Top 5 compared
The best hair clippers
Haircuts at home, short and even, without waiting for a chair at the barbershop.
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The top 5 at a glance
Clippers cut hair to an even length with a fast-moving blade, and the guide combs that clip over it set how much is left, from a near-shave up to about an inch. Simple kits are one clipper and a set of combs; barber-style sets add a separate T-blade trimmer for necklines, edges and beards, and a lever or adjustable head for blending fades.
Both Wahl kits run on the cord as well as the battery, so a dead battery never stops a haircut halfway; the others run on their batteries. Wahl advises brushing and oiling the blade after a cut to keep it sharp, and VGRPRO’s display says when it’s due.
What matters
- A long run time, if the whole family gets cut at once.
- Guide combs that click on firmly, so the length stays put.
- A low-noise setting, for kids’ cuts.
- Detachable blades, for a thorough rinse and clean.
#1VGRPRO Cordless Clipper and Trimmer Set (V-007 and V-109)
$50–$75
A full barbering kit in one case: a 7,000rpm clipper with a fade lever, a separate three-in-one trimmer with a zero-gapped T-blade for edges, beards and nose hair, nine guide combs plus left and right ear tapers, a fade comb and a barber cape. The clipper runs up to four hours on a charge and has a quieter 70 dB mode for kids.
What owners say: Owners say it has saved them hundreds in barbershop visits, cuts cleanly and precisely, and feels solidly made rather than plasticky, with a reassuring weight in the hand. The battery runs far longer than they expected, and one notes the blade head comes off with a Phillips screwdriver for a thorough clean.
A closer look: The LED display shows how much battery is left and reminds you when the blades need oiling. There’s a quieter 70 dB mode for children who don’t like the buzz, handy if the whole family lines up for a trim. No wall adapter comes with it, but any USB phone charger does the job through the USB-C cable.
- 70 dB mode for kids
- Oil reminder on the display
- 7,000rpm motor
- Detachable blade
- No wall adapter included
Best for: Fades, beards and edges
- Power
- Cordless, USB-C charging
- Cordless run time
- Up to 240 min
- Cutting lengths
- 9 combs, 1/16 to 7/8 in, fade lever
- Separate trimmer
- 3-in-1 T-blade
- In the box
- Trimmer, 14 combs, cape, oil, case
#2Novah Professional Clipper and Trimmer Set
$75–$100
A barber-style pair with an all-metal unibody: the clipper has an adjustable head, six guards and two speeds with a turbo setting for thick hair, and the matching trimmer with four guards does the outlines and edges. A screen shows the speed and the battery, and the cross-etched grip keeps it steady on a fade.
What owners say: Truly sharp blades that stay that way with a drop of oil top the praise; they say it goes through thick hair cleanly and close, feels well made and weighty, and the motor is strong without being loud. The cordless design and the battery display both get a mention.
A closer look: Set the head to its closest position and use the trimmer for the line-up, then work up through the guards for the blend. Oil the blades after every couple of cuts to keep them this sharp, and brush the hair out of the guards before they go back in the case. Novah says it tests the kit in barbershops.
- All-metal unibody
- Two speeds with turbo
- Screen shows speed, battery
- Cross-etched grip
Best for: Barber-style cuts and fades
- Power
- Cordless, rechargeable
- Cordless run time
- –
- Cutting lengths
- 6 guards, adjustable head
- Separate trimmer
- Outline trimmer, 4 guards
- In the box
- Trimmer, 10 guards, cape, comb, brush
#3Wahl Color Pro Cordless Clipper Kit (9649P)
$30–$50
Color-coded guide combs matched to a key on the clipper’s face, so everyone’s usual length is easy to find again, 60 minutes of cordless cutting or use on the cord while it charges, and blades that lift off to rinse under the faucet. It comes in a hard case.
What owners say: A well-made clipper that’s easy to use and easier to handle than a corded one, owners say. Its battery is where they differ, holding up for years for one and fading for another, and while most find it glides through hair, a few saw theirs stop cutting well or fail within a month.
A closer look: Keep the color key in mind rather than the numbers and the kids’ cuts come out the same every time. Plug it in to finish if the battery runs down mid-cut, since it works on the cord while charging. Rinse the blade, dry it and add a drop of oil before it goes back in the case.
