Thanks for taking your time to read our UK review of the popular Merkur 38C Dovo safety razor. This particular razor is fairly new to the UK market and the company who make this one are based in Solingen, Germany. They are a well known shaving brand and have been around for a very long time.
Their biggest selling safety razor is the 34C which is a best selling safety razor. This 38C model we are reviewing here is however a longer and slightly heavier option. If you want to compare both razors, then please click here. Sometimes this is referred to as the "barber pole" razor and that is down to the individual look of the handle, which has been shaped in this pole style finish.
This is classed as a long handle razor, and that will make this a good choice for anyone with larger hands, or indeed longer fingers. According to most buyers the razor is also nicely balanced. The Merkur 38C costs around £40-45, and that is expensive for this type of razor. After all you can pick up a good DE safety razor for around £15-20. So why consider paying this higher price point you may well ask? Let's have a closer look.
All our product recommendations are based on our independent research which we conduct online by reading the many reviews we find at online websites. This review contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made.
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How Online Buyers Rate the Merkur 38C Safety Razor
This is the average rating based on 1,200+ online buyer reviews.
- On average online buyers rated this with an 90% buyer satisfaction rating
- 80% of all online buyers gave this razor a full 5 star rating
- 5% of all online buyers gave this a bad review
You can see from these impressive reviews, that this is a high quality safety razor, that most buyers really do seem to like. There are virtually no complaints with this safety razor from Merkur. We know that if the price was lower on this model, it would sell a great deal more.
The price does put many people off, especially when there are much cheaper options, but this 38C is very high quality.
What Online Buyers Say About the Merkur 38C Heavy Duty Razor
There are usually good and bad points about most of these type of products. We here at the Shaving Emporium prefer to include both of these, so as you have a full understanding.
It is also worth pointing out that some people will always have a moan or a rant, others say it is great and give it a poor rating, and some people say it is rubbish and then rate it highly.
We try and apply a common sense approach to reading reviews. Some of them are clearly left by some strange people, but we have always found that if you look carefully enough, you get some really useful information. It is that which we have summarised below.
With this 38C model there is only 1% of bad reviews and those are opinion rather than based on any real hard facts.
PROS & CONS
This information is based on what online buyers said.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Many DE safety razors cost around £15-25. This 38C model costs around £40-45 so getting towards the higher end of the price point. It is however one of the best safety razors on the market from one of the best brands.
Merkur 38C Specification
We have included a more detailed specification on this Merkur 38C just below:
- Considered to be medium/high aggressiveness
- Suitable for both for beginners and experienced DE razor users
- Made from steel which has then been chrome plated
- This is a 2 piece razor
- Handle height: 93 mm
- Handle Length: 11 mm
- The handle would be classed as a heavy duty knurled barber pole style
- Weight: 3.91 ounces (111 grams)
Video Review of the Merkur 38C
We searched YouTube for any videos on this Merkur safety razor. There were not that many, but this one will give you an idea of what you are getting. It also shows them in action which is always useful.
Our Recommendation on the Merkur 38C Heavy Duty Safety Razor
This is classed as a heavyweight razor and that is exactly what you are buying. Clearly the longer handle is aimed at men with larger hands. That slightly longer handle really can make a difference.
It is the weight though that makes this a medium to high aggressive razor. If you are a beginner to wet shaving using a DE razor, then just be careful with this model. It will take a little bit of time to get a close shave without the nicks.
Check Amazon UK for Availability. Price when reviewed £42.21
However, if this is not the safety razor for you then you can check out the top 10 list of safety razors on this link.
This 38C model is like all Merkur products, very well made and built to last, so you will not be disappointed with it as a razor. Buyers say it also looks really well and here at the Emporium, we would agree with that. The knurled grip is important, and helps stop any risk of slipping, especially when the hands are wet.
Overall, the 38C gets solid and high buyer reviews, and looks like another winning product for the Merkur brand. Here at the Emporium we have given this Merkur model a 92% rating in terms of value for money. This is a high quality razor that will not disappoint.
A Little About the Merkur Brand
Merkur was founded in Solingen, Germany in 1896. The factory was named after the messenger of the gods Hermes Romans. Their first safety razor included a safety comb in which was fixed a removable wedge-shaped blade that had to be sharpened regularly.
That of course changed with the release of safety razor blades, which now simply need to be replaced regularly.
Over the years the Merkur production has remained highly classical and that is the intention of the company. In 1996 Dovo, the most famous Merkur customer at that time took over the Merkur company.
Dovo and Merkur still continue with their own products but under two separated productions, while still being part of the same company.
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