Can we talk about that $40 clipper I bought off Amazon?

I was in a bind last month, my main clippers were down for a week and I needed something quick. Saw this cordless model for 40 bucks with good stars and figured why not, it's just for a few days. Big mistake. The blade started pulling on the second haircut, real bad tugging that made my client flinch. By day three the battery wouldn't even last through one full fade, died on me right in the middle of a skin fade. Tried to adjust the tension but the screws stripped out like they were made of butter. Had to finish the cut with my backup trimmers and a straight razor, felt like a total hack. Anyone else get burned by a cheap internet clipper or is it just me?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmam891mo ago

Five years ago I bought a $35 clipper off Amazon just to keep at home for quick trims between pro cuts. That thing still works fine after heavy use. The plastic gears finally gave out last month but for 35 bucks I got way more than I paid for. I think a lot of the issues come down to how you use them. If you're doing commercial barber work with heavy daily use you can't expect a budget tool to hold up. These cheap clippers are meant for the occasional home user not someone running a shop. The blade pulling and battery dying fast sounds like you got a lemon or you were pushing it way past what it was designed for. I get being in a bind but you can't really blame the tool for not being a workhorse when it cost less than a decent dinner.

ross.lily1mo ago

Did you check if the blade could be swapped out or tightened before it started pulling? Or did it just go straight to chewing up hair right out of the box?

ward.jamie1mo ago

Sometimes you just get what you pay for. That lemon cost you more in time and headache than you saved.