Quick Cut 10 Piece Hair Cutting Kit Review
The enquiry
- Who this is for
- Why y'all should trust us
- How we picked
- How we tested
- Our pick: Wahl Aristocracy Pro High Functioning Hair Clipper Kit
- Upkeep choice: Wahl Colour Pro Plus Haircutting Kit
- Upgrade choice: Oster Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper
- Also slap-up: Remington Nigh Indestructible Haircut and Beard Trimmer
- Care and maintenance
- What to look forrard to
- The competition
- Sources
Who this is for
Cutting your own hair isn't terrifically difficult, but information technology is easy to mess upwards. And one style to really mess up is to cut pilus without using the correct tools. For the cost of an average haircut ($25 to $sixty or so), 3 of our picks will easily handle the job for y'all. Clippers tend to last an extremely long time, and then for not much outlay, y'all can have a useful device on mitt for many, many years to come (one skillful said he knows of barbers who have decades-onetime clippers in daily use at their shops). Since the pandemic hitting in 2020, more than and more people have been doing at-domicile pilus maintenance—for themselves and others. If yous plan to proceed maintenance trims or shaves betwixt professional cuts (or skip salons and barber shops entirely), it'due south worth investing in a tool that you like to use and is like shooting fish in a barrel to maintain.
Why you should trust us
For this guide, we initially consulted Benjamin Mohapi, owner of Benjamin Salon in Los Angeles and New York City, who has been a professional hairstylist for three decades; Eric Aleman, owner of King of Kings Barber Store in Brooklyn; and Ivan Zoot, a renowned barber and clipper expert. For our 2021 update to this guide, we also consulted freelance hairstylist Topher Gross and, separately, Simon He of Techni Salon NY. At the starting time of the pandemic, Gross—who has been cut hair for decades—taught people how to cut their own hair, on Zoom and other online platforms (and occasionally outdoors). Separately, He and the staff at Techni Salon NY tried all the clippers we considered in 2020 and 2021 to compare them with their favorite tools and provide technical feedback to assist usa narrow down options for our at-abode testers.
Unlike with beard trimmers, with pilus clippers at that place aren't a lot of practiced-quality traditional reviews available (though in that location is an unbelievable wealth of information, including reviews and clipper-technique tutorials, on YouTube). We also relied on input from guides published past Buzzcut Guide and Balding Beards, and nosotros consulted thousands of detailed customer reviews.
Arabelle Sicardi is a dazzler writer and editor currently working on a nonfiction book, The House of Beauty, near the dazzler industry. They've been on the beauty beat out for over a decade and buzzed their own and their partner's pilus at home, both before the pandemic and during it. Since 2010, they've covered at-home hair intendance—from buzz cuts to hair coloring—at Rookie and for publications including Teen Faddy and Allure.
Jon Chase, an editor on Wirecutter's smart-home squad, has been a reporter and writer since the late '90s, covering a wide range of topics with a long-standing focus on consumer products and technology. He also has a fair amount of experience cutting his ain pilus, having expert on and off for more than a decade.
How we picked
Compared with many of today'due south household devices, hair clippers are incomparably low-tech. However, their components are worth evaluating individually.
Amid the clippers nosotros considered, the guide combs (the clip-on pieces that slot onto the lower bract and create distance between the blade and the head, to create longer or shorter cuts) ended up beingness the biggest differentiators. Second to technique, they play a large part in deciding the effect of a haircut, just they are often confusing to non-professionals. Salon owner Benjamin Mohapi cautioned in particular against models with flexible or as well-few combs: "Sometimes y'all'll find combs that won't properly fasten parallel to the razor edge, or have extra $.25 that cause the lines to be crooked—and so y'all'll never get clean results, and may get nicks or gouges." We establish it was very of import to take a squeamish set of stiff, well-labeled guide combs that attached deeply.
There is no universal sizing for combs. They typically run from size one (which translates to ⅛ of an inch of pilus) in ⅛-inch increments up to size 8 (which translates to ane inch). Still, some companies offering sub-increments in between and may even take clips that let for hair longer than an inch. (These lengths refer to the superlative of the hair left behind, not how much is cut off. Using a size-1 rummage, for instance, leaves ⅛ inch of hair on your caput.) Some companies but label the combs in fractions of an inch, which is confounding and easy to confuse in the moment. Annoyingly, each brand of clipper has its own proprietary concrete shape (and sometimes more than one), so you lot more often than not can't use combs from one make of clipper on some other clipper. (Some "universal" replacement sets are available, but as many customer reviews relay, they aren't truly universal.)
