In the old days, you could see a lot of bad haircuts on kids, especially smaller children. This was not surprising to see as parents only had few tools at their disposal, mainly scissors and not even the kind that professional barbers use.
As the age of modern electronics progressed, electric hair clippers became much safer and efficient to use. And most importantly, kids’ hair clippers offer easy entry to professional-looking haircuts. It only takes a couple of times to get the hang of it, making those even cuts, fades, and tapers.
Moreover, small kids are not very comfortable with strangers, so doing DIY haircuts at home has never been easier to do, saving you a lot of hassle and money. However, hair clippers for kids do require some special considerations.
Buying guide and main considerations
Kids, especially babies and toddlers, have not only sensitive skin but sensitive ears as well. Best hair clippers for kids have to have the following features at a minimum:
Noise level
A child’s hearing organs are not only in development but more sensitive to damage if exposed to loud noise. If the noise is high enough, it can cause permanent damage. Hair clippers necessarily operate right next to the ears, so the noise level produced is an important factor in selecting quiet hair clippers.
You should look for the noise level label to be around 40-60 decibels. On top of safety, quiet hair clippers are less likely to induce anxiety or even scare the child.
Coupled with the noise level is the vibration concern. Needless to say, the lower the noise of the machine, the less intense vibrations it will generate.
Safety
Kids are not well-known for being calm. They often fidget no matter how many times you tell them to stop. This means that hair clippers for toddlers and kids should be cordless, to allow for greater freedom of motion without the danger of entangling wires.
More importantly, they should have serrated ceramic blades.
Such ceramic blades make it less likely to get hair snags, and accidentally scratching the sensitive skin.
Size
When it comes to size, all that counts is the size that you are most comfortable with. Preferably, hair clippers that would firmly fit in the palm of your hand, so you don’t accidentally drop it on your kid’s head in mid haircut!
Accessories
Hair clippers suitable for kids usually come as a complete kit, with all the accessories you will ever need: cleaning brush, maintenance oil, trimming brush, different hair length attachments – preferably color-coded for easy reference.
Easy-to-use
When you are having kids, you probably don’t have much time available to fiddle with gadgets. Therefore, hair clippers should be ready to go at a moment’s notice – just a couple of buttons are enough for powering, changing speeds and cut lengths.
Additionally, hair clippers should be easy to clean up afterward under running water, so they should be labeled as waterproof. This will come extremely handy for cleaning them in mid haircut to get rid of all the accumulated hair.
Top picks for kids’ hair clippers
Philips Kids Hair Clipper
- It doesn’t just have safe ceramic blades, but they have additionally rounded tips which prevent hair snags.
- Waterproof, so at any time during the haircut, you can dip it into a water bowl for quick cleaning. The IPX-7 rating means this feature is tested and certified.
- 55-decibel noise level, which makes it sufficiently quiet.
- The kit contains multiple combs ranging from 1mm-18mm.
- Includes portable, hardened pouch for safe mobility.
These hair clippers, with their short ceramic blade, are designed with safety and low noise in mind, in addition to getting around hard-to-get areas.
Yijan Professional Hair Clipper
- Very quiet, but high-powered, 50-decibel motor. Low noise level and low vibrations.
- IPX-7 waterproof rating.
- ABS eco-friendly material that won’t ooze hormone-mimicking chemicals.
- Cordless for greater mobility with squirming kids.
- Ni-MH rechargeable battery lasting for 50 minutes on continuous running.
- Complete kit with a trimming comb, 3/6mm and 9/12mm comb, and static-free bid.
Very comfortable to use with self-sharpening, washable blades and low noise, Yijan may be an unknown brand, but they certainly incorporated best features from the more reputable ones.
ENSSU Quiet Baby Hair Clippers
- A mere 45-decibel noise level, making them truly deserving of the ultra-quiet moniker.
- Ceramic R-angled blades rated for 0-12-year-old kids, holding a 0.5mm skin gap, making them also ultra-safe.
- Waterproof with the usual IPX-7 rating which allows for submerging into the water for easy cleaning.
- Compact size so they will be easier to hold and operate no matter your hand size.
- Two combs included – 3/6mm and 9/12mm.
- Not only is it portable but you can charge it with a USB plug to your computer.
So far, it checks all the right boxes, but ENSSU tops it off with a pleasant kid-friendly design, making it a favorite in the budget-friendly and quiet hair clippers space.
Meetcare Baby Hair Clippers with Ceramic Blade
- Denser blade teeth – 28 from the usual 20-24 – which makes it more suited for baby’s soft hair.
