The Best Balding Clippers for Men, Tested by a Doctor and Barbers

Our experts recommend Remington's Shortcut Pro Self-Haircut Kit and Wahl's Professional 5-Star Balding Clipper.

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Whether you’re already bald, thinning out, or painfully watching your hairline recede, there’s a lot to think about including how you want to look with little options. Whatever you choose to don—going full bald, buzz cuts, skin fades, or shape-up what’s left—you want to look your best. To help you do so, we’ve compiled a list of the best balding clippers, trimmers, and head shavers.

There are a few factors to think about before learning which balding clippers are right for you. According to Dr. Hardik Doshi, lead surgeon, hair restoration at Ample tells Men’s Health, “Individual preferences, skin sensitivity, and desired grooming style must all be considered before picking a clipper.”

Below is a list of the best balding clippers, according to Dr. Doshi and barbers.

When maintaining an even buzz cut, there are few clippers that will deliver results like the Remington Shortcut Pro Self-Haircut Kit. Where it outshines its competitors is with its curved blade that contours to your head for a consistent ergonomic cut. While the clipper is compact in size and fits in the palm of our hand, it’s equipped with an extra large stainless steel blade that is over 50 percent larger than the average clipper blade. That means you’ll need to dedicate less time each time you buzz your head.

The Shortcut Pro is cordless, waterproof, and easily washable for clipping convenience in the shower. The lithium ion battery gets you 40 minutes per charge, and has a 5-minute quick charge feature. Additionally, the clipper works while attached to the cord.

Whether you want to buzz close to skin or leave some hair on, this clipper includes nine attachment guards for various lengths.

There are clear benefits to cordless clippers such as the convenience and flexibility of clipping your hair without dangling cables. But where a corded clipper is typically far superior is with power, and the Wahl Professional 5-Star Balding Clipper is no exception as it promises an impressive 14,400 strokes per minute. “The strong motor ensures effective operation,” Dr. Doshi said, “making it a popular choice for individuals looking for a dependable tool to manage their thinning hair.”

Wahl, a company supplying barbers and consumers with clippers and trimmers for over 100 years, designed this model specifically for balding and skin fades with even cuts. It’s also ideal for outlining and shape-ups.

“Braun models for the consumer side work pretty well and last for a while,” Daniel Chulpayev, co-founder of Made Man Barbershop in New York City, told Men’s Health. “What I specifically like about them,” he added, “is the self-cleaning feature that’s available on the Braun models.”

While there are many Braun electric shaver models, Men’s Health already ranks the Series 9 Pro+ as the best on the market. It comes with a ProComfort head, which is a pre-shave step that helps lift beard hair for an even closer shave. That feature really comes in handy when keeping your head perfectly bald.

Though the Series 9 Pro+ is on the expensive end of shavers, it is titanium-coated to resist corrosion, waterproof, and has a 60-minute lithium ion battery runtime. The SmartCare Center charges the cordless shaver, but importantly, it cleans and dries the shaver for optimal convenience. It also has a built-in trimmer feature to quickly tackle longer strands. Some Braun Series 9 Pro+ bundles come with a portable charging case that make it ideal for traveling.

If you put it in your name, then you better stand by it. That’s exactly what Andis has done with the Fade Master Adjustable Blade Clipper. The carbon-steel blades on these clippers can be zero-gapped to get as close as possible to the skin. It also adjusts from 00000 to 000 for smooth transitions.

The Andis Fade Master is equipped with a high-powered magnetic motor that delivers 14,000 strokes per minute. Like most Andis models, it is designed with an aluminum casing for long lasting protection.

To address all of the areas around your hairline —neck, face, and sideburns—a quality electric shaver can go a long way. But very few are as powerful and reliable as the BaBylissPRO Barberology GoldFX Shaver.

The electric shaver has an extremely powerful rotary motor that delivers an impressive 20,000 strokes per minute. Somehow, the battery also lasts 3 hours per charge. The all-metal housing offers extra protection for busy barbershops with inevitable drops.

According to Sam Chulpayev, Daniel’s brother and also co-founder of Made Man Barbershop, the Barberology GOLDFX Shaver is “Heavy duty and you can almost say it’s fall-proof. The foil on the machine is very long lasting.” He added, “The shave is soft and smooth and leaves no feeling of burning.” The hypoallergenic gold double foil system is gentle on skin while still providing an ultra close shave.

The BaBylissPRO Barberology GoldFX Shaver is also a go-to for Cassondra Kurtz, founder and barber at Beyond the Beard in New York City.

