9 Best Balding Clippers for a Clean Cut

What Is the Difference Between Balding Clippers and Standard Clippers?

The most important difference between a standard hair clipper and a balding clipper is the closeness of their cuts. Balding clippers are categorically developed to deliver extremely close cuts while standard hair clippers are expected to handle all types of hair lengths.

For a clipper to deliver a close cut, its blades need to be zero gapped. If a device is zero-gapped, it means the edges of its blades are placed flush against each other without any gaps or overlapping. This is also why this configuration is also called zero overlap.

Most budget, consumer-focused hair clippers cannot be zero gapped. However, many other clippers in the market boast of this feature, but require the user to make changes to the way the blades are setup. To zero gap a device, the screw holding the blades need to be loosened and the blades have to be aligned manually.

Some devices even come zero-gapped out of the box, i.e. they don’t require the user to make any changes. These types of devices tend to have “balding”, “close”, “ultra-close”, or a similar phrase in their names. Outliners are also known for their zero-gapped blades.

What Is the Right Way to Use Balding Clippers?

It is important to note that balding clippers are incredibly sharp. Even the ones that don’t have zero gapping can turn out to be very sharp if they have an adjustable taper lever.

Therefore, when removing hair from your head with a balding clipper, you need to be very sure about the angle of the clipper to the head and the speed with which you move it.

Nicks and cuts on the head can bleed profusely if you’re not careful. If you’re unsure of using a balding clipper on your head, enlist the help of a friend or family member.

Whether you’re shaving your own head or someone else is doing it for you, here are the steps you should follow.

9 Best Balding Clippers Comparison Table

 

Top 4 Budget Balding Clippers: Detailed Reviews

1. Wahl Professional Peanut Classic Clipper/Trimmer #8685

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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The Wahl #8685 is a professional-grade hair clipper. This means that it is designed explicitly for professionals like barbers and hairstylists. The reason why this hair clipper kit is in our list of best balding clippers is that its blades can be zero gapped.

Zero gap is a phrase used to describe hair clipper blade configurations where the blades are flush against each other instead of overlapping one over the other. Zero gapping is critical to balding haircuts. While its zero-gap capability makes it a good balding clipper, it has several other qualities too.

For instance, despite being a professional-grade clipper, this one is incredibly travel-friendly. Professional-grade clippers usually tend to be bulky and heavy, which makes them the opposite of travel-friendly.

This clipper, however, is not only amazingly compact but also unbelievably lightweight. This is one of the smallest clippers you’ll find in the market and it weighs a mere quarter of a pound.

Despite its small size and low weight, it still boasts of a very powerful motor that offers a lot of cutting power and speed. As a result, it can handle most types of hair.

The only problem is that the motor isn’t very reliable. It breaks down far too early in its life, especially if you tax the hair clipper too much. Further, the motor is quite noisy as well.

In fact, build quality is questionable all over this device. The body of this hair clipper is quite fragile and if you drop it but once, it will break in your hand. There are just too many complaints from users of this device about it breaking down for us to not mention this here.

This hair clipper is part of a bigger set. The set includes four attachment combs that will come in handy if you’re going from medium length hair to bald. Apart from the combs, it also contains lubrication oil, a cleaning brush, and a red blade guard. It even boasts of a fairly long, industrial strength power cord.

One of the greatest qualities of this hair clipper set is its price. It is priced so competitively that it beats most of its competitors.

Who’s it for: If you’re short on cash but still need a balding clipper, get this device and zero gap it.

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2. Wahl Clipper Elite Pro High Performance Haircut Kit #79602

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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Wahl developed the Elite Pro Haircut Kit #79602 for people who wanted professional-level features in a home hair clipper set. While it doesn’t offer the same kind of cutting speed and power as a professional hair clipper, its capabilities are still comparable.

This device works well as a balding clipper because of one key reason – zero gapping. Its blades can be zero gapped, which means that they can deliver extremely close cuts. This is most helpful for people who already have very short hair and want to maintain their bald look.

However, even people with a full head of hair can use this balding clipper because it comes with so many different attachment combs. It is a part of a larger kit that contains ten “secure-fit” guards with stainless clips.