Combs are fabricated of different types of plastic, which in our tests turned out to exist a major factor in their usefulness. If they are as well rigid or sharp, they tin chip or break or may be uncomfortable to scrape across a scalp. If they are too flexible, they tin can easily bend and flex as they are pushed against the scalp, resulting in unlike hair lengths and leaving furrows (similar y'all'd meet in a farm field). Some comb designs let as well much play: They can trap and pull hair, snap on crookedly, or fifty-fifty pop off in the center of a haircut. We found combs made of rigid ABS plastic to be the best performers.
Among the clippers we tested, at that place was some variety in bract materials. Only our experts agreed that for most home users, fifty-fifty a low-stop blade will dutifully cutting hair for years or even decades. All clippers have a pair of stainless or carbon steel (or, at the high terminate, ceramic) blades with teeth; the bottom blade is stock-still, and the height bract is continued directly to the motor and oscillates side to side to cut hair. When oiled, carbon models cocky-sharpen, but they are susceptible to rust. Stainless steel is rust-resistant and may exist cocky-sharpening. The hair length that a comb-less blade leaves depends on the clipper, though it's frequently i-sixteenth of an inch; if the clipper has a taper lever (more on that in a minute), you lot tin can adjust that length.
A taper lever is an advanced feature—a little doodad found on the side of a clipper that increases or decreases hair length more finely than you lot tin can go by switching combs or shifting the bottom blade frontward or back. Ideally, when cutting hair you tin accommodate the lever with a finger, but it shouldn't be loose enough that it slips due to a bump or vibration (otherwise you could end up with different hair lengths). We found that some taper levers were too easy to move accidentally while cut hair. But among pros with the technical capability, a taper lever is an essential element for blending and fading between different lengths of hair, especially on the side of the caput. For a home-haircutting enthusiast, though, its value is extremely subjective.
A clipper's housing is well-nigh always plastic, though high-end models like the Andis Primary may exist metal. Aside from material, a clipper's size is a major consideration: A larger model, such every bit the Wahl Colour Pro Plus, is at the upper limit of acceptable size for an adult's paw; the smaller, palm-sized models, like the Remington Almost Indestructible, tend to be much more comfy to hold.
Every bit clipper skillful Ivan Zoot told us, most non-professional clippers accept many of the same parts as pro models, but the non-pro models accept been stripped down to trim their price. The power cord is a common corner to cut: Pro models take thick, round, shielded ability cords that are eight anxiety or longer; non-pro models often have thin, lamp-wire-fashion cords that tend to tangle, can fray, and may be only v feet long or so.
On the advice of our experts and owner reviews, we primarily looked for corded models simply because they'll reliably power through the task without needing a recharge. A haircut tin can take a while, and the run a risk of getting left with a drained battery and half a haircut isn't worth the actress convenience. We did opt to endeavor two cordless models, since they can be handy for outdoor use.
As is true of blades, when it comes to motors, nearly home users wouldn't detect much difference between types—other than their loudness. Magnetic motors, which all our picks accept, are the almost common and brand a signature whap racket when turned on. The other options are pivot motors, which run slower and have a pleasant hum. One of our experts suggested that advances in magnetic motors are making pivot motors finer obsolete.
The models we selected to test ranged in price and earned loftier reviews from publications, owners, or both. They all met our hardware criteria: a loftier-quality razor, a powerful motor, a range of included combs, a long and sturdy power cord that doesn't tangle easily, user-friendly maintenance, and ergonomic considerations (weight, condolement, and dissonance).
How we tested
During our at-home testing, we were able to try out clippers on a wide range of hair types, from extra-fine to thick, from straight to kinky, and from sparse (or thinning) to dense. The authors tested a range of clippers on themselves and members of their households. In 2016, we recruited an practiced barber, Eric Aleman of the King of Kings Hairdresser Shop in Brooklyn, to test several contenders on a client and to offer his opinions and insight. In 2021, earlier narrowing down the options, nosotros recruited Simon He at Techni Salon NY to similarly test contenders.
