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The best hair clippers money can buy, tested by over 140 men Barber Shop Clipper
The best 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 when you get to the hairdressers — cue an embarrassing inquisition about DIY grooming attempts.
But a good workman is only as good as his tools (that's how the saying goes, right?), which is why we've sought the expertise of Denis Robinson, creative director at 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. With our combined help, you'll be armed with enough knowledge to buy the best hair clippers for men on the market and avoid giving yourself a haircut that resembles a badly mown lawn.
Scroll on for our full reviews of the best hair clippers, tried and tested by the Men's Health Lab, but here they are in one handy list too:
Hair clippers can either be wired or cordless and usually come with a host of accessories, some of which are more essential than others. Here are some questions you should be asking yourself when buying the perfect set of clippers for you.
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.'
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.
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, places great weight on the, ahem, weight of his clippers.
'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.'
Any products in our list that have the Men's Health Lab Approved badge have been put to the test at the Men's Health Lab with our panel of 145 men for a three-week period.
They rated how easy the clippers were to use, assessing the quality of the design and the attachments, as well as the final results. We also asked a small panel of barbers and hairdressers to give their opinion, so we could find out what the professionals thought too.
The other tools featured have been selected by the Men's Health team, based on their own experiences and insider know-how on all things grooming.
Whether you have a limitless budget or a few coins to spare, there's a set of clippers for you below.
A great all-rounder to keep in your gym kit, these clippers feature an LCD charge indicator to let you know when you’re out of juice, alongside a vast array of attachments for both the nose and ears.
Our panel found the self-sharpening blades mowed through hair in one go, managing to get into even hard-to-reach areas. Testers were able to achieve their desired look, with one tester raving that they were the best clippers they’ve ever used.
We all have a busy schedule, so if you find you frequently forget to put your clippers on charge, opt for these. Quick to fully power-up, they lasted for a mega three hours once charged.
With an impressive array of attachments, they handled neatening-up facial hair like a pro, and our testers were happy with the job they did on head hair, too. Simple, speedy and straight-forward to use, they tackled hard to reach areas, without being too noisy.
This innovative digital swipe interface allows you to pick between 400 length settings (yes, you read that right) starting from a tiny 0.1mm for the ultimate customisable at-home trim.
The durable self-sharpening titanium blades cut through hair easily for our panel, while all testers liked the premium feel of the design, which left them happy with their finished look. Comfortable to use for all, they also made styling tricky areas such as the back of the head a piece of cake.
If you’re looking for a battery-operated option, these clippers made it easy to style hair. 80% of testers said it was simple to move around the back of the head, while 83% were pleased with their end result. Some would have preferred a rechargeable battery option but, for the price, we think these are a solid choice.
Here’s a full hair grooming kit for someone who’s serious about home styling – 80% of the barbers and hairdressers we spoke to would use this kit on clients. Praised for its sharp blades, manoeuvrability and comfort when holding, we loved the results of our finished cut.
The wide choice of accessories are easy to attach and use, while the large storage bag keeps them all safe when you’ve finished. We would have appreciated the attachments to be labelled with the hair length grading system, but otherwise there were no complaints.
Made from Japanese steel and a twisty control panel to change the cutting length (rather than multiple attachments), this tool is quick and precise to use.
The fancy digital screen also lets you know how much battery is left and what taper setting you’re on for effortless styling. We found it easy to create a fade, thanks to the 45 length options available, and were happy with the final results.
This multipurpose tool can be used on the body and beard, as well as on your hair. We appreciated how easily it created a fade haircut and its cordless design makes it a doddle to manoeuvre around the head, especially when you’re cutting your own hair.
It’s comfortable and lightweight to hold too, and gives a precision cut. We found it quiet in use, easy to clean and there’s a lock function to avoid it accidentally going off in your wash bag.
Giving you the choice of 72 lengths at the twist of a dial, this customisable tool was a favourite among our panel for its dead-on precision, that cut easily and accurately through hair at the desired length.
Simple to get to grips with, our testers found the angle they were shaving at didn’t dramatically affect the cut length, helping keep errors to a minimum. Though they don’t have the longest battery life on our list (see BaByliss for that one) that didn’t deter our testers.
If you find the number of attachments that come with your clippers overwhelming, this set comes with a handy colour-coded system, so you can easily attach the correct comb for your hair length.
The included scissors and barber’s comb are good quality too, so achieving your desired style is simple and quick on both kids and adult hair. All our hairdressers and barbers said they would use this kit on clients, too.
If you're going to cut your hair like a pro, then you need a pro pair of clippers. Our choice: the BaByliss pro cordless clippers, which feature a high frequency pivot motor for supreme power and an advanced lithium battery for a power performance.
Take a closer look and you'll see that these clippers also have Japanese steel blades, meaning they look the business too.
Maybe you're getting a better deal than us, but coming in at £14.99 these basic Wahl clippers are cheaper than going to your local barber for a haircut. Okay, so these aren't the clippers to turn to if you have a red carpet engagement to attend, but they are perfect for at-home tidy-ups.
Thanks to the wide array of attachments, these clippers from Braun are capable of cutting hair anywhere on your body. If you want a one-stop shaving device, these are the clippers to go for.
We know a thing or two about clippers, but so do Amazon shoppers, and these are one of the site's best-selling (and best-reviewed) models.
Why? Well, they're an all-in-one, head-to-toe hair solution that can even be used in the shower. While their precision dial and turnable blade mean you can trim to your ideal length without needing anyone else's help.
These clippers feature a special setting that cuts through thicker hair twice as fast, with a 'turbo' mode to chop dense mops in one smooth motion.
Look at them. Just look at them. These are part clippers, part work of art that have been made with precision engineered, hardened Japanese blades to deliver exceptional cuts each and every time.
Love to travel? It's important to keep your trim looking fresh away from home. Wahl's Beard Care Kit fits inside a stylish carry case, and is ideal for on-the-go use.
Want one length all-round? Remington's Quick Cut Hair Clipper uses a large curved blade to cut your hair at a uniform close trim, helping you keep your hairline, sideburns and neck neat and tidy. It charges quickly and comes with nine fixed comb settings.
Costing under a tenner and weighing in at under a kilo, this battery-powered hair clipper is the most wallet-friendly gadget in our list and, featuring self-sharpening carbon steel blades and lengths between 0.6-14mm as standard, it makes for the ultimate low-fuss hair clipper.
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.'
'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.
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for over 20 categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry.
Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality.
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