The terms “clippers” and “trimmers” are often used interchangeably, but they are anything but the same. The most significant differences between the two are the blade sizes and purposes. Think of your clippers for overall cutting while the trimmers are used for detailing areas like the sideburns, lineups, nape of the back and balding hair, said Austin Russo, the co-founder of professional hair appliance companies Gamma+ and Stylecraft. “Clippers are generally designed with wider cutting blades to cut the overall bulk hair, full haircuts, or bulk grooming. They are typically bigger overall than trimmers and have adjustable taper levers. Trimmers are a bit smaller and more effective for detail work and getting very close to the skin.”
THE BREAKDOWN
Clippers
Designed for: Bulk cutting varying hair lengths
Best Uses: Overall cutting and fading
Where to Use: Head & Face
Trimmers
Designed for: Shorter Hair
Best Uses: Detailing, creating outlines, dry shaving and shaping
Where to Use: Face, neck, chest, stomach, legs, arms and back
Best Tool for the At-Home Barber
Gamma+ Protégé Clipper & Trimmer Combo Package
“We highly recommend our StyleCraft or Gamma+ Protégé Clipper, Trimmer, or Combo package for the beginner. It’s a great machine to start with, and you can add accessories, blades, and guards a’la carte as you need them,” Ken Russo said. “Ultimately, all our clippers, trimmers and shavers are built for professionals with exceptional craftsmanship performance and industry-leading technology. But any can be used at-home as well depending on the budget.”
