It’s easy to achieve and maintain salon styles at home if you’ve got exactly the right tools. Chief among these is any one of the ranked best hair clippers and trimmers in South Africa.
Reputable international brands – such as Wahl, Jaguar and Gamma Più – are the favourites of barbers and stylists, in South Africa and around the world. Their best of the best hair clippers and trimmers offer superior accuracy, control and ease of operation. They’re also designed to last.
With the right tool, you can quickly neaten up lines in any home haircut. Also create popular short hair styles, from buzz cuts to crops or fades, and master beard grooming.
Not all clippers are created equal, however.
Consider the following features when choosing the best hair clippers and trimmers for use at home.
Corded or cordless: Corded clippers and trimmers are typically, though not always, more powerful than cordless. They can be used for longer than battery-powered cordless trimmers, but they must be plugged in.
Cordless trimmers can be used anywhere and are easy to manoeuvre. If you want a cordless trimmer, choose one with a long-lasting battery.
Accessories: Opt for a trimmer that comes with accessories such as comb attachments, a brush, oil, scissors and extra blades.
Combs that look like clip-on plastic teeth control how closely the clipper cuts. The smaller the number in millimetres, the shorter your hair will be.
Blades: Clipper blades come in different sizes, so choose a trimmer with the right size blade/s for your hair and style.
Motor: Three types of motors – magnetic, pivot or rotary – power clippers and trimmers.
Also bear in mind that the lifespan and effectiveness of clippers depend on regular maintenance. Dust off any hair with a cleaning brush and regularly lubricate the blade with a suitable oil. A brush and oil are typically included with a good-quality clipper when you purchase it.
Best hair clippers overall
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Jaguar CM 2000 Corded ClipperR2,025.00 – R2,699.00
The sleek and timeless Jaguar CM 2000 is a professional, corded clipper that’s the first choice for many barbers and stylists. It’s an ideal and practical choice for home use, too.
It’s extremely powerful and robust but quiet and easy to use. The cutting plates are exceptionally sharp and work flawlessly on all hair types. It comes with a convenient 2.8-metre cord and the cutting blades are quick and easy to assemble.
The Jaguar CM 2000 can be used for any hair style or to shape and trim beards. It includes six attachments combs (3, 6, 9, 12, 19, 25 mm) that make it easy to cut any length with millimetre precision. It’s also ideal for use in a women’s salon for precision work, such as cutting the base of an exact bob.
The model comes in five different colours from coral to black, so you can find a look you like. It includes oil and a brush. If you’re looking for the best hair clippers for men at a very reasonable price from this renowned German manufacturer, this is the model to choose.
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Best Wahl hair clippers (cordless)
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Wahl Senior Cordless ClipperR4,689.07
Wahl, the world’s best-known brand in professional and home grooming, has been in business since 1919 when its founder, Leo Wahl, invented the first electric hair clipper. The Senior Cordless Clipper is its most iconic clipper – and the Limited Edition 5 Star Cordless Senior is the best in the range.
If you want a workhorse of a clipper, this is the one to invest in. It has a powerful rotary motor with high blade speed and torque that can handle even the thickest hair. You’ll have a buzz cut in a fraction of the time it takes with other clippers.
The Senior Cordless was specifically designed for traditional tapering, blending and fading. It creates seamless blends while hard or soft line fading with a lever that adjusts taper and texture.
The design is classic barber shop with a black body and silver metal bottom. It’s sturdy, durable and the ergonomic design fits comfortably in hand.
A lithium-ion battery gives a 70-minute run time per charge but there’s the option to use it with a 2.4-metre cord. Accessories include three attachment combs (1.5, 3 and 4.5 mm), oil, a cleaning brush, instructions and a blade guard.
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Best cordless hair clippers
This is one of the best cordless hair clippers and trimmers used by barbers and it’s fantastic for home use. This trimmer is all about seamless, smooth, precise detailing. You’ll be able to create sharp line-ups, neat edges and unique designs using its 40 mm black diamond carbon DLC blade.
The Gamma Più Absolute Hitter Cordless Trimmer is the ultimate customisable trimmer. You customise your look – and the look of the trimmer. Each trimmer comes with three removable and replaceable body covers in chrome, gold and rose gold, plus blade covers to create mix-and-match custom modifications.
There’s a removable drop-top option for skeleton style design to expose the blade for cooler operation, better sight line, easier cleaning and enhanced precision. It has an adjustable zero-gap blade from 0.8 to 0 mm for millimetric precision.
The Absolute Hitter has a powerful rotary motor and lithium-ion battery with a very long 240 minutes (four hours) of use. It recharges in two hours using a docking station or USB cable, so it’s easy to top up and can be used worldwide
As well as three combs (1.5, 4.5 and 6 mm) for longer styles, it comes with maintenance oil, a brush and a mini screwdriver. This is sleek Italian design and manufacturing from a leader in the hair industry.
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Best hair clippers for buzz cut
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Jaguar J-CUT One Cordless TrimmerR2,800.00
This professional trimmer will give you a buzz cut in minutes. The Jaguar J-CUT One’s powerful rotary motor and 30 mm steel cutting head are ideal for extremely short, detailed work and high-precision, contoured cuts.
The black design is sleek, ergonomic and, at 138 grams, it’s light and easy to manoeuvre. You have the option to use it cordless or off the mains. The battery lasts for around 60 minutes.
It comes with a docking station, one attachment comb for four cut lengths (3, 4.5, 6 and 7.5 mm) and a maintenance set.
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Best hair clippers for fades
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Wahl Icon Corded ClipperR1,349.00
If you’re looking for the best hair clippers and trimmers for fades, look no further than the Wahl Icon Corded Clipper. This powerful, professional clipper easily masters fades, tapers and blends to create the smoothest of cuts.
If you’re worried about thick or curly hair, fear not. The Icon Clipper cuts through it like butter. This is due to years of research and technology, and a V9000 electromagnetic motor that’s sheer power. It runs faster and cooler than most magnetic motors.
It’s easy to see why the Icon is one of the flagship clippers from the US brand. The elegant black design with silver details give a modern look with a retro twist. The Icon delivers on price and performance and lives up to its name.
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Best nose hair trimmer
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Wahl Nasal Cordless TrimmerR161.29
Nose hair trimmers are no longer the preserve of middle-aged men wanting to remove sprouting nostril and ear hair. The nose hair trimmer is an essential grooming tool for all of us.
As well as nasal hair, the Wahl Nasal Trimmer can be used for the bikini area, sideburns, neckline, beard, eyebrows and ears. It’s small and weighs only 54 grams, so can easily slip in a pocket or handbag for discreet, on-the-go grooming.
A rotating stainless-steel cutting head with spring-loaded blades gently removes unwanted hair swiftly and painlessly. No nipping or eye-watering pulling. To clean the stainless-steel blades, simply rinse under a tap and dry with a towel.
It’s powered by a AAA battery for cutting convenience and has a sleek black and silver body.
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Best portable hair clippers
This mini trimmer is so neat and light – it weighs just 28 grams – it can fit in a shirt pocket.
The battery-operated J-CUT Liner is ideal to carry with you during the day or night to bring your beard, eyebrows or a few stray hairs quickly into shape. It’s perfect to remove a five o’clock shadow if you’re going out straight from work and want a clean-cut look.
The set includes a cleaning brush to prevent the buildup of hair, plus attachment combs. The good news is it comes with an AAA battery, so it’s ready for immediate use. This sleek and stylish mini trimmer is an essential in anyone’s grooming arsenal.
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