Recommendations for Hair Clippers & Beard Trimmer?

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  endotherm on 21/08/2012 - 20:47

  I can recommend Wahl, great quality, built strong and spares available. I got mine (Color Pro) locally from the Shaver Shop, I think for $99. I use it for both head and beard. I'm getting older, lost it on top and don't care too much, so I basically just do a #1 cut all over, and tidy up the neckline and cheeks. The prices on Amazon look great, not sure how much it would cost to ship. The biggest concern is the mains plug on the imported model and whether it works on 240V.

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  [Deactivated] on 22/08/2012 - 07:58

  Aldi have some on sale in their next catalog. Check their site to get specs and see if they suit

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    c64 on 22/08/2012 - 08:25

    they are rechargeable and rated at 3w. i wonder how much grunt rechargeable clippers have.

    at least they can be returned if they don't work well.

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  [Deactivated] on 22/08/2012 - 13:32

  Andis is popular in the USA but Wahl is the one Australian barbers have used for decades and most still do.

  First we owned a Remington rechargeable. The 2x - or was it 3x - internal AA cells always went flat before haircuts were complete (especially if you're learning to do it because it takes longer), so you had to plug the cord in anyway - but because the cells were drained, the plugpack barely moved the blades enough to cut the hair. And if you want to cut TWO people's hair on the same day - forget it. (So you may as well buy a corded 240V one in the first place.) Oh - and as the batteries drained, the blades moved slower - so it took longer - and the finished cut looked worse.

  The cells also leaked and destroyed the copper tracks on the circuit board. Yeah, I know, it's only one experience. But my point being, if that happened with a Remington a decade ago when some level of quality was still considered by manufacturers - what's the Aldi version made in China today going to be like.

  Then we purchased a Conair. It crowed on the packaging the blades were ceramic and didn't need lubricating. The stupid thing never did cut properly - and it always "clacked" - you could never get the voltage adjustment right. After a few haircuts the blade nearly stopped moving and eventually did altogether. It still "buzzed" but the blades didn't move enough to cut hair. I got the book out and it said to lubricate the blades! By now a burr was worn onto the blades so oiling didn't work. Fed up with all this junk made in the cesspool of the world - china - I threw it against the concrete steps to force myself to stop patching and making excuses for junk products and to buy something decent.

  Then I bought a Wahl Designer. With three boys and myself it paid for itself in about three uses. And the cut (the finished appearance) is better than the others were.

  I posted a long thread about all of this ages ago, but couldn't find it. The short version is:

  Wahl clippers have two types of motors. I believe the Professional has the "lesser quality" motor. Also be aware you cannot run clippers purchased from the USA in Australia. Stepping voltage down doesn't help - it's the mains frequency that matters. Here we have 50Hz. There they have 60Hz (I think). So the motor cannot vibrate correctly. The "hair" shops mostly sell the "Colour Pro" that has multicoloured guide combs. It also has the cheaper motor.

  I also tried to find out if I could buy a UK Wahl and have it work here - but no-one could give me a definite YES.

  So the place I purchased ours was: www.myhaircare.com.au - specifically, this: http://www.myhaircare.com.au/Designer_Clipper_1280.html - they had the cheapest price I could find online (at the time). I paid $109.95 in Feb 2011. It is currently $122.40 - but the owner told me back then he regularly has it on sale plus free shipping. He was pretty open with that info. So just email and ask if he still has "the regular free shipping offer on the Wahl Designer" and when it's on next.

  The Designer is supposed to only be available to "professionals" (hairdressers). He told me they get around this by specifically importing the Designer - because many people want the choice of buying the better motor.

  You might also want to look at this: http://www.myhaircare.com.au/Groomsman_Battery_Beard_Moustac…

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    _Bruce_ on 22/08/2012 - 14:00

    I can tell you that the UK has the same voltage and frequency as us. The only difference is the plug, so you will need an adapter.

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    mrhorseham on 22/08/2012 - 14:24

    I'll have to have a look about the frequency then. Thanks for your response, very helpful. I thought that we could use an product made in USA/uk with an adapter, but I'll check.

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  [Deactivated] on 22/08/2012 - 14:36

  The UK - you probably can. But I couldn't get a 100% definite YES from Wahl. So I just didn't risk it.

  The US - definitely not (unless it's a DC motor).

  The better/more expensive clippers have a shunt motor - which is built in the factory using components so the motor vibrates according to the mains frequency in each country. There's a screw on the side of the clippers, that you adjust so they "buzz" (and therefore cut) instead of "clack", to suit the mains in your particular home. In other words, the shunt motors (in the more expensive/better models like the Designer) don't rotate - they vibrate to move the blades.