Start shopping for a five-bladed razor from Gillette, and don’t be surprised if you quickly get confused.
That’s because the company has a full lineup of five-bladed razors that each have different features… but very similar names. When you’re shopping, you’ll come across all of the following:
- Fusion5
- Fusion5 ProGlide
- Fusion5 ProGlide Shield (aka ProShield)
- Fusion5 ProGlide Chill
- Fusion5 ProGlide Power
- Fusion5 ProGlide Shield Power
On top of this, they can all have slightly different names from what’s listed above. Some listings may have them as simply “Fusion” (without the ‘5’).
So what’s the difference between them all?
We’ve tested each of these razors and learned all the ins and outs of each. And while they are similar, there are some difference. Put simply, the names are like a language that you can learn to speak to describe the features of each razor.
Fusion5
Fusion5 refers to the base razor in the lineup, but also the group as a whole (confusing, we know). Anything with Fusion or Fusion5 in the name means it’s part of this family of razor that includes five blades.
The base Fusion5 razor contains five blades is pictured above. It’s most notable feature is a large microfin area. It comes with a static handle that doesn’t pivot left and right like the ProGlide (covered below). For more on the base Fusion5 razor, see our review here.
ProGlide
The ProGlide name refers to the razors that are a step above the basic Fusion5 blad. It includes more lubrication on the razor’s head, but if a handle is included with the razor, it will also have Gillette’s “Flexball” feature. These handles allow the razor to pivot left and right to glide over your face, along with the greater lubrication. The ProGlide series of razors also have a microcomb (in grey, above) before the razor to straighten hair before it cuts.
ProGlide Shield (or ProShield)
Like the ProGlide, the ProShield has a pivoting head that moves left and right. It also has two lubrication zones — one at the top and one at the bottom of the razor. The ProShield also has microfins and a microcomb to provide a smoother shave. You’ll recognize the ProShield as the yellow-colored razor.
ProGlide Chill
Similar to the ProShield, the ProGlide Chill has lubrication at the top and bottom of the razor for a smoother shave. And because it is “ProGlide” in the name, it will also have a handle that pivots left and right and a microcomb before the blade. The difference between the Chill and the Shield is that the ProGlide Chill has a cooling sensation from the lubrication. You’ll recognize the ProGlide Chill as the blue-colored razor.
ProGlide Power/ProGlide Shield Power
The top-of-the-line among this family of razors is the “Power” series. These razors have the ProGlide features like extra lubrication and the “Flexball” movement that goes left and right. Razors that have “power” in the name also have the battery-powered vibration that’s generated to help provide a smoother shave. This vibration is powered by a AAA battery. You can see what we think of the “Power” razors here.
To sum up, the Fusion5 ProGlide Shield Power means it’s a five-bladed razor (Fusion5) with the “Flexball” left and right pivot and extra lubrication (ProGlide Shield), and a powered handle that vibrates when you turn it on (Power).
One thing to note is that each of the Fusion five-bladed razors will fit into the handles of another. So a Fusion5 ProGlide cartridge will fit a Fusion 5 ProGlide Chill handle and vice versa.
Which Razor Is Right For You?
If after all of that you’re not sure which razor is right for you, don’t worry. We have reviews of all of the following razors:
- Fusion5
- Fusion5 ProGlide
- Fusion5 ProGlide Shield
- Fusion5 ProGlide Chill
- Fusion5 ProGlide Shield Power
The good news is that they all provide a somewhat similar shave that’s high-quality. While there are some differences between each, in our opinion they aren’t that big. The one exception is that we think the “Power” feature among the Fusion5 razors is a nice touch, although it is more pricey. See the reviews above for more details.
