When I was younger the prospect of getting ‘a clip round the ears’ at home was far from an enticing prospect.
But, in the sense that’s its meant here, namely the attainment of a nice and neat cropped ‘Barnet’, we’re the first in line. And how better to achieve that street-sharp GIY (groom it yourself) look than with a trusty pair of home-use hair clippers.
If the recent lockdowns taught us anything it was how to cope with closed barbers and hairdressers. Indeed, sales of hair clippers soared as many of us, buoyed with confidence after watching a few TikTok or YouTube videos, took to lopping off our locks (or recruiting our reluctant other halves or housemates to do it for us).
Sometimes met with questionable results, the realisation is that it really does pay to invest in a decent pair of hair clippers to start with. The right set will help you up your game and say goodbye to salons potentially for good - the cost savings proving irresistible.
From sharpening up fades between barbershop visits and exquisitely sculpting facial hair to less visible man-scaping duties such as beach-ready chests and exquisitely groomed nethers, a decent pair of hair clippers should sit central to any self-respecting Metrosexual’s grooming routine.
Thankfully, the likes of BaByliss, Andis, Remington and Wahl have got the whole grooming and clipping caper down to a fine art. In fact, it was barber favourite Wahl – one Leo J. Wahl, to be precise – who kickstarted the market back in the 1920s so, with 100 years of experience under their belt, they should have picked up a few smarts by now.
What should you look out for in your hair clippers?
Cord or cordless?
Today’s home hair clippers are typically cordless, of course, with mains operation relegated to providing a handy fallback for when batteries fall flat. The proliferation of clippers that’ll work dry or wet has further aided the versatility angle, being suitable for use in the shower as well as increasingly durable.
Accessories
There’s a staggering array of options to choose between, from sturdy salon-style sets to budget all-over grooming kits containing add-ons like hairdressing scissors.
Blades
Another variant is the blades. Ceramic blades offer an attractive alternative to the more commonly found steel options, including the popular Japanese steel variants. While more brittle, ceramic blades are better at staying cool, don’t rust or corrode and, for some, produce a smoother shave. Plus, they look cool.
Motors
While cordless home-use hair clippers typically use rotary motors, other models can feature magnetic or pivot motors.
Everything else
Best of all, many hair clippers sets can be had for under £50. Just be sure to confirm your chosen hair clippers pack enough power to meet your needs, offer a close enough finish, and the battery offers acceptable recharge and runtimes.
Read on for a taste of the best offerings currently on the market
Andis Cordless US Pro Lithium Clipper
Best hair clippers for: A value salon-worthy device
Though not so commonplace in the UK, the highly respected Andis label is well established in other major markets such as the U.S., as implied in this model’s name. But with the quality of its products and designs, it deserves a place on your bathroom shelf.
This rotary motor model is a case in point, offering more than two hours of run-time off a full charge that takes around 90 minutes. Other notable features include the side adjustment lever with excellent control for cutting tapers and fades. The blade’s cutting height can be adjusted right down to zero.
Nice and chunky, these hair clippers have a good weight to them and feel great in the hand. Plus, they’re not that noisy, which is a definite boon. Better still, they come supplied with nine sturdy plastic attachable comb fittings along with a blade guard, charger and clipper oil to keep your beloved blades in tip-top condition.
Buy now £88.99, Amazon
Remington HC9105 Manchester United Heritage Cordless Hair Clipper
Best hair clippers for: Manchester United fans
Fancy catching reflections of the badge of your favourite football team in the mirror as you tame your locks? Looking for a thoughtful gift for a fan of the Red Devils? Well, in that case then look no further than these well-crafted clippers.
Despite being a Norwich City man myself, I can definitely appreciate the beautiful retro silver stylings of these hair clippers. They are based on the design of Remington’s first-ever electric foil shaver, launched back in 1937, with their solid, chunky design and shiny metallic silver finish that ensure that these wouldn’t look out of place in a 1950s barbers.
They can be used corded or cordless where the lithium battery gives an hour of use of a single four-hour charge. While the claim of ‘six times improved cutting performance’ is a bold one, they’re certainly powerful, the 11 combs offering lengths from 1.5mm to 25mm.
