Derby Extra Super Stainless vs Merkur 34C

71 facts in comparison

Based on 607 Reddit opinions. Merkur 34C leads by 20 points.

607 opinions
Merkur 34C leads by 20pts
Derby Extra Super Stainless
63%
C
Based on
396 Redditors

Derby Extra Super Stainless

~$7.99
228 opinions

tldr; Polarizing blade. Some love the smoothness, others find it tuggy. Cheap enough to try. Works great in mild razors.

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VS
Reddit's Pick
Merkur 34C
83%
B+
Based on
725 Redditors
Winner

Merkur 34C

~$55.9
379 opinions

tldr; Highly praised for smooth and comfortable, aggressive performance.

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Shave QualityBlade FeelBuild QualityLather QualityErgonomics
SHA
BLA
🔧BUI
LAT
ERG
79
Points
69
Points

Score by Category

Shave Quality
46%69%
Blade Feel
48%64%
Build Quality
0%66%
Lather Quality
100%50%
Ergonomics
100%72%

Why is Merkur 34C better than Extra Super Stainless?

  • Higher Reddit score (83% vs 63%)
  • Better blade feel (64% vs 48%)
  • Better shave quality (69% vs 46%)
  • Comfortable with minimal irritation
  • Delivers smooth, close shaves
  • Aggressive blade exposure requires careful
Based on 1,121 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner

Reddit prefers the Merkur 34C

Winning by 20 points (83% vs 63%)

Better blade feel
Better shave quality
Comfortable with minimal irritation
High confidence (1,121 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,121 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Super Stainless
6.3/10
396 mentions
Merkur 34C
8.3/10
725 mentions
SHAVE QUALITY
Super Stainless4.6/10
Merkur 34C6.9/10
BLADE FEEL
Super Stainless4.8/10
Merkur 34C6.4/10
VALUE
Super Stainless10.0/10
Merkur 34C9.2/10
BUILD QUALITY
Super Stainless0.0/10
Merkur 34C6.6/10
LATHER
Super Stainless10.0/10
Merkur 34C5.0/10
ERGONOMICS
Super Stainless10.0/10
Merkur 34C7.2/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Super Stainless: 3|Merkur 34C: 3
Shave QualityMerkur 34C
Super Stainless46%
Merkur 34C69%
Blade FeelMerkur 34C
Super Stainless48%
Merkur 34C64%
ValueSuper Stainless
Super Stainless100%
Merkur 34C92%
Build QualityMerkur 34C
Super Stainless0%
Merkur 34C66%
LatherSuper Stainless
Super Stainless100%
Merkur 34C50%
ErgonomicsSuper Stainless
Super Stainless100%
Merkur 34C72%
Super Stainless63%
Merkur 34C83%
Clear winner - Merkur 34C leads by 20 points

Key Specs

SpecDerby Extra Super StainlessMerkur 34C
Blade Material
Stainless steel
Coating
Chromium, ceramic, polymer, tungsten, and platinum
Compatibility
Fits all standard double edge safety razors
Manufacturing Origin
Turkey
Brand
Derby
MERKUR

Key Highlights

Derby Extra Super Stainless
💰 ~$0.10 per blade cheap
⚖️ Mild, smooth shave feel
🎲 YMMV - divisive blade
🪒 Best in mild razors
📦 100-pack sampler staple
Some users report issues (22% negative)
Merkur 34CWinner
😌 Comfortable with minimal irritation
🪒 Delivers smooth, close shaves
⚠️ Aggressive blade exposure requires careful
🎯 Requires proper technique and experience
💰 Excellent value for the price point

Topic Battles

Super Stainless: 2|Tied: 0|Merkur 34C: 3
Shave Quality
Merkur 34C wins
Super Stainless
46%
Merkur 34C
69%
Blade Feel
Merkur 34C wins
Super Stainless
48%
Merkur 34C
64%
🔧Build Quality
Merkur 34C wins
Super Stainless
0%
Merkur 34C
66%
Lather Quality
Super Stainless wins
Super Stainless
100%
Merkur 34C
50%
Ergonomics
Super Stainless wins
Super Stainless
100%
Merkur 34C
72%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Merkur 34C

Best Praise
+38 pts
I started out with a Merkur 34C razor and a sample pack of blades. It’s a great razor and the sample pack allowed me to try different quality blades and discover what works for me.
r/wicked_edge
View
Top Criticism
+8 pts
34c shaves kind of like the Rockwell on a 2 or 3 plate. I used the 34c for a few years but it was just too mild so I got the 6s. I’d say if you have a 6s there’s nothing else really worth getting unless you’re just super into having a bunch of razors lol
r/wicked_edge
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Derby Extra Super Stainless

Best Praise
+21 pts
Derby Extra is pretty forgiving, so it's a pretty good place to start
r/wicked_edge
View
Top Criticism
+13 pts
Blades are entirely subjective and YMMV and everyone should find out for themselves. But ... I do hate Derbies.
r/wicked_edge
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Derby Extra Super Stainless
Merkur 34C
$20$40$60Jun '25Jul '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Nov '25Jan '26Feb '26Apr '26May '26Low: $7.99Low: $48.28Current: $7.99Current: $60
Derby Extra Super Stainless
All-time low: $1.99(2011-12)
Merkur 34C
All-time low: $42.73(2024-09)

Which is Better?

Merkur 34C Wins
83%
34C
vs
63%
Stainless

Merkur 34C leads by 20 points based on 1,121 Reddit opinions.

Why Merkur 34CWinner
  • 😌 Comfortable with minimal irritation
  • 🪒 Delivers smooth, close shaves
  • ⚠️ Aggressive blade exposure requires careful
  • More discussed (725 vs 396)
Why Super Stainless
  • Better Value for Money (100% vs 92%)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

44%Positive
Positive
44%
Neutral
47%
Negative
9%
Based on 725 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

35%Positive
Positive
35%
Neutral
43%
Negative
22%
Based on 396 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Merkur 34C or Derby Extra Super Stainless?
Based on 1,121 Reddit comments, Merkur 34C is the preferred choice with 83% positive sentiment vs Derby Extra Super Stainless's 63%. Merkur 34C leads by 20 percentage points.
Should I buy Merkur 34C or Derby Extra Super Stainless?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Merkur 34C has stronger approval ratings (83% vs 63%). However, Derby Extra Super Stainless may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Merkur 34C?
Reddit users highlight: Comfortable with minimal irritation. Delivers smooth, close shaves. Aggressive blade exposure requires careful. With 725 mentions and 83% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Derby Extra Super Stainless?
Reddit users highlight: 0.10 per blade cheap. Mild, smooth shave feel. YMMV - divisive blade. With 396 mentions and 63% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,121 Reddit comments: 725 about Merkur 34C and 396 about Derby Extra Super Stainless. Data was sourced from Shaving gear community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

607 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/27/2026