving cuts more frequently than I liked, so I removed that one and found the safety aspect improved a lot.
Then I removed the top blade, because the opposite was true – the blade was too withdrawn and didn’t seem to be adding much to the shave. I still get the same great shave, I probably just need a few more passes with the razor (but not that you’d notice).
I’ve no doubt I’ll switch it up again at some point, so my advice is to play around with different combinations and see what works for you. Thanks for reading!
Thanks so much!