If you have long hair, you can use these combs to buzz them short before using the zero-gapped clipper to remove the hair entirely. For refinement, this device boasts of an adjustable taper lever that can be used to blend hair of differing lengths.

Apart from the combs, this kit also contains several other accessories such as shears, a mini cape, a cleaning brush, a bottle of lubricating oil, a blade guard, and a cord wrap. You’ll even be able to store the entire kit in a very useful storage case. The case is easy to move around too since it comes with a handle.

The motor in this clipper is also worth mentioning because it offers more power than many of its competitors. However, this also means that it is noisier than other similar clippers.

The body of this device is metal, which makes it fairly durable. Its metal body, however, isn’t protected from rust. If you expose your device to moisture or store it in a moisture-laden environment like your bathroom, it will rust very quickly.

The metal body and high-powered motor also make this clipper heavy. In fact, this device is so heavy that you’ll feel it in your wrist if your cutting session gets too long. It also doesn’t help that this clipper is on the bulkier side, though. This clipper does boast of an industrial, heavy-duty cord that measures eight feet in length.

The real attraction of this device is its low price. It is one of the most affordable clippers you’ll find in the market, especially if you consider all its features and the fact that it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Who’s it for: If you want a professional-strength balding clipper with a wide range of capabilities at an amazing price, get the Wahl Elite Pro.

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3. Wahl Professional 5-Star Balding Clipper #8110 (Top Pick)

Editor’s Rating: 4.75/5.0

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Of all the balding clippers available in the market, this is comfortably the best. In fact, this device is the yardstick against which all other balding clippers, trimmers, and outliners are compared. It is explicitly designed to be a balding clipper by Wahl and offers the sharpest blades and the closest cuts possible.

This clipper comes zero gapped out of the box, which means that you can just plug it in and start cutting your hair. It has Wahl’s #2105 blade. The blade is German-milled and made up of titanium with a self-sharpening design. This design ensures that the blade retainsits sharpness for a very long time.

All these features combine to make the blade very sharp. In fact, it is so sharp that the clipper demands full focus and attention from the user in every stroke. If you don’t treat this clipper with respect or don’t have the right experience to use it, then you better be preparedto endure some cuts and nicks.

While this device is incomparable when it comes to balding cuts, it is also capable of delivering excellent skin and bald fades. It doesn’t have an adjustable taper lever, but you can use the two provided attachment combs to achieve these fades and blends. Along with the combs, this clipper comes witha bottle of lubricating oil, a cleaning brush, and a red blade guard.

Even though it is only meant for bald cuts, this clipper is still built around a very powerful motor. Wahl has put its V5000 electromagnetic motor inside this clipper which is enough for it to be able to handle even the coarsest hair.

The powerful motor is housed inside a plastic body. The plastic body can be seen as positive and negative both. In terms of negative, it is fairly fragile, and if you drop the clipper, you can expect it to crack or break.

On the positive side, the plastic casing makes this device very light, especially when compared to metal clippers. Weighing only a little over half a pound, this device is lighter than most of its competitors.

The fact that this clipper is also incredibly compact makes it very easy to maneuver around the head. Its usability is further improved by its eight-feet long, professional-grade power cord.

Another great strength of this balding hair clipper is its cost. It is very competitively priced and should be within reach of most people.

Who’s it for: If you’re careful with your devices, then the surgically close cuts this balding clipper from Wahl can provide are unparalleled.

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4. Remington HC4250 Shortcut Pro Self-Haircut Kit

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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Although Remington positions its HC4250 Haircut Kit as the complete hair cutting solution, this kit is best suited for men who like close cuts. Some people even refer to this device as a “head shaver” because of this reason.

This is an interesting device, mainly because of its design. It is completely different from how hair clippers look and function. It is a stocky little device that will fit completely into the palm of your hand.

The fit is such that your hand will be much closer to the blades and your scalp than is normally the case with traditional hair clippers. As a result, you’ll have more control in how this device flows over the scalp. It even has a non-slip grip to enhance your control over it further.

This device rates very high on metrics like usability and maneuverability. Its ergonomic shape and design are helped by several other features. For instance, this device offers both corded and cordless functionality. While it is significantly more powerful plugged-in, it is considerably more user-friendly when used cordlessly.