Kurtz at Beyond the Beard barbershop in New York City, as well as hundreds of other barbers around the country are relying on the Andis T-Outliner Trimmer for everyday cuts. With its zero overlap blades, the T-Outliner promises crisp clean lines that are perfect for shape-ups and outlining around the neck, ear, and sideburns.

“The T-blade design promotes accuracy while still being gentle on the skin,” Dr. Doshi said, “making it an excellent choice for individuals with thinning hair.”

The T-Outliner is equipped with a high-torque motor delivering 7,200 strokes per minute, long-lasting carbon-steel T-blades and trimmer casing.

While the Skull Shaver Pitbull Gold PRO does not have all of the bells and whistles you get from the Braun Series 9 PRO+, where it comes on top is with its ergonomic design. The electric shaver fits perfectly in between your fingers with four rotary shaving heads resting in the palm of your hand. The shape and weight allow for easy gliding across your head in especially hard-to-reach and see areas. The rotary shaving heads also pivot and contour to the shape of your head and neck promising an extra close shave evenly.

The Skull Shaver Pitbull Gold PRO is waterproof and works with shaving creams or gels. It has a 60-minute lithium ion battery runtime, and quick-charging capabilities. The digital screen indicates how much battery life is left so you never have to worry about the shaver dying on you midway through your shaving routine.

Oster Classic 76 Professional Hair Clippers are an option usually reserved for professionals (as the name suggests) due to its heavy-duty construct. It is heavy, bulky, and dons an outdated look. But though it lacks in style, it impresses as a workhorse that can keep up with even the busiest barber. The iconic burgundy casing is almost indestructible for inevitable drops.

The Oster Classic 76 comes with two detachable blades—sizes #000 and #1—to address bald buzz cuts or skin fades. Dr. Doshi adds that these clippers are “ideal for a variety of hair types, including balding hair.”

Your Look

Before deciding which balding clippers to get, you have to determine which look you want to don. Some of the best balding clippers are best for skin fades and buzz cuts while others are best for a perfectly bald head. Additionally, if you’re looking for a clipper for sharper crisp lines, there are options that will deliver best results.

Skin Sensitives

If you have any skin sensitivities, consider them before making a purchase. Some devices like the Braun Series 9 PRO+ Electric Shaver and BaBylissPRO Barberology GoldFX Shaver are great options for most skins sensitive to sharp clipper and trimmer blades. “Irritation, redness, or itching may occur, especially in people who have sensitive skin,” says Dr. Doshi. “It is best to try new products ahead of time and select grooming tools that suit certain skin demands.”

Regardless of known skin sensitivities, anyone can develop issues without proper hygiene. “It is critical to maintain hygiene both during and after the cutting procedure,” Dr. Dosh advised. “Unsanitary instruments can house bacteria, resulting in skin diseases,” Dr. Doshi said. “Patients should clean and sterilize their clippers, trimmers, and scissors on a regular basis. Furthermore, wiping the clipped hair from the skin and instruments as soon as possible helps to avoid irritation and dangerous infections.

Corded vs. Cordless

There are pros and cons to both cord and cordless options. Corded balding slippers offer consistent power without ever needing a charge. However, the dangling cord can be limiting and inconvenient, especially on-the-go. Cordless options have become far more popular over the years as better lithium ion battery technologies offer more consistent power for longer periods of time. Some balding clippers even offer quick charge features if you’re ever in a snag, and others can be used cordless or corded for added convenience. Cordless options are best for traveling. Comfort

An often overlooked feature in purchasing balding clippers (or any clippers for that matter), is how the clippers feel in your hands. The ergonomic design, weight, shape, and size can all play a factor into whether your clipping, trimming, and shaving process goes smoothly or puts strain on your wrist or other joints.

Features

Some of the best balding clippers get right to the chase at being great at one thing—skin-close clipping. That’s fine for anyone with only one grooming problem to solve. Other clippers, however, offer more of an all-in-one package to tackle your balding look, thick beard, and other parts of your body. One important feature that comes in handy for most people is the adjustable taper lever. It isn’t available in all balding clippers, but offers a lot more flexibility for anyone interested in various lengths.

For this story, Zahriyeh consulted with two professional barbers and a plastic surgeon specializing in hair loss. All three experts have tested dozens of hair clippers in their professions. Zahriyeh also combed through through Men's Health's deep catalogue of hair clipper guides, as well as hundreds of five-star reviews from e-commerce sites we trust.

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