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Edwin Jagger 89L is probably the most popular beginner-friendly safety razor out there. Looks terrific, shaves great and just like its arch-rival Merkur 34c has the right price. Many who start wet shaving with a DE razor will never shift from EJ89 to others as it is everything they need. So let’s look more closely what kind of a beast we are dealing with.
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PROS
+ Price
+ Easy to assemble
+ Mild shaver
CONS
– Slippery
– Not suitable for all beard types
Key Features
- Mildly aggressive shave. This is good because it reduces the risk of cutting yourself when shaving. If you have very coarse beard you might need something more aggressivee
- Three-piece design. Very easy to clean
- Has a large variety of designs and handle lengths to choose from. Because of the three-piece design you can also later acquire new handles that go with your old razor head
- Comes in a elegant package. This is a nice feature should you consider this as a present for someone
- Feels slippery occasionally no matter which handle you use. Avoid shaving under shower !
- Good quality/price ratio. For the money you pay for it you get very good safety razor
Package
Edwin Jagger DE89L comes in an elegant box. Colors black and white feel regal and elegant. The product is packaged snugly protecting the razor during transportation. Aesthetically the packaging looks very pleasing and something that you are not afraid to give someone as a present.
Size matters!
Safety razors come in many different sizes. While they all are designed to be comfortable in your hand the sad truth is that not all are. When your hand size is bigger or smaller than average, you might find some of the razors to be either too small or too big. Here are the dimensions for the Edwin Jagger 89L
Weight: 2.72 oz (77 g)
Length: 3.7″ (9.4 cm)
Made in England
How Does It Feel In Your Hand
Edwin Jagger DE 89L has three different handle lengths. I have glove size 8.5-9 and holding EJ89 regular feels pleasant, the length is just right. You can also order a shorter handle which is the same size as standard Merkur 34C or the longer one which is identical to Merkur 23c.
The regular handle size comes in many varieties. Plain chrome plating, with lines, etc. The shorter handle also comes in knurled version. All of them though suffer from occasional slippery. It seems the knurling is very shallow on the knurled version and the plated version lacks good texture as well to assure stable grip.
Weight is similar to Merkur 34C (my 34C is 77g while EJ89L is 70g) but Merkur feels heftier. Will this small weight difference affect your shaving? No. Will you feel the difference holding those two razors – I would say yes but as stated earlier this has no meaningful effect on your shaving outcome and thus can be ignored
What About The Design
Edwin Jagger DE89 is a three-piece double edge razor. This means that you have three separate pieces: the cap, the base, and the handle. Assembling the razor is easy, but I find the two-piece design to be a little bit more comfortable.
It has also scalloped safety guard and as mentioned before has an extensive collection of handles to suit every taste. Scallops mean the wavy structure on the base plate. Best seen when you look straight at your safety razor. This provides better foam and hair removal while shaving and rinsing your razor.
While many razors go for sophisticated head designs like Merkur Futur, I rather enjoy the simplicity of the Edwin Jagger 89L. And should you be interested in a more edgy looking razor you can choose from the wide variety of different handles the one that suits you.
Will It Shave?
EJ89 comes with five default razor blades. As mentioned in other reviews it makes sense to try out different razor blades. Razor blades have a different level of sharpness, rigidity, etc. affecting your shaving outcome.
The narrow blade gap of the Edwin Jagger double edge safety razor 89 is almost identical to Merkur 34c DE razor giving you a mild, smooth shave. If you are not familiar with the anatomy of the safety razor, why one razor is considered aggressive and another one not or you just want to learn more about wet shaving with safety razors then read also this.
Razor aggressiveness has many reasons. Blade gap being only one of them. There are some who argue that blade exposure, the angle of the blade and guard span play an even more significant role in the razors aggressiveness profile. Be that as it may, EJ89 delivers nice smooth shave with minimal effort. But if you have very sensitive skin, you might lean more towards Merkur 34c as EJ89 is known to be a tad more aggressive.
Comparison: Edwin Jagger 89L vs Merkur 34C HD
Both razors are well liked and widely recommended safety razors for beginners. Because both land in the middle of the aggressiveness scale they are suitable for beginners. You can still cut yourself mind but it is less likely.
The pair is very similar in character. The only real difference that sets them apart is the design. As I already mentioned there is a large collection of different handles for EJ89. Merkur 34C comes only in knurled handle design with chrome or gold finish. While some other models like 38C and 43S share the same two-piece head design I consider the added weight and handle design to exclude them from being the same as Merkur 34C. At best we can call them kin to the original Heavy Duty (HD) . Merkur 34C is also considered little bit more aggressive but the difference is minuscule.
You cant go wrong with either one. It all comes down to your own preference. Choose the one that you like the most. You will get nice comfortable shave from both of them
To summarize the key differences:
- Merkur 34C is 7 g heavier , but it won’t affect your shaving
- Merkur 34c has better grip, but I would still avoid using it while showering
- Edwin Jagger 89L is a little bit less aggressive. But in truth, both are considered mild.
- Edwin Jagger 89L has more handle design options
- The standard short handle for Merkur 34C is uncomfortable for bigger hands
- I prefer two-piece design as it is easier to switch razor blades (Merkur 34C) but three-piece isn’t exactly a rocket science also (EJ 89L)
Conclusion
Edwin Jagger Double Edge safety razor model 89 is an outstanding razor. For a long period, Merkur 34c was the king of safety razors but now with EJ89 around its going neck and neck with the old favorite. And why shouldn’t it?
This safety razor is a perfect razor to start wet shaving. Good quality, gives a very nice shave and is reasonably priced. Just be careful the first time you use it with soapy hands, it can get slippery. With its beautiful package, it is also an excellent gift for birthdays, for Christmas or for a groom. Remember also to buy decent razor blades with it.