The motor isn’t as powerful as professional trimmers from Wahl, BaByBlissPRO, or Bevel, but nothing comes close to matching the versatility. (There’s a reason it’s landed in our guides to the best beard trimmers, electric razors, and now hair clippers.) Plus, while most trimmers max out at 0.8” to 1” cutting lengths, the MultiShape goes all the way up to about 1.2”, making it the best hair clipper for long hair. Still, I think short-haired guys will love it, too.
This multitasking device can mow down everything to a stubble (if you so please), and then allows you to swap on that wide-set foil shaver, to take things down to a smooth finish. One device for buzz cuts, long hair, and bald guys—perfection.
Best Men’s Hair Trimmer for Lineups: Andis Slimline Pro Trimmer
Why we love it: This is technically a trimmer, not a clipper, but it belongs on this roundup because of its superb ability to draw clean lines everywhere. It’s a barber favorite for those line ups, neckline cleanups, and its natural ability to trim at zero-gap length with minimal skin risk compared to other zero-gapping devices. If you regularly line yourself up at home, or if you want to draw clean cheek lines, necklines, sideburns, and beyond—then absolutely invest in the Andis’ Slimline Pro.
Best Men’s Hair Clippers for Traveling: Wahl Peanut
Why we love it: While I’m the proud owner of a regular corded Wahl Peanut, I need to also call out the newly updated cordless option, the Peanut Li. Normally, a product loses motor power when it goes cordless, but the new version actually has a stronger 7,000rpm motor. Either of these devices are perfect for traveling, given how petite the Peanut is (just 4 inches!). And I’d argue that the corded option (mine pictured here) is even better for the guy who forgets to charge up his devices since it’ll always have power. As much as I love going cordless, the regular Peanut has earned a cult following as a pro-level clipper for home use, it’s pretty cute too.
Best for Bald Cuts + Fades: Wahl 5 Star Vapor Clipper
Why we love it: Wahls been on a tear lately, releasing the cordless Peanut Li and the 5 Star Vapor. If you’re looking for a true zero-gap trimmer with the most powerful-possible motor, then this is the device you want. It’s so powerful my partner complained about the racket it made, and the 8,000rpm motor slices through even the thickest hair. Wahl calls this the first “adjustable balding blade,” and it was made for barbers working on bald cuts and fades. It has extra-sharp blades, a comfy ergonomic feel in your hand, and makes it easy to blend bald fades (at least, for professionals—YMMV). The blade looks razor sharp, and for bald cuts, it includes dozens of fine ball-pointed teeth to reduce nicks and snags as it moves across your skin. In short, it’s another true barber-quality clipper from Wahl you can also use at home.
More Hair Clippers We Love
What to Look for in Hair Clippers
What you need from men’s hair clippers at home is much different from what barbers need in professional hair clippers. So I think the best place to start is to differentiate between the qualities that are important for the DIY hair cutter, as opposed to the barber clippers. For that advice, I got an assist from barber and STMNT Grooming Goods ambassador Jovan Figueroa. Here is his very excellent two cents on the most important qualities in a DIY hair cutter.
- Power: “Power is by far the most important, in my opinion, because the higher the power, the more it will cut through any type of hair,” Figueroa says. While pros typically opt for clippers with 10,000 or higher RPM (revolutions per minute), most average users only need something with 6,000 RPM. Opting for something with higher RPM ensures that you’re using something that’s powerful enough to take on your hair as opposed to a beard trimmer, which tends to have lower RPM since facial hair is uniformly less dense.
- Sturdy Guards: “This is something that cannot be overlooked as cheap guards can and will produce cheap results,” says Figueroa. If they bend and warp as you move the product over your hair, then you’ll have an uneven buzz at the end. “Most professional clippers will come with regular guards, but I would highly recommend purchasing premium guards,” he adds.
- Cordlessness: This isn’t a must, but there’s a reason all but a couple of our picks above are cordless. “It’s a plus to be able to move freely without any restrictions, getting tangled in cords, or having to adjust based on where my outlets are,” Figueroa says.
- Battery Life: If you have a cordless device, then battery life is also important. (Personally, I think it’s easy to charge up the device after every one to three uses since this isn’t likely something you’re using more than once a week.) Most professional-grade cordless clippers will also run while plugged in.