- R-shaped Cullinan ceramic blade with rounded tips makes it impossible to snag hair. Sharp but safe.
- Baby hair trimmer with low noise output – 50-decibel noise level.
- IPX-7 waterproof rating and one-hand detachable chassis for super-easy cleaning.
- 2nd generation Ni-MH rechargeable battery lasting one hour, and can be fully recharged within just two hours.
- Comes in pink or soothing green.
The only flaw with Meetcare hair clippers is that you don’t get much in the accessories department. However, the price tag is still quite reasonable for the quality you get.
Wahl Color Pro – great for older kids
- You can go cordless (60min running time) or wired.
- Stainless steel blade can be easily detached. Although not ceramic, it is very sharp and durable, like professional hair clippers should be.
- 12 color-coded attachment guards.
- Full accessories and maintenance kit, with an included hardened pouch.
- Not ultra-quiet, but still quiet enough.
The only thing that would make this complete package better is if the hair clippers employed more modern and safer ceramic blades. Nonetheless, Wahl is known for its safety features, no matter the blade type.
Calming Clipper
If your kid is on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or the Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), these calming clippers are your best friend.
Not much to say about these silent hair clippers – patented stainless steel scissors – expect that they perform well and come included with 7 combs, barber cape with Velcro neck-closure, and a comb organizer. All decked out in pleasantly soothing and neutral blue color.
Don’t forget to check out the illustrated manual on how to use these scissors in combination with the combs. There are some useful tips there on how to prepare autistic children for haircuts.
FAQ about kids and baby hair clippers
Usually, it takes about 8 months to 2 years from birth for the first haircut to be needed, depending on how much hair your baby was born with.
However, once you commit to the first haircut, there is no bringing back those baby curls. On the positive side of things, if you only resort to trimming that very fine baby hair, it may begin to look thicker in appearance.
How to cut baby hair with clippers
Before you begin, make sure your toddler is already familiarized with the procedure of haircutting. Let it watch you, or someone else, get a haircut first. Point to various things during the process, like the barber cape, scissors, or electric hair clippers.
Even ultra-quiet hair clippers inherently generate some noise, so it is very important for the toddler to be familiar with the sound (and slight vibrations), so it can detach it from any notion of danger and anxiety.
If you will be using scissors the most, it is a good idea to pretend to cut hair with your fingers during bath time. When you think about it, grooming kids is just like grooming your cat or dog. For future grooming to take place smoothly, it’s all about familiarization with the process from an early age. All the basic rules apply:
- A person whom the toddler trusts the most and feels most attached to should be the one holding it or operating toddler hair clippers.
- Prepare in advance by gradually introducing haircutting instruments and noise, without the act of actual haircutting taking place.
- Have the toddler hold its favorite toy, or use other means of distractions that have been proven to work as a calming and focusing measure.
- Have the toddler watch other family members get a haircut, on multiple occasions.
How to cut an autistic child’s hair
- Set a routine at a time your kid is least active and most calm.
- Explain what haircutting is about and why it is needed.
- Avoid public hair-cutting by professional barbers. When it comes to autistic kids, such experience almost never ends well, and it will make it that much harder to perform future haircuts.
- Prepare at least a week in advance by more frequently talking about haircutting. Make sure that haircutting doesn’t come as a surprise.
- During the haircutting process itself, try to shift attention to something else. This can be tablet/smartphone games or a movie. If you still want to use more efficient electric hair clippers over silent calming clippers, use earplugs on your kid. Of course, introduce earplugs prior to haircutting.
- In the absence of earplugs, keep repeating directions such as “keep your head down” and similar instructions. Don’t forget to always use a soft, calming tone of voice, and don’t forget to praise as well!
- If your kid can’t even stand to see the hair falling down, use a shampoo visor for keeping it from falling below the head.
Takeaway
What is more likely? That your kid will have its first haircutting experience more pleasant at a strange place with a strange person, or that the first haircutting experience will be more comfortable and stress-free in your own home?
The answer to that question is obvious, and modern hair clippers make it easier than ever to implement.
All the hair clippers listed here are a fine choice for saving thousands of dollars over the course of years. Eventually, your kid will be able to cut his or her own hair, grow into the habit of DIY home haircuts, thus saving even more money as a young adult!
To ensure that the first haircuts go with the least amount of anxiety, get hair clippers that produce the least noise and vibrations, while at the same time having safe ceramic blades that prevent hair snags. Introduce and deploy such gadgets gradually on other family members, and in no time your kid will hanker for the opportunity to have their own hair cut and styled.
