This being my first safety razor, I don't have any experience with any others, but I am absolutely satisfied with this one. I get a noticeably closer shave now than I did with any of the 'disposable' types you get at Walmart or CVS that I've been using for years. At the same time, it's not too close that its causing rashes or cuts, in my case at least. It's close but comfortable.
It is quite heavy & solid, which I can imagine some people might not like or be used to, but I'm used to it already. The textured grip on this model is easy to keep in your hand, even when wet, which is actually one of the reasons I chose this one over the others.
Overall, I'm really enjoying shaving with this!