In the cordless mode, you’ll be able to get about 40 minutes of non-stop run time from this device. Between its small footprint and cordless capability, this device ends up being very travel-friendly.

However, we do suggest that you charge this device fully before setting off on your next adventure because it takes a long time to reach full charge. You’ll have to leave it plugged in for four hours to get those 40 minutes of cordless use.

Further, overcharging is a genuine problem with this device. If you let this device stay plugged-in even after it is fully charged, you’ll end up damaging the battery to a point where it will stop holding charge altogether.

This is also a 100 percent washable device. You simply put the blades under running water and you’ll have a clean clipper in your hand. This clipper has precision-ground stainless steel blades that are wider than what most other devices offer. Further, the blades are slightly curved to ensure that they flow over your head better.

Along with this clipper, you’ll get 12 other pieces. These are highlighted by nine attachment combs, but also include lubricating oil, a storage pouch, and a cleaning brush.

Even though this is one of the most user-friendly devices in the market right now, it suffers when it comes to functionality. For example, the blades on this device cannot be zero gapped. This means that it can’t cut as close to the skin as other clippers with zero gap capabilities.

Further, like most hair clipper kits, this one’s guards are also flimsy. They’ll last if you’re very careful with them, but if you’re not, then you should be prepared to buy a separate, compatible set.

Who’s it for: If ease of use is high on your priority list when it comes to balding clippers, get this Remington device.

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Top 3 Value Balding Clippers: Detailed Reviews

5. Remington HC6550 Cordless Vacuum Haircut Kit

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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This is the second Remington hair clipper on our list and this one is closer to the traditional form and design. However, even this one is unique because of one feature – vacuum suction.

This is a vacuum hair clipper, which means that it sucks hair into a sealed chamber while they’re being cut. Obviously, this takes away the need to wipe and sweep afterward.

While this is a very convenient function, it is only useful if this clipper can deliver bald cuts well. This clipper can cut hair short, but not as short as most professional-class clippers or clippers designed specifically for close cuts.

The main reason for this is that the blades on this device cannot be zero gapped. When the blades are zero gapped, they are placed flush against each other instead of overlapping. This causes them to deliver extremely close cuts.

Because this device doesn’t cut hair very close to the skin, you’ll have to use it more often because the hair will grow and become visible quicker. Luckily, its vacuum function means that you can run it over your scalp anywhere in your house.

You can even use it while in front of the television since this isn’t a very noisy clipper. However, be warned that the vacuum doesn’t collect 100 percent of the cut hair. Some will always escape even though this device has one of the largest vacuum chambers in the industry. The large vacuum chamber also makes this device a little too bulky.

This clipper has titanium-coated steel blades that are very sharp and retain their edge well too. Further, you can use this device for other types of haircuts. It is a part of an 18-piece set that includes nine attachment combs. It even comes with a cleaning brush, lubricating oil, ear tapers, and a pair of barber scissors.

This clipper is also very user-friendly. It is a cordless device that offers a good run time. However, it can take up to four hours to reach a full charge. It is very easy to clean, as well.

Its cordless nature and several other features make this clipper very travel-friendly. For example, it is a very lightweight clipper that can handle both the 110V and the 220V power systems. This means that you can take it anywhere in the world.

The biggest problem with this clipper is durability. It is all plastic, which makes it quite fragile. Even the accessories that come as a part of this kit are plastic and very delicate. You’ll have to be very careful about not dropping this delicate clipper if you want it to stay with you for long.

Who’s it for: If you like to sit in front of the television or even with a book while cutting your hair, get this vacuum clipper.

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6. Wahl Lithium Ion Cordless Rechargeable Hair Clippers and Trimmers for men #79600-2101

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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Generally, cordless hair clippers neither come with zero gap capability nor an adjustable taper lever. However, the Wahl #79600-2101 clipper and trimmer combo is different. The hair clipper in this combo boasts of both those features.

While the zero-gap capability makes this hair clipper an excellent choice for men who like bald cuts, the adjustment taper lever makes it ideal for those who love bald and skin fades as well.

The versatility doesn’t stop there, however, because this hair clipper is a part of an expansive kit. We’ve already mentioned that this is a combo where the other half is a trimmer.

