The 6 Best Hair Clippers, Based On Testing And Barber Advice

The people who buzz their own hair, the guy who fades his sideburns beautifully, the mom who is prepared for everything including a gum-in-the-hair emergency: These are all candidates for a reliable pair of hair clippers. I researched the market and summoned eight industry-favorite devices to my doorstep to find the best hair clippers that deliver excellent results. Following extensive testing, my best overall pick is the Andis ReVite Clipper, which features the right balance of quality, durability and customization. My top value pick is the Wahl Color Pro Cordless Clipper, which offers incredible bang for your buck.

Here’s an overview of my top picks:

To further inform my testing process, I called on the expertise of my trusted barber, Evelyn Gutweniger of Nomad Barber in Berlin. In addition to trying out these devices with home users in mind, Gutweniger also advised me on what to consider when picking out hair clippers. Below, find the six best hair clippers, plus an in-depth buying guide to help you make the right purchase. (You can also check out my full reviews of the Andis ReVite and Wahl Color Pro Cordless devices as well.)

This 1-year-young clipper isn’t just rookie of the year—it’s the best in show. The ReVite strikes the perfect balance between professional-grade clippers and at-home ease. On the barber-worthy level, this gadget can zero gap and offers seamless tapering and fading capabilities, thanks to a large range of sturdy guards. It manages great full-360 navigability despite a slightly heavier weight than other tools on this list; that heft also speaks to its quality and power, which can mow seamlessly through thick hair. On top of that, this tool has a runtime that outpaces its charge time (130-minute endurance against a 90-minute charge).

The primary complaint from Gutweniger is that this pair of clippers is noticeably louder than others on this list. That’s not suggesting that they sound like a lawn mower, but if everything else is at a subtle hum, these ones are more of a proper buzz. That’s almost negligible considering its many other benefits, but still worth noting.

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I remember my mom buzzing my hair (and both of my brothers’) with the corded version of this tool growing up. And I promise that nostalgia isn’t guiding the pick here; instead, it’s Wahl’s brilliant decision to color-code its guards, making it visually easier to change between clipping lengths or to recall the one you use each time. (It’s much easier to remember that you buzz on “yellow” than to remember “#5” or “5/8 inch.”)

Gutweniger, who often cuts with other Wahl devices, also raved about this one and trusted it enough to use regularly on her customers at the barbershop. She loves its sturdy guards, which don’t bend or bow as you move them around the head. Her main strike against it is the omission of any trimming options between 0 and 1/16 inch, which means you can’t really fade anything from a bare shave.

These clippers also require a 12-hour charge time—which, to my frustration, extended to 15 hours before I realized that the charging light doesn’t turn off or change its color once complete. Still, the 75-minute runtime is enough to keep heads buzzed for months on end, with a simple overnight re-up. Also, its pair of left and right-angled ear guards allow you to cleanly fade around the ears, just not from a bare shave. All this for just $40 or so—brilliant.

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The Master Cordless is beloved by many barbers for its power, but you could consider it a luxury since it comes with a steep price tag, even without including clipper guards. You’ve got to buy those separately, which will add between around $10 and $30 and are often sold out. And while many brands sell guards that swap easily onto competitor devices, this one demands dedicated guards (making it all the more exclusive).

While Gutweniger warns of the device’s weight, it’s merely an indication of its muscled performance. (So much so that the device tends to heat up easily during use, too.) The guy who buys the Andis Master Cordless Clipper will likely not be buzzing his own hair in the end. He’s got a barber on call and perhaps even keeps these clippers set aside specifically for that use. (Or let’s face it, the guy who buys these is himself a barber who cuts any head of hair and just wants a device that lasts long and cuts strong and smooth.)

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In my years as a grooming writer, I have come to think of BaBylissPro as the barbershop favorite since it’s got a fervent fandom among the experts I tap for their wisdom (or for their fancy fades on my own dome). Gutweniger is a recent owner of a BaBylissPro device, and this one got the most mileage out of her testing. “Cutting-wise, they’re smooth and quiet; these are professional guards,” she says of these durable, barber-favorite clippers.

The BaBylissPro holds a generous 90-minute runtime and travels fairly easily. But I don’t think it’s the best option for any run-of-the-mill buzz cut. Instead, it’s for the guy who wants things like skin-tight zero gaps, the best graduated tapers possible and the most trophy-like grooming device on God’s green earth. And for what it’s worth, the Barberology FXOne Clipper is also available in other colors, like rose gold; just be sure you’re buying one with guard attachments, or buy them separately if it’s just the clipper body you’re buying. (Also, the equally trophy-like BaBylissPro GoldFX foil shaver was one of our top picks in the race for the best electric razors for men.)

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This is one beautiful machine, with its magnetic guards and its digital display and 0.1mm incremental trimmer adjustments. You’ll get dual beard trimming and hair clipping use from it, too, and you can take things all the way down to a zero gap if you need skin-tight cutting (be warned, that’s a task best done by the pros). Sometimes the design is to its detriment, since that sleekly graduated body lends itself to being more easily dropped, and if those magnetic guards are installed incorrectly, they are difficult to remove—so be sure to install them correctly.