Mühle R89 Razor Review – Is it suitable for Beginners?
Mühle R89 Safety Razor
The Mühle R89 is a popular safety razor that is mild in aggressiveness. It’s an attractive closed-comb razor that is sold with various handle styles to choose from.
Pros
An attractive modern contemporary design
Its mild nature makes it ideal for beginners in wet shaving with safety razors
A choice of various handles
Affordable razor and high quality
Suitable for beginners and experienced gents
Attractive and practical handle grip
Good drainage slats
Cons
While the engraved handles are attractive, they don't offer as much grip as knurled types
Not great with coarse and long growth
The Mühle R89 was one of the first safety razors I bought when I started learning to use a safety razor without cutting an important part of my face off.
Was it a good safety razor for me to get started as a beginner?
Well, I wasn’t sure at the time as I didn’t have much experience with others, but I can now say yes, most definitely. It is a good safety razor for beginners!
Let’s take a closer look at the German-made safety razor – Mühle R89.
Mühle R89 Description & Features
The Mühle R89 is one of the best selling double edged razors and it’s what’s known as a mild razor, which means it’s less aggressive than other razors (especially the meanest Muhle shaving tool – Mühle R41).
- The glossy chrome finish on this razor makes it look like a high-quality and well-designed product. It just shines, and at first, I kind of did not want to get shaving cream or water on it to spoil it.
- Engraved handle – The attractive engraved design on the handle supports grip, although this only feels slight.
- Double-edged – You can shave with this razor on both sides and use double-edged blades in the head. DE razors are the most commonly used.
- Closed comb – The bottom section safety bar of the razor head has a row of grooves and underneath is flat. This design is safer and easier to use than open-comb razors.
- 3 parts & 2 parts (twist model) – The standard model and Grande both come apart via screwing the handle off, which leaves you with three parts. Blade changing is not as quick as butterfly types, but it’s less likely to become faulty. The R89 Twist screws off from the bottom and only has two parts as the lower section of the head remains attached, making it easy to replace blades.
- Blade gap – 0.45mm (0.018″)
The Three Mühle R89 Versions
The Mühle R89 comes in three versions which include the Standard, Twist, and Grande. There is also an R89 which is the standard model with an attractive rose gold colored handle.
Here are the differences that do make a difference for each person that uses them.
R89 Standard
The standard traditional model has a shorter handle length of 94 mm and it comes apart in 3 pieces when changing blades.
Dimensions: 41 mm (W) x 94 mm (L)
Weight: 64 g
R89 Grande
The R89 Grande is the same as the traditional standard model with the only difference being the length which is 107 mm which also increases the weight.
Dimensions: 41 mm (W) x 107 mm (L)
Weight: 90 g
R89 ‘Twist’
The R89 is the same length as the Grande (107 mm). The main difference being the razor head is removed when twisting the bottom cap off.
Dimension: 41 mm (W) x 107 mm (L)
Weight: 90 g
Which model from the R89 range should you choose? I have found the Grande size is much better when handling the razor, although I must admit that the fiddly bits near the nose and other parts have felt easier with the Standard lighter model.
I would primarily go with the Grande though over the standard size, for the ease and comfort of using a razor in my hand, and for the extra weight which helps the razor do the work while shaving from the extra weight!
It can depend on what size your hand is most comfortable with when choosing one of these, and if you have big hands then the Grande is likely to be much better.
If you like the idea of removing the shaver head easily then you might want to think about trying the R89 Twist. This is just about your personal preference, though.
How well does the Mühle R89 perform and shave, then?
I’m glad you asked; after all that’s the main point, right?
While shaving with the R89 is fairly comfortable, it does seem to be easier when there is only a couple of days of growth. Any more growth, then I do have to be more cautious and make fewer strokes/passes as it it not aggressive with minimal blade gap.
The smaller sized handle is about the ideal size when it comes to shaving the little bits off under the nose and chin, although, as mentioned previously, the longer handle model (Grande) is better throughout the rest of the shave. As a beginner, the standard may be best until he gets familiar with using safety razors and gets his own shaving style going.
The weight of the razor (64 g) does help to lean against the face without much pressure, but the Grande is so much more helpful (90 g).
I do get a nice close shave from Mühle R89, and mostly with ease.
Handle Grip – 8/10
I love everything about the R89 and even the look and feel of the engraved handle. However, I would like a little more grip, but I don’t know if I’m being too particular on that front.
Look & Design – 9/10
I cannot fault this razor at all when it comes to its look and design. It looks both traditional and modern, and it’s easy to see that it’s designed to high standards. The chrome finish makes it attractive, and this razor will last for at least five or more years.
Ease of Use – 9/10
Regarding what is called aggressiveness in the wet shaving industry, the R89 is mild, although I feel it is mild to medium. It is not the mildest I have used; however, it is a razor that gives me room to use after a few days of growth, which may not be the case if it were any milder.
Value for Money – 9/10
The Mühle R89 costs approximately $44.00, so it isn’t the cheapest razor, and you may find other well-made razors like this for around $25 – $35. However, the chrome finish and quality of this razor, with its slick look make it worth the extra dosh if the look of this razor suits you best.
Final thoughts – Is it suitable for Beginners?
The Mühle R89 is a well-made, great-looking safety razor that makes you feel like you’re shaving with something of quality. Experienced safety razor users and beginners could become long-term shaving companions with this razor!
It is a mild razor, although it’s not the mildest, in my experience. It can tackle some growth when needed and be gentle enough for guys who shave daily.
This could still be a good razor to start with if you needed a mild to medium type razor when getting started on your traditional safety razor journey; however, there is no one size fits all. Getting started with buying the most suitable razor for you may require some trial and error to find the best one.
Bottom line –great for beginners in wet shaving with safety razors and for gents that shave daily!