- Color key on the clipper
- Blades lift off to rinse
- Self-sharpening blade
- Worldwide voltage
Best for: Simple home haircuts for the whole family
- Power
- Cord or cordless
- Cordless run time
- 60 min
- Cutting lengths
- Color-coded combs, up to 1 in
- Separate trimmer
- No
- In the box
- Color combs, accessories, hard case
#4Wahl Cord/Cordless Haircutting Kit (79434)
$30–$50
Everything for family haircuts in a hard case: the clipper runs on the cord or for 60 minutes on its battery, 12 attachment guards cover 1/16 to 1 inch, and scissors, a comb, oil and two cleaning brushes come with it. Wahl’s self-sharpening steel blades lift off for rinsing, and the company has made clippers in Sterling, Illinois, since 1919.
What owners say: Cutting without the cord is the draw for owners, with every guard length from an eighth of an inch to an inch in the case and a charge that lasts. How close it cuts divides them, a few units failed early, and some balk at the price.
Heads up: Wahl says to give the battery a full charge at least every six months, even if it’s sitting in the drawer.
A closer look: Pull the blade off after a cut and rinse it, then brush and oil it so it stays sharp and lined up, as Wahl recommends. The 1/16 inch guard is the one for a skin-tight back and sides; the one-inch guard leaves enough on top for a scissor-free cut, and the worldwide voltage means it travels too.
- Self-sharpening steel blades
- Blades lift off to rinse
- 5-year limited warranty
- Worldwide voltage
Best for: Buzz cuts to longer tops
- Power
- Cord or cordless
- Cordless run time
- 60 min
- Cutting lengths
- 12 guards, 1/16 to 1 in
- Separate trimmer
- No
- In the box
- 12 guards, scissors, comb, oil, case
#5Jack & Rose Cordless Clipper and T-Blade Trimmer Set
$30–$50
Two tools in one set: a carbon-steel clipper that runs four hours on a charge and a zero-gapped T-blade trimmer good for three, with ten guide combs for the clipper and four for the trimmer. A three-second child lock stops either switching on in a bag, and the quiet motors suit kids’ cuts.
What owners say: Both are real tools, owners say, arriving charged and holding the charge for a long time, cutting cleanly without pulling and running quietly. Some find the blades stay sharp while others say theirs dulled after a few uses, and a few units gave up after five months.
A closer look: Use the clipper with a guard for the bulk of the cut and the trimmer, which takes hair down to 0.08mm, for the neckline, around the ears and a beard line. Hold the power button for three seconds to lock it before it goes in the pouch. Both charge from USB, with two cables in the box.
- 3-second child lock
- Carbon-steel blades
- Quiet motors for kids
- Two USB cables included
Best for: Necklines, ears and kids’ cuts
- Power
- Cordless, USB charging
- Cordless run time
- 240 min (trimmer 180)
- Cutting lengths
- 10 guide combs
- Separate trimmer
- T-blade, 4 combs
- In the box
- Trimmer, 14 combs, apron, oil, pouch
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1VGRPRO kit | #2Novah pro set | #3Wahl Color Pro Cordless | #4Wahl 79434 kit | #5Jack & Rose set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Price | $50–$75 | $75–$100 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 |
| Power | Cordless, USB-C charging | Cordless, rechargeable | Cord or cordless | Cord or cordless | Cordless, USB charging |
| Cordless run time | Up to 240 min | – | 60 min | 60 min | 240 min (trimmer 180) |
| Cutting lengths | 9 combs, 1/16 to 7/8 in, fade lever | 6 guards, adjustable head | Color-coded combs, up to 1 in | 12 guards, 1/16 to 1 in | 10 guide combs |
| Separate trimmer | 3-in-1 T-blade | Outline trimmer, 4 guards | No | No | T-blade, 4 combs |
| In the box | Trimmer, 14 combs, cape, oil, case | Trimmer, 10 guards, cape, comb, brush | Color combs, accessories, hard case | 12 guards, scissors, comb, oil, case | Trimmer, 14 combs, apron, oil, pouch |
| Best for | Fades, beards and edges | Barber-style cuts and fades | Simple home haircuts for the whole family | Buzz cuts to longer tops | Necklines, ears and kids’ cuts |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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