Handheld clippers are essential dog grooming accessories. No grooming without vrooming, right? However, most dog breeds are afraid of clippers because of two main reasons. First, the buzzing sound scares them away; second, the long dangling cord can get them strangulated. The solutions to both these problems are very easy. To reduce noise, go for a silent dog clipper, take care of the messy wires, and choose the best cordless dog clippers.
Cordless and battery-operated clippers for dogs are also beneficial for groomers as well. You, as a groomer, can easily maneuver them in whatever way you want. They remove the safety hazard of your pooch getting all tangled up in the cord. Sometimes, anxious dogs can also chew on it while playing, which is another safety hazard. For you as a groomer, the best cordless clippers for dogs make the whole grooming process easier and less time-consuming.
How to Pick the Best Cordless Dog Hair Clippers
Cordless dog hair clippers are a recent innovation. They are yet to become mainstream. Most pet owners are fine with their outdated regular corded clippers. Nevertheless, if you are one of them and hate the dangling wire all over your dog that makes the grooming process a real chore, think about making the switch to cordless grooming clippers. Keep these things in mind to get the best dog trimmer.
Corded VS Cordless Dog Clippers
If you are reading this article, this means you are naturally inclined towards cordless dog clippers because of their convenience. They are indeed a really handy tool to trim the hair of hard-to-reach areas. However, don’t forget, working with cordless clippers means you will have to work with batteries. Even the best cordless clipper batteries run out of charge after an hour or so. And if you are an intensive user, you may end up wearing out the battery itself.
Furthermore, cordless clippers are comparatively slower. Therefore, you have to make sure the coat of your pet is soft and supple. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get a good trim. This is because corded clippers are able to draw as much electricity from the mains as they need to run smoothly. Energy is never a limitation when they are plugged in. But, cordless clippers are limited by their battery power.
Whether you go for a corded dog clipper or a cordless one, it’s all a matter of personal preferences and your specific need case.
Size & Weight of the Clippers
First things first, the most important thing to consider when shopping for a cordless dog clipper is its size and weight. Both these features make a huge difference when it comes to how functional a clipper can be. Thankfully, all the modern clippers mentioned in this guide come with ergonomic designs. This makes them easy to hold for longer durations without straining your hands.
Obviously, a lightweight and compact dog clipper will make your task very easy. You can maneuver them around your pet any way you want. Not to mention, if you have multiple pets grooming them often becomes easy peasy lemon squeazy. However, keep in mind that lighter clippers transfer a lot of vibrations to you and your dog, especially when they are functioning at the highest speed.
We would suggest going for slightly heavier and more stable dog grooming trimmers.
Single or Multiple Speed Clippers
Single-speed clippers are ideal for home use if you have only one or two pets. They are lightweight and much more robust. Single-speed clippers go slow on the skin, making them much safer. They are also cheaper and easy to handle for beginners as their mechanics are fairly simple. So, the chances of anything going wrong on your dog’s skin are very less. Also, because of their single-speed, they have much simpler and robust components.
Multiple speed clippers, on the other hand, are useful because of their versatility and precision. They can handle multiple coat types (including matting) and offer different precision levels – two features that come in handy if you have several dogs. They are less likely to overheat because of how quickly they can take care of the fur. As they work with higher speeds, you get a shorter grooming time.
However, both have their disadvantages. Single-speed clippers can be less efficient, more time-consuming, and don’t offer much precision. Likewise, multi-speed clippers are expensive, less robust, and may require more frequent charging. Of course, a single-speed clipper isn’t better than the multiple-speed clipper or the other way around. It all depends on your requirements and particular use case.
Speed and Power of the Motor
The speed of a dog clipper’s motor is often expressed in RPM or Rotations Per Minute. It’s the number of rotations the blade makes around its axis within a minute. Generally, more RPMs mean more powerful the motor will be. But you shouldn’t always go for a motor on the basis of its higher RPM. There are other considerations that can make your grooming experience a real breeze or a real chore.
For instance, the best dog hair clippers sure provide a lot of power and RPMs, but they may also generate noise due to more vibrations. If you continue using the same clippers for a while at their full speed, it can be uncomfortable for the dog because of the clipper’s extensive heat. Therefore, as a pet groomer, you need to find the right balance between the power of a motor and the noise & heat it may generate.
Therefore, if you are a professional pet groomer, you should go for quiet dog trimmers and professional dog trimmers. These products will provide you with the most value. However, if you are just a hobbyist or have a pet at home that you want to groom, you can go for either single-speed or variable speed clippers, depending on the task at hand. Remember, bulk clipping is easily done with high-speed trimmers, while a low-speed setting is recommended for precise work.
Noise, Vibrations & Heat
As we already discussed, dog clippers feature a rotating motor that moves the blades to cut the hair. Most people think the more powerful a motor they can get, the better will be cut. While it is true to some extent, this isn’t always the case. Sure, the best cordless dog clippers will cut through even the coarsest of the coats, but there’s always a price. And that price is:
- A drastic increase in blade heats up
- A drastic increase in the vibrations you feel
- A drastic increase in the noise level
All of these factors will inconvenience your pet. Therefore, an ideal clipper is best suited for your dog’s fur. Make sure you are not overspending on features that you don’t even need. A clipper that cuts smoothly stays quiet & cool for long sessions, and doesn’t vibrate as much should be your top priority.
Dog Clipper Blades
No, you cannot go for just about any dog clipper with a nice-looking blade. Thanks to the improvements in technology, several new alloys are available that make for excellently durable and fine blades. However, their compatibility may cause concern, especially when you want to replace a blade from one brand with another.