However, in addition to those two primary devices, this kit also contains 14 guide combs, an ear trim guide, a blade guard for both devices, an eyebrow guide, two hair clips, two ear tapers, a barber comb, a barber cape, a styling comb, a pair of scissors, a bottle of lubricating oil, and a cleaning brush.

Along with all this, this device comes with a very useful storage case that adds to its user-friendliness. The case is great if you want to take this kit with you on your travels, but it could’ve been even better if it had sections inside for storing various components.

Its cordless ability adds to that user-friendliness, especially since the device can run for 120 minutes on a full charge. While it is true that it will take up to five hours to achieve a full charge, there is a quick-charge feature in case you’re in a hurry. The battery is top class too since it can hold a charge for up to one year!

The device has its flaws too. For instance, it is quite heavy, something that takes away from its awesome user-friendliness. Even so, the biggest problem you’ll face with this kit is durability. Both the clipper and the trimmer have a metal body that is very prone to rust.

Like all cordless hair clippers, the power and cutting speed that this hair clipper generates is nowhere close to what you’ll get from a corded hair clipper. However, that doesn’t stop this device from making a lot of noise. It is noisy enough to become annoying after a while.

Who’s it for: If you want close cuts but want the freedom of movement that only cordless devices can provide, get this expansive set.

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7. Andis Professional T-Outliner Beard/Hair Trimmer with T-Blade Model GTO (04710) (Best Value)

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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Technically the Andis #04710 isn’t a hair clipper. It is an outliner or hair trimmer since outliners and trimmers cut so close to the skin, this device does incredibly well as a balding clipper.

However, because this is an outliner, it can’t really handle long hair and is only meant to be used on short hair. In fact, it is the ideal solution if you only need a device for touch-ups as opposed to full-blown balding cuts.

Most professionals use an outliner or hair trimmer to refine hair cuts, i.e. give them a crisp finish. This means that such devices are great for balding cuts. This one is particularly superb at this because it has the zero-gap capability too. The high-carbon steel T-blade it uses to deliver those cuts is super sharp as well.

The biggest problem with this device is that it gets too hot to handle too fast. This happens because motors used in outliners are designed to deliver precision cuts in short bursts instead of close cuts over extended periods. True to form, this one has high-speed, magnetic motors of exactly this type.

As a result, according to users, this device gets hot within five minutes of use. Further, if you try to barrel through the problem of overheating, the device would break down on you. We can only conclude that it gets hot because it can’t handle the load of extended use and breaks down when pushed beyond that limit.

As a result, if you want to use this outliner as a balding clipper, you’ll have to learn to pace your session in short bursts of less than five minutes. Therefore, when you take into account the seconds or minutes of break-time, it can get very time-consuming to get a bald cut with this device.

Another flaw caused by this device’s motor is that it vibrates a lot. The vibration is not only annoying but can get very uncomfortable in extended sessions. On the positive side, this outliner has an excellently designed housing that is ergonomically contoured to fit perfectly into your hand.

Moreover, it boasts of an eight-feet long, heavy-duty power cord that is super resilient to wear and tear. Near the spot where the cord connects to the device, you’ll even find a metal hook that can be used to hang this outliner in storage.

Who’s it for: If you only need a balding clipper to touch-up your bald cut, get this excellent outliner from Andis.

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Top 2 Premium Balding Clippers: Detailed Reviews

8. Wahl Professional 5-Star Cord/Cordless Magic Clip #8148 (Best Budget)

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

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The Wahl Magic Clip #8148 comes very close to the Wahl Balding Clipper #8110 when bald cuts are concerned. It only falls short because the Balding Clipper #8110 is exclusively designed for bald cuts.The Magic Clip #8148, therefore, is downright perfect if you’re looking for an all-rounder hair clipper that can also deliver extremely close cuts.

What makes this hair clipper so perfect for bald cuts is that it features a #2161 Wahl blade. The #2161 blade is a precision zero-gap blade that is incredibly sharp and cuts really close to the skin.

In addition to the zero-gap blade, this device also boasts of a built-in adjustable taper lever. The taper lever makes this hair clipper great for bald and skin fades too.

