5 Best Safety Razor Blades (2026): Tested and Compared

We make a safety razor, and we sell the blades that fit it, but a double-edge blade is a commodity: any brand fits any standard razor, ours included. So this is a plain, tested-against-the-same-criteria look at the best safety razor blades you can buy in the UK: five packs, judged on sharpness, comfort, material, and price per blade rather than per pack. One of the five is ours, the Kronos Double-Edge Razor Blades, and we will tell you plainly where it wins and where another pack suits you better. None of the four rivals here is a brand we sell against quietly; we name each one, its price, and where that price came from.

Quick picks: best safety razor blades UK

Best for	Blade	Best for (in a line)	Price
Beginners	Kronos Double-Edge Blades	Its edge sits level with the skin rather than below it, the geometry the British Association of Dermatologists recommends when it advises a single blade against ingrown hairs	50p a blade (£5 for 10)
Coarse hair	Feather New Hi-Stainless	Uncoated and the sharpest pack here	32.5p a blade (£3.25 for 10)
Newcomers to wet shaving	Astra Superior Platinum	A comfort coating that forgives an early, unsteady angle	47p a blade (£2.35 for 5)
Value	Derby Extra	The lowest-priced pack that still shaves cleanly, on fine to medium hair	18p a blade (£1.80 for 10)
Durability	Wilkinson Sword	A triple coating built to hold its edge, not to feel the sharpest on day one	53p a blade (£2.65 for 5)

Competitor prices are as listed by The English Shaving Company, checked 13 September 2026; the Kronos price is our own Shopify listing, checked the same day. Blade prices move with pack size and retailer, so treat them as a guide, not a quote. Every pack here fits a standard double-edge safety razor, ours included, so switching brands costs nothing but the price of the next pack.

How we judged them

Sharpness and aggression

A double-edge blade's bevel angle and coating decide how much it bites on first use. An uncoated blade like Feather starts very sharp and mellows fast; a heavily coated blade like Astra or Wilkinson Sword starts gentler and holds that edge longer. Neither is "better" outright: it depends on how coarse your hair is and how new your technique is.

Comfort for beginners

A new shaver with an unsteady angle wants a blade that forgives a slightly wrong pass rather than punishing it. Comfort coatings, and a razor head that keeps the blade's corners covered, both do this job; we judged each blade on how it behaves in a forgiving head, not a bare aggressive one.

Shaves per blade and running cost

A safety razor blade is cheap however you cut it, but packs vary from 18p to 53p a blade at UK retail. We price every pack per blade, not per pack, so a five-pack and a ten-pack compare honestly.

Material and coating

Every blade on this list is a stainless or carbon steel edge, usually with a coating (platinum, chromium, or a proprietary blend) that changes how it glides and how long it lasts. We name the steel and coating where the manufacturer states it, and leave out anything that isn't confirmed.

Kronos Double-Edge Razor Blades

Best double-edge blade to start on. 50p a blade (£5 for a pack of 10). Cr13 stainless steel, platinum-sputtered, no PTFE, as listed on the product page.

This is ours, so read the rest with that in mind. The Kronos blade earns its place with one design choice: the edge sits level with the skin rather than below it, the geometry the British Association of Dermatologists recommends against pseudofolliculitis and ingrown hairs, rather than the five-blade drag of a cartridge. The product page lists a 13N edge and no PTFE coating. Each blade is individually wrapped, double sided, and fits any standard double-edge razor, ours or someone else's. Buy it as a 10-pack, paired with any standard razor or with ours, the Kronos Safety Razor.

Where it's honest to concede ground: at 50p a blade it isn't the lowest price here, and a shaver with coarse, dense hair who wants real aggression will find it milder than they'd like. It's built for the shave most people need, not the one that reads most impressive on a spec sheet.

Best for: a first pack of blades, sensitive or acne-prone skin, and anyone who'd rather not learn technique and blade aggression at the same time.

Pros

• 13N edge, per the product page.
• Individually wrapped, double sided, and fits any standard double-edge razor.
• No PTFE coating, per the product page.
• Runs alongside the Kronos blade bank, whose product page lists it as taking used blades out of general waste.

Cons

• At 50p a blade, dearer than three of the four packs on this list.
• Mild by design; not the pack for someone chasing an aggressive shave.
• No uncoated, aggressive option in the Kronos range if you later outgrow the mild edge.

Feather New Hi-Stainless

Best for coarse hair and sharpness. 32.5p a blade (£3.25 for a pack of 10, The English Shaving Company).

Feather carries no comfort coating and is the sharpest blade of the five, keenest straight from the wrapper. That is the whole case for it: coarse, dense stubble that other blades drag through, Feather cuts.

The trade-off is exactly what an uncoated, very sharp blade costs you: it punishes a wrong angle or too much pressure, so beginners and anyone with sensitive or irritation-prone skin should start elsewhere. It's a blade for a shaver who already knows their technique.

Best for: experienced shavers with coarse or heavy growth who want the closest possible pass.

Pros

• The sharpest edge of the five, straight from the wrapper.
• Cuts coarse, dense hair in fewer passes than a milder blade.
• Individually wrapped and fits any standard double-edge razor.

Cons

• Unforgiving of a poor angle; not a beginner's blade.
• Too aggressive for sensitive or reactive skin.
• Dearer per blade than Astra or Derby.

Astra Superior Platinum

Best for newcomers to wet shaving. 47p a blade (£2.35 for a pack of 5, The English Shaving Company).

Astra Superior Platinum carries a heavier comfort coating than most double-edge blades, which makes it the standing first recommendation for anyone new to wet shaving. It glides rather than bites, so a slightly wrong angle in your first fortnight doesn't turn into a nick.

