You’ll find Wahl clippers in barbershops and on bathroom counters all over the world. If you’d like to own one of your own, these are the best Wahl clippers for every need.
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Wahl Professional Cordless Magic Clip (Our Top Pick)
The 5-Star Magic Clip is a classic. It’s one of the best Wahl clippers for professional barbers, thanks to its versatility and excellent build.
This is a convenient, cordless clipper, famous for its incredible 90-minute runtime. It’s fitted with a rotary motor, which corresponds with a lot of cutting power albeit not at the highest speed. It’s a fantastic option for cutting thick or coarse hair.
It’s one of the most comfortable professional clippers on the market. It operates quietly and it doesn’t heat up much. It’s fairly light, as well, so while it doesn’t feel as robust as pro models from other brands, it’s also much more comfortable to hold for long periods, whether working on others or on yourself.
The blades are incredibly useful for cutting off a lot of hair and for creating softer fades. They’re slightly staggered, which helps keep lines looking soft and natural, and makes blending easier. You can adjust the length with the lever on the side of the blade, or attach one of the 8 included comb guards if you’d like to cut hair at a longer length.
The Magic Clip is not designed for sharp fades or dramatic outlines. You could zero-gap it yourself but that can get a little dangerous. You’d be better off just picking up the 5-Star Balding Clipper, instead.
Pros:
- A powerful rotary motor is excellent for coarse or thick hair.
- Cordless operation for over 90 minutes means it’s not likely to die on you even if you’re a beginner.
- Staggered blades are excellent for soft fades and blended haircuts.
- Has an adjustment lever and 8 guards for easily adjusting the cutting length.
- Quiet, cool operation keeps it very comfortable to use.
Cons:
- Won’t work for creating a tight fade hairstyle.
Wahl Color Pro Cordless Rechargeable Hair Clipper
This budget-friendly kit includes the best Wahl clippers for home use. It comes with everything you’ll need to cut your hair and beard, and while it’s not a salon-caliber tool, it’s more than enough for the average guy at home.
The clipper itself has a plain body without a lever. Using it is pretty simple, since adjusting the cutting length just requires popping on one of the color-coded guards that come in the kit. The blade is set to cut at around 0.8 mm by default, so you could use it for a near-skin shave. It’s very forgiving of self-cuts, but don’t expect to create an impressive fade with it.
It has a rotary motor, much like the Magic Clip, which offers quiet, cool operation. The battery lasts for an hour of use, but if you’re doing cuts on the entire family and you’re still a little slow you can also use it while plugged in.
Pros:
- This budget-friendly kit comes with everything you need for home cuts.
- Very simple and easy to use, even for beginners.
- Color-coded combs make adjusting the length easy.
- The rotary motor keeps it running cool and quiet.
Cons:
- It’s too basic for anyone with professional aspirations.
- No lever makes even soft fades a little harder to achieve.
Wahl Clipper Elite Pro
This is a more heavy-duty kit designed for simple home cuts, and I think it also has the best Wahl clippers for beards (although if that’s your main need, Wahl also makes plenty of beard trimmers).
Compared to the Color Pro, this set definitely feels more professional, and it’s not just because the style is more sophisticated. The clipper itself is a durable, powerful machine with a magnetic motor that cuts through thick hair easily.
The blade itself is Wahl’s standard home-use self-sharpening blade, which is very serviceable, although it’s not quite as good for blending as the one on the Magic Clip. Its length can be adjusted in small increments for fading with a lever on the side. You could even zero-gap the blade, although it won’t be as comfortable as using the Balding Clipper.
It also comes with 10 comb attachments for more robust cutting options, as well as scissors, clips, blade oil, a haircutting bib, and even a hard case to hold all of the equipment.
You could also use it to shape your beard. Using it without the comb guards will even allow you to do a stubble shave, although (as with all clippers), it’ll probably be a little too large to maneuver easily under the nose.
It’s not cordless, which means that its operation will be much more reliable in the years to come, but you may find yourself getting tangled up in the cord while using it.
Pros:
- This robust hair clipper is excellent for more advanced home haircuts.
- A powerful magnetic motor cuts through thick hair with ease.
- Comes with everything you’ll need for home cuts, including 10 comb guards.
Cons:
- Sefl-cuts can be a little difficult since it’s designed only for corded use.
- Blades don’t blend as smoothly as on professional Wahl models.
Wahl Professional 5-Star Balding Clipper
If you’re looking for the best Wahl clippers for fades, the balding clipper is at the top of the list. It’s a fantastic tool for professionals who need to create precise hairstyles with a blade that can shave nearly down to the skin.
The blade on the balding clipper is quite flat, which makes it ideal for close shaves. It’s pre-set to cut somewhat close, but most who purchase it will end up adjusting it to a zero-gap, for an ultra-bare skin shave.
