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Like many I dabbled with cutting my own hair during Covid and although it was largely successful (wasn't ashamed to go outside, wife didn't divorce me) the clippers I got (some battery powered, F1 branded Aldi specials) were rubbish, seemed to need multiple passes to achieve any sort of consistent length.
So, now I want to try again but want to get some decent clippers, hence Wahl, but am now wary of battery powered (can't shake feeling they'll be weaker, or just end up with degraded battery life within a couple of years). Problem is if I get mains powered I can't use them in the bathroom as no plug!
So do I go mains and risk making a mess in another room of the house or go battery and constrain the mess to the bathroom? 😎
Mains and an extension lead here.
Mains and an extension lead here.
Obvious solution is obvious, I guess I'll just need to mop up all the pools of water on the bathroom floor first to reduce electrocution hazard 😂
Mains clipper and a few sheets of newspaper is my system.
Normal clippers are rubbish for cutting your own hair. Rather than contorting your hand to try and get to the back of your bonce, get something that is specifically designed for DIY hair strimming and make life so much easier, like BaByliss Crew Cut. They're a game changer for us baldies. An absolute bargain on Amazon at the moment too
I've tried several battery operated cutters from the big manufactures and now stick with the mains option. Currently use the Wahl Balding but I have kept my BaByliss battery ones for holidays away.
Went cordless about 3 years ago. Was using corded for years - I’m not going back.
just ensure you buy a Wahl and spend as much as you can range goes from around £25 to £150+
Get a decent cordless set. I bought some Wahl cordless ones in lockdown and would never go back to a cable.
If a cordless one is not strong enough to cut your hair, what exactly are you growing up there?
Saves the perennial issue of getting tied in knots with the cable in the middle of the bathroom.
EDIT: or smacked in the face with the cable - that's really annoying
Normal clippers are rubbish for cutting your own hair.
Despite my earlier recommendation, Binners is correct.
I deffo have to get a volunteer to do my head. Which may not be an issue if you live with family.
Normal clippers are rubbish for cutting your own hair. Rather than contorting your hand to try and get to the back of your bonce, get something that is specifically designed for DIY hair strimming and make life so much easier, like
….Remington Quick cut
£40 from Argos.
I've had two Wahl beard trimmers, in both the battery died after a couple of years. In fairness though, battery tech has improved and they were TK Maxx specials.
The ones I have now are totally-not-copyright-infringing branded GHB. They've not missed a beat. I lost the charger at some point, contacted them asking if I could buy a replacement and they sent me out a complete new set of everything for free.
Bought a set of these direct from Wahl in 2020, still going strong and get a lot of use.
flicker
Bought a set of these direct from Wahl in 2020, still going strong and get a lot of use.
Same here, around early 2020.
Battery seems to last fine, although I don't let them run out. I put them on charge the night before I intend to use them, or straight after using them so they don't run out.
I generally buy corded items where possible, as I don't like the reduced lifetime & potential environmental issues of battery disposal. But, for hair trimmers the extra convenience of not having to untangle and fiddle about with a cord seems worth it to me.
There's Wahl and there's Wahl - they seem to do everything from disposable cheapos on Amazon to professional haircutting tools. I went through the same thought process in lockdown and after struggling with a Braun thing bought a Wahl Cordless Super Taper, which will probably outlast me and if the battery goes you can use it plugged in. As an extra bonus you can use the cordless one outside if the weather's half-decent (warm enough for Mrs R who operates the thing) thus avoiding much of the mess problem.
I recently used a work xmas gift voucher (for a range of online stores) at currys and got Wahl corded clippers - my other half now cuts my hair (or what's left of it, damn you male pattern baldness). They were £15 on sale in a set with loads of combs, an actual comb, scissors and a cape thing. My thinking was that they'll probably last forever whereas a lithium battery will probably die and necessitate binning the entire thing.
Unless you're at the stage you're doing the same number all over then sod trying to cut your own hair. Correction - £13.99!
If a cordless one is not strong enough to cut your hair, what exactly are you growing up there?
Who knows, I think I have a double crown so maybe just the direction/lay of the hair and weak motor or blunt blades just meant every pass it would sort of chew a little bit more off but never seemed to get it all!
Thanks for recommendations, will see what Boots have, they definitely had some reductions on Wahl clippers.
As an extra bonus you can use the cordless one outside
With an extension cord you can do likewise with a corded one. And if it's warm enough and you have no neighbours you can avoid getting hairs on your clothes 🙂
I agree with comments further up that there is cheap Wahl and pro grade Wahl. I used a cheapo corded Wahl for years before upgrading to this Babyliss and the difference is literally night and day. If you can stretch your budget and get a decent one of any brand then I would recommend.
Although I have Wahl battery clippers, I actually use a Remington Quick Cut (as per PercyPanther's post).
