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If you managed to get to grips with cutting your own hair while barbers were closed over the past few years, the chances are you're now a pro. At first, those who trusted their head shape took the plunge and plumped for the buzz cut. Those who didn't discovered just how hard it is to do a decent fade when you're working blind, then promptly opted for the buzz cut when someone showed them what the back of their head looked like.
Then, a turning point. The at-home haircuts began to improve. Partners across the land gained confidence and even those of us who had to do the job ourselves were pulling it out of the bag. Two important things made that process a whole lot easier: online guides and professional quality hair clippers. We've got you covered for both.
However, if you're already an expert, feel free to skip straight to the product list below.
Best Hair Clippers 2023
Beard trimmers and electric shavers are useful for some things – namely, trimming your beard and shaving your face. But the hair on your head deserves something purpose-built, something a little more precise. A barber would never recommend tidying up your beard, head, chest and, well, wherever else, with the same clippers (and nor would any sane microbiologist).
Instead, they recommend something with plenty of oomph. "It's pretty much a case of horsepower," says Denis Robinson, barber at Ruffians. "A good, strong motor means your clippers will accept and hold a good charge, with no tailing off in cutting power as the battery fades out." That means you want to look for high voltage – a pair that'll store plenty of juice – and try to avoid anything that may compromise their longevity.
"Don't recharge until the battery is completely flat," Robinson adds. "This ensures you get maximum battery life. Think back to your old mobile phone, and why it dies after two hours."
Consider blades too, Robinson advises. "There are a lot of different types available now – titanium, carbon and the like – but, to be honest, you can't beat a good classic set of steel blades," he explains. "Look for a thin profile – a blade that sits closest to the skin – as this allows for a closer cut and more control."
As with anything in life, you get what you pay for, and if a stint at barbering college isn't on the cards, then you probably don't need a set of hair clippers powered by something akin to a lawnmower motor. But going cheap can be a false economy – bad hair clippers mean bad haircuts, always and forever.
And a pair of high-quality hair clippers in your bathroom cabinet is always handy for everything from between-cut touch-ups to embracing your inner Jason Statham.
How we test hair clippers
Every product with an Esquire Approved logo by the side of it has been tested by our panel of 145 men, including industry experts, to find the best option for every need — whether you're on a budget, need a set you can travel with, or want to invest in something that meets professional standards. Because if you are going to cut your own hair, you should have a tool that's going to do the job properly.
The rest have been carefully selected by the Esquire editors, based on their own grooming experiences.
The Esquire pick
Remington T-Series Beard Trimmer and Hair Clipper MB7050
Our testers were impressed by how easily this clipper created a fade haircut, thanks to its comfortable, lightweight design. Reaching the back of the head was simple, while the blades cut with precision.
The clipper can be used on both body hair and beards too – if you’re looking for a multipurpose tool – and works with or without the cord. The included travel case and clipper’s lock function also make it the ideal travel tool.
- Battery Life: 300 minutes after four hours charge
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: Grade 0.5-8
- Accessories: 1 foil shaver attachment, 1 precision stubble comb, 9 hair and beard comb attachments, travel pouch, cleaning brush, oil, styling guide
- Worldwide Voltage: Yes
Best hair clippers for number of cutting lengths
Philips Series 9000 Pro Precision Hair Clipper
Philips Series 9000 Pro Precision Hair Clipper
You can’t carve out a sharp hairline with a blunt clipper. Cue this clever device, featuring titanium blades, which claim to self-sharpen.
They did the trick for the majority of our testers, who found they cut through hair easily and achieved their desired final look. The high-tech digital swipe interface allowed them to switch between up to 400 length settings with ease too, while its premium design also impressed.
- Battery life: 120 mins
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 0.5-42mm
- Included accessories: 3 comb attachments
- Worldwide voltage: Yes
Best hair clipper kit
This compact kit comes with everything you’d ever need for a professional cut at home. Featuring scissors, a comb and nose and ear trimmer options, this made it easy to get into all those hard-to-reach areas.
The LCD charge indicator was a favourite for letting you know when the battery’s running low, while one of our testers claimed it was the best bit of kit they’ve ever used. Our panel were happy with the finished look, thanks to its ability to leave no hair un-mowed.
- Battery life: 100 mins
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 3-25mm
- Included accessories: Spotlight trimmer, storage pouch, 8 comb attachments, scissors, barber comb, cape, blade oil and cleaning brush
- Worldwide voltage: Yes
Best hair clippers for precision
Giving you the option of 72 different cutting lengths at the twist of a dial, this tool was a top performer when it came to accuracy.
