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18 Best Hair Clippers to Buy, Tried and Tested by Men's Health
Hair clippers: use them right, and they're handy tools to keep last month's haircut looking fresh. Use them wrong, and you've got some explaining to do the next time you visit the barbers.
But a good workman is only as good as his tools, which is why we've spent time testing a range of hair clippers to find the ones up to the job. To help inform our testing, we've also enlisted the expertise Denis Robinson, creative director at award-winning barber shop Ruffians. He agrees that much like a good moisturiser or face wash, men's hair clippers are an important staple to get right to bolster any grooming routine – you just need to know what to look for.
Read more grooming tech reviews from Men's Health
With our combined help, you'll be armed with enough knowledge and know-how to avoid giving yourself a haircut that resembles a badly mown lawn. Here are the clippers that passed our tests.
The Best Hair Clippers for Men
How We Test Hair Clippers: All the clippers featured in this guide have passed our rigorous tests. Over the space of three months, we rated how easy each pair of clippers was to use, assessing the quality of the design and attachments, and, of course, the final results.
How To Pick The Right Hair Clippers For You
Hair clippers are either wired or cordless and usually come with a host of accessories, some of which are more essential than others. Here are some things to consider when buying the perfect set of clippers for you.
Wired Vs Cordless Clippers
In this day and age, cordless clippers are going to be able to serve up just as much power as the wired variety, not to mention the benefits they provide in manoeuvrability and ease of use.
If you want to give yourself a professional cut, there is only really one option. 'I always go for cordless,' says Robinson. 'Working in the shop I find them easier to manoeuvre. But also what I discovered through cutting my own hair during lockdown was that cordless is a total boon when you’re spinning around looking in two mirrors. When cutting your own hair you will be changing hands and angles a lot and leads getting in your face is just a nuisance.'
How Much to Spend
Choosing a pair of clippers can be confusing at times because there are so many blade types and materials, ranging from different grades of steel, titanium and even ceramic, out there. Like most things though, ultimately you get what you pay for. 'Pricier clippers have one main thing above their cheaper relatives and that is a more powerful motor,' says Robinson.
'Companies like Wahl for instance will sell clippers for approx £25 to £35. I would say that they’re like those electric scooters people are now commuting on – they look good and get you where you’re going, but they're not very fast and not particularly stable. The professional level clippers are like a BMW: good horsepower, safe and strong and will run well for a long time if cared for and serviced well.'
Robinson says that while different brands have different price points, top of the line professional clippers will cost somewhere between £125 and £200.
Other Things To Consider
Of course there are other things to consider when choosing a good pair of clippers. Battery life, clipper lengths and even weight are all important factors. Some things are going to be more important to you than others. Robinson, for example, looks for a clipper with some weight behind it.
'I always choose clippers in the upper price bracket. I believe it's a false economy to purchase cheaper ones as they need replacing more frequently,' says Robinson. 'The priority for me is weight. You can purchase good clippers that are lightweight and those that are more solid and weightier. I choose the heavier ones personally as I like the feeling of substance in my hand.'
How To Maintain Your Clippers
Spending a lot of money on a set of clippers is one thing, but if you don't put some time in for maintenance too, it'll be money wasted. But don't let that scare you, maintaining your clippers isn't the same as being asked to open up the bonnet of a BMW and fix what's going wrong under the hood. Just by doing some basic things you can ensure years of faithful service.
'The main thing that I always say is clean and oil your clippers,' says Robinson. 'When you buy a set they have a little dusting brush and oil in the kit. It really helps to get a smooth cut if you dust the hair build up off the blade during the cut. And definitely once you’ve finished dust all the hair detritus off and then use a little oil on the blades.
'If you leave a number of weeks between uses, I would also suggest applying a little oil before you switch them on. Once you’ve turned them on, use the blade adjustment lever to move the blade up and down to allow the oil to move over the full range of the blade. This ensures a smooth cut and protects the blades.
'I would also recommend taking the base blade and cutting blade off around once every two months and cleaning out the hair that has got trapped inside the clipper. This build up can slow the clippers down and make them snag while using.'
How To Cut Your Own Hair
'There are five main guiding principles when it coms to cutting your own hair at home,' explains Robinson. 'First thing's first, you've gotta give your locks a little wash, then let it do its own thing and dry naturally (not hard in the summer months).
'Then pick the perfect length, cut in the opposite direction to the growth of your hair, then all that's left is a little clean up job.'
This may sound like we've oversimplified the process, because we have, but you can find our more in-depth guide here if you're serious about self-trimming.
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