Amazon Basics 5-Blade MotionSphere Men’s Razor: Worth It?
I shaved my head with the Amazon Basics 5-Blade MotionSphere razor to see if budget beats the name brands. Here's what happened.
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Quick Verdict
I shaved one side of my bald head on camera and the blade MotionSphere left it just as smooth as any name brand I’ve used. One handle plus 16 cartridges is the part that sold me. The refills only fit Amazon Basics handles, so that’s the catch.
Buy if you:
- Shave your head or face every single day
- Are tired of overpaying for name-brand cartridges
- Want the vitamin E moisture strips for less tugging
- Like buying refills in bulk and forgetting about it
Skip if you:
- Already own another brand’s handle, since these cartridges won’t fit it
- Prefer a single-blade or safety razor feel
- Want a fancy weighted metal handle instead of plastic
| Blades | 5-blade MotionSphere head |
|---|---|
| In the box | 1 handle + 16 cartridges |
| Lubrication | Dual lubrication, vitamin E strips |
| Extras | Precision beard trimmer, anti-clog design |
| Compatibility | Fits Amazon Basics handles only |
My New Favorite Razor Is From Amazon Basics
I shaved one side of my head on camera to prove a point. The blade MotionSphere from Amazon Basics gave me a smooth shave right up the nape of my neck and over the top, and I’ve had no issues whatsoever. I’m a huge proponent of Amazon Basics stuff, and the Amazon Basics 5-Blade MotionSphere Men’s Razor is exactly the kind of budget win I keep hoping for. One handle, 16 cartridges, and a shave that holds up next to the national brands.
I shave every day, so a razor either earns a spot in my daily routine or it goes in a drawer. This one earned it.
What You Get In The Box
One handle, 16 cartridges, and five blades per head. That’s the whole pitch. The handle itself is sturdy, and swapping cartridges is easy peasy. You push it, the head actually comes off, push it back in, and it’s back on. No fiddling.
The MotionSphere head is a multi-axis pivot that follows the contours of your face and skull. What I care about more is the dual lubrication with vitamin E moisture strips, because that’s what keeps the tugging down. Amazon Basics also builds in a precision trimmer for a goatee, sideburns, or under the nose, plus an anti-clog design for a quick rinse.
Shaving My Head On Camera
Smooth on the first pass, no drag. I loaded up my Trader Joe’s shaving cream, wet everything down, and had my wife film the back while I ran it up the nape of my neck and over the top where my hair grows in. I only shaved one side so you could see the difference, but I do the whole thing every day.
The moisture strips are the part I keep coming back to. That vitamin E lubrication is what makes it glide instead of tug, and on a bald head that matters, because there’s a lot of surface and a lot of curves. The MotionSphere pivot handled the round of my skull without me having to fight the angle. Pretty stable, pretty quality, pretty firm.
That’s the whole comparison in one sentence: I couldn’t feel the difference between this and the razors I’ve paid three times as much for, and I was looking for one.
The Refills Only Fit One Handle
Here’s the catch nobody loves: the cartridges fit Amazon Basics handles only. If you’ve already got a Gillette or Schick handle sitting in your medicine cabinet, these blades won’t clip onto it, and their blades won’t clip onto this one either. So you’re committing to the Amazon Basics system when you buy in.
For me that’s fine, because I bought the handle and 16 cartridges together and I’m set for a long stretch. But if you were hoping to swap these into a razor you already own, that’s not happening. Worth knowing before you click buy.
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Amazon Basics 5-Blade MotionSphere Men’s Razor
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Who This Razor Actually Fits
Daily shavers who hate the cost of blades. That’s the sweet spot. If you shave your head like I do, or your face every morning, you burn through cartridges fast, and name-brand refills add up quick. Getting a handle plus 16 cartridges in one box means you’re not staring at a checkout screen every few weeks.
It’s also a solid pick if you have sensitive skin, since the vitamin E and dual lubrication cut down the tugging that causes razor burn. Guys with a goatee or sideburns to keep clean get the precision trimmer on the back, too.
Budget vs Expensive Brands
The expensive brands win on handle heft and brand recognition, and that’s about it. The premium razors feel a touch more substantial in the hand, and their marketing is louder. But the shave? I couldn’t tell you which one gave me a closer pass on my head. This blade MotionSphere shaves just as smooth as name-brand razors at a fraction of the refill cost.
The one edge the big names hold is universal availability of refills in any drugstore. With Amazon Basics you’re ordering online and you’re locked to their handle. If that trade doesn’t bother you, the budget option flat-out wins on value.
Tips Before You Buy
Buy the handle-plus-16-cartridge bundle, not just refills. If you grab loose cartridges thinking they’ll fit an old handle, they won’t. Start with a fresh cartridge and a good cream, wet everything down first, and let the moisture strips do the work instead of pressing hard. Rinse under running water and the anti-clog head clears in a couple seconds. Swap the cartridge the second the strip fades and you keep that smooth first-pass feel.
Pros
- Smooth first-pass shave on a bald head, right up the neck and over the top
- Vitamin E moisture strips cut the tugging on sensitive skin
- One handle plus 16 cartridges is a huge amount of value
- Sturdy handle and easy peasy cartridge swaps that click right on
- Extremely inexpensive compared to national-brand refills
Cons
- Cartridges fit Amazon Basics handles only, so you’re locked to the system
- Plastic handle doesn’t have the heft of a premium metal one
- Refills aren’t sold in most drugstores, so you’re ordering online
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the cartridges fit Gillette or Schick handles?
No. The cartridges fit Amazon Basics razor handles only and won’t clip onto other brands. If you already own a different handle, you’ll need this one’s handle too, which is why the bundle makes sense.
How long do 16 cartridges last?
I shave my entire head every day and swap the cartridge the moment the moisture strip fades, at that pace, 16 cartridges lasts me several months before I reorder. If you’re only doing your face, expect to stretch them further.
Is this good for shaving your head, not just your face?
Yes, I shaved my whole head with it. The MotionSphere pivot follows the curve of your skull, and the lubrication strips keep it gliding over all that surface without dragging.
Does it work for sensitive skin?
Yes, in my experience. The vitamin E strips noticeably reduce drag compared to a dry or stripped-down cartridge, and on a bald head, where you’re covering a lot of curved surface in one pass, that difference is real. Pair it with a cream and a light hand and I haven’t had razor burn once.
Does it have a trimmer for edges?
Yes, there’s a precision beard trimmer on the back of the head. It’s meant for a goatee, sideburns, and under the nose where a five-blade head can’t reach cleanly.
How do you rinse it when it clogs?
Just hold it under running water. The anti-clog design lets the hair and cream flush out fast so you can get back to shaving without picking gunk out of the blades.
Is the handle sturdy or does it feel cheap?
The handle is sturdy and firm in the hand. It’s plastic, so it won’t feel as weighty as a premium metal handle, but it doesn’t feel flimsy and I’ve had no issues with it whatsoever.
Do you need a subscription or account to keep buying refills?
No subscription is required. You just reorder cartridges from Amazon whenever you run low, and since a box holds 16, you won’t be doing that often.
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Amazon Basics 5-Blade MotionSphere Men’s Razor
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