- Vast Range of Trimming Lengths: “This is optimal because you’ll have a variety of lengths to work with for any situation,” says Figueroa. And while it might feel silly to need more than four or five different cutting lengths—there’s always a chance you’ll want to customize something just so and need that random clipper guard that otherwise sits still forever. Better yet, find a device that has an angled clipper guard for sideburn clipping and fading, like our top pick on this list.
And then there are a few less important qualities for at-home hair clippers. These factors aren’t as important for your at-home search, though they’re still good things to consider.
- Zero Gap: Zero gapping is what the pros use to get you the tightest skin fade of your life. It involves realigning the blades so that the teeth have no real buffer between you and the skin. “Most users can generally ignore the zero-gap adjustable’ feature,” says Figueroa. “However, if you notice that you’re not getting as close of a shave or line-up, you should look into clippers that have a zero-gap option [like the BabylissPRO clippers or the Andis Slimline Pro trimmer on this list]). These give you the ability to adjust the blades closer and cut closer to the skin.”
- Warranty: “This might be low on the list, but should not be overlooked because most clippers are unfortunately not created equal,” Figueroa says. “I always recommend going for higher-end clippers, so naturally, these tools would be an investment, so it’s great to take note of the warranty.” Still, the warranty will only protect you from factory issues, as opposed to dropping and breaking the device yourself (not covered by the brand—perhaps that type of coverage is covered by the retailer for a few months, though).
- Waterproof/Water-resistant: “This is not really something I think about or recommend for clippers or trimmers because we should really be using these tools on dry hair,” Figueroa says.
- Multifunctionality: While it makes sense that some guys want a singular device to mow through their head hair, beard hair, body hair, and beyond, it’s not necessarily something to prioritize, says Figueroa. “In my professional opinion, using a beard trimmer as a hair clipper is like using body wash as shampoo. Can you do it? Sure. But is it recommended and optimal? No.” That said, we have a couple of products on our list that are beard trimmer-forward but offer decent results as hair clippers—for the guys who might only need to reach for them once in a blue moon, as opposed to investing in a dedicated hair clipper.
How We Tested
After more than a decade on the men’s grooming beat, I’ve spoken with dozens of barbers, stylists, and professional groomers about their go-to hair clippers and have tested countless products myself. Long before I started this venture in grooming journalism, I was the frugal shopper who wanted a device that allowed for consistent, easy buzzcuts. Would it shock you that, no matter how many devices I test, my favorite always remains the Wahl Color Pro? (My own mother used it on my brothers and me as a kid.) I remain open-minded to any device that comes along to dethrone it, but for now—in terms of what at-home consumers need from the best hair clippers—I compare everything against that intuitive, durable device.
Hair Clipper FAQ
What is the best hair clipper for men, according to GQ?
The best men’s hair clipper for most people is Wahl’s Color Pro Cordless for its intuitive use and low cost. As we say at GQ, most people shouldn’t be giving themselves a fancy haircut. So if you require more than a simple buzz, visit the pros.
Beard trimmer vs. hair clippers: What’s the difference?
While many devices can be used as both beard trimmers and hair clippers, these devices differ in their approach to hair cutting: Beard trimmers typically require less power (since facial hair tends to be less dense) but also more precision on the average device. Meanwhile, hair clippers require more muscle to mow through thicker patches of hair, and the pros will use additional detailing devices for any fancy edgework. Also, beard trimmers are often waterproof, while hair clippers are less likely to be so.
What does zero gap mean with hair clippers?
Think of zero gapping as the ability to get an actual skin-tight clip from your hair clippers. This is done by a slight realignment of the blades so that the hairs can reach right up to those teeth. It’s usually only found on professional clippers and should be left to the pros, given the risks of cutting your skin so close to the blade. (We repeat: Proceed with caution.)
How do you fade your own hair?
It’s best to let a professional barber or stylist fade your hair, however the general logic behind fading is to steadily decrease the clipper length (starting with a low trim or bare shave at the perimeter). If you insist on doing this yourself, then read GQ’s guide to fading your own hair.
Are hair clippers allowed on airplanes?
Yes, your hair clippers are allowed on the airplane, but only in your carry-on hand baggage. Nothing with fixed batteries can be checked in the cargo.
About the Experts
Jovan Figueroa is a barber and hair stylist and serves as a brand ambassador for STMNT Grooming Goods.
JoAnn Noriega is a San Francisco-based barber at Headprint Studio.