Hair Styling Tools

When we are all looking for ways to save money in these hard pressed economical times, even some of the must haves such as hair cuts, styling, etc. need to be readdressed.  While for us women who have very defined types of hairstyles, trimming our own hair could be very disastrous.  However, trimming boys, young men and older men alike can be accomplished fairly easily at home. 

There are many hairstyles that are being worn these days by the male species just as with us females.  However, many males are also wearing shaved heads or are sporting an extremely short cut.  Knowing this, it doesn’t take much to see that one could invest in some hair clippers or hair trimmers and perform this job at home.  There are even clipper kits that are available which typically include everything you need from the clippers to the variable sized combs or guards, oil, a cleaning brush and even a neck cape.  If you have teenage sons at home, you’ll find that they already know exactly what to do.  If you ask them they will more than likely tell you that they have friends who do each other’s hair shaving or clipping or their parents are already doing it.   

Hair clippers and trimmers come in all price ranges and just because some appear to be pricey, doesn’t always mean they are the best.  Check out what is available.  You can find some hair clipper kits for as low as $22.00.

What really is the difference between consumer grade hair clippers and professional hair clippers?  Nowadays the biggest difference is that the professional units have enhanced insulating for internal electrical components to prevent the clippers from overheating during periods of prolonged use.   Another difference is that some manufacturers of hair clippers have also replaced some of the plastic parts in consumer grade hair clippers to metal parts in the professional grade so that the clippers are more durable and will last longer.  Both of these differences are due to extended use by barbers and professional stylists.

When it comes to quality in hair clippers, one must always consider the end user and the intent.  Typically the at-home individual consumer leans towards purchasing a clipper kit that includes several accessories.   These accessories include several guides for different length cuts, oil, and sometimes a comb.  These kits can cost anywhere from $20.00 to $50.00.   Most professional hair clippers do not include accessories and usually must be purchased separately.   Depending on what you are looking for in a professional model hair clipper, the price can vary anywhere from $40.00 to right at about $100.00.

There are several clipper companies that have been around for quite some time.  Andis got their start back in 1921 and Oster followed not long after in 1928.  Since then many other companies have joined the industry such as Wahl, Forfex, and HAI.  All of these companies have their popular models and varying types of trimmers that perform different functions.

If you are in the market for hair clippers, the deciding factor can be determined by many things but most of the time it boils down to what you can afford and for what particular function you need the clippers.  Before buying, talk to your barber or hair stylist to see what they recommend and while you are at it ask for a couple of different recommendations, especially if price is a factor.

First of all, did you know that hair clippers are really not all that hard to fix?  Well, it’s true but the purpose of this blog today is to provide you with a few simple rules to follow each time you use your hair clippers so that you can avoid having to get repairs made.

The first basic rule in keeping your clippers functioning at an optimum level is the clean the clippers after each and every use.  While this seems painful, especially if you are a barber or hair styliest, some models have a self-cleaning feature so that isn’t going to be an issue.  Second and probably most importantly, read the instructions and guidelines for maintenance that were provided with the hair clipper when you bought it.   Do  take care to always unplug the adapter from the wall outlet without applying any pressure.  Never insert any hard objects to the cutters’ portion of the clipper.  You should never rinse the clipper under water as this will remove the lubrication provided to the clippers.  Avoid using liquid cleaners on the cutters or even on the main body of the unit.  Lastly, keep your hair clippers in shut-off mode when they are not in use. 

While the rules above appear fairly basic, you would be surprised just how many hair clippers do not last past a year with owners/operators failing to do any type of maintenance other than the occasional blowing off the hair from the blades.  Don’t fall into this category and you can feel good about spending your money of one of the nicer and pricier model hair clippers that is going to give you your moneys worth and then some.