Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Razor Blades

Astra Superior Platinum blades are widely regarded by the wet shaving community as the go-to recommendation for beginners and experienced shavers alike, praised for their balance of sharpness, smoothness, and exceptional value. They are most frequently compared favorably against Feather blades, which many find too aggressive, with Astra seen as the safer, more forgiving middle ground. Some concern exists around manufacturing location changes over the years, though most users report no noticeable quality degradation.

Astra Superior Platinum blades are the most consistently recommended DE blade in the community for their combination of sharpness, skin-friendliness, rock-bottom cost, and availability — making them a near-universal starting point and long-term go-to for safety razor users.

Community consensus is strong: Astra blades offer an outstanding combination of sharpness, gentleness on skin, and near-unbeatable cost per shave. Many users report buying 100-packs that last years, describing them as the sensible, reliable choice among dozens of blade options tested.

• Extremely low cost, roughly $8–$10 per 100 blades
• Sharp yet forgiving, well-suited for sensitive skin
• Frequently chosen after testing variety packs of 10+ blade brands
• Long blade life, typically 3–8 shaves per blade reported
• Minimal plastic packaging, environmentally friendlier than cartridges
• Widely compatible with Merkur, Edwin Jagger, Rockwell, Leaf, and vintage Gillette razors

A minority of users report Astra blades are too harsh for their skin, while others raise concerns about quality changes following a manufacturing location shift away from Russia. These are dissenting views, but worth noting given the highly personal nature of blade-skin compatibility.

• Some users find Astra too aggressive, causing irritation or cuts
• Quality concerns raised after production moved from Russia to other locations
• Not universally ideal — blade-skin compatibility varies significantly by individual
• Blade longevity can be insufficient for very coarse or thick beards

One commenter described buying 200 Astra blades after testing around ten different brands and keeping a notebook with labels and notes — Astra won out, with Feather a close but irritating second.

A user who switched from cartridges 15 years ago noted they've saved thousands of dollars pairing Astra blades with an Edwin Jagger razor, spending roughly $10–$15 CAD on 100 blades that last the better part of a year.

Someone who tried over 20 blade types concluded Astra was the best overall, beating even Feather on price, shaves-per-blade, and forgiveness — adding that blades bought 15+ years ago still haven't been used up.

Multiple commenters emphasized that no blade works for everyone and strongly recommended buying a variety sampler pack first, since some find Feather perfect while others find Astra similarly harsh — reinforcing that Astra is a strong default, not a guaranteed fit.