What To Consider Before Buying Your First Hair Clipper

CORD VS. CORDLESS Go for the cordless model as it enables much needed freedom and maneuverability. With advances in battery tech, a battery clipper can give good power and last between 90 to 120 min.

LIGHT WEIGHT VS. HEAVY DUTY Your hairdresser’s clipper is likely heavier than you need, as it’s designed for heavy-duty cutting all day. Lighter models may have less power, but it makes a considerable difference in your ability to handle the device and is worth the trade-off.

COMB ATTACHMENTS VS. CHANGEABLE BLADES One of the favorites of the pros is the Oster Classic 76. However as opposed to coming with various depth comb guides to attach on, this advanced device comes with a couple metal blades that are interchanged for different lengths. To cover a variety of lengths you need to buy more metal blades, which can be pricey. Often, as a non-pro to get started, it’s more practical to get a set of eight to twelve good plastic comb guides.

THE TAPER LEVER: FLOATING VS. CLICKING The taper lever on a clipper allows you to change the closeness of your cut between guide comb lengths. Some levers click and are set at distinct points, others are “floating” and glide continuously. As a newbie to cutting with a clipper, a clickable lever might be best, as, if you’re not experienced the floating versions can slide on you during the process.