So after reading a few posts I have gotten no clear answer. Walgreens carry no SEs anymore. CVS blades have no identification the box. No details. I've read they Are the same as GEM Blue. Are these considered the best in general or are the GEM Personnas offered on amazon better? Are they even different? How many blades are actually unique and not rebranded? I read the sticky and still don't get it.
Pellas are made by ASR, I believe. And are branded GEM. These are generally considered the best (ymmv) and yes, you want the PTFE (teflon) coated ones.
I believe the CVS ones are either uncoated and/or are not stainless steel. I'm no SE blade expert tho. I just know that the drugstore ones that I've used corroded fast and weren't as smooth as the Pellas. edit: I'd hate to refer you to another site, but IIRC, there was a comprehensive listing and comparison of SE blades over on badger and blade. See Tom's post below.
I got rid of my SE gear a while back so my memory is probably faulty, but as I remember it, the Ted Pella blades are different from the CVS blades but not by much. I never tried a Pella blade but people who tried both reported they didn't notice much difference. There isn't much variety to SE blades. There are carbon steel blades like GEM blue star and PAL, and there's stainless blades like GEM Stainless and Ted Pella. The carbon steel blades felt the same to me. I preferred them because the first shave with one was smoother, but they rusted so easily because they're carbon steel. Also, they degrade quickly. I'd get two good shaves from one carbon blade. GEM Stainless used to be the only stainless blade you'd find in a brick and mortar store. They're okay and they were my go to blade for SE razors. CVS carried them for a good price. These don't rust easily and I could shave with one for three to five days. I believe Dorco is producing a stainless blade now and they get horrible reviews. Check the back of any SE blade. If the package says made in America, it's a GEM stainless. If it says made in Korea it's probably a Dorco. I haven't used those Korean SE but the reviews were bad enough I didn't want to try. But then, YMMV is such a weird thing with razors and blades. Maybe they'd work for you.
On the CVS blades, look for Made in USA or American Safety Razor on the package or on the plastic blade holder. If you see that, they're made by ASR. The CVS blades I got seemed to be carbon steel. I tried 3 from a pack of those and they all seemed dull. I couldn't shave with them. There was just too much tugging. The Gem stainless blades from Walgreens work better for me. I think the Ted Pella PTFE coated stainless blades would be the same.
