Saving money on razors: Do you really get as clean a shave with cheaper razors?

CLEVELAND - Dollar Shave Club is an online razor club for men. The company offers monthly memberships into its club for $1-9 a month, depending on the type or razor plan you choose. The company has a simple mission: to sell you cheap razors, but do they make the cut?

Brian Hering is one of 4.8 million people who watched the Dollar Shave Club ad on YouTube .

"I thought it was hilarious, and I was like I have to try this," Hering said.

Hering joined the $6 a month plan. For that price, he gets four cartridges with four blades each month. The first time you order, you get the razor that's described as a "gentle shave in a single stroke" along with the blades. Shipping and handling is included in the price tag.

Six dollars is half of what Hering spent before he joined the club.

"I tend to use razors longer than what they are supposed to be used, because I don't like spending money on them," Hering explained.

Hering tried the blades along with two other men who didn't join the club.

Hering compared the four-blade Dollar Shave Club razor with his typically five-blade razor. He shaved one side of his face with each razor.

"It doesn't seem to glide as easily as the five-blade one I normally use," Hering said.

The five blade had the edge until Hering shaved some more with the Dollar Shave Club razor.

"I cut myself with the other one, but this one I didn't so that's a good thing," Hering said.

The results were visible. Hering's face bled from the five-blade razor, which was new, just like the four-blade Dollar Shave Club razor. Hering said the Dollar Shave Club razor was a cut above the competition because it didn't cut his face.

"I like it. I'll continue to use it," Hering said.

Second tester

Next up -- Kurt Striffler.

"Cost is definitely one of the things that makes me stop and look twice," Striffler said.

Striffler is interested in the club, but hasn't joined yet. We gave him a chance to try it for free. He put it to the test on three-days growth. He tested the four blade Dollar Shave Club razor against his normal five blade.

"Better than expected," Striffler said of the Dollar Shave Club razor. "It seems to be working pretty well. It glides right across my face."

He also shaved his head, and in this head to head battle, Striffler said, "I would say it's definitely worth a try if you want to save money on blades. This is definitely the way to go. It works as well as my Gillette razor."

Third tester

In our third test, we went to Stylize Hair Design and had David Blystone test the razor. He never heard of the club.

"I've used the same Bic razor for years and years," Blystone said.

For this comparison, we did a blind test. We wrapped a four blade razor bought at the store and the Dollar Shave Club razor with duct tape so Blystone wouldn't know which one is which.

Blystone initially liked the feel of the razor we bought at the store, but when he looked at the results, Blystone said, the Dollar Shave Club razor gave him a better shave.

"I think I would probably buy B. It gave me a closer shave," Blystone said not knowing B was the Dollar Shave Club razor.

In all three tests, the Dollar Shave Club razor was a cut above the competition by just a hair.

Other options

Canceling the subscription service was simple. You just have to log into your account with Dollar Shave Club.

If a membership service is not for you, savings are advertised on other sites like The Great Shaving Ripoff . It's a campaign by Dorco USA , a supplier of Dollar Shave Club. Dorco USA's President said it supplies the six and four blade razors to Dollar Shave Club, and offers al a carte options on its website if you just want razors on an as-needed basis.