Nozzles
— Blade for cutting. The device is equipped with a classic hair clipper. Hair clippers usually have a fairly wide blade, allowing you to capture a large amount of hair at one time. In beard trimmers, the blade width is slightly smaller, but still allows you to fully care for a certain area of the face.
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Additional blade for cutting. An extra blade can serve as either a backup or a supplementary tool. While spare blades usually match the width of the main blade, auxiliary ones are typically narrower. A narrower optional blade is primarily used for precise detailing and cutting intricate designs. Conversely, a spare blade can come in handy when the main blade is entirely dull.
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Trimmer for goatee. The goatee trimmer is a special nozzle with a narrow blade, with which it is convenient to shape the contours of the goatee and easily care for this type of beard. A characteristic feature of this nozzle is a blade about 20 mm wide. The goatee trimmer can be represented as a replaceable nozzle or an additional blade built into the clipper.
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Trimmer for ears and nose. The clipper is equipped with a special nozzle that allows you to effectively and safely cut hair in the nose and ears. The ear and nose trimmer is usually a small cylindrical blade, the diameter of the cutting head is usually 5-7mm, and the length can be up to 30-40mm. The pres
...ence of a trimmer for ears and nose allows the machine to take a more comprehensive approach to hygiene and hair care.
— Eyebrow trimmer. Eyebrow trimmer — a special attachment in the form of an oblong cutting head that allows you to care for eyebrows, correct their shape, and also shorten thick and unruly hairline. The eyebrow attachment is often double-sided. On the one hand, the trimmer can be equipped with a 3-4 mm high comb, which allows you to protect the eyebrows from excessively short cutting, and the other side is usually represented by a bare blade, which makes it possible to cut off excess hairs on the eyebrow line under the root.
— Foil razor. The foil razor head is tailored for trimming short stubble. The mesh effectively and delicately cuts through three-day growth, leaving behind a smooth complexion without discomfort. Numerous clippers featuring foil razors enable shaving without the need for foam, commonly referred to as a "dry shave".
— Body trimmer. The body trimmer is an accessory designed for removing hair from the torso and sensitive areas. The shaving head for body grooming usually features a dual structure. The primary component is a conventional blade that effectively handles coarse hair. Positioned behind the blade is a shaving foil that ensures a clean shave for any remaining stubble. Additionally, the body trimmer often includes a detachable 3 mm comb. When dealing with dense hair growth on the initial pass, using the fixed comb is recommended as the foil shaver might not be as effective.
— Universal comb. The adjustable-height comb provides seamless hair cutting transitions without the need to change attachments. Altering the comb's height is easily achieved on-the-fly by pressing the latch and shifting the comb. These combs offer convenience as they enable cutting with a single attachment, maintaining workspace organization. However, due to their intricate design, the reliability of such attachments may be compromised. The adjustable comb attachment is versatile, with typical models allowing you to select any height between 1 to 20 mm.
— Comb for cutting behind the ears. Comb attachment for precise work behind the ears. Allows you to perform a smooth edging along the lower border of the scalp in the area behind the ears.Fixed combs
Clippers and trimmers are often equipped with fixed-height removable combs. The more combs in the kit, the smoother transitions the device can make. The standard set usually includes 3-5 combs, more advanced models may have 7-10 combs of a fixed height in a set.
Haircut length
The cutting height is influenced by the type of cutting element and the inclusion of detachable combs. Toothed blades can trim hair as short as 1 mm. By coupling a toothed blade with a detachable comb, the cutting height can range from 2-3 to 20, and even 30 mm – the precise height hinges on the provided comb attachments. There are defined minimum and maximum cutting heights. The minimum pertains to the blade's inherent capabilities, devoid of attachments. The maximum cutting height is determined by the detachable comb type.
Number of length settings
The number of haircut length options provided in the design of the clipper or the design of the nozzle. The more such options, the more versatile the clipper and the more cutting options it provides.
Blade width
The width of the operating tool (blade) of the clipper. A wide blade is important for head hair trimmers, as it allows you to capture more hair in one pass and cuts faster. In turn, beard and mustache clippers use narrower knives, which is useful for fine work to give facial hair the desired shape.
