I haven't bought cartridge style razors in years and have been happy enough with the disposable types, usually Bic Sensitive Skin (the green ones). There's a lot of hype about blades and how close they can get, but they can only go so far without going under the skin. Doesn't matter if there's one blade or a hundred blades - it can't cut any further than necessary. The cheaper disposable blades may take 2 strokes to get the same cut as the dearer cartridge type blades' single stroke. But with a few extra passes you'll find you get just as close in the end, and by going against the grain is better yet. I think the greatest difference is in the hardening process of the blades - the expensive blades appear to stay sharper for longer, making up for the extra expense.
But I still can't justify paying $20 for blades when I can get an 8 pack of Green Bics for around $4.50 that do a good job, but only if you're prepared to put in a little extra effort.
