If you want to get the smoothest bald shave possible, you’ll need a pair of the best balding clippers with high-powered cutting blades and durable designs. Professional barbers have used these grooming tools for years to help men easily get the shaved look.
The B&B team reviewed the balding clippers men use today and found which ones had the best cutting power for smooth results. We also review the features you should look for in the best balding clippers on the market.
Buyer’s Guide to Best Balding Clippers
Balding clippers are sophisticated, electric haircutting tools, providing reliable power and sharp cuts for a close, smooth shave.
The way you shave your head is all about precision, getting so close with each pass that you finish shaving in record time. Maybe that’s why GQ listed the 100 powerful bald men who do share this classic look (we were surprised Jeff Bezos is only #5!).
When done right, shaving your head is an amazingly profitable experience. The right tool just makes it glide closer. This is why we wanted to look at the best balding clippers on the market.
After testing a dozen of the best balding clippers, we began noticing which features really mattered and why some clippers simply work better than others for cutting hair, whether you like a super close shave or want to fade, buzz, or taper your hair.
Here’s a quick look at the specifications for balding clippers we liked best:
Cutting Power
The best balding clippers come with a motor that delivers cutting power, which is measured in the amount of cuts per minute. There are also three different motor types, including electromagnetic, pivot, and rotary.
Each of these motors can deliver power, but rotary is the most common. However, electromagnetic motors have the most durability and power. These clippers typically last forever due to the motor having fewer parts to clean and maintain.
Build Quality
The design really matters for all hair trimmers and balding clippers, but it’s especially important to have high-quality materials for the casing. For example, Wahl Balding Clippers uses stainless steel.
We also prefer electromagnetic motors to rotary motors for that ultimately smooth result. Therefore, we suggest clippers like the Andis T Outliner or Andis Fade Master.
Finally, the best balding clippers come with a full kit that includes several accessories, but the quality of the attachment combs must be checked. These should be durable, non-plastic guard combs that are easy to attach. We also want to use sizes closer to 000 thru 00000 for extra smooth, no stubble head shaves.
Close Cuts
The next feature we look for is a close cutting length. Balding clippers must be able to deliver a sharp close shave for guys who want a shiny bald head. Even if you like some stubble, you want to make sure that the blades are sharp.
Cutting guides or blade guards can be beneficial if you plan on using your clippers for bald fades and longer stubble haircuts.
Blade Width and Blade Teeth
The best clippers for bald men will have wider blades, which are made for cutting large areas at a time so you don’t have to go over your head so many times. However, one drawback to wider blades is that you may find it harder to maneuver around your neck and ears.
According to our tests, the blade width to choose for a balding clipper is around 1.5 inches wide.
The blade teeth are also special in a balding clipper. You generally want blades that are shallower and close together, rather than long and wide apart. This works better for super close shaves.
Corded vs Cordless Clippers
The most convenient option is to have both. While you may think it’s easy to charge a pair of clippers, you won’t realize it until it’s too late that you have to plug in your clippers to charge before shaving. It’s a hassle, which is why great brands make it easy to do both.
Corded clippers tend to feel more powerful, but lithium ion batteries in newer clippers charge faster and provide the same energy as a corded version.
Waterproof
If you shave in the shower, you probably don’t use electric clippers. However, some models are water resistant or even waterproof. These are typically easier to clean because you don’t have to worry about parts becoming corroded.
Warranty and Customer Support
The best balding clipper brands back up their products with a warranty. Some even provide a money-back guarantee to ensure customer satisfaction.
It’s always important to check how the company’s customer service works before purchasing a product. Most brands on our list below offer amazing customer support but let us know about your experience.
Best Balding Clippers (Reviews Updated 2024)
These are the best balding clippers available if you want the smoothest head possible. The selections below hold up to our high standards: close, smooth shaves, adjustable blades (down to size 00000), high-powered motors, and many accessories.
1. Wahl Professional Balding Clippers
The Wahl Professional 5-Star Balding Clipper is a barber’s favorite tool, but it’s also the choice for home use because of its super close shave.
With a powerful motor, durable guide combs, and long cord, these clippers have the best build quality and come with everything you need to get started out of the box.
- Wahl Professional's 5-Star Balding Clipper is designed for ultra-close, full-size trimming, outlining, full head balding, and all-over even cuts
- It features a powerful electromagnetic motor that cuts at twice the speed of pivot motors. It offers barbers and stylists a surgically-close cut that makes it perfect for quick, precise, effortless skin and bald fades
- The American-made Balding Clipper comes with 2 attachment comb cutting guides (1/16" and 3/16"), styling comb, barber comb, cleaning brush, pre-shave brush, clipper blade oil, red blade guard and operating instructions
- It measures only 6.25” long and weighs just 16 ounces, features a (#2105) blade and an 8-foot professional-grade, chemical-resistant power cord. Power Frequency:120 Volt - 60 Hertz. Made in U.S.A.