Power supply
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Mains. The clipper is powered by a 230 V electrical network. The benefit of this power source is the unrestricted operational duration (no need for periodic battery recharging). However, drawbacks include the necessity of an available electrical outlet and the limitation imposed by a power cord, which can impede movement and cause operational inconvenience.
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Battery. The clipper is powered by its own built-in battery. On the one hand, this gives maximum freedom of movement (since there is no power cord) and battery life — such devices can be used even where there is no electrical network. On the other hand, the battery life is limited, it must be constantly recharged — otherwise there is a risk that the charge is exhausted at the most inopportune moment (for example, during the haircut).
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Batteries. The clipper is powered by interchangeable batteries. In terms of its primary pros and cons, this power source resembles battery power (as mentioned earlier). However, in contrast to built-in batteries, replaceable batteries offer less capacity, making them suitable for low-power devices like nose trimmers (see Type) that don't demand prolonged usage. On the positive side, replaceable batteries allow for swift replacement when depleted, whereas a built-in battery would necessitate a lengthier recharging process in such instances.
Battery type
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Li-Ion. Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries currently dominate the market due to their high energy density, compact size, and light weight. On average, Li-Ion batteries last for approximately 400 charge-discharge cycles. They exhibit minimal self-discharge and lack a prominent "memory effect" (capacity decrease when charging a partially discharged battery). However, these batteries are sensitive to cold temperatures and require precise charging current conditions.
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Li-pol. Lithium-polymer (Li-Pol) batteries maintain stable output voltage even during significant discharge. On average, Li-Pol batteries offer a lifespan of around 800 charge-discharge cycles. These batteries don't exhibit the memory effect and remain stable across a broad temperature range, from -20 to +40 degrees Celsius. Their drawbacks primarily involve vulnerability to deep discharge and overcharging. This highlights the necessity for specialized chargers that employ optimal power delivery methods tailored to the lithium polymer context.
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Ni-Cd. Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries are engineered to handle substantial charge and discharge rates. They can be stored either charged or discharged without issue. These batteries aren't impacted by heat and maintain their capacity in cold conditions. However, the primary drawback is the "memory effect," which emerges when the battery is prematurel
...y charged with residual capacity. Despite being outdated, Ni-Cd batteries are occasionally employed in clippers.
— Ni-Mh. Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries excel at managing substantial charge and discharge rates, making them suitable for demanding electric motors and facilitating quick charging. Contemporary Ni-MH batteries offer a prolonged lifespan of up to 1000-1500 charge-discharge cycles, while being environmentally friendly. In comparison to Li-Ion batteries, they appear bulkier and add weight to the device, yet they come at a more affordable cost. This battery type has replaced the previously mentioned nickel-cadmium technology.
— LiCo. Lithium-cobalt (Li-Co) batteries are renowned for their impressive energy storage within a small and lightweight structure. These batteries exhibit minimal self-discharge and lack the "memory effect". They maintain voltage stability almost until complete discharge. However, Li-Co batteries aren't engineered to handle substantial charge and discharge rates.USB charging
The ability to charge the battery of the clipper from the USB port of the computer. This function is not particularly significant when using the machine at home, but for travel it can be useful: if necessary, the battery can be
recharged from the USB port of a portable computer (laptop or tablet). In this case, the connector in the device itself can be microUSB, USB-C or branded, which will require an appropriate cable.
Material
— Metal. High-end clippers/trimmers use a metal body. Typically found in professional models, and occasionally in semi-professional ones, a metal casing ensures remarkable durability and resistance to heavy use. However, this design substantially elevates the device's weight and cost.
— Plastic. Mostly low-cost clippers/trimmers are equipped with a plastic case. The plastic case is lightweight and easy to care for. Among the shortcomings of plastic, only low strength can be noted. If you intensively use a trimmer/clipper with a plastic case, then the working surface of the device will quickly become covered with scratches and scuffs.
— Metal/plastic. Semi-professional clippers/trimmers commonly feature a combination of metal and plastic casing. These models incorporate metal with plastic inserts. This approach maintains a high level of reliability while using plastic inserts to lower device costs and enhance user-friendliness. Clippers with combined casings are versatile for both home and salon use.