In 2020 and 2021, we recruited a panel of 7 testers with assorted hair types and textures—too as varying levels of haircutting experience—to try out the clippers at habitation. And our panel included folks of different ages: Ane tester used clippers on their whole household, including on a young child who needed a cutting, while other testers were in quarantine alone and used mirrors to get the job washed.
We asked participants to give their opinions of each of the clippers and accessories they tried out, without knowing the prices of any of the models. They noted whether the clippers slowed, clogged, or pulled. They besides noted how comfortable the clippers were to concord due to size, weight, and vibration, besides as the power-cord length. Participants noted the quality of guide combs and how easy they were to apply, how easy clippers were to make clean and maintain, and the quality of whatever boosted accessories, such as hair clips, capes (for covering clothes during a cutting), and carrying cases. At the stop, nosotros asked participants to selection the model they favored and would be almost comfortable using themselves.
Our choice: Wahl Elite Pro High Operation Pilus Clipper Kit
Our option
The Wahl Elite Pro Loftier Performance Hair Clipper Kit met or exceeded the quality or functioning of all the other models nosotros considered in nearly every way. It has the nearly reliable and easy-to-utilise guide combs of whatever clipper we've tried; in our tests, this turned out to be a key differentiator between an okay hair clipper and a great ane. The Wahl Elite Pro also features sturdy housing and a pro-grade ability cord, a powerful yet quiet-enough motor, and a useful and rugged hard-plastic carry case.
Nosotros were drawn to the Wahl Elite Pro for its selection of 10 guide combs, including ii half-sizes for extra-fine control of hair length. These combs are made of rigid ABS plastic and include stainless steel retaining clips that are riveted on securely. Comb quality is crucially important in distinguishing among clippers, since combs significantly impact the cutting experience and are expensive to upgrade or supplant. (One model we tested had a bent "tooth," or fin, on ane of its combs. And a few of the models came with guide combs that either attached unreliably or wouldn't seat perfectly, then the border could be lifted or could even pop off.)
The Wahl Elite Pro's build quality is a noticeable step higher up that of most mid-tier models available in large-box stores. The upper part of the housing isn't hollow-feeling; information technology is fabricated of rigid plastic, with texture for a secure grip. The taper lever at the side, for blending hair, allows yous to make adjustments via a screw, but out of the box it functioned smoothly in our tests (though not as precisely as the levers on pro models similar the Andis Main or the Oster Fast Feed). The round cord is enough long (8 feet) and as thick as those on pro models. And this is the merely clipper nosotros considered with a Velcro wrap near the plug, to gather the cord and make storage tidier. Past comparison, the Andis Headliner and Wahl Chrome Pro accept lamp-wire-manner cords.
Nearly all clipper kits come with at least one questionable accessory—like inexpensive scissors or a garbage-bag-quality cape—that seems not bad until you accept to constrict it in a drawer or root through a pile of them to find what you want. Our pick comes with a useful array of 10 combs that are clearly labeled and easier to sort than those of most competing models; most have combs with impossible-to-read, raised black-plastic numbers on blackness plastic. (We establish information technology even easier to grab the combs we wanted while using the Wahl Colour Pro Plus kit, which has color-coded combs.) The Wahl Elite Pro's hard-plastic example is meaty, and information technology has a quality clasp and rigid hinges that allow information technology to seal correctly.
In his 2016 test run with the Wahl Aristocracy Pro, hairdresser Eric Aleman noted its heft and bulk but besides the taper lever's ease of use and the power to cut precise fades. One of our 2021 at-home testers commented that this clipper had a "sharp design, practiced grip, [and] very good accessories."
The Wahl Aristocracy Pro is covered by a five-year warranty.
Flaws merely not dealbreakers
The Wahl Elite Pro lacks a T-blade attachment, or companion trimmer, which allows for shut cutting effectually the ear, in the back, and around facial hair without accidentally nicking an ear or creating a bald patch. (Our budget pick, another Wahl, comes with an ear-trim guide rummage.)
