Bevel's Professional Hair Clippers and Andis' Master Cordless Clipper came out on top in our testing.
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Going to the barbershop for every quick clip and snip is inconvenient, impractical, and will get costly quickly. While you may not have the skills of your barber, you can at least make up the difference with a set of quality cordless hair clippers that even your meticulous pro will approve of. There are a number of factors to consider when it comes to cordless hair clippers such as battery life, motor type, and whether the tool can operate with the cord connected.
Cordless hair clippers and head shavers come in a wide range of prices, which can be confusing to decipher which ones give you the most bang for your buck. The unfortunate truth is that the ones typically sold at your nearby drugstore or department store usually lack the necessary consistent power to give you an even trim, and quality that’ll last for years. To help you get through the confusion, we’ve identified some of the best cordless hair clippers that barbers use and recommend.
You cannot consider a new set of cordless hair clippers without coming across Wahl, one of the most recognizable brands in the men’s grooming industry, and for good reason. The company has supplied barbers and consumers with clippers and trimmers for over 100 years.
That’s not the only reason many barbers around the country are choosing the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Senior Clipper to operate on their clients. “It has the best motor,” Sam Chulpayev, co-founder of Made Man Barbershop in New York City, told Men’s Health. “It has been around for many years and each machine lasts at least five years for barbers and at least 50,000 haircuts.” He added, “The shape of the machine is best for handling when performing any kind of trims.”
Cassondra Kurtz, founder and barber at Beyond the Beard in New York City, also chooses the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Senior Clipper as the go-to clipper servicing her clients, but does not recommend it for use on your own head of hair due to its weight and ergonomics. The Senior Clipper is a heavy duty workhorse cordless hair clipper with 7,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) and durable attachment guards that are meant to last. The lithium ion has an 80-runtime per charge, and the tool can be used with the cord.
While Kurtz uses Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Senior Clipper on her clients, she recommends Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Magic Clip as one of the best cordless hair clippers for anyone operating on themselves. “For at home trimming,” Kurtz told Men’s Health, “you have to think about the direction and dexterity. Heavier clippers are not going to work in that regard.” The Magic Clip Hair Clippers are lightweight to support handling a trim or clip of your own hair and beard.
They are equipped with a lithium ion battery for consistent power and can operate for up to 120 minutes of runtime per charge. The rotary motor gives the clippers high power and high speed making it versatile for many hair types. Their blades are coated to keep them cooler for longer, and come with eight blade guard attachments for any hair length. The Clippers also have an adjustable taper lever that helps with perfecting the exact length of your choice. We also ranked the cordless Magic Clips as the most versatile hair clippers.
BaBylissPRO GoldFX has become the go-to cordless hair clipper for many barbers because “it provides a cleaner cut,” Daniel Chulpayev, Sam’s brother and also co-founder of Made Man Barbershop, told Men’s Health. He also loves the BabylissPRO for its rpm. This model can go up to 9,500 rpm, where most of the competing models cap at 7,000 or less.
Sure, the BaBylissPRO GoldFX cordless hair clippers’ quality holds merit with its powerful rotary motor and high-torque brushless engine, but it also impresses with its aesthetics. “If you're looking for that Wow factor as you're doing your social media,” then Daniel says the BaBylissPRO GoldFX is the top choice with its sharp design and gold color. “As vain as this may sound,” he added, “you also want to look good holding the machine that you have.”
BaBylissPRO GoldFX has a long lithium ion battery life of up to 2 hours, and can be used with a cord for added convenience.
The Bevel Pro All-in-One Clipper and Trimmer checks all of the necessary boxes for a quality hair clipper, and far surpasses the competition with forward-thinking features. Some of the more impressive bells and whistles include the ability to interchange clipper and trimmer blades; digital adjustable taper feature that allows you to be extremely precise unlike a typical lever; and magnetic snap-on guards that make switching between lengths even easier.
The Bevel company is Black-founded, and while the Bevel Pro is suited for all hair types, it was designed specifically for those with curly, coily and textured hair in mind. It offers an astounding 4-hour battery life, which far exceeds most other options at this quality level. The intuitive LED display shows how much battery life is left so you don’t get caught off guard mid-clipping.
Like Wahl, the Andis brand has been a leader in the industry for over 100 years. The brand prides itself on developing high-quality grooming tools, and the Master Cordless Clipper is just that. Packed with an impressive 7200 strokes per minute, these clippers are designed with a quiet, but high powered rotary motor. The carbon-steel blade has extremely fine teeth for precise clipping and trimming. The aluminum casing doesn’t just give a timeless metallic look, it also protects the tool for it to last longer.
The lithium ion battery gives the user up to 90 minutes of continuous consistent power per charge, and the clipper can operate with the cord.
If you’re looking for a cordless trimmer to do it all, the Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000 is worth your consideration. Unlike other cordless hair clippers in this list, this tool is not designed for professional barbers. It’s for the average person who doesn’t want or have the space for multiple devices to achieve their grooming goals.
The set comes with 21 pieces to address your hair, beard, body, nose, and ear with interchangeable self-sharpening blades. The all-in-all trimmer is water resistant and can also be used in the shower. Best of all, the lithium ion battery lasts up to 6 hours. While it cannot operate with the cord, it does have a 5-minute quick charge feature.
Like most things: the higher the price, the better the device. And while that’s certainly true for cordless hair clippers, one great budget option is the Wahl Color Pro Cordless Hair Clipper And Trimmer.