In fact, you can get normal fades and blends as well because this device comes with eight attachment combs. Along with the combs, you will also get a cleaning brush, a bottle of lubricating oil, and a red blade guard.

We should also tell you that this is a cordless hair clipper. It offers all the benefits of a cordless device but also lacks power for the same reason. In case you’re worried about its lack of power, you can always use it with the cord as that functionality is available.

The battery life of this hair clipper is quite good at just above 90 minutes. What makes it even better, though, is that it can achieve full charge in a mere 20 minutes.

Despite incorporating a lithium battery inside a metal case, this device still somehow manages to be lightweight. In fact, it weighs only 0.6 pounds. There aren’t many cordless clippers that can make that claim.

This clipper isn’t only light, however. It is also amazingly compact. Its light weight and compact design make this device a superb travel companion. Its travel-friendliness is helped by the fact that it can operate on both the 110V and the 220v power systems.

Whether traveling with it or using it at home, you’ll have to maintain this device very carefully. This is because its metal body tends to rust very easily. We recommend keeping it away from too much moisture and regularly using the provided cleaning brush and lubricating oil.

Who’s it for: If you want a cordless, all-rounder that can deliver extremely close cuts too, get the Wahl Magic Clip hair clipper.

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9. Pitbull Gold Shaver

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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The Pitbull Gold Shaver, as its name suggests, isn’t really a clipper. It is the latest shaver offered by a company that is known for its excellent head shaving devices – Skull Shaver.

This device, designed specifically for balding men or men looking for that bald look, provides a very close shave. While its design is completely different, it is as effective as the go-to option for bald cuts, the Wahl Balding Clipper.

This device cuts hair with the help of five extra-large shaver heads. The shaver heads are arranged in a circular design with each one boasting of rotary cutters. The rotary cutters use Pitbull Universal Blades that are very sharp and effective at removing hair as close to the scalp as possible

Each of the shaver heads is placed on a flexing arm. This allows this shaver to adjust to the contours of your head. Further, the five shaver heads are together placed on another flexing arm. This double flexibility offered by the two arms makes this device very smooth on the head.

Since there are five, very large shaver heads, this device can mop up the head very quickly. Moreover, the fact that this device adapts so well to the curves and contours of the head further reduces the amount of time it will take to clean your scalp. This device can also operate in water, which means that you can save even more time by using it in the shower.

There are several other features designed to make the shaving process convenient too. The first is that this device can be used for dry as well as wet shaves.

While you can’t use shaving oils (they clog up the rotors), you can use shaving foams and creams comfortably. You’ll have lots of time for every session too since this device’s battery capacity is more than 90 minutes.

If you’re using it while showering or wet shaving your head, you’ll have to use it cordlessly. However, if you’re not going to expose it to water, you can use it plugged in too.

Another convenience-focused feature is its grip. This is a multi-grip device which means that you can hold it in a wide variety of ways. You can change your grip depending on which section of your head you’re shaving.

The biggest problem with this device is that you can only use it if your hair is short. If your hair is too long, you’ll have to use a traditional clipper to give yourself a buzzcut before using this device to get closer to the scalp.

This device’s build quality is suspect too. It is just not built to last and falls apart within a few months. The culprit here is the design in a way. Over multiple uses, the hair you cut will enter the rotary blades and get stuck in the gears inside.

As you continue to use this device, either the gears will cease completely or the motor will overheat. This is why it breaks down so soon. Keeping the device clean will help, but the technique suggested by the company is useless.

They will ask you to submerge this device in water and turn it on to make the hair come out. This rarely works.The only saving grace is that, if you’re handy with devices, you can probably make it work again.

Opening the blades up to clean them is the obvious solution, but that comes with its own risk. Skull Shaver doesn’t want you to open the blades and clearly states that if you do the warranty will be void.

This is also a fairly noisy shaver that isn’t really fit to be used in the early hours of the morning when your family members or roommates are sleeping.

It is very expensive too, especially since it breaks down so quickly and so easily. While this device is excellent at cutting hair close to the scalp, its questionable durability is why most of its users say it isn’t worth the outlay.

Who’s it for: If you have very little hair and only need balding clippers to keep them from becoming visible, get the Pitbull Gold.

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