As a person who has many expensive leather dress shoes, I have been shoe shining and doing shoe care for quite a while now. An have spent a lot of money on shoe care products, I also want to spotlight on products aside from the major French brand I typically use and also give them a try.
For me, I tend to use the process of cleaner/conditioner, shoe polish (of that same color) and then the wax/mirror gloss. And in addition to that, making sure you have a brush (I uses multiple brushes for different colors of shoes) and a microfiber cloth/towel. Now that is why it tends to cost more, for those of us who have shoes of different colors but if you have invested hundreds (or even over a thousand) on a dress shoe, you want to have the best cleaning products available.
But I was not like this before. Back then, I had dress shoes which I got from my local mall, online or as a student or early in my career, I would buy dress shoes and shoes in general according to my budget.
So, I know how it is. And search for a cleaning supply, you want one that does the job but also not too expensive on the wallet.
So, for today’s review, I look at the Cobbler’s Choice Essential Leather Kit.
In this kit, you get the shoe brush (a good size I might add, instead of the mini-brushes that tend to come with sets), microfiber cloth, leather cleaner, leather conditioner and waterproofing spray.
I always feel it’s good to do numerous shoes at once, because there are times where you have to wait for the conditioner to work on the shoe, so might as well do other shoes while you wait.
So, first step is with the cleaner. This one is spray based, so I sprayed it on a faux leather shoe I had long ago. Brushed it to remove any excess dirt and then I began to condition it. This is probably the important part of keeping the longevity of your shoes. Some like to use their fingers, I use another cloth (or you can use the provided microfiber cloth) or something I can wrap around my finger and wipe around the shoe and then leave it on for ten minutes.
When you wait about 10-20 minutes about conditioning the shoe and then you can add the waterproofing spray.
For the most part, the Cobbler’s Choice Essential Leather Kit works great for cleaning leather sneakers, leather and faux leather shoes. Because it has the cleaner, conditioner and spray.
This is for those who want their shoes cleaned and shined but keeping it within their budget, not needing mirror gloss or specific-color shoe polishes.
There was one reviewer that wrote “overvalued”. The truth is that shoe shining is becoming a competitive market, and there are numerous brands who compete and try to keep their kids around the $24-$60 range. The best I can say is read reviews, look online at videos.
Nevertheless, considering I spend nearly $30 alone just for a single conditioner, another $30 for the specific color of shoe polish, and more so for the waxes and other brushes, it all comes down to what you are willing to spend.
For those who just want the cleaning and protection part of it, you can’t go wrong with this set. It’s not color specific, so no worries about damaging your shoes. It just cleans, conditions and adds weatherproof, so it’s a safe product for shoes.
You also get a good-sized brush, as many sets tend to have “mini-brushes” and you get a microfiber cloth.
While sold for $55, for me that’s a standard price. While I would feel $39.99-$49.99 would make it even more attractive to those on a budget. But nevertheless, you can’t go wrong with this shoe care set.