It provided a precise and thorough trim, no matter the length, while our testers found they could use it at all angles, without compromising their cut. The battery life wasn’t as impressive as some others, but testers claimed this didn’t deter them from using it again.
- Battery life: 75 mins
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 1-35mm
- Included accessories: Comfort glide adjustable comb, micro face hair and beard comb
- Worldwide voltage: Yes
Best long-lasting hair clippers
BaByliss Men Super-X Metal Series Cordless Hair Clipper
Speaking of battery life, this pair can keep you trimming for up to three hours and has a quick charge-up time. The variety of attachments guarantees you any style too, and our testers said it tackled head hair brilliantly. They're also relatively quiet in use.
- Battery life: 180 mins
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 0.8-25mm
- Included accessories: 10 comb guides, left and right ear taper guides, USB charging stand, storage pouch
- Worldwide voltage: Yes
Best hair clippers for detail
Philips Series 7000 16-in-1 Multi Grooming Kit for Face, Hair and Body, MG7736/13
Philips Series 7000 16-in-1 Multi Grooming Kit for Face, Hair and Body, MG7736/13
You shouldn't be using a beard trimmer on your head – but you can use a set of clippers on your beard, if you get the right ones. Most are too bulky for edging or details, but Philips' smart 7000 series comes with stubble and beard hair attachments, which we found perfect for achieving a nice edge on your cheekbones, moustache and neckline.
It's no slouch higher up either, thanks to self-sharpening blades and Philips' DualCut tech, which blasts through hair twice as fast as its competitors. You even get nose and ear hair attachments.
- Battery life: 100 minutes after one hour's charge
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 1mm-16mm (grades 0-5)
- Accessories: Nose and ear trimmers, cleaning brush, storage pouch
- Worldwide voltage: Yes
Best budget hair clippers
For less than the price of a haircut, you can get yourself a set of budget hair clippers and do the job yourself. If Wahl's more expensive clippers are the professional barber's choice, the brand's entry-level trimmer is perfect for at-home tidy-ups, as it packs a lot of what makes them great into a keenly priced package.
Featuring a clever colour-coded system on the attachments, this clipper makes it easy to find the correct comb for your hair length. The kit also comes with good quality scissors and a barber’s comb, so you can make those final tweaks to your new style with confidence. Testers found the clipper easy to control – ideal for first-timers – and all our barber and hairdresser testers said they would be happy to use this kit on clients.
- Battery Life: 60 minutes after 12 hours charge.
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: Grades 1 to 8
- Accessories: 8 colour-coded attachment combs, left/right ear taper combs, blade guard, scissors, barber comb, soft storage case, blade oil, cleaning brush, charger
- Worldwide Voltage: Yes
Best total-body package
Designed to get rid of hair anywhere – seriously, anywhere – Braun's 9-in-1 hair trimmer will have you as hairless as a triathlete, should that be the look you're after, courtesy of its lifetime-sharp blades and attachments that deal with body hair, beard hair and head hair. But it's not a blunt tool (arf arf) – with 13 length settings available, you'll be able to execute detailed haircuts.
If you do fancy the cueball look, it comes with a Gillette Fusion5 ProGlide razor, to get a properly close shave. We'll let you decide where you use that one. But please do be careful.
- Battery life: 100 minutes after one hour's charge
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 0.5mm-21mm (grades 0-7)
- Accessories: Nose and ear trimmers, detail trimmer, body hair trimmer, soft bag, cleaning brush, Gillette razor
- Worldwide voltage: Yes
Best wet-and-dry hair clippers
Amazon's best-selling clippers (and best-reviewed) are an all-in-one, head-to-toe hair solution that you can even use in the shower. The precision dial and turnable blade mean you can trim to your desired length without any bathroom yoga – handy if you don't have a willing accomplice to do the wispy bits on your neck – and the two-and-a-half-hour battery life means they're perfect for travelling.
- Battery life: 2.5 hours after 90 minutes of charging
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 1mm-16mm (grades 0-5)
- Accessories: Nose and ear trimmers, cleaning brush, storage pouch,
- Worldwide voltage: Yes
The professional's choice
WAHL 79600-3116 Professional Lithium Ion Hair Trimmer Set
WAHL 79600-3116 Professional Lithium Ion Hair Trimmer Set
When you're barber's busy at the back of your head tidying up all the baby hairs, odds are they've got a Wahl in their hand. The pro's choice, Wahl's clippers are bombproof and full of smart features such as self-sharpening blades, extra-strong combs and an electric motor so powerful you'll swear you've got a Tesla roadster in your hand.