The corded Super Taper is widely available for £50.
You'll recognise the white and yellow design from various barber shops, which seems a good recommendation in itself.
Just replaced the battery in my Wahl clippers - it was £20 and easy to do.
I bought some Philips EasyReach clippers at the start of covid
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Yourself-Clipper-Degree-Rotating/dp/B00BN1TW7C
but soon changed to some Wahl Senior clippers that I have been using ever since, still cutting my own hair.
Also bought a cutting guide for the back of my head for ease of use.
My Remington clippers are ancient (they came with an instructional video in VHS format). I don't see any reason to believe they won't outlast my need for them. They are mains powered so I've never needed to worry about battery life - either on a day-to-day basis or overall charging cycles.
Been shaving my bonce since mid/late 90s, tried a fair few but ended up with 2 Wahl balding mains, just put some new blades on one again, no idea how long ive had them, ages. For a number zero/one, done reliably and very cheaply I don't need anything else
The Wahl Corded / Cordless Super Taper seems to be the default answer to any clipping questions.... I'm waiting for my current cheap cordless set to die before investing in a cordless super taper myself. As for corded or cordless? Personal preference 🤷♂️
Recharge as you can cut your hair in the shower and rinse yourself afterwards.
Another Babyliss Crewcut user here had them for about six years went cordless as I got fed up with cable getting in the road
If a cordless one is not strong enough to cut your hair, what exactly are you growing up there?
A proper head of hair? Even corded ones sometimes struggle to chew thru mine Cordless no chance
😜
I have the Remington Quick Cut Pro, it's cordless and does the job for me, albeit the job is 5mm all over. https://uk.remington-europe.com/quick-cut-pro-hair-clipper-hc4300-uk
Cordless means I can use it in the shower and in the garden which saves mess.
There may be better options, but they work really well for me. I can't get my head round having hear so think that it'd need more power, though saying that I only started to clip my hair as it was thinning...
TJ's not exaggerating about his hair
Lolz
Wife picked up a pair of Wahl Peaky Blinders mains clippers for £20 ( out of date ? ) They are night and day compared to the battery Brain I had before.
She's been cutting my hair for about ,20 years saved a fortune 👍
I googled that Remington and found this Manchester United version.
I assume this is a frustrating experience, much slower and only works properly now and again compared to other types.
I do my own hair and regularly bits on the back. My wife tells me I look like Stripe from gremlins when that happens
@midlifecrashes Those can also give up at the last minute too!
Another vote for the Wahl cordless Super Taper clippers. I haven't bought a haircut since early 2020 as a result.
Hedge your bets and get this one that works with or without a cord. We bought similar one in May 2020 as it was the only one left in Argos. Still going fine more than 3 1/2 years on. Will cut both mine and the lads hair in a single charge without having to plug it in. Probably not the best clippers ever but works for us and saved a fortune of money and time compared to the barbers.
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7507616?clickPR=plp:8:12
Thanks all, just grabbed the fanciest looking corded/cordless Wahls I could find in Boots, having upped my budget from £20-ish to £40-ish to be on the safe side. They didn't have any of the funky looking crew cut type clippers.
Oiled the blades and set to it, no repeat passes required other than from inaccuracy, the tapered ear guides are genius and I'm still reasonably attracted to my own reflection in the mirror, if I squint a bit and don't let the light highlight my incipient male pattern baldness 🙄 Even wife didn't seem to horrified by the results.
They'll have paid for themselves in a year and I'll probably look about 10% smarter on average during that time, win!
Got a cordless wahl, not the absolute cheapest but not far off, I'll definitely never have a corded one again.
I need a new beard trimmer. The Remington Barba thing I have is very tired, battery wont hold a charge and is rubbish plugged in.
Can you use a hair trimmer? I always assumed that they are more powerful.
I've got a thick beard that grows in all sorts of directions.
Bumpy bump
Maybe take it as a sign from the gods that now is the time for you to go full Brian Blessed?
Have those thumbs been in a polar bear eye socket?
Several, I would imagine
My corded Wahls must be nearly 20 years old now.
I bought corded Wahl clippers when i was at Police training college 30yrs ago. They were £20 and have cut my hair ( and sometimes my spaniels) for every haircut since then. A total bargain if youre a fan of #1 all over.
Get the Super Taper cordless if you can.
I have:
Wahl basic £12.50 corded. More than 15 years old. Only oiled blades and never opened to clean. Still working like new.
Wahl Super Taper corded 25 year old. Still working like new.
Wahl Balding corded more 10 year old. Still working like new.
Wahl Senior cordless but can be corded if you wish. More than 5 years old. Still working like new.
I bought the cordless Senior because it's hassle free rather than have the cable cord running down my side or back.