While most brands use interchangeable blades to keep the costs down, others (mostly big names) prefer specially designed blades that are only available and compatible with one manufacturer. Moreover, clipper blades come in various types, depending on the work you want to do.
For example, there are fine cut blades, detail work blades, shave down blades, coarse cutting blades, and variable cut blades. Stainless Steel and ceramic blades are the most popular in the industry. Stainless steel is more durable and rust-resistant, while ceramic blades are known for staying cool even during longer grooming sessions. A5 blades are also very popular in the industry. They are super easy to replace with a universal fit in case your clipper model has the same size.
Don’t Forget The Combs
Combs is also an essential component of a dog hair clipper. A comb provides even trim all over the body. These days comb sets are also available in different materials and sizes. All of them are good to go, depending on the size of the hair you want to trim. Usually, a package contains 5 – 10 different comb guides, but you will probably use only a few. Just make sure the blade’s width and clipper’s head are wide enough to provide a snug fit for the comb/guide.
Use Recommended Oils Only
Trimmers require constant maintenance. If you don’t maintain them regularly with oil, their teeth and blades will go dull. As a result, the blades will provide an uneven cut. They will miss much hair, cut the skin, just nip the hair, pull them, or may not cut the hair at all. While your pooch will not jump off the grooming table, using a dull blade on their skin will surely be uncomfortable.
That is why it is essential that you properly oil them. And not just any oil, use only recommended oils for your clipper. Usually, this information is written on the manufacturer’s website. So even if the package contains no such information and your vial runs out, head over to the manufacturer’s website to get more information on what kind of oil is recommended for the particular model.
The Best Cordless Pet Clippers for Dogs
Now that you know the essential features of pet trimmers for dogs, it’s time we introduce you to the top 5 best cordless clippers. Take a look!
1. Andis Pulse Zr II 5-Speed Cordless Dog Clipper by Andis
Andis cordless dog clipper offers you the best of both worlds. With its very quiet and powerful motor, this cordless trimmer can make any pup feel relaxed. Some groomers find it quieter than the human hair clippers, and yes, that’s how good it actually is. To add to all these benefits, its long-lasting quality will surely not disappoint you. Its super-smooth blades glide through the coat like a hot knife through butter and don’t irritate or hurt your loved one at all. That’s not all. The best thing about the Andis Pulse Zr II is that it works great with different types of blades, including ceramic Edge Ultra edge and show edge blades.
2. Sminker Rechargeable Cordless Grooming Clippers for Dogs
Sminker best cordless dog clipper comes with an innovative rechargeable battery that takes only 5 hours to charge fully. It has 4 different speeds- low, medium, high, and pulse. The best thing about the Sminker’s trimmer is its ergonomic design meant especially for a comfortable, secure grip. You don’t have to worry about falling or slipping or draining batteries because it runs on only 2 pretty cheap AA batteries. All you need to do is just clip your pup’s nails, ears and trim their hair easily with this best cordless pet clipper without getting stressed! Their main advantage? You can use them for cats too. So if you have multiple pets in your home, Sminker Grooming Clippers are a worthy consideration.
3. Wahl ARCO SE Professional
The Wahl ARCO SE Professional cordless pet trimmer for dogs is ideal for new groomers to the whole ‘groomers kit’. It has everything you may need – including a 5-in-1 adjustable blade. The blade is chrome plated and carbon edged, giving you cool long-lasting operation with very little maintenance in the long run. They are very safe on the skin and don’t cause any sort of injuries at all, so even absolute beginners can easily pick them up. Oh and, their battery timing isn’t bad either. It runs on two AA batteries, so it will last long enough to complete multiple grooming sessions. The adjustable precision blade makes it one of the best dog clippers for home use.
4. Oster Pro 3000i Cordless Pet Clippers
Oster cordless pet trimmers for dogs come with a lot of great features. First, its motor runs on two Lithium-Ion batteries. They are good in quality and don’t run out quickly at all. The second best thing about the Oster Pro 3000i cordless dog clippers is that they can be adjustable too- you can make your pup look however you want by changing the blades in this best handheld pet clippers to the desired size! The third best thing? You don’t have to worry about getting tangled into messy cords while grooming your lovely pet because it comes with a long sturdy cord that doesn’t get entangled in between at all! And yes, no risk of strangulation anymore either. Lastly, there are different speed controls on it, so you can easily adjust according to your pet’s mood.
5. Wahl Bravura cordless dog clippers
Wahl cordless pet clipper comes with a lot of great features, which makes it one of the best choices as hair trimmers for dogs. For example, its ultra-quiet V9000 motor doesn’t make any noise and does not annoy your pup, so they won’t feel scared at all while getting groomed! It is good for handheld use and very easy to clip- you don’t need professional grooming skills to trim your pup perfectly. Also, the best battery-operated dog clippers are safe on the skin, too- they are made up of hypoallergenic materials that are gentle on sensitive skin. With this best cordless pet trimmer by Wahl, you can style your pet’s hair as you want.
Final Thoughts
Now you know everything about cordless dog clippers. The most suitable clipper for you will depend on the size of your pooch. So, if you want to groom a small dog at home with not too much of a coat, then Oster Pro 3000i is an excellent option. In case your dog is super excited and anxious, we recommend going for the super quiet Wahl Bravura. On the other hand, if you want a more specialized cut, then any of the first three options – Andis, Sminker, and Wahl – would work great. They are all easy to handle and operate. That’s all for now. We hope the information provided here was useful. Thank you for reading!