Do you need all that if you're just going to be shaving your head once a week? Possibly not. But you can guarantee that these hair clippers won't pack up mid-cut and leave you with half a shaved head.
- Battery life: 120 minutes (or 12 minutes on 15-minute quick charge)
- Corded/cordless: Corded
- Guards: 1.5mm-25mm (grades 0.5-8), plus continuous adjustment lever
- Accessories: Storage bag, cleaning brush, scissors, oil, barber’s comb, styling comb, blade guard
- Worldwide voltage: No
Best speedy hair clippers
What Remington's quick-cut clipper lacks in versatility it makes up for in ease of use. It has a half-moon-shaped blade edge that scoops up the hair and pushes the follicles in the same direction, which makes the process of cutting your hair much smoother. The curved shape also makes light work of any odd lumps and bumps by following the contours of your skull and neck.
It’s lightweight and comfortable to hold, and the shape means you won't need to find a friend to do the back of your head. You can choose the length of the cut across nine different combs, from 1.5mm to 15mm, and it charges faster than some other options on the list, taking four hours to get 40 minutes of use. Or you can give it a quick 10-minute blast on the cord to get a quick trim in.
- Battery life: 40 minutes from a 4-hour charge
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 3mm-15mm (grades 1-5)
- Accessories: Travel pouch, cleaning brush
- Worldwide voltage: No
Best hair clippers for versatility
Remington is normally a reliable choice when it comes to male grooming, and this trimmer is no different. Its ceramic-coated blades stay sharper longer and it comes with a wealth of extras to satisfy every styling need, from sectioning clips to a moustache comb.
That said, it will breeze through a grade-one-all-over thanks to its powerful motor and 40-minute battery life, although with 25 attachments, hair guards and other extras included, that seems a bit unimaginative.
- Battery life: 40 minutes from a 16-hour charge
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Clipper length: 3mm-25mm (grades 1-8)
- Accessories: Travel pouch, cleaning brush, sectioning clips, hair comb, moustache comb, tapered blade, neck brush
- Worldwide voltage: No
Best hair clippers for beginners
BaByliss Japanese Steel Digital Hair Clipper
BaByliss Japanese Steel Digital Hair Clipper
This hair clipper features an adjustment dial so you can switch cutting lengths without having to change attachment heads, which means you might actually be able to nail that fade. Finally.
There are an impressive 45 length options to pick from too, while the cutting angle of the blades makes any haircut fairly straightforward to achieve. Testers also appreciated how quick it was to cut to their desired style and said the sleek design and digital display made it look and feel like a premium tool.
- Battery Life: 160 minutes after three hours charge.
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: Grades 1 to 8
- Accessories: 8 comb guides, hard storage case, cleaning brush, adaptor, instruction booklet, oil
- Worldwide Voltage: Yes
Best home hair styling kit
This is a full DIY at-home kit for those wanting to perfect their barber skills. In fact, 80 per pent of the barbers and hairdressers on our panel said they would use this kit on a client. Testers loved the clipper’s sharp blades and premium, robust feel, and the overall tool was comfortable to hold for longer periods of time.
They found the 12 included comb attachments easy to clip on and use; however, some wished they were labelled with the hair length to make it quicker to find the right one for the job.
- Battery Life: 120 minutes after three hours charge
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: Grades 0.5 to 8
- Accessories: 10 comb attachments, right/left ear taper combs, storage pouch, scissors, barber comb, styling comb, blade oil, cleansing brush
- Worldwide Voltage: Yes
Best travel hair clippers
This is the perfect option for any man who wants to keep up their grooming routine while travelling. Oh, what's that? You don't have a grooming routine? There's no shame in that, just step this way.
Inside the Wahl-branded carry case you'll find a quality no-frills cordless trimmer, an assortment of cutting lengths and combs, a bottle of moisturising beard oil and a wood-handled brush with soft nylon/boar bristles to help groom your facial hair into place. Sorted.
- Battery life: 60 minutes
- Corded/cordless: Both
- Guards: 0.5mm-13mm
- Accessories: Trimmer, beard brush, beard oil, moustache comb, oil, cleaning brush, 6 position combs, no 1 - 3 attachment combs
- Worldwide voltage: No
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple 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. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
