Summary
It’s something most of us will have used at some point, and a product that has been around for decades in various forms. But do all the advertised fancy features, pivoting heads, multiple blades and higher price tags, really make a difference to your shave?
Listener Tim got in touch, asking just that, as well as whether all the extras on razors these days also have an impact on the environment?
Greg Foot focuses on modern cartridge razors in this episode, and cuts through the marketing hype to get answers, by speaking to a leading Dermatologist, as well as one of the top scientists at one of the largest razor manufacturers, Gillette.
This series, we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a voice note to our new WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.
PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello, podcast fan. |
| 0:03.0 | Consider this your invite to the UK's biggest podcasting party. |
| 0:06.7 | We're heading to Sheffield from the 4th to the 6th of July |
| 0:09.0 | for the BBC Sounds Fringe at the Crossed Wires Festival. |
| 0:12.8 | We'll be joined by some of the biggest names in podcasting, |
| 0:15.3 | including Sarah Cox, Charlie Hedges, Russell Kane, |
| 0:18.4 | and some bloke called Greg James doing his radio four show called Rewinder. |
| 0:23.2 | You can watch live shows of your favourite podcasts, |
| 0:25.3 | and the best part is free. |
| 0:28.0 | To book your free tickets, |
| 0:29.3 | go to crossedwires.orgive, forward slash fringe. |
| 0:34.1 | BBC Sounds, music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:49.2 | Hello, I'm Greg Foote and welcome to the show that investigates your suggested wonder products. |
| 0:53.1 | Are they the best thing since sliced bread or marketing BS? |
| 0:56.3 | Today's topic comes in on a WhatsApp voice note from Tim Schute in Belfast. Hi Greg. I shave every morning in the shower using one of the |
| 1:03.7 | standard multi-blade razors with a disposable ped. Over the years I've used single blades, double |
| 1:08.3 | blades, triple blades, even quintuple blades. And all of the multi-blade systems have had a variety of lubricating strips that the ads say make the shaving experience more wonderful. |
| 1:16.6 | My questions for you are, does the number of blades make a difference to the quality of a shave? |
| 1:20.6 | Do the lubricating strips make any difference in what do they really do? |
| 1:23.6 | And from an environmental point of view, what does all the new tech and extra blades mean? |
| 1:28.4 | And are they harder to recycle and what is the least harmful way of shaving for the environment? |
| 1:32.4 | So, Greg, which one is the best thing since shaved bread? Thank you. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.