Other notable features include a blade guard and ear tapers while the removable, washable blades ensure fast and fuss-free cleaning. Supplied with a cleaning brush, travel pouch, blade oil, towel and a five-year guarantee.
Buy now £73.55, Currys
Remington X3 Power-X Series Hair Clipper
Best hair clippers for: Low cost, high efficiency
Don’t be put off by the lengthy 16-hour charge time and run time of just 45 minutes, these are a quality pair of clippers that, for this price point, excel in the clipping and styling stakes.
With the option of operating cordless or corded, and chargeable via a USB hub, these well-priced lovelies offer a nice mix of precision cutting and power – that X3 element of their name promising three times the cutting power of regular clippers – and they’re super simple and enjoyable to use.
Used ‘bare’, without combs, they’ll clip a head of hair to 0.5mm in a jiffy. Add one of the two provided combs and you can cut hair at lengths of between 3mm and 24mm with a turn of the dial wheel, ratcheting up or down the 22 length settings in increments of 1mm.
While somewhat plasticky, these clippers feel nice in the hand with a sleek design and anti-slip grip. Top marks for those removable Japanese steel blades which are self-sharpening and can be rinsed under the tap.
Buy now £31.99, Superdrug
BaBylissMEN Japanese Steel Digital Hair Clipper
Best hair clippers for: Value Japanese steel
When I think of Japanese steel, I’m reminded of the Hattori Hanzo swords featured in the movie Kill Bill and at first try these stylish clippers appear similarly impressive in the cutting stakes, providing sharp, reliable results.
Offering corded or cordless use, they’ll give a run-time of up to 160 minutes on three hours of juice while the handy quick charge function will keep you buzzing for twenty minutes off a 20-minute cycle.
I really like the look and feel of these, from the reassuring weight, suggestive of quality components, to the gorgeous soft-sheen metallic blue body. Other noteworthy features include the clear LED display showing data such as remaining run time, the selected taper function and if the travel lock is on or off.
The choice of 45 possible different cutting lengths is fantastic, courtesy of the eight click-on combs, covering the hair cutting grades from one through eight. Additionally, the twistable upper main body section offers five levels of taper control.
Buy now £54.79, Babyliss
Wahl Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multi-groomer
Best hair clippers for: An all-over grooming kit
If you’re looking for more than just a standard pair of hair clippers, this comprehensive combo ticks a whole load of boxes. Featuring all manner of add-ons, including no less than 16 comb attachments, this model makes a great starter kit or office drawer backup.
Cutting lengths range from a close-cropped 0.2mm up to 25mm, taming your tangles and getting you boardroom, bedroom or beach ready from top to toe, while also offering incredibly good value.
One major selling point is the four interchangeable heads comprising a double-foil shaver, a nose trimmer and an edge trimmer for finer detailing work, in addition to the main bladed hair clippers attachment.
Admittedly, some of these, particularly the flimsy comb guides and cheap case, don’t exactly scream premium, but overall the value-backed versatility the hair clippers and grooming kit gives is hard to beat.
Factor in the impressive three hours of run-time off a one-hour charge, backed by a handy five-minute quick charge function, and you have a great go-to travel solution for a man on the move. It also comes with a five-year warranty.
Buy now £66.99, Wahl
Wahl Clipper Kit Cord/Cordless
Best hair clippers for: A starter clipper
It’s hard to argue with the value of this comprehensive offering from the ever-dependable Wahl brand which includes everything you need to get started.
For around £20, you get items such as hairdressers’ scissors, barber’s comb and cleaning brush alongside the clippers themselves whose features include removable blades for easy cleaning.
The clippers’ 11 detachable combs serve a range of lengths from 0.8mm to 25mm, opening up a world of styles at your fingertips. While the long charge charging time is not ideal, it’ll give a 60-minute run-time and you can always use it corded, too. All in all a great pick for teens and anyone else looking to beautify on a budget.
Buy now £19.97, Amazon
Remington Quick Cut Hair Clippers
Best hair clippers for: Speed
Ok, so the somewhat quirky design of these red and black clippers won’t win any style awards but don’t let that fool you. These rather funny-looking hair clippers are not short on compelling selling points.
