M3 Power -- believe the hype?

Gillette has released a new razor. As usual, it's been followed by a full-force marketing campaign to create awareness for their new product. The product in question is the M3 Power -- an evolutionary, instead of revolutionary step in razor technology. The question on every guy's mind -- is it better than my beloved Mach 3 Turbo? Well, I'll answer that question for you.

First, let's brush up on our Mach 3 history.

Original Mach 3
The first triple-blade razor was introduced in the late nineties. It operates on a premise that three blades can cut more hair in a stroke than two blades can. Also, the blades are angled, so they can cut progressively closer to the hair. It also features an aloe indicator strip that loses its color when the blade needs to be replaced.

Mach 3 Turbo
The Mach 3 Turbo features all the great benefits of the Mach 3, with one huge new feature. The feature in question? Anti-friction blades. The Turbo's blades feature a special coating which reduces friction and makes strokes even more effortless than before. It helps to significantly reduce ingrown hairs and razor burn/bumps. The Gillette ads promised that you could now shave against the grain, but this really wasn't a good idea past the very first use of the blade.

M3 Power
The M3 Power features two evolutions to the Mach 3 line. The most heralded new feature is Micro-Power. Running on a single AAA battery, the M3 Power has an on/off button that enables/disables Micro-Power, which is a fancy marketing term for microvibrations. Some might be afraid of a vibrating razor, but the vibrations are very minor. According to Gillette, a man's facial hairs lays in all sorts of different directions, often laying against the skin -- this is why it takes more than one stroke to shave. The vibrations help move the hair into a position that is more conducive to cutting.

The other major new feature that most people seem to be overlooking is that Gillette has enhanced the coating on the blades. Just as the Mach 3 Turbo featured a superior coating to the original Mach 3, the M3 Power has again raised the bar in terms of blade coating. According to Gillette, it should glide even more effortlessly than a Mach 3 Turbo.

My Take on the M3 Power
So, now that you know what the whole history and background of the M3 Power, it's probably time to give you my thoughts.

The day before I used the M3 Power, I shaved with an incredibly crappy disposable razor. So, the first test was on a 30 hour beard after being previously cut with a disposal. Most guys know that this is probably the worst-case scenario. My face is still pissed at the use of the disposable the day before, the stubble is uneven and tough-as-nails.

With some Clean Skin Gillette shaving gel, hot water, and a fresh M3 Power in hand, I began. I turned the razor on, and took my first stroke on the side of my face.

It was EFFORTLESS. Despite the worst possible conditions, M3 Power tore through the facial hair like a hot knife through butter. It was clearly a superior shave to the Mach3 Turbo after a single stroke. Not only was it more comfortable and less irritating, it was indeed closer than ever. The microvibrations must really help set up the hair.

I have a few trouble spots on my face -- below my lip is really a tough area. I have a very tiny mole there, and it is an absolute bitch to get the hairs properly shaved there -- either I won't have them cut enough, or I'll cut too deep and take half the mole with the hairs.

The M3 Power is the first razor to cut this area perfectly. It is as smooth as it has ever been, and I have no cuts whatsoever.

A traditional shave with the M3 Power nearly rivals a Mach 3 Turbo against-the-grain shave -- it's that close, with infinitely more comfort.

The M3 Power is a truly fantastic razor, and anyone who needs to shave (read: all Males) should pick one up immediately. It has replaced the Mach 3 Turbo as the ultimate razor. Buy one now, you will not regret it.