Being able to cut our own hair in these uncertain times is one of the few ways we can make ourselves look and feel better - but choosing the right clippers can be the difference between a botched cut and a sleek fade.
When it comes to finding the right cutter machine, all you need to know is what to look for. So, we’ve created an easy-to-follow buying guide to review and track down the best cordless hair trimmers for men on the UK market. From reliable brands like Wahl, Babyliss Men and Phillips and with options under £30 from Argos and Amazon, we’ve got something to give you a professional haircut for any budget.
Quick List - Top Cordless Hair Clippers
Surker
Precision Clippers With a Mammoth Battery Life and Self-Sharpening Stainless Steel Blades
Wahl
Professional-Grade Hair Clippers Featuring Chrome Blades That Won’t Break the Bank
Philips
A Unique Design With a 180-Degree Rotating Head, Ideal for Those Working Solo
Hatteker
Three Different Blade Attachments That Cut From 0.5 - 24 mm, Perfect for the Whole Body
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Table of Contents
We found that you’ll generally have three choices when it comes to the type of blade – steel, ceramic or chrome. Each requires different levels of maintenance to ensure you maximise the chances of your desired finish. Here are the ins and outs of each to consider when browsing.
Clippers that have steel blades, usually stainless steel or carbon, tend to be the most commonly available. This is simply because they’re the cheapest to produce while still offering good durability.
They’re also easier to sharpen and sanitise, and therefore easier to maintain if looked after properly. If not cared for, the blades are susceptible to rust, so attention to frequent cleaning is important to make them last.
Ceramic blades, on the other hand, do not suffer from corrosion and rust, and stay up to 75% cooler when in use compared to steel blades. They're generally seen as a professional choice, and are favoured by many barbers for providing a swift, smooth cut. This makes them much less common or available for the do-it-yourself at-home barbers among us, however!
If you want a smoother, close shave without the effort of using a clipper, why not opt for a hair removal cream?
Finally, chrome blades. Like ceramic, chrome provides a protective barrier to the underlying metal, guarding it against corrosion. Plus, you can wash and polish (if you so wish), and you won’t have to worry about it becoming scratched due to its robustness.
The problem? It's an expensive material. Make the decision as to whether you want to pay more for a durable set of trimmers, but potentially be getting less for your money when purchasing a clipper with chrome blades.
You’re going to want to consider the different lengths that the clipper can achieve. This will depend on the taper level, and the guide combs provided with the product. The right length for each person will be different as it depends on the look you’re after.
Each company's products can vary when providing length, but they usually start from 0 (the classic bic’d look) or 0.3 mm (a grade 1) and go anywhere up to 25 mm (a grade 8). It might sound obvious, but the more lengths available, the more looks you can experiment.
Make sure to keep your combs and brushes at your side to style as you trim- and while you're at it, check out our favourite men's curly hair products for when clipping is complete!
The draw of cordless clippers is their ability to be used anywhere, without being bound to a plug socket. However, this means noting the battery life, and how long they take to charge up. After all, nothing will quite ruin your day at work like turning up with an improvised Mohican because they ran out of juice!
We think a product with up to 60 minutes of charge should give you ample time to get the job done, though there are clippers that offer much more usage after one charge if you'd prefer not to have to recharge after every use.
Another consideration is to cross-check the battery life against the charging time. Be aware that some clippers need up to 12 hours for one hour of cutting. Of course, the ideal is a shorter charging time for longer use, but you’ll likely have to pay more for this convenience.
There are endless accessories that can accompany your clippers, and we think it’s all about finding ones that will help benefit your needs.
Additional hair attachments can be multi-functional, whether for fades, tapering or a simple trim, so can be used by anyone, with multi-purpose accessories also available to trim beards and other areas.
Maintenance extras that come with your clippers will also help prolong the life of your purchase, so be sure to look for these added benefits.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Surker Mens Cordless Hair Clippers | ![]() | Precision Clippers With a Mammoth Battery Life and Self-Sharpening Stainless Steel Blades | |
2 | Wahl Cordless Super Taper Pro | ![]() | Professional-Grade Hair Clippers Featuring Chrome Blades That Won’t Break the Bank | |
3 | Philips Do-It-Yourself Hair Clipper|QC5570/13 | ![]() | A Unique Design With a 180-Degree Rotating Head, Ideal for Those Working Solo | |
4 | Hatteker Professional Cordless Hair Clippers | ![]() | Three Different Blade Attachments That Cut From 0.5 - 24 mm, Perfect for the Whole Body | |
5 | Wahl Colour Pro Cordless Clipper |9649-017X | ![]() | Carbon Steel Blades and Colour-Coded Combs to Ensure You Never Get Cold Ears Again | |
6 | Babyliss Powerlight Pro Hair Clipper|7498CU | ![]() | An Affordable Set That Cuts From 3 - 25 mm and Can Be Both Plugged in and Cordless | |
7 | Remington Stylist Cordless Hair Trimmer|HC366 | ![]() | A Fast and Clean Clipper With Ceramic Blades That Comes With Family-Friendly Accessories | |
8 | Babyliss Men 12-in-1 Japanese Steel Grooming Kit|7861U | ![]() | A Multi-Purpose Trimmer With 12 Attachments, for Those With Shorter or Thinner Hair | |
9 | Wahl Premium Hair Clipper | ![]() | A Superb Versatile Set for the Whole Body With 14 Different Guide Combs | |
10 | Wahl Senior Hair Clippers | ![]() | Powerful Professional-Grade Quality Hair Clippers, Suitable for Any Type of Hair |
This set was designed for quick, smooth and precise clipping performance on a broad range of hair types. They manage this thanks to the self-sharpening stainless steel blades that ensure the clippers continue to reach high standards, even after you have had them for a while.
