Please suggest a hair trimmer

November 3, 2010 8:22 AM

People that trim their own (head) hair, what do you use?

I'm slowly losing my hair so I prefer to keep it really short, maybe 1/8" (3mm). Up till now I've been using Remington Shortcut. It has two advantages over my conventional corder clipper. First, it's obviously cordless which is helpful. Second the longer curved blade makes trimming easier and quicker. The reason I'm looking for another trimmer is that the battery in mine finally died. It appears that it's a common fault with the remingtons and the chances are about 50/50 of getting another defective unit. Basically what I'm looking for is another cordless trimmer that makes self-trimming on a regular basis easy.

What would hive mind recommend for hair trimmers?

posted by aeighty to health & fitness (20 answers total)

I pretty much just use a cheap-ass beard trimmer for both beard and scalp---I don't even remember the brand.
posted by FlyingMonkey at 8:32 AM on November 3, 2010

I use a Remington Beard Trimmer for face/head and no complaints so far. No curved blade but it has no trouble with some scars I have on my scalp.
posted by episodic at 8:36 AM on November 3, 2010

I use a Philips Norelco shaver (model G370). It has a variety of attachments - hair trimmer, beard trimmer, mini shaver (for detail work) and ear/nose hair trimmer. Plus, it's cordless which is a bonus.
posted by Telpethoron at 8:36 AM on November 3, 2010

I use a Wahl beard trimmer for the sides and back, and a pair of scissors for the top, which is a bit longer. For 1/8 inch, that's even easier than my technique; I think the Wahl should do you just fine. Mine's held up well for a while.
posted by Greg Nog at 8:37 AM on November 3, 2010 [2 favorites]

I use a Wahl, but I just buzz my head without any guard every week or two. I prefer clippers with a (long) cord because I don't have to deal with remembering to charge them and can store them in a cabinet when not in use.
posted by entropicamericana at 8:38 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

I use a Remington HC-600. I charge it before I use it every time just on general principles but I haven't had a problem. Maybe I just got lucky with the battery. It says it's waterproof but I've never tried that. I'd rather vacuum the floor than snake the shower drain.
posted by cali59 at 8:38 AM on November 3, 2010

I've used several different clippers including a beard trimmer that weighed less than its batteries and a corded one that required an adjustment screw to get the blades to 'sync up' and stop chattering like a jackhammer. Currently I use one from Vidal Sassoon because it was the cheapest one with a wide variety of depth guides.

They all do the job well enough; the main thing is to get one that makes cleanup easier. Because a well-maintained clipper saves you from things like the sudden pull of seized blades, or motor burnout from hair clogs.

So look for one that is easy to disassemble and get full access to the blade area; the easier it is to get to, the cleaner it will stay. And if it comes with its own tube of lubricating oil, that's a good thing and should be used regularly.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:45 AM on November 3, 2010

I use a Panasonic Beard and Hair trimmer and it's been great so far (3 years). I'd never buy a cordless one and I've had a series of cheap beard trimmers that I have used for the purpose and they have been perfectly fine. The ease of cleaning of the one I have and the pop up detail trimmer are things I like about the Panasonic, but I've never been able to justify the extra expense of these supposedly bespoke head hair trimmers - I just don't know what they do that would justify the extra cost.
posted by Brockles at 8:47 AM on November 3, 2010

I've used a Philips Norelco 180 deg clipper for several months, and been happy with it. I take the adjustable guard off to get a close cut, as the lowest setting of the adjustable guard is a little longer than others' lowest settings. But one plus is that if the battery is uncharged, you can use it plugged in. Prior to that, I used a basic Whal clipper. It was great and still works, but it is not cordless.
posted by neutralmojo at 8:47 AM on November 3, 2010

Different Panasonic here. Light, fast, excellent. I've got the Norelco 180 as well, but the Panasonic is more comfortable and faster for me. Note I've got very little hair, and it is very short. If you've got thicker, longer hair this is probably not the trimmer for you.
posted by cosmac at 9:01 AM on November 3, 2010

Don't buy cheap clippers. I have been clipping my hair for 15 years, and for the first 10, I bought cheap clippers and would go through a pair almost every year. I decided to pay the extra money and got a pair of Andis clippers. I have been using the same clippers now for 5 years and they are still going strong. You do have to make sure you clean them after every use and take them apart every so often and clean out the gunk.
posted by jasondigitized at 9:03 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Don't use a cordless model, would be my advice, and don't go cheap.

I use a corded Wahl, which I've had for going on a decade now and which shows no signs of slowing down at all. I put a little oil on it when I use it, and clean it with a brush every few months. I paid, $80 or so for it, I think, and I'm likely to still be using it fifteen years from now.

Having said that, though, I've just checked Amazon and it looks like the price of all-in-one kits from Wahl with _both_ a cordless and corded trimmer in them is pretty shockingly low these days, though. If I were buying today, I'd definitely do that.
posted by mhoye at 9:08 AM on November 3, 2010

I use whatever cordless I got for a good price at Walmart - I think Conair this time. While I've had to replace them a few times it was nowhere near at the annual rate jasondigitized has experienced - more like every 6 years or so.

When I compare that $40 over 6 years to the $30 8 times a year over 6 years I'd have paid to get someone else to cut my hair... I just don't sweat it a few months of longevity. My tires wear out faster and they cost a whole lot more.

The most important thing I discovered is the need to put a little oil on it occasionally. I use the same bottle I use in my shredder - something I paid a few bucks for and which is still almost as full as when I bought it years ago. Prior to that point I used the mineral oil that came with the clippers.

I am sure there are more effective maintenance regimes I could undertake. But since the whole reason I buzz my head to 3/8" is a desire for less complexity in my life that would seem counter-productive.
posted by phearlez at 9:55 AM on November 3, 2010

FWIW, I used my Remington Shortcut for several years before the battery died. Then bought another one on the theory that I was *way* ahead anyway when compared to paying someone else to cut my hair.
posted by luge at 9:57 AM on November 3, 2010

I also don't like cordless. Even when the charge is starting to fade you get lots of nicks and pulled hairs. I use the Wahl Balder to get mine to 1/16" or less every few days - it's a great product for the closest shave without a razor.
posted by kcm at 10:12 AM on November 3, 2010

nthing corded Wahl. I've had it 15 years, used every 4-6 weeks, and it's in great shape.
posted by Gorgik at 12:23 PM on November 3, 2010

I use this Conair Hair Trimmer. It's cordless and it never is out of batteries. That's because it's some razors stuck between some combs. It's $6, so when I decided I was in the market for something to let me trim my hair at home, I figured it was worth a shot.

The sections with the longer combs can be hard to clean, but for $6 I might just splurge on a new one.
posted by oreofuchi at 1:23 PM on November 3, 2010

I use a Wahl, and not an expensive model. It's worked for over 2 years, with no problems. I do a layered cut, typically running through 4-6 different guards (depths), depending on how long I leave it.

No biggie. Have a decent, largish hand mirror to check out your work the first few times, in addition to (obviously) a well-lit wall mirror.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:36 PM on November 3, 2010

It's not cordless, but I've had good luck with the Oster Professional trimmer recommended here.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 11:39 AM on November 4, 2010

Headblade
posted by P.o.B. at 1:56 PM on November 4, 2010