The Wahl Elite Pro is at the upper weight limit of what's comfortable to concord (just under a pound, at xv⅞ ounces). But it's not overly heavy, and it doesn't vibrate uncomfortably. Compared with the Remington Nearly Indestructible (a smaller and quieter model we like), the Aristocracy Pro has a slightly louder magnetic motor, only it isn't obnoxiously loud.
Upkeep selection: Wahl Colour Pro Plus Haircutting Kit
Budget option
Wahl Colour Pro Plus Haircutting Kit
Affordable and dependable
This clipper provides a similar feel to cutting with our pick, but the Colour Pro Plus comes with less-rigid guide combs, which some testers constitute a bit flimsy. Information technology does have an advantage over the pricier Wahl Aristocracy Pro: Colour-coded combs brand it piece of cake to speedily take hold of the i y'all want.
The Wahl Colour Pro Plus Haircutting Kit offers a clipping experience very similar to that of our selection; the cardinal difference is in the design of the attachments. Color-coded, clearly labeled guards get in easier to find the correct ones, eliminating time spent on clipping overall. Compared with the Elite Pro's guide combs, however, the Color Pro Plus'due south combs are a touch flimsier and practise not have the metallic reinforcements. However, most of our 2021 calm testers preferred the Color Pro Plus's combs. "The color-coded guards were like … transcendent," i tester said.
Many longtime owners consistently requite the Color Pro Plus high ratings and concur that this clipper is a great value overall. Some reviewers annotation that they've repurchased this kit once the clipper blades dulled, though many say that they did non perform the suggested upkeep (oiling the blades, sharpening them, and cleaning them out) between uses. The Color Pro Plus's storage box is a little smaller than the Elite Pro's, and it's not quite as sturdy. If space is a deciding factor for you, this kit will take up less infinite overall than our acme selection. And—more than of a feature than a bug—several testers considered this clipper to exist "toy-similar" in blueprint compared with the other options they tried. Although the Color Pro Plus's housing is slightly larger than the Elite Pro'due south, the Color Pro Plus weighs a impact less than our option. And information technology has a vii-foot lamp-wire-style cord.
The Color Pro Plus also comes in a cordless version, though it has a unlike motor and includes four fewer guards. It offers roughly sixty minutes of service. "It's wireless and powerful, [and] it'south easy to use," remarked Simon He.
Like the Elite Pro, the corded Color Pro Plus is covered by Wahl's five-year warranty.
Upgrade pick: Oster Fast Feed Adaptable Pivot Motor Clipper
Upgrade option
The Oster Fast Feed Adjustable Pin Motor Clipper is a staple of barbershops considering of its power, ruggedness, and reliability—information technology tin can piece of work all mean solar day without fatiguing the stylist or causing its motor to overheat. This clipper has more muscle than most people demand at dwelling. But compared with other pro-level models we tested, the Oster is considerably easier to use and more often than not less expensive. At 14⅝ ounces, it'due south also lighter than both of our Wahl picks.
Our testing confirmed the Oster Fast Feed's reputation: Information technology's comfortable to concur and maneuver, especially its taper lever, which you tin can adjust with a thumb. The Fast Feed is smaller than both of the Wahls we recommend, it's easier to hold, and its electric hum is actually pleasant to the ear. The included guide combs fit deeply and are made of a rigid plastic, just there are merely 4 of them, versus our main pick's 10 (you can purchase additional guards separately to adapt longer hair lengths). The Fast Feed's cord is thick just supple, and at eight feet it leaves plenty of slack for maneuvering around.
Oster's warranty, at merely one year, is not as robust as the warranties for our Wahl and Remington picks.
Also great: Remington Virtually Indestructible Haircut and Bristles Trimmer
Likewise dandy
If you're mostly clipping your own hair, the smaller, lighter, and easier-to-maneuver Remington Virtually Indestructible Haircut and Beard Trimmer may exist a better option than our heavier picks. The Remington'southward lightweight (7½ ounces), palm-sized housing—coupled with rubberized grips—is the most comfortable of whatsoever we tried. Our testers especially appreciated this clipper when they guided it along the back of their heads while looking in a mirror—that's a tricky maneuver, particularly when cutting forth the hairline. This model is the all-time by far for smaller hands, and its mesh storage example takes upwards a minimal corporeality of room.