For starters, they’re keenly priced, fit nicely in the hand and are refreshingly quick and easy to use, getting you street sharp and out of the bathroom in a jiffy. Simply choose from the nine comb lengths and let that handy curved blade (or ‘CurveCut Blade technology’, as Remington calls it) make light work of your dome.
Then seal the deal by spending a bit of time edging and trimming those trickier areas such as your sideburns and you’re good to go, the lithium battery providing 40 minutes of run-time on a full charge. When finished simply rinse out the blades under the tap.
The device comes complete with a storage pouch, cleaning brush and a small bottle of blade oil. They’re another handy option to take on the road.
Buy now £33.99, Amazon
Wahl Power Clipper
Best hair clippers for: A taper arm
With its nice and curvy ergonomic design fitting snuggly in the hand, this is another fine, reliable offering from Wahl giving a lot of bang for around the £50 mark.
Featuring a thumb-adjustable taper lever, they offer a nice degree of control over the variable cutting lengths – great for fine-looking fades. For the price, they sure pack a punch in the cutting department, slicing through hair like it’s not even there.
Other boons include the quick charge time. Not only should a meagre three-hour charge be good for two hours of cordless run-time, a 15-minute charge should give 12 minutes of run-time thanks to the handy quick charge function.
Alongside the 12 comb attachments, these even come with a hairdressing cape alongside the usuals such as a small bottle of blade oil and a comb and cleaning brush. Nice one Wahl.
Buy now £54.74, Amazon
BaByliss Super-X Metal Series Hair Clipper
Best hair clippers for: premium in the ‘£100 and over’ range
Increase your budget to just over the £100 mark and a whole new world of stylish styling options opens up. Take these deliciously designed lovelies: they have a sleek modern matt grey and shiny silver body accented by a fetching blue side-strip charger display and are topped by a Japanese steel blade.
With their quality steel blade and premium, smooth operator looks, these pro grade clippers both look and feel well made while packing enough power to effortlessly glide through even the thickest of hair.
The 10 different length guards cover grades 0.5 to 8 while that five-position taper arm takes precision cuts and fades in its stride. Another major selling point is the rapid charge function, giving three hours of juice off a three-hour charge, or 20 minutes off a 20-minute fast charge. Truly delivering where it counts, these are worth every inch of their purchase price and then some, I reckon.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon
Andis Master Cordless – Gold Limited Edition
Best hair clippers for: Luxury looks
Go for gold with these fancy-pants clippers which look like they could’ve been plucked from a showy dictator’s bathroom or Liberace’s boudoir.
Essentially a limited-edition gold version of the timeless, well-respected Andis Master Cordless model, that shiny, shiny gold exterior masks a sturdy, dependable and comfortably contoured aluminium casing and some serious cutting smarts. They are powered by a lithium ion battery providing 90 minutes of run-time off a one-hour full charge.
Capable of running at 7,200 strokes per minute, the powerful rotary motor can cut wet or dry, the ‘Constant Speed Technology’ keeping things steady as she goes. The carbon-steel blade, adjusted using the integrated taper lever, is further aided by the five supplied combs that are reassuringly metal rather than the usual plastic offerings. Further supplied items include a charging stand, blade oil and a power cord with a UK plug.
Buy now £246.35, Amazon
Philips HC5630/13 Series 5000 Hair Clipper with Turbo mode
Best hair clippers for: Turbo function
Weighing 340g, these lightweight cordless clippers feel great to use and look rather attractive to boot, offering a decent 90-minute run-time off a full charge that takes an hour.
Key features include the self-sharpening blades and Philips’ DualCut technology which, translated into normal speak, essentially means they feature a two-sided cutting element which the manufacturer claims cuts hair twice as fast. The ability to hit the Turbo button to access some added cutting ‘oomph’ and to ‘lock’ into your chosen cutting height position are yet more strings to their bow. This helps to power through the job at hand while avoiding any unfortunate hairdressing mishaps.
Users can opt between 28 lengths, from 0.5mm to 28mm, accessed by adjusting the main dial and using the two attachable comb guides. The two-millimetre stubble comb is particularly handy for short haircuts and low maintenance beard trims. Or simply remove the comb for a quick and tidy 0.5mm trim. When done, simply rinse under the tap. Splendid stuff.
Buy now £39.99, John Lewis
