Braun makes some of the best hair clippers in the world, and is a trusted name for at-home hair cutting devices. Weighing in at just 5 3/4 ounces, this Braun Hair Clipper is slim and easy to use. It measures 7 inches in length and is comfortable to hold in your hand. While its blades aren’t adjustable, it comes with two guard combs that are. They adjust with a slide switch on the front of the clipper to give you 16 precision cutting lengths.
The clipper can also be used without a guard comb to provide a close-to-clean shave. The range of the smaller comb is 3/32 inch to 15/16 inch, and the larger comb gives you settings from 9/16 inch to 1 3/8 inches. This is the biggest range among the clippers we tested – most others have a range of only 1/16 inch to 1 inch.
We liked the Braun clipper more for detailing than for haircutting, and it worked well on necklines and sideburns and trimming around our volunteers’ ears. Its blades are sharp and can be cleaned under water, but they don’t seem to have enough power to cut through thick hair without snagging. Also, the clipper has dual Ni-MH batteries that only provide 40 minutes of cutting time after a full eight-hour charge. This is the least impressive ratio of charge time to cutting time of the four cordless clippers we tested. To its credit, the battery lasted 57 minutes in our lab, but it depleted more quickly during haircuts. And with eight volunteers to buzz through in one evening, we didn’t have time for recharges.
While the Braun can be used while plugged in, its cord feels flimsy, and it’s only about 70 inches long. We prefer 8-foot cords with heavyweight casing because they give you increased mobility without the fear of damaging the cord or clipper should you tug the wrong way.
One unique feature of the Braun Hair Clipper is that unlike the Philips Norelco Hair Clipper, which also has adjustable combs, the Braun has a Memory SafetyLock System to memorize the last setting you used. It also has an award-winning body design with a nonslip rubberized grip, and it gives you automatic voltage adjustment worldwide.
The Braun would have earned higher marks in our testing if it felt more durable, cut through hair with more power and had a longer-lasting battery. Also, its motor has a high-pitched vibration that sounds, according to one tester, like it’s “on its last lung.” You can breathe easier before you buy it knowing that Braun’s consumer protection on the clippers gives you a 60-day moneyback guarantee and a two-year limited warranty. Braun’s customer service is responsive and can easily be reached by phone. The company also offers an online resource and repair service.