The color-coded attachment guards won’t impress the die-hards or professionals, but it does have its benefits. The colors offer additional accessibility support for those who have trouble reading the numbers of the guards. Also, with more repetition, you’ll naturally know which guards to grab just from the colors.
The Wahl Color Pro has a 60-minute NiMH battery run time, and can operate while plugged in. While the hair clipper is not waterproof, the blade can be easily removed and cleaned.
If you’re already balding or in the process of getting there, then your needs won’t necessarily be met by a typical hair clippers model. You also do not need all of the extra features that come at an extra cost.
For a bald (or balding) head, consider the Remington Shortcut Pro Self-Haircut Kit. It is waterproof, cordless, and has a 5-minute quick charge feature. But best of all is its curved blade that contours to your head for a consistent ergonomic cut.
The lithium ion battery only lasts for up to 40 minutes of runtime, however, the tool can be used while attached to the cord.
The burgundy red design of the Oster Fast Feed Professional Cordless Hair Clippers may remind you of the Wahl Cordless Magic Clip Hair Clipper, and the resemblance doesn’t stop there. Oster is also a reliable and recognizable name in the industry, and the Fast Feed can be found at many barbershops across the country.
The Fast Feed has a lithium ion battery that lasts up to 120 minutes per charge, and can operate with the cord plugged in. The pivot motor offers high power at a low blade speed, which is designed specifically to handle thick and wet hair.
The Wahl Peanut Cordless Clipper/ Trimmer is not just compact, it’s also extremely lightweight at just 4 ounces. While it may win some brownie points for its “cuteness,” looks are only a small part of why the Peanut made our list.
Its size and weight make it ideal for anyone with smaller hands, or struggles with the bulkiness from other alternatives. Despite its size, the Peanut still packs a punch with a relatively powerful motor similar to full size clippers. The easy-to-clean detachable blade is ideal for trimming and shaping.
There are a number of features to consider before choosing your next cordless hair clippers. While price point is always a factor when making any purchase, it’s important to understand what you’re getting out of a budget pick versus one that professional barbers use everyday.
Daniel Chulpayev told Men’s Health the first thing he looks for in cordless hair clippers is the battery life. “It's nice to not have to charge it consistently,” which is one of the main reasons why he prefers the BaBylissPRO GoldFX with a 2-hour runtime.
Kurtz also agrees, and said, “It’s important to have a clipper that will last.” It’s not just the runtime, however. She also stressed the benefit of lithium ion battery type over others due to their consistent and continuous power.
Another feature that Kurtz looks for is an adjustable taper lever. “It allows for granularity and flexibility,” which is one of the reasons she recommends the Magic Clip Hair Clipper.
The motor type and revolutions per minute (or strokes per minute) are also important to look for. Rotary motors are best for most users.
Other features based on personal preferences are the number of guards and attachments; if the hair clippers operate while corded as well; and if the tool is water resistant for use in the shower or cleaning. You may want to consider the size and weight of the hair clippers based on your comfort preferences and if you plan to travel with the tool.
Many budget options are equipped with the bells and whistles of many attachments and are water resistant. But where they often fall short is where it matters most—high power that won’t taper off as the battery life depletes.
When deciding between cordless hair clippers and corded hair clippers, which one is right for you comes down to your preferences. The benefits of corded hair clippers are continuous consistent power, and never needing to wait for your tool to be charged.
Daniel Chulpayev from Made Man Barbershop added that corded hair clippers tend to last longer. “If you took the corded machines that were made 30 or 20 years ago, you see some barbers that still use them.” However, “Your cordless machines like the Magic Clip for example, it's a great machine, but It's a good four or five years and that's it.”
The benefits of cordless hair clippers are the convenience and flexibility of clipping your hair without dangling cables that restrict your movement. Cordless hair clippers also make for a better on-the-go option.
“From a travel point of view, a personal point of view, and from a dexterity point of use, a cordless hair clipper is the way to go,” Kurtz, founder of Beyond the Beard said.
While corded hair clippers offer continuous consistent power, advancements in cordless hair clippers also offer consistent power for prolonged periods of time, and quicker charging times.
The blades in hair clippers are typically made of steel or ceramic. There are benefits and potential downsides to each. For instance, steel blades are more durable, easier to sharpen and maintain. Ceramic blades are harder, cut faster and smoother, and stay cooler longer. However, ceramic blades are more brittle and can break easier than steel blades.
Some of the best cordless hair clippers, including most of the options we’ve featured in this round up, are made with steel blades, which is what most barbers opt for.
The type of motor under the hood in your cordless hair clippers may be the most important detail that many users often overlook. There are three types of clipper motors, each with their own benefits:
Magnetic motors are high-powered with high blade speed designed for those with finer and less dense hair.
Pivot motors are high-powered with low blade speed, which is designed for those with thick curly coily, and textured hair. Pivot motor clippers are also best for wet hair.
Rotary motors are the most powerful of all three blade types. They are also most versatile with the ability to adjust speeds. “Unless you have extremely thick hair, a rotary motor is ideal for most hair,” Kurtz told Men’s Health. She added, “Rotary motors are best for bulk removal.”
For this story, Zahriyeh consulted with three professional barbers who've tested countless hair clippers. He also combed through through Men's Health's deep catalogue of hair clipper guides, as well as hundreds of five-star reviews from e-commerce sites we trust.
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Ehab is a contributing commerce writer. He has covered consumer products for various publishers throughout the years including Forbes, Digital Trends, The Manual and US News & World Report.
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