Everyone is giving themselves a buzz cut during quarantine, and if you want to try it yourself, you’ll want the most reliable, sturdiest, and all-around best hair clippers to do it. It’s the rare home haircut that can look pretty damn good, but having the right tools will make the whole process a lot smoother.
This is something sturdier and more powerful than most beard trimmers and body trimmers—though some devices do double nicely. (If you’re going for a full-on head shave, you might even consider an electric shaver.) But the best buzz cut results come from a purpose built clipper. Below are some of the best hair clippers for men who want to buzz their own dome at home. If that’s you, then look no further than this lineup.
Just be sure to mind the beard-to-hair ratio—meaning, don’t keep the two at the same length. The easiest way to do that is to grow your beard slightly longer than your buzzed-out hair, or simply shave to the skin.
Best Pro-Grade Clipper
Don’t let the price shock you—Andis’ cordless clipper is the holy grail of hair trimmers. Any barber would faint if he or she received this one, so why not spoil yourself with the same? It’s got a satisfyingly hefty body, and a quick one-hour charge delivers 90 minutes of cordless use. The best part about any Andis blades is the ability to cut through even the most coarse, unruly hair—as well as thin hair with precision. Best of all, if you’ve got especially coarse hair, the device can be “zero gapped”, which is to say it can be aligned to cut hairs with some serious oomph.
Worth the Wait
Amazon’s bestselling hair clipper is no joke—and it’s extremely affordable, too. You’ll have to place an advance order on this one, but it’s restocking frequently. There’s a good reason you’ve seen this clipper everywhere—it’s durable, well labeled for beginners, and it will get you through the quarantine with flying colors.
The Best Ergo-Friendly Clipper
Mangroomer’s 9-guard, palm-held clipper glides beautifully over and around your dome. Its ergonomic design clears the obstacle of tackling the back and sides, since you aren’t torquing your wrists at odd angles (as you would with most clippers). And, for what it’s worth, cutting with this guy is actually lots of fun; it’s certainly the device to get if you plan to keep buzzing in perpetuity.
Best All-inOne Set
Between its scissors, clips, combs, and full set of guards this set does everything. (Especially if you’re only buzzing part of the hair, and need to clip or style other parts of it.) It also includes two other devices, for detailing your facial hair, and snipping errant eyebrows, nose hairs, ear hairs, and the lot.
Professional Power
Another barbershop staple is Oster, and this “whisper quiet” clipper slices the coarsest, gnarliest hairs without a peep. You can choose from a range of colors and adjust its cut from a 0 blade to half an inch. While a cord may seem cumbersome for an at-home trim, its 8 feet of length also prove helpful if you want to buzz outside or over the bathtub and need that extra distance.
The Most Giftable Clipper
Panasonic’s hair clipper is an investment, but well worth the spend. It’s professional grade, first of all: This is one of the sturdiest devices, outlasting any drops or checked-luggage abuse. It has some of the fastest blades in the game, at 10,000 rpm, and it’s cordless, with a 50-minute run time. You can achieve dozens of different lengths with the adjustable clipper, and that sexy carbon-fiber and titanium shell looks mighty fine in its upright charging stand.
Most Travel Friendly
If you need touch-ups on the go (for when traveling is a thing again), then be sure to always pack the Peanut in your bag; at only 4 inches long and weighs just 4 ounces, it will certainly keep you polished on your future travels. (Fingers crossed that they’re not so distant.)
Best for Clean Edges and Detailing
Andis’ cordless T-blade clipper is essential if the task at hand is a cleanup of your edges: from dome to sideburns to neckline, this thing draws the cleanest lines. Typically, this is for guys who want periodic cleanups between visits to the barber, or who trim their hair to a uniform, low length at home but also want to mind the details. Plus, it’s Andis, which means top-tier barbershop quality.
Best Beard-Trimmer Crossover
If you regularly trim down your beard and want to do the same for your hair—but let’s say you don’t want to invest in two powerful devices—then go for the Bevel beard trimmer. It’s got a 4-hour charge, and has the power to tackle any job, even if you’re cutting straight through coarse hair. (It can be zero gapped for the thickest of cuts, too.) Just know that there are no guards on this one: It’s like a super-close trim, or practically a shave, all the way to the skin. If you simply want to clean up your buzz cut’s edges, this trimmer works wonders as a detailer, too, when you swap the head for the included T-blade.
Best Bald-Head Shaver
If you’re rocking a polished dome—maybe you’re auditioning for the next Fast and Furious—then you’ll want easy-to-use rotary shaver. (That is, if you don’t want to actually shave your head with a razor.) While Kibiy’s palm-held device boasts attachments for clean beard outlinesand nose-hair trimming, it is is a head shaver above all. Just grip it and zoom every which way around your head—it even works in the shower if you prefer a wet shave.
