If you wish to start your own business in the barber or hairstyling industry, you’ll need to have a trustworthy companion at your side. A partner that can always perform at top level and will listen to your every command without fail. You thought I was talking about a human companion? Oh no, sorry for misleading you there.
Knights have their swords, kings have their crowns, skydivers have their parachutes, divers have their oxygen tanks. And barbers or hairstylists have their clippers, a tool which never leaves their side.
Obviously, such an important item has to be of high quality, but preferably not too expensive because other essentials for a barber shop cost money too. Luckily for you, we have just the thing you need, Andis Supra ZR. What exactly does it offer and why should you buy it? Let’s find out right away in this review.
Andis Supra ZR first impression
One would think that design and shape aren’t very important when it comes to clippers and that it’s just a matter of aesthetics and visual preferences. However, that’s not quite true, because the design of clippers has a lot to do with its actual performance.
If the machine isn’t ergonomically designed and it doesn’t fit well in your hand, you won’t be able to use it adequately for prolonged periods of time, something that’s a proper handicap for all professional barbers. Your hand will start to cramp up and cause pain, which will reflect negatively on your work.
If it fits well in your hand though, you’ll be able to use it with ease and for a very long time. Obviously, this comes in extremely handy when you have a busy day at your shop and customers just come in as if they were on a conveyor belt.
Supra ZR is our top pick for cordless clippers for barbers as it has an ergonomic design and it’s very light, so you can use it without your hand becoming tired or cramped up. As far as aesthetics go, it has a simple, slightly futuristic appearance and it doesn’t have any unnecessary features that ruin the visual quality of the machine. It is perhaps a bit larger than it should ideally be, but that shouldn’t bother you much since it doesn’t feel bulky when you hold it.
Blades and guides
This model has one extremely useful feature, easily removable blades, or detachable blades, whichever you prefer. These blades offer a couple of benefits so let’s take a look at them right away.
For starters, they are extremely durable and strong, both steel ones and ceramic ones, like the ones on this model. Their thickness protects them, so if you accidentally drop them or knock them, they won’t break easily. Thanks to their characteristics, they do an amazing job at bulk cutting, meaning that they can plow through thick and long hair without chewing or tugging on the hair.
Another advantage of detachable blades is the fact that they don’t require any accessories like plastic combs for length adjustment. Combined with the blades cutting ability, this allows you to achieve the desired hair length after only one motion through it. In other words, they increase your productivity and decrease your setup time, which means you can earn more money with them at your disposal.
Motor – the beast inside the Supra ZR
Supra ZR boasts a very powerful motor which allows it to cut hair types of all kinds and thickness really, because it just powers through it with ease. You can choose among five different speeds, depending on the hair length and thickness. Using the top speed at all times is a bit risky because you can accidentally cut too much hair, so if you don’t actually have to select it, avoid the maximum speed as a precaution.
Five different speed settings range from 1800 cutting strokes per minute to 3800 strokes per minute, which is pretty fast when compared to other similar models. Lower speeds are more appropriate for precision work, while higher speeds do a better job at bulk cutting and such. In other words, this Andis Supra ZR allows you to do all of your work without switching the machine until the end, something that can be considered a big plus for all barbers and hairstylists.
Noise & heating
Hair clippers all make that distinctive buzzing sound, however, some do it In an annoying, loud manner, while other produce the sound subtly and quietly, without you even noticing it while clipping your hair. This model fits into the latter category, because it’s very quiet while working. This makes it a good choice for professional barbers because it doesn’t irritate your customers, especially the ones who are waiting for their turn and could walk out anytime if they want to.
Ideally, hair clippers shouldn’t heat up at all, but that’s practically impossible, so you would want to use a machine that doesn’t heat up fast and doesn’t heat up a lot. Supra ZR doesn’t heat up when used on low speed settings, which is nice because it means that heat won’t bother you while you’re doing precision work. It does heat up after a while on top speed, but not to a degree where you have to put it down and let it cool a bit.
Price & accessories
Andis Supra ZR costs a fair amount of money, that can’t be denied. It’s not in the most pricey tier, but it’s expensive nonetheless. However, this is a machine that’s designed to last long, of course, if you conduct proper maintenance as any professional barber. So if you look at it from a long term perspective, it’s definitely worth the money.
As far as accessories go, this model has no need for any, due to it having detachable blades that require no attachments.
Conclusion
After all has been said and done, we can conclude that Andis Supra ZR is a good machine. It’s a great, if not one of the best choices for professional barbers because it’s capable, reliable and durable. It can cut through thick, long, curly, straight and all other types of hair without problems.
It is a bit pricey, which might be a problem if you’re just starting your professional career as a barber, but it is worth the extra money. Even though it’s very lightweight and ergonomically designed, it is a bit larger than other hair clippers for barbers.
Is it a good choice for you though? Well, that’s up to you to decide. We have given you all the info you needed, so whichever choice you end up making, it will be the right one.