- PLEASE NOTE: Due to continuous improvement, the product appearance may slightly vary from the product images on this listing
Verdict
If this is your first time using clippers to shave your head, the Wahl Professional Clippers have an electromagnetic motor that cuts at double the speed of other pivot motors, which can be difficult to control at first. However, with just a couple of minutes of practice, you should be able to get the hang of these clippers quickly.
Where to Buy
2. Oster Classic 76 Hair And Balding Clipper
You’ve probably seen this balding clipper hanging off of your barber’s station before. The Oster Classic 76 Hair and Balding Clipper has a powerful, single spend motor for everyday use.
Everything comes right out of the box setup and ready for immediate use, including clipper grease and lubricating oil. This clipper will last you an extremely long time, especially since it’s made for heavy duty use.
- Designed with a powerful, single speed universal motor for heavy-duty use, making them the ideal professional clippers for barbers.Special feature : Fresh Flowers, Perfect Gift
- Comes with detachable blade size #000 and #1 that easily cuts through wet or dry hair
- Ultra-durable, top-quality housing with ergonomic design perfect for all-day cutting
- Ergonomic design with textured housing provides easy grip
- 9-foot power cord
Verdict
With a 9-foot long power cord, break-resistant housing, and great cutting power, you’ll get the closest, smoothest shaves with this clipper. It works with wet or dry hair, and the blades are detachable for easy maintenance. It also comes with blade guards and a cleaning brush.
Where to Buy
3. Wahl Super Taper II Hair And Balding Clipper
The Wahl Professional Super Taper II Hair Clipper is a V6000 electromagnetic balding clipper with all kinds of accessories included in the box.
We found this shave to be super easy and comfortable, and it’s not as expensive as you might think for the quality and design. It’s just an all-around amazing clipper that professionals typically use.
- PROFESSIONAL PRECISION: Wahl's Professional Super Taper II Hair Clipper is engineered to deliver the sharp performance that experts demand; it features our (#1006) blade which is specifically designed for smooth, quick, and precise performance on thicker hair types such as multicultural hair; intended for professional use only
- STYLISH AND VERSATILE: The Super Taper II Hair Clipper is an ultra-powerful full size clipper and offers an appealing aesthetic in addition to top-notch precision and function; our V5000 Electromagnetic motor runs faster than a standard electromagnetic clipper, making this tool excellent for heavy-duty cutting, tapering, fading, and blending
- ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: The American-made Super Taper II Hair Clipper comes with all accessories required for professional barber use; the clipper, 8 attachment comb cutting guides (1/8”, 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”, 5/8”, 3/4”, 7/8”, and 1”), styling comb, cleaning brush, clipper blade oil, red blade guard and operating instructions
- PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS: The Super Taper II Hair Clipper measures 6.25” long, weighs only 1 pound, includes an 8 foot professional grade, chemical resistant power cord, and a convenient variable thumb taper lever for adjusting the taper and texture without changing the blade. Power Frequency: 120 Volt - 60 Hertz. Made in U.S.A.
- PLEASE NOTE: Due to continuous improvement, the product appearance may slightly vary from the product images on this listing
Verdict
With 8 different guide combs, clipper blade oil, red blade guard, and warranty, this balding clipper may be the best buy for the price.
We love that it’s effortless and lightweight, so you can quickly get through your shaving routine and out the door.
Where to Buy
4. Andis 01557 Professional Adjustable Clipper
If you’re in need of a tool that gets a super close clean shave but also allows for fading, try the Andis 01557 Professional Master Adjustable Blade Hair Clipper.
You can adjust the blades from fine to coarse, clean or buzz cut, size 000 to size 1. It also has a thumb-control switch, which makes it pretty convenient.
- USED BY PROFESSIONALS: Andis Trimmers are used by professionals in the salon and barber professions. They have clippers and trimmers with sharpening blades and excellent construction.
- HIGH-TORQUE: A powerful rotary motor delivers 14,000 cutting spm with excellent machine drive components to enable professional-grade shaving at home or in the salon while producing minimal noise and preserving long-term availability.
- ADJUSTABLE BLADES: From fine to coarse size 000 – 1 with upper blade features fast feed action and are more durable and stay sharper longer than other blades, providing smooth hair/beard trimming with entire body grooming.
- CONVENIENT: The thumb-controlled button for one-hand off/on mode, is simple to use while cutting hair.