The clipper's eight included guide combs are fabricated of rigid ABS plastic, then they don't deform and leave track marks or trap and pull out hair when pressed against your head. They attach and seat firmly, unlike on some other models nosotros tested, whose attachments had plenty play that they could go on crooked or pop off altogether.
This Remington likewise has a thick but pliable 8-foot ability cord that seems tough enough to final years but too wraps hands for storage. In addition, this model is extremely repose, despite its magnetic motor. I of our calm testers questioned its effectiveness solely for that reason: "It's too quiet to really be cut pilus, right?" A long-term tester who uses the Virtually Indestructible with her children finds the depression noise level to exist a big plus. "My kids barely observe information technology to a higher place the sounds of whatsoever Wild Kratts episode they're watching while I cut," she said.
For some other tester, though, the Nigh Indestructible trimmer fell short because information technology couldn't cutting quite every bit close every bit our other picks: "As someone who shaves, the guard information technology provides doesn't run into my needs," they said. "The shortest it goes to is not [short] enough."
Though this model lacks a taper lever for finessing a fade or alloy, most of our testers didn't miss it for calm uses (none of our haircutting novices attempted to exercise their ain fades).
Though nosotros remember the eight included rigid guide combs are a stride up from the typical flexible plastic ones establish in many sets, they can experience a trivial too pointy and sharp. If they're not angled properly when you lot're cutting, it's easy to jab your scalp. (Full disclosure: It hurts.) The Virtually Indestructible as well comes with fewer combs than our choice and budget pick do, and it doesn't include left- and right-ear tapered guide combs, as our recommended Wahls practise. The Almost Indestructible doesn't offer the closest shave, either, considering that the smallest baby-sit is ⅛ inch. Our testers found that wanting.
The Virtually Indestructible is the merely one of our picks covered by a lifetime warranty (blades excluded).
Care and maintenance
Every skilful nosotros spoke with repeated the same basic mantra: Oil your clipper'south blade, and it will concluding years, even decades. (Or, as Ivan Zoot put it, "Blow dryers and clippers do not die: They are simply murdered.") Oiling cuts down on friction so the blade doesn't snag your pilus or rut upwardly and burn your pare. What'due south even more astounding is that, per customer reviews and our ain experience, clipper blades regularly alive years, a decade, possibly several—even without a single drib of oil. Then if you are the sort to hold on to whatsoever device until it dies, your investment will likely be with y'all for a long fourth dimension—all the more than reason to pick a winner. (Arabelle'southward father has been faithfully using his dearest Philips Norelco clippers for decades. Ever loyal to his vintage clippers, he refused to exam these newcomers.)
If yous want elevation functioning, a five-signal oiling goes like this: Before each use, place a drib on each side of the blade and one in the centre while the blade is running; then place ane on either side where the moving lower blade rubs against the fixed upper blade. Move the razor around a scrap to permit the oil travel—but then tip it so the blades signal downward, to allow excess oil run out, abroad from the motor (which can get gummed up over time). Turn off the clipper and gently dab the excess oil abroad with a tissue or towel, existence sure non to snag fibers or newspaper.
Almost manufacturers also recommend that, following a haircut, you wipe away loose hairs with a strong bristle brush (nearly ever included along with oil), followed by another oiling to forestall potential surface rust. When you run out of the tiny included bottle of oil, yous can apply nutrient-grade mineral oil instead. Avoid 3-In-One, WD-40, or other non-nutrient-safe lubricants, which may cause a pare reaction.
Many clippers with magnetic motors (as opposed to pivot or rotary motors) have a large adjustment screw located on the side. If your clipper begins to make an annoying and terrifying "chattering" sound, take a medium or big Phillips-head screwdriver and tighten or loosen that spiral until information technology stops; then continue in the same management another half-plow.
Clippers (even lower-end ones) can accept a substantial corporeality of abuse, but merely a single drib on a hard surface, such as a tiled bathroom floor, can instantly kill a motor or damage the housing enough to make the clipper a lost cause. Barber Eric Aleman cautioned in particular that should yous always drib a clipper, be sure to immediately inspect the bract for whatever bent or (especially) broken teeth. A broken tooth will brand instant mincemeat of peel. If the blade isn't replaceable, recycle or toss the clipper, and be certain to cutting the ability cord to ensure that someone else who might notice it doesn't utilise it unknowingly.
