When I moved to the UK earlier this year, I noticed the lack of a power outlet in the bathroom, but I came to the country with the corded, professional-grade GTS-2800 clipper I’ve had for over five years. With a full beard that gets trimmed weekly and a bald head that needs to be kept totally hairless, getting a wireless clipper became a priority—I couldn’t afford to look like an alien among other humans.
I checked Amazon and saw a lot of options, and Wahl Rapid Clip was the one that caught my attention the most because of the reasonable price, positive reviews, and ratings. Of course, there were cheaper alternatives, but I have a belief that as far as gadget purchases go, the quality you get is often proportional to the amount you pay.
So, I’ve had this clipper for eight months now, using it weekly, and I must say I have no regrets about making the purchase. So far, the performance has been quite amazing, and here is my full review from a baldy’s perspective.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Reasonable price | Lack of battery indicator |
| Consistent, quality cuts | Long 3-hour charging time for 2-hour usage |
| Lots of accessories included | Blades not pre-aligned out of the box |
| Lightweight and ergonomic design | Rocker switch may be unattractive to some |
| 120-minute battery life | |
| Holds charge for over a month with weekly use | |
| Can be used corded while charging | |
| Sharp, durable blades | |
| Easy to maintain |
Unboxing and design
The clipper arrived in a black package housing everything the clipper comes with, and it’s quite a lot of accessories.
It comes fully loaded with everything you need to cut hair at home or on the go. Inside the convenient storage bag, you’ll find the powerful yet lightweight cordless clipper along with ten comb attachments ranging from #1 (3mm) to #8 (25mm), #0.5 (1.5mm) and #1.5 (4.5mm) for fading and blending. Also included are right and left ear taper combs to get the perfect fade on both sides of the head.
You’ll also get a standard pair of barbering scissors, a barber comb, a styling comb, blade oil for lubrication, a cleaning brush, a charger, some documentation, and a handy bag to store it all. With all these accessories, you’ll have a complete professional-grade kit ready for home haircuts.
Taking the clipper out of the box for the first time, it felt extra light to my hand at only 254g, but then, I was coming from a much heavier professional-grade clipper I’d gotten used to over the years. With a silver and black design, Wahl Ripd Clips looks slim and easy to handle. The ergonomic handle and the finish on the plastic give it some sort of grip, and it has never slipped out of my hands over these past eight months. Besides, if you’ve used a cheap cordless clipper in the past and understand how flimsy they feel, you should appreciate that this doesn’t feel that way when held.
On the left side is a toggle switch that powers it on and off, a few centimetres from the taper lever. The design is general tradition and, of course, practical, allowing for easy thumb access to switch the clipper on and off or to adjust the taper lever.
The charging port is rightly at the rear, but one major fault I find with the design is the lack of a battery indicator to let you know when to plug it in to charge. I must rely on my discretion to know when to charge the battery. Apart from this, the Wahl Rapid Clip has a design I simply appreciate.
Battery Life
Battery life is a crucial factor to consider when you’re in the market for a cordless clipper, and Wahl claims the Rapid Clip can hold a charge for up to 120 minutes of cutting time. In my experience, this claim has held up remarkably well.
Even with weekly usage, I find myself charging it only once every month or so, and it only takes about 3 hours to reach a full charge. Over these past months, I have never had an occasion where the battery died mid-use; I’ve made it a point of duty to charge one a month since my average session is roughly fifteen to twenty minutes a week.
The convenience of this can’t be overstated. Although it is marketed as a cord/cordless hair clipper, not having to worry about cables or being tethered to a wall outlet offers the freedom to move and the ability to trim your hair anywhere, which is invaluable if you’re like me and need to maintain a clean-shaven head and neatly trimmed beard weekly.
Performance and usability
The whole point of buying a clipper is to cut your hair efficiently whenever you want, and the Rapic Clip does not disappoint in this regard. However, the first time I used it, I noticed I wasn’t able to get a clean cut, and it was because the blades didn’t come out of the box zero-gapped. Adjusting the taper level didn’t do the trick until I had to bring out a screwdriver to re-align the blades. Being a new clipper straight out of the box with much sharper blades than what I had on my previous clipper, I ended up with a number of cuts on my shiny head. It wasn’t until then I realized that it was probably a safety measure to have the blades that way, and zero-gapping them only means you know what you are doing.
Even after all these while, the blades still deliver clean cuts (and the last time I cut myself was the first time I used it). As long as the blades remain well-oiled, the clipper should last for a very long time. It is for this reason that a lot of emphasis is placed on this simple maintenance tip; from the documentation down to the product itself, you can see it written almost everywhere.
Eight months after purchase, I still get a clean-shaven head and a well-trimmed beard after every use. Handling the hair clipper is easy—the lightweight design and ergonomic handle make it a joy to use. If, like me, you are coming from a much bigger hair clipper, you may find it rather too small the first time you handle it. Over time, it has felt much more comfortable, and I doubt if I would be using anything heavier going forward.
The combs and attachments are sturdy and snap on securely, giving me confidence when I’m going for a particular beard style. Although most of the attachments are impractical in my use case, I often use a couple of them on my beard, and they’ve enabled me to maintain a consistent look without any accidental changes in length. The taper lever works smoothly, too, making the blending and fading process quite easy.
In terms of noise and vibration, the Rapid Clip is relatively quiet compared to other clippers I’ve used. It’s not silent by any means, but it’s certainly not overly distracting or unpleasant, and the vibration level is quite tolerable; I don’t end my grooming sessions with numb hands, which is a common issue with some powerful clippers.
Maintenance and longevity
Proper maintenance is critical for any grooming tool, especially when it comes to clippers. The cleaning brush that comes with the kit makes it easy to get rid of all the trimmed hair after a session, but it’s rather too small for me, and I have a better one I’ve used for years. Before every use, a few drops of the blade oil keep me confident the blades will keep performing at their peak for many more haircuts to come. It’s worth mentioning that maintaining the clipper cleanly directly correlates to its longevity, and so far, the Rapid Clip shows no sign of wear or degradation in performance.
The documentation encourages regular oiling of the blades, and I’ve been following this advice religiously. It seems to pay off, as the blades still move smoothly, and there’s no snagging or pulling, providing a comfortable and efficient cut every time.
The not-so-good parts
If anything irks me about this device, it’s the fact that the battery level is not indicated unless you’re charging it. This means you have to keep tabs on when you last charged it and when you should plug it in next. Apart from this, it’s hard to find a major fault.
For people who prefer modern designs, the rocker switch on the side might be a turn-off, but I personally have no issues with this.
Although you can use it as a corded clipper while charging, a charging time of 180 minutes for a device you would use for 120 minutes might seem a bit too long.
Verdict
The Wahl Rapid Clip cordless clipper has been a reliable companion in my hair grooming routine. Its design, although lacking a battery indicator, is practical and user-friendly. The battery life is impressive, and the performance is consistent, with no compromises on the quality of the cut.
The initial hiccup with zero-gapping the blades could have been frustrating for someone less experienced with hair clippers, so keep that in mind if you’re a novice. However, once you get past the learning curve, this clipper is a testament to Wahl’s reputation for creating robust and efficient grooming tools.
To wrap it up, the Wahl Rapid Clip offers excellent value for its price, blending quality, and convenience in a package that anyone would appreciate. If you’re in the market for a new set of clippers, especially if you’re dealing with a bald head and a full beard like myself, the Rapid Clip is definitely worth considering. It has made my grooming routine significantly easier and has held up nicely over the past eight months. It’s a purchase I have been thoroughly satisfied with and would recommend to others without hesitation.