It isn't the most consistent blade pack for pack, and it won't cut coarse or dense hair as cleanly as Feather. For a first few weeks of learning technique, though, that forgiveness is exactly the point.

Best for: a first-ever pack of double-edge blades, while you're still finding your angle.

Pros

• Heavy comfort coating forgives an unsteady early technique.
• The standing first recommendation for anyone new to wet shaving.
• Mid-range price at 47p a blade.

Cons

• Consistency varies pack to pack more than some rivals.
• Too mild for coarse or dense hair.
• Sold in smaller 5-packs, so the per-blade price sits above Feather or Derby.

Derby Extra

Best value. 18p a blade (£1.80 for a pack of 10, The English Shaving Company).

Derby is the lowest-priced reliable double-edge blade sold in the UK, and at 18p a blade it undercuts every other pack on this list by a wide margin. On fine to medium hair it shaves cleanly and mildly, which makes it a sound first blade for a newcomer.

Its trade-off is coarse hair: on dense or wiry growth it tugs rather than cuts. If your stubble is fine to medium, nothing here costs less; if it's coarse, look elsewhere on this list.

Best for: fine to medium hair and anyone testing whether safety razor shaving suits them before spending more.

Pros

• The lowest price per blade of the five, at 18p.
• Mild and forgiving on fine to medium hair.
• Widely stocked, so it's never hard to find.

Cons

• Too mild for coarse or dense hair; can tug rather than cut.
• Less consistent finish than the pricier packs here.
• No comfort coating comparable to Astra or Wilkinson Sword.

Wilkinson Sword

Best for durability. 53p a blade (£2.65 for a pack of 5, The English Shaving Company).

Wilkinson Sword blades carry a proprietary triple coating and sit in the middle of the aggression scale: neither as sharp as Feather nor as mild as Derby. What sets them apart is how long the edge holds; the triple coating is built for longevity rather than a single stand-out shave.

That balance is also its limit. Its only real specialisation is lasting: it won't out-cut Feather on coarse hair, and it won't out-forgive Astra for a total beginner. For a shaver who wants one dependable pack rather than a rotation, it's the reasonable middle path.

Best for: a shaver who wants one blade to settle on, rather than swapping brands shave to shave.

Pros

• Triple coating holds its edge for more shaves than most packs here.
• Balanced aggression suits most skin types.
• A dependable middle-ground choice once you know your technique.

Cons

• Dearest per blade on this list, at 53p.
• Not aggressive enough for very coarse hair.
• Not mild enough for the most sensitive skin.

Side-by-side comparison

Blade	Price per blade	Pack size	Material / coating	Aggression	Best for
Kronos	50p	10	Cr13 stainless steel, platinum-sputtered, no PTFE	Mild	Beginners, sensitive skin
Feather New Hi-Stainless	32.5p	10	Stainless steel, uncoated	Aggressive	Coarse hair
Astra Superior Platinum	47p	5	Steel, platinum comfort coating	Mild	Newcomers
Derby Extra	18p	10	Stainless steel	Mild	Value, fine to medium hair
Wilkinson Sword	53p	5	Steel, triple coating	Medium	Durability, balanced skin types

Frequently asked questions

Are safety razor blades actually cheaper than cartridges?

Yes, by a wide margin. Every blade on this list costs between 18p and 53p, where a cartridge refill typically runs to a pound or more per shave. The razor is the one-off cost; the blade is the part that keeps the running cost low for years afterwards.

What's the best safety razor blade for beginners?

Look for a coated, mild blade first: Astra Superior Platinum and the Kronos blade both fit that description and forgive an unsteady early angle. Save an uncoated, aggressive blade like Feather until your technique has settled.

See our best safety razor for beginners guide for the razor to pair it with.

Do all safety razor blades fit every razor?

Yes. Every blade in this roundup, ours included, is a standard double-edge blade, and any standard double-edge blade fits any standard double-edge razor. You are never locked to one brand once you own the razor; see our best safety razor UK guide for the razors these blades fit.

How many shaves does one blade last?

Most double-edge blades last five to seven shaves before the edge dulls noticeably, though this varies with hair coarseness, skin, and technique. A blade that starts tugging or pulling rather than cutting cleanly is due for changing.

Do I need a Kronos razor to use Kronos blades?

No. The Kronos blade is a standard double-edge blade, individually wrapped and listed on its product page as fitting any double-edge razor, not only the Kronos Safety Razor. Someone shaving with a different razor can run the same pack.

Should I buy a sampler pack before committing to one brand?

If you're new to wet shaving, yes. Blade feel is personal: skin, hair density, and razor pairing all change how a given blade performs, so what suits one shaver can irritate another. A small pack of two or three brands, including a mild one like Astra or Kronos, is the lowest-cost way to find your match.

The verdict: the best safety razor blades for most people

For a first pack, the Kronos blade is the one to start with: its edge sits level with the skin rather than below it, the geometry the British Association of Dermatologists recommends against ingrown hairs, and at 50p a blade the cost is close to nothing to try. If you already know your hair is coarse and your technique is settled, Feather is the sharper choice, and at 32.5p a blade it costs less to run than ours does. For fine to medium hair, Derby Extra costs least to run, at 18p a blade. Astra Superior Platinum remains the standard first recommendation for total newcomers, and Wilkinson Sword is the one to reach for if you want a single dependable pack rather than a specialist. The shared truth underneath all five: every blade here fits any standard safety razor, so the only real decision is how mild or aggressive you want the edge, not which brand you're locked into. Browse the full range in Blades and Care.