This also makes this one of the best Wahl clippers for bald head styles, especially if you want a very shiny, smooth look. This clipper comes with two comb guards, so you could easily use it to trim away any long hair before attempting a close shave.
That said, if you’re cutting your hair or beard at home and you’d like a versatile tool that can do a few different things, this clipper won’t work for you. A professional barber would want to use this along with a regular clipper like the Magic Clip, while at home, it’s only ideal for balding.
As for the body itself – this machine is designed only for corded use, with a powerful magnetic motor. It’s high-powered and durable, but it can get a little hot, unlike Wahl’s cordless models.
Pros:
- A flat, close-cutting blade is perfect for creating ultra-tight fades or outlines.
- Two comb guards add flexibility with cutting length and make this a decent choice for shaving down a beard.
- A powerful, reliable magnetic motor guarantees longevity.
Cons:
- Not versatile enough for actual haircutting.
- Can only be used while plugged in, which hurts portability.
Wahl Professional Super Taper 2 Hair Clipper
If you’d prefer to own a more powerful, corded alternative to the Magic Clip, the Super Taper 2 is a fantastic choice. It boasts a similar blade to the Magic Clip, so it’s fantastic for soft fades and general cutting, but with a more robust body.
The V5000 magnetic motor also makes these the best clippers for thick hair, since it cuts a lot more quickly and has an easy time dealing with large amounts of hair. That said, coarser hair textures might do better with the Magic Clip, despite its slower cutting speed.
This model has to be plugged in during use, so while it’s not very portable, you can expect it to last for decades. After all, there’s no battery component at risk of failing.
It comes with a set of 8 color-coded comb guards, which is actually a bit of a drawback. Sure, it’s easier to pick out the right guard, but something about the colors takes away from this machine’s credibility as a tool for professionals.
Pros:
- A more durable, corded alternative to the Magic Clip.
- Excellent blade for creating soft fades and advanced men’s cuts.
- A magnetic motor is excellent for cutting a lot of hair quickly.
Cons:
- High cutting speed can make it harder to cut coarse or curly hair.
- Color-coded combs seem a little amateur.
- Not as portable as cordless models.
What To Look For When Buying A Wahl Clipper
So which of these clippers should you choose? These main factors should point you in the right direction.
Pro vs Home Use
Wahl creates clippers for both professionals and home use. If you’re very serious about cutting hair, it’s better to go with one of the Wahl Professional tools, like the 5-Star or Super Taper. These generally have very high-quality blades, a more aesthetically-pleasing design, and they can endure more frequent use.
The general range is great for home cuts, though. Most clippers in the range still have excellent blades and construction, but their operation is often a little more simple and they’re durable enough for anyone who’ll only use them a few times a week.
Cordless vs Corded
Another big consideration is whether you want cordless clippers or you don’t mind corded. The obvious difference is that cordless clippers have to be charged in advance, but they can be used just about anywhere. If you’re doing self-cuts, cordless is the better option since you won’t get all tangled up.
All cordless Wahl clippers will also work while plugged in, so it’s never a big deal if you forget to charge them.
That said, corded tools have two significant benefits. First of all, they tend to be more reliable and long-lasting, since there’s no battery component that can fail. Second, they tend to be designed with a magnetic motor, which often corresponds with faster cutting speed and more power.
Blades
Wahl has a few different types of blades. They’re all very well-made, although the blades in the Pro range tend to provide more elegant, specific results. For example, the Magic Clip has staggered blades for blending and the Balding clipper has flat blades for fades. The self-sharpening blades for home use tend to be a little more simple since they’re designed for generalists.
You should also pay attention to blade replacement options. The 5-Star clipper blades are more expensive to replace, but they can all be mixed and matched. The home-use clippers will only take the self-sharpening blades, so you can’t upgrade a cheaper body with a more high-end blade, but replacements will be more affordable.
What Is Better, Andis Or Wahl?
Many barbers own both Wahl and Andis clippers. Both brands were founded in the US over 100 years ago, and they’ve been producing hair clippers ever since. I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other.
Today, the biggest difference between the two brands is that Wahl has a wider range of clippers and other tools for home use, while Andis is firmly focused on the professional market.
That said, within Wahl’s pro offerings, a lot of the equipment is very comparable to Andis, and it’s largely a matter of preference. Andis clippers are usually a little heavier, with faster motors that cut hair down quickly.
Wahl’s clippers, by comparison, are lighter and tend to make less noise as they run. They’re not quite as speedy, but some barbers find that they work better over coarse hair types.
If you’d like to try a more heavy-duty professional tool, check out my reviews of the best Andis clippers.
Miles Freund
Miles is a professional men's grooming analyst who believes that to look good a man just needs to take good care of himself. He’s all about wet shaving, sustainability, and evidence-based grooming - an obsession he’s ready to share. Miles is known for his in-depth analysis of men's grooming products, brands, and best practices you can't find anywhere else.
