Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsDecent performance, poor quality build overall and bulky 110V (only) charger
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2010
UPDATE- it actually performs well using regular AA batteries, they just need to be new and changed frequently for best performance. When either rechargeable or regular batteries are low, the motor might get "stuck" if clipper pushed too "deep" too fast.
Original Review-
I travel quite a bit and needed a portable cordless clipper to trim my very short hair.
I've tried quite a few other multifunction clippers/trimmers and they all failed to do the job on the head. I also used Wahl "Professional" corded clipper, which performed very well, but it would only work on 110v, was big and heavy and obviously had a cord which was a nuisance to use especially in shared bathrooms, often without power outlets, etc
So I decided to try this cordless clipper mainly because it's in the "Professional" product line.
It is quite inferior to the 20-30 dollar corded Wahl Professional clipper- it's very poorly built and looks like it was made in China (it might've been as well). The two plastic halves of the clipper's body don't fit snugly to each other and there's a visible gap in between. The blades also don't look like the solid steel blades on the corded model.
I found the performance to be quite decent using supplied rechargeable batteries- I trimmed the hair on my head without major difficulties, though it'd get stuck if I pushed it too "deep" too fast. I went from about 10mm to 5mm using No.2 attachment.
However, when I tried using regular AA battery, the trimmer would get stuck often (motor stops) making the whole procedure rather ineffective and frustrating. Which means it can only be used effectively with rechargeable batteries.
So don't count on regular batteries !
Now about the batteries- the charger is a MONSTER. It is at least twice as big and heavy as the clipper itself and it only holds two AA size batteries. It's like it was made in the 80's. It is also only accepting 110v, which means it can't be used in Europe and other places without a voltage converter (yet another device to carry !). I have a 5-year old 4-battery charger with dual voltage which is a third of the size of this one. Wahl is being very cheap in packaging such a monstrous charger which defeats the whole purpose of portability and small clipper size in the first place.
So if you're planning on traveling with this clipper, be ready to buy a dual voltage travel size charger.
Overall and for the price this clipper is ok- it performs better than all other cordless devices I've tried and it actually gets the job done. It also works well on body hair.
But Wahl could do much better quality on the "Professional" line, especially that it's made in the US and not in China. But it surely fails to impress on quality and build.
