Wilkinson Quattro is a waste of money and time for a man who wants a close comfortable shave and just wants to shave once
I tried it a few years ago and after a few attempts I had to throw it away.

I recently purchased it again due to the money back offer, which I have to be honest made me decide to try it again. Perhaps I was using the wrong shaving cream, etc..

I kept the receipt and packaging regarding the money back offer very carefully for a few weeks then carelessly threw it away.

I have tried various shaving creams and gels, but there is not one product that gives this item the same as a Gillette blade.

I have thrown away my Wilkinson blade due to the clogging, so I will not purchase any more blades, so my Wilkinson is been thrown away and I have regretted changing from Gillette.

I hope anyone else reads the reviews from the disgruntled Wilkinson razor users and sticks with Gillette. It is definitely worth it.

Wilkinson Quattro - This is the best blade I have come across. I have tried all the Gillettes (Machs etc). I use the Quattro to shave my head too. This is the first blade that never causes cuts. And it lasts much longer than, say, the Mach 3.

The Wilkinson Quattro is too expensive, new blades are also very expensive. Clogs up far too quickly and very difficult to clear, I had to use a brush! Perhaps the blades are too c;ose together.I am very displeased with the Wilkinson Quattro razor, and will bin it once I have used all my blades.

A few weeks ago The Sun newspaper printed tokens on consecutive days that when put together could be taken to an Asda supermarket and redeemed for a free Wilkinson Sword Quattro razor. Although I doubted it would be able to meet the high standards of my Gillette Mach 3, I'm not one to pass up on a freebie so took them up on the offer.

//\\//\\//\\ The Product //\\//\\//\\

The product itself is the first four-blade razor, no doubt brought into the market to compete with Gillette's successful three-blade product. I actually made a good saving because the free one I received retails for £6.49 with two free blades, but the real sting in the tail is the cost of replacement blades at £6.79 for a pack of four and £12.35 for a pack of eight (these represent RRP so you might find them cheaper). You can call me cynical but my first thoughts were that rather than creating a better shave the four-blade system was more of a ploy to upstage their Gillette competition.

//\\//\\//\\ The Design //\\//\\//\\

On first appearance the razor looks very stylish, if maybe a little over the top for the product. Looking more like an extra from the Starship Enterprise than a shaving product, the silver and black finish is an extension of the image Wilkinson have developed so well including their branding and packaging. The blades look as compact as any other, you really have to look close to see the four blades as they are so close together, and they are protected by a thin wire guard. Although the blades are easy to attach and take off, you can't help but feel the design is more for aesthetics than ease of use with a large slide button controlling the mechanism. Above and below the blades are strips containing vitamin E and Aloe Vera that are supposed to make the shave more comfortable by not tightening the skin. It also comes with an equally over-designed stand that whilst it does it job, soon got binned in favour of just putting it in the bathroom cabinet.

//\\//\\//\\ Performance //\\//\\//\\

Overall: The razor was easy to hold and the spring system in the head meant that the pressure between the blade and my skin was not too great.

Test 1: A normal shave, a day or so growth.

The shave left my face smooth and stubble free, but no more so than my usual Mach 3. I don't think the extra sensitive strips made any difference either and even though my hair was quite short it still got stuck between the protective cage and meant I had to rinse it several times more than usual. There is a built in rinse channel for the water to flow through and stop clogging, one of the main selling points, but it simply doesn't work.

Test 2: About four days growth.

This was probably the worst shaving experience of my life. I used the second blade to make sure it was a decent sharpness and although the finished article was as smooth as usual, it took a lot longer to get there. The main reason for this was that the protective cage got even more clogged up with the longer hair - and I was literally having to rinse the blade every few strokes, and often having to run my fingers over it to remove the longer hairs that were caught. Again the shave left my face feeling fine though.

//\\//\\//\\ Conclusion //\\//\\//\\

Overall, regardless of the final results, the fact that this razor made shaving more of a chore than it already is means there's no way I'll use it again once the blades are no good. Wilkinson Sword insist that nothing shaves closer and even offer a money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied, although as I received it for free I don't have the receipt needed. The design is excellent but I can't help but feel that overall what people really care about is results and ease of use. Although expensive, I have been impressed at how durable the blades are, in one month I've nearly gone through both - I'd say that's ten good shaves each (unless the other half has been using them on her legs without me knowing as well!). On the plus side the shave was good, very close and didn't leave the more sensitive areas sore.

Not Recommended: mainly due to the fact it simply can't beat the Gillette Mach 3 on performance.

For more information: www.wilkinson-quattro.com

//\\//\\//\\ Final Thought //\\//\\//\\

Given my review above, and the obvious comparison to my current razor, it was interesting to find out that Wilkinson are currently suing Gillette stating that they shouldn't use their slogan 'The Best A Man Can Get' - very interesting!

I bought this Wlkinson Quatro razor as an alternative to the Mach 3. A moment of madness really because since using the latter I have considered it THE best razor I ever owned.

Shaving with the Quattro razor is altogether slower than I am used to. The feel of the razor does not have the confident edge I am used to, and whereas with the Mach 3 you can shave in a quick straight sweep (like the man on the ad!!) if you did the same with this razor you'd end up in casualty!

I shave most of my body every day. This takes about 3 minutes normally. The time is almost trebled with this razor, and the result? My girlfriend thinks I have chicken pox!

I can not recommend this razor. I have passed my comments on to my collegues and they all have similar experiences. I have a new Quattro with unused blade for free if anyone wants it? You be a fool to take it though; 50 quattro razors in the hand are NOT worth a Mach 3 in the bush! Give me my Mach 3 any day.

I've always been a little sceptical of the claims made by Wilkinson about their blades - I've tried all the Shavers but for closeness of shave, lastability of blades and low-irritation, none could ever top Gilette products. Until now that is.

Having coarse, wirey stubble on sensitive skin, I need a razor which will give me a close shave without leaving my face feel like it's been given a going-over with a sanding machine. With all of Wilkinson's previous efforts this is how I'd end up feeling. Raw rash on my neck, numerous cuts on my face even with brand-new blades, you can see how I wasn't exactly impressed. I'd then go on to the Gilette range (more recently the Mach 3) and have been using them for about 5 years now.

I first saw the Quattro when I was in Eire a few months ago but avoided it until it became more well known in the UK. My local Tesco had a special offer on it so I decided to give it a go. And I'm glad I did.

The first thing you notice is the handle is a bit heavier than what you'd expect but then again a lot of Wilkinson's razors have been like that. With the Mach 3 even though it has 3 blades I'd still need to go over the same area 2 or 3 times therefore adding to the time it would take to shave, this is almost erradicated with the Quattro. Normally a good shave would take me about 10 or 15 minutes (I tend to shave in the bath) but now I could almost halve that. The Quattro's head bends back quite far giving you a good range of movement for those awkward areas on your neck when stubble grows in all directions, and also come with 2 Aloe strips before and after the blade which actually seem to work. I say this as the Aloe on the Mach 3 always wore out after just one shave when I used to use it.

The end result was an extremely close shave in less the normal time with somewhat less irritation, although I'd certainly recommend a quality moisturiser or balm afterwards.

The blades come with the now-obligatory razor guard which I'm not actually sure serve a purpose and minimise cuts or are a gimmick but either way it all adds up to a product which should certainly see Wilkinson mount a serious challenge to Gillette's domination of the male shaving market.