The blade, the guard, and the last two millimetres
A clipper is bought for its motor and lived with for its blade, its guards and its shortest setting. The specification that decides most home haircuts is not power but the step between guards: a set that jumps 3 mm at a time cannot blend, and a set with 1 mm steps or a taper lever can. We compare blade material and width, the guard range and its increments, whether a taper lever is fitted, the runtime and charge time as published, and whether the head is rinsable — the manufacturer states an IP rating or it does not, and we report which.
28 lengths, 0.5–28 mm · zoom wheel · 90 min · fully washable
A zoom wheel that sets 28 lengths between 0.5 and 28 mm without changing anything on the head, a comb designed so cut hair does not clog it, and a body Philips describes as completely washable.
Best for: Home haircuts where the length changes as you go, rather than one length all over.
≈ £44 / 35 €
Ceramic blades · 10 guards, 3–40 mm · 50 min · case, cape, scissors
The clipper with the longest accessory list of this lot: ten guards covering 3 to 40 mm, an aluminium case, scissors, a comb, a neck brush and a cutting cape, around self-sharpening ceramic blades and a stated 50 minutes of cordless runtime.
Best for: A first clipper for cutting at home, where the cape and the case matter as much as the motor.
≈ 33 €
Trim-n-Flow Pro · DualCut blade · 28 lengths · 90 min · 6 markets
The Series 7000 adds a two-sided DualCut blade that Philips says cuts twice as fast as a single-sided one, and the Trim-n-Flow comb that clears cut hair as it goes. One hour to charge, 90 minutes of use.
Best for: Thick or fast-growing hair, where a clipper that stalls mid-pass is the actual complaint.
≈ $97 / £89 / 60 €
Linear motor · X-taper 2.0 blade · carbon-titanium coating · 6 markets
A professional-tier clipper built around a linear motor that Panasonic states holds its cutting speed regardless of hair density, and an X-taper 2.0 blade with a diamond-like carbon coating. The most expensive machine in this lot by a wide margin.
Best for: Cutting hair often, or cutting thick hair, where a motor that stalls is the reason to replace a machine.
≈ $205 / £180 / 155 €