Our favourite factor though? The mammoth battery life. From one three hour charge you'll get up to 300 minutes (that's five hours!) – we don't know how that science works, but we're incredibly impressed. Smartphone companies need to give them a call and get some tips!
If you're looking for professional quality without having to sell any worldly possessions, the Wahl Cordless Super Taper Pro is the best clipper for you. It has durable chrome blades and a super-convenient thumb lever that allows you to change the taper without removing anything.
Accessorised with four guide combs and a hair comb, expect this product to stay with you for a very long time.
If you're going to be doing your cuts by yourself, then this unique design from Philips is certainly worth considering. The ingenious 180-degree rotating head can swivel, allowing for easier access to the hard-to-reach spots like the back of your head and behind your ears.
The grading section is built-in to the clippers, so you'll never lose the guide combs. Additionally, users have found that the rotating head works particularly well around the neckline too.
Created with the whole body in mind, this set comes with three different clippers – one for the head, one for the beard, and a detail trimmer. All of them are built from high-quality carbon steel blades that will stay sharp and perform well for longer.
The clippers can perform cuts from 0.5 - 24 mm, which is ideal for almost everyone. It also features an LCD screen that will let you know when your clippers need charging, which should help avoid any potential catastrophes.
This clipper can work for up to 60 minutes on one charge, which should be plenty of time to finish up that short back and sides. Plus, the colour-coded guide combs are a brilliant and easy way to remember what grade cut you need for each part of your hair, or allocate one for each family member!
The carbon steel blades are of decent quality and should stay sharp for longer, ensuring a proper cut. Some users have warned of how hot the clippers can get, though, so you might want to be careful and only use them for one cut at a time.
The great thing about this clipper, other than the affordable price, is the fact it can be used both cordless and plugged into the mains. The clipper cuts lengths of 3 - 25 mm and can get up to 45 minutes from a single charge.
However, to get those 45 minutes, you need to be well prepared as this model needs a lengthy 16-hour charge to be at full power. If you're looking for something that you can just grab for a quick tidy up, it might be best looking elsewhere.
Boasting an advanced ceramic blade, this is sure to give those using it a fast and clean cut. There is also an additional precision trimmer included which is perfect for tidying up sideburns, necklines and even detailing hair.
The kit comes with a variety of useful accessories such as the six different guide combs. Plus, if you're picking this up as a do-it-yourself treat for the whole family, there's a handy hairdresser's cape and neck brush included! Though, be wary of the lengthy charge time required.
While the mention of Japanese steel might have you thinking you'll be sliced open like an extra from a Tarantino movie if you make a wrong move, this is actually a remarkably easy trimmer to use. It comes with 12 different attachments that will allow you to sculpt your whole body effortlessly.
Our only qualm is that while this is a great investment considering the price and extent of use, it isn't as efficient for the hair on your head. The smaller blade may mean that it'll take those with thicker or longer hair a long time to trim their locks.
This battery-powered compact clipper comes with a whopping 14 different guide combs. Six are for your hair, providing you with the choice of length between 0.4 - 13 mm, with the others for beards, necklines and sideburns. The versatility provided ensures that you can create any unique style you like!
The blade is easily rinsed and comes with a cleaning brush and oil so that it can be correctly maintained. The downside is that this set won't let you take it to a grade 0 for the cleanest, close to the bone (scalp) shave.
Last, but by no means least, these Wahl Senior clippers house one of the most powerful motors, so they'll make short work of any type of hair. Plus, there's a precision blade for accurate fading.
Additionally, the clippers have a very respectable running time to charging time ratio, and these professional-grade clippers will last you a lifetime if looked after properly.
To put it briefly, when handling the machine, trim the hair against the direction of growth. Run the machine from bottom to top, and tilt the blade at an angle to even out the fade.
For the back, get someone to help or use a mirror to see. Use straight, smooth strokes and use higher guards when handling the top you can always go shorter, but you can't go back on mistakes!
Clippers are the best solution for a quick cut at home and, like scissors in the salon, don't thin the hair's cuticle. In short, this keeps the hair fibre healthy.
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
No. 1: Surker|Mens Cordless Hair Clippers
No. 2: Wahl|Cordless Super Taper Pro
No. 3: Philips|Do-It-Yourself Hair Clipper|QC5570/13
No. 4: Hatteker|Professional Cordless Hair Clippers
No. 5: Wahl|Colour Pro Cordless Clipper |9649-017X
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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