Merkur 34C Shaving Set Review – Should You Buy It?
Merkur has been a respected name in the shaving industry for over a century and is now a part of the German company DOVO Solingen. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the highly regarded Merkur 34C shaving kit, which was designed to meet the needs and preferences of most men. By the time you’ve finished reading this piece, you should have a good idea whether or not the Merkur shaving set is the right choice for your needs.
Features & Functions of the Merkur Shaving Set
- The safety razor included in the Merkur 34C shaving set is a #180 model. This model is known for its distinctively long handle. In total, the dimensions of the #180 are 1.5” x 1” x 4”.
- Merkur 34C includes a badger shaving brush with a chrome handle in this set.
- Sticking with the chrome theme, Merkur decided to provide a chrome shaving bowl. This bowl is extremely small, which has led to some criticism we’ll discuss below.
- There’s also a bar of Colonel Conk shaving soap in Merkur’s shaving kit. The bar of soap is made of glycerin.
- People purchasing this set can keep all of these items neat and tidy with the chrome shaving stand. This stand easily holds both the razor and the badger brush.
Merkur 34C Shaving Set Pros
1. Price
Let’s start off with the price. The Merkur shaving set sells for around $100 on most websites. While this may seem steep to some of you, in the grand scheme of things it really isn’t. When you consider the quality of the Merkur brand, as well as everything that’s included in this set, this is actually one of the cheaper shaving sets on the market. Anyone who wants to achieve a premium shaving experience and a clean shave will get their best overall experience for the lowest price investing in the Merkur shaving set.
2. German Quality
Even people who are not very impressed with this shaving set at first admit that the #180 is an exceptionally designed razor. Everyone into razor design knows that some of the best German designers work for Merkur. These Merkur designers take a great time and care to handcraft all of their products. The #180 is a perfect razor for newbies to get a good feel for the safety razor.
This Merkur razor slightly resembles a disposable razor, which makes both quick and easy for beginners to transition into. You will get a great grip on this razor’s handle, and it’s relatively light at only 1.6 ounces. With its rather long handle, the #180 is ideal for anyone with larger hands.
3. High-Quality Badger Shaving Brush
Badger skin brushes are considered by many shaving experts to be the most absorbent in the business. The badger shaving brush is a great inclusion in this set to help beginners get an authentic feel for one of the best quality brushes. The badger skin brush is especially good for people with sensitive skin.
4. Complete Shaving Experience
All the tools a man needs to start his journey into the world of luxury shaving are in the Merkur 34C shaving set. After learning the basics with this set, one can easily move on to more advanced safety razors in the future, although you will not replace this kit too soon. It has a long lifespan.
5. Chrome Stand Convenience
Everyone who purchases this product enjoys the convenience of the chrome stand. Believe it or not, many men who get into grooming see daily shaving as an almost religious experience. The stand helps not only to organize the shaving equipment but also to organize the shaver’s mind. Whether you use it for convenience or ceremony, the chrome stand is expertly built and will serve you well.
Merkur 34C Shaving Set Cons
1. Larger Handles
People with smaller hands might not like the feel of the #180 model. Most safety razors actually have handles 3 inches or less. Since the #180 model has a 4-inch handle, it definitely favors people with longer and larger hands. Anyone with smaller hands who still want a Merkur product should look up different razor models.
2. Small Bowl
While the shaving razor may be well suited for larger hands, the chrome bowl isn’t. Some customers have complained that it felt awkward holding this small bowl in their hands while mixing shaving soap.
3. A Not-So-Premium Soap Brand
Another issue consumers have with this shaving set has to do with the soap. Critics claim the soap Merkur decided to include in this set was a poor choice. Some people even went so far as to call the soap a “children’s soap.” While the Colonel Conk soap will get the job done, it isn’t considered a true luxury brand to most people.
4. The Lack of Blades
You may have noticed that this kit includes no blades. Anyone ordering this set must order blades separately, which is a real nuisance for some customers.
5. Not Suited for More Experienced Shavers
As mentioned many times above, this set is suited for both newbies and more experienced shavers. Still, people with more experience in shaving will probably not enjoy this set all that much because they look for more features. But this is just a matter of taste and preference.
Drawing to a Close
The Merkur 34C shaving set is by no means perfect, but it certainly has a great deal to offer. The main selling points of this set include the well-designed razor and badger shaving brush. The chrome stand is also a very nice feature to keep all of the essential shaving tools organized.
Although the small shaving bowl and mediocre quality soap may not be up to some consumer’s standards, they are good enough for those who are not ready to spend a lot of money on a shaving kit. Anyone with even an inkling of interest in good grooming should take a serious look at the Merkur 34C shaving set.