- PRODUCT DETAILS: This professional beard and hair trimmer is 2 x 1.75 x 6 inches, weighs 1.25 pounds, and works on 120V / 60 Hz voltage, the trimmer is appropriate for the entire family's home use and outdoor travel.
Verdict
Andis is one of the leading brands for hair clippers, and it’s because of the tight, smooth shave that makes this product so highly rated. You’ll love how easy it is to adjust and move around your head.
With little noise and a sturdy build, you can use Andis Professional Master Adjustable clippers at home to get that professional shaved look.
Where to Buy
5. Remington HC4250 Shortcut Pro Self-Haircut Kit
The Remington HC4250 Shortcut Pro Self-Haircut Kit comes with a handheld palm clipper that you can use to reach the back of your head easily.
It reaches all the way to the front, as well as down the neck and along the jawline. That’s because this is one of the best clippers for an all over clean face and shave.
- BOLD PRECISION: Dive into the world of pro grooming with clippers for men. Our 9 sizes of length combs guarantee hair and beard grooming perfection, ranging from 1/16 - 5/8 inches.
- UNBEATABLE POWER: Harness the might of the Lithium Rechargeable Battery for 40 minutes of cordless action. The go-to men's electric haircut kit is rechargeable and features a rapid 5-minute quick charge.
- CURVE, COUNTOUR, CUT: Elevate your look with our Extra Wide Curved Blade. As a top face shaver for men, it contours, ensuring impeccable, even trims every time.
- GROOMING ON THE GO: Our 14-piece set is every man's dream beard grooming kit, combining convenience and style packed in one. Includes handheld clipper, 9 length-adjusting combs, cleaning brush, storage/travel pouch, chargin adapter and oil.
- WATERPROOF & WIRELESS: Say hello to the pinnacle of shavers for men – 100% washable and superbly cordless. This wireless hair clipper is designed for modern men, making grooming seamless.
Verdict
With its high-powered motor, 13-piece kit, and 9 length adjustable guard combs, the Remington HC4250 is made for discerning men who like to keep their head super clean with little fuss.
It’s handy for home use and also comes with a travel pouch. For a compact tool, the shave quality is excellent for everyday use.
Where to Buy
6. Andis Fade Master Hair Clippers
We read in our research leading up to what clippers to buy that customers preferring “extremely close cuts” should get the Andis Fade Master Hair Clippers. So, we had to give them a shot to see the difference.
These clippers are best for extra-close cutting, as well as fades for your beard or back of the neck due to an adjustable blade that goes from 00000 to 000. The blade can also be zero-gapped for tight, close shaves and fades.
- MULTIPURPOSE TRIMMER: The ideal clipper will assist you in styling your hair, beard, and body hair to achieve any beautiful design. This hair clipper is ideal for those who want to groom themselves at home or on travel.
- POWERFUL MOTOR: It offers 14,000 cutting spm with an outstanding machine driving components to enable professional-grade shaving at home or in the salon, with minimal noise and long-term availability.
- ADJUSTABLE BLADES: Adjust size 000 to 1 with the top blade, which provides fast feed action, is sturdier, and stays sharper longer than other blades, providing smooth hair/beard trimming with complete body grooming.
- CONVENIENT: It has an easily controlled button for one-handed off/on mode, is easy to use when cutting hair, and the sharp blade is adjustable for cutting length, allowing you to pick between close clipped or short straight hair.
- PRODUCT DETAILS: Andis Model-01690 Professional Fade Master Corded Trimmer is 2.5 x 7.75 x 10 inches and weighs 1 pound, with a Heavy-duty 8ft cord with a hanger loop for sturdiness or longevity, appropriate for the entire family's home use and outdoor travel.
Verdict
If you’re looking for that perfect close-cutting clipper, the Andis Fade Master is a great option because it’s extremely simple and does exactly what it claims. The clippers are extremely durable, but it’s the super sharp blades that will make you happily rub your head only to find incredibly smooth skin.
We were super happy with these clippers and think they may be the best option if you have a slightly higher budget and want to do some fades as well as close head shaves.
Where to Buy
No products found.
Final Thoughts: Which are the Best Balding Clippers?
Out of all the brands and models we tried, we really found these 6 to be the best balding clippers on the market because of their quality, build, cutting power, and multiple accessories. However, we recognize some best balding clippers may still not have what you need for the perfect bald shave, especially if over your budget.
If you’re looking for a moderately priced professional bald clipper, we would go with the Wahl Professional Super Taper II Hair Clipper. However, if you have the budget for an excellent clipper, we think the Andis Fade Master is the real winner out of all the models we tested.
