Badger Brush Grades Explained: Pure, Best, Super & Silvertip
"Badger" on a brush label tells you almost nothing. The grade is what matters — and the marketing around it is a mess. Here's the plain-English version, from someone who buys the knots and turns the handles.
The Quick Answer
Badger hair is graded by softness, water retention and where on the animal it's sourced. From entry-level to top, the grades run: pure → best → super → silvertip. As you go up, the tips get softer, the knot holds more water, and the lather gets richer. You're not paying for a "better shave" exactly — you're paying for a better feel and more lather capacity. Whether that's worth it depends on how much you enjoy the ritual.
| Grade | Feel | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Pure | Firm, slight scritch | First brush, exfoliating feel |
| Best | Softer tips, more backbone | Everyday all-rounder |
| Super | Soft, dense, plush | Step-up, great lather |
| Silvertip | Softest tips, huge water load | Forever-brush, luxury feel |
Pure Badger
The entry grade. Pure badger hair is firmer, with a bit of "scritch" on the face — some people love that exfoliating feel, others find it scratchy. It has plenty of backbone, which means it's easy to load soap and paint lather onto your face. It's a perfectly good brush; it just won't feel as soft as the grades above it. Our Essentials Badger ($69) sits here and is a genuinely good first badger brush.
Best Badger
A step up: longer, finer hair with softer tips, sorted more carefully. You get more flexibility and a gentler feel while keeping enough backbone to lather quickly. For a lot of shavers, "best" is the sweet spot between price and plushness.
Super Badger
Now we're into premium territory. Super badger is denser, softer at the tip, and holds noticeably more water — which means more lather and a more cushioned feel against the skin. The knot "blooms" into a fuller shape when wet. Our Premium Badger Brush ($139) is built on this grade, with hand-turned Teak, Olive Wood or Huon Pine handles.
Silvertip Badger
The top grade. Silvertip uses the softest, palest-tipped hair, packed dense. It holds the most water of any grade, releases lather slowly and evenly, and feels almost cloud-like on the face. This is the grade serious wet shavers chase. Our Luxury Badger Brush ($249+) is silvertip — we wrote a full guide to choosing one in Best Silvertip Badger Shaving Brush in Australia.
A word on the labels: badger grading isn't a regulated standard. One brand's "super" is another's "best." That's exactly why we tell you the price, show you the handle, and let the brush speak for itself rather than leaning on a grade name. Buy on feel and maker, not just the word on the box.
So Which Grade Should You Buy?
Honestly? It depends on where you are.
- First brush: pure or best badger ($69) — or a synthetic if you'd rather not use animal hair.
- You've caught the bug: super badger ($139) is the upgrade most people are happiest with.
- Forever-brush or serious gift: silvertip ($249+).
Not sure badger is even right for you? Our bristle comparison guide weighs badger against synthetic and boar.
Every Stuga brush — pure to silvertip — is hand-turned in the Southern Highlands and ships with a colour-matched stand. From $69, free shipping over $99.
Got your grade sorted? Keep it in top shape with our badger brush care guide, and learn to build a perfect lather from a soap puck.