What to look forrard to
For an update to this guide, we program to consider Wahl'southward Extreme Grip Pro Hair Clipper, which is outfitted with a nonslip sleeve and comes with 12 guide combs, amidst other accessories.
The competition
The Andis Master is a gorgeous piece of industrial blueprint, a dumbbell-heavy, polished aluminum beauty with a powerful yet serenity magnetic motor. It doesn't come with combs and is really purpose-congenital for precise, tight fades of the sort but a trained barber is capable of creating. "Information technology's similar handling a katana—not but anyone can utilise it," hairdresser Eric Aleman told united states. (All of our pro testers mentioned having it in their arsenals at one point or another.)
The now-discontinued Andis Ceramic BGRC is a wonderful machine: lightweight, comfortable to concur, with a whisper-tranquillity rotary motor and a ceramic top bract capable of blazing through thick hair with ease. The Ceramic BGRC is the Lamborghini Veneno of hair clippers, all precision and perfection. But it's more twice the price of our pick, then for non-pros it's likely an unjustifiable purchase. And it comes with no attachments. The Ceramic BGRC'southward suggested replacement, the BGRC Detachable Bract Clipper, is well-nigh identical to the version nosotros tested.
Nosotros haven't tested the beloved Andis T-Outliner, a specialty/companion tool that'south best for outlining (such as around the ears), shaving, and precision fades.
We wanted to dearest the Andis Headliner Combo, a discontinued 27-piece kit that included a corded clipper as well as a corded trimmer, along with guide combs, scissors, brush, oil, and more. Only we were put off past the low-quality guide combs, which we found as well flexible to be trustworthy. A company representative confirmed that Andis's Headstyler Adaptable Blade Clipper (currently unavailable)(which comes in a 20-piece kit) and lower-cost Easy Cut Adaptable Blade Clipper (part of a 12-slice kit) come with the same clipper guide combs the Headliner Combo did.
Similarly, the Wahl Deluxe Chrome Pro is a 25-slice kit that, like the Andis Headliner Combo, has flimsy guide combs that didn't seat reliably for us. The included battery-operated trimmer is useful and is in fact a missing element from our top pick. Nonetheless, that doesn't redeem the poor-quality combs.
The Wahl Professional 5-Star Series Magic Clip Cordless is a pro-level machine, but the xc-minute bombardment life isn't ideal. It comes with eight guide combs (double the number that come with our corded upgrade choice, the Oster Fast Feed). But our testers found the experience of using this clipper to be very similar to using the less-expensive Fast Feed and Wahl Elite Pro models we recommend.
We haven't tested the corded Wahl five-Star Senior, which is often compared to the Andis Principal and is therefore best for experienced haircutters. It is specifically made for taper piece of work and precision fades—which leads to excellent pro-level detail work. Simply for at-home haircuts, this model may crave unreasonable skill and artistry.
Although beard and torso-hair trimmers are generally not ideal for cutting hair, many of them come with guide combs that in a pinch tin can be useful for at-home haircuts. The Philips Norelco MG7750, our acme-pick beard trimmer, comes with 14 guide combs, including four meant for head hair. Our professional testers were divided on this model: Information technology's beautifully designed, and the multiplicity of apply is great for a varied household. But this model is not every bit powerful every bit any of our hair-clipper picks, and switching its guards when using this model specifically for a haircut is somewhat of a pain.
We previously recommended the Remington HKVAC2000A as an option for easier cleanup. Simply our 2021 testers consistently establish it to exist the nigh flimsy model overall, the hardest to agree, and very loud. The vacuum feature—this model sucks up loose hair so information technology doesn't land on you lot or the floor—is the best and only matter this model has going for it. But frankly that'due south not plenty of a priority, peculiarly considering that you get better precision with smaller clippers we tried.
Sources
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Eric Aleman, barber at King of Kings Barber Shop , in-person interview , November 30, 2016
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Simon He, hairstylist at Techni Salon NY, phone and email interviews , March 26, 2021
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Topher Gross, freelance hairstylist , phone and in-person interviews, March 2021
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Benjamin Mohapi, hairstylist at Benjamin Salon, telephone interviews, November 2016
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Ivan Zoot, barber and consultant, phone interview , November 21, 2016
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hair-clippers-for-home-use/
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