Your professional dog grooming kit contains all the tools of the trade. Brushes, combs, shears, and of course, clippers. Professional dog grooming clippers are extremely important to any dog groomer. It’s one of those tools you’ll use every day. You want the best quality clippers you can find. Poor quality clippers can make your job harder, and can even cause injury to your furry client. Ouch!
So how do you choose the right clippers for your dog grooming kit? Turns out, it’s not a one-size-fits-all tool. Let’s go over the criteria to choosing the perfect professional grooming clippers.
Are human-grade clippers good enough?
Nope. While you can buy clippers made for human beards or hair at most drugstores, these should not be used for grooming dogs. For starters, human clippers are often not strong enough to handle coarse dog fur, especially on dogs with thick undercoats. Sure, they’ll do the job, but they’ll often pull at the dog’s fur, causing discomfort at best and injury at most.
If you’re going to groom dogs, you need clippers that are made for that purpose. It’s worth the investment.
Corded or cordless?
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Cordless Clippers
The obvious benefit to cordless clippers is the versatility. You can easily groom a dog in any environment without having to worry about a power source, or about a cord getting in your way. Most groomers start their training and career with high quality cordless clippers.
On a full charge, cordless clippers should be able to handle a full groom on just about any dog. However, as they lose their charge, cordless clippers will slow down and become less powerful. And unless you have cordless clippers where you can switch out the battery, you might have to recharge your clippers mid-groom. This is far from ideal if you’re working in a busy salon where keeping to a schedule is important.
Cordless clippers are best for:
- Student Groomers
- Groomers working out of other people’s homes or other remote locations
- Head/foot grooms
Corded Clippers
Corded clippers tend to be the clipper of choice for most groomers in a salon. When well maintained, a good set of corded clippers will last you years. Many professional groomers believe these are well worth the investment.
In most cases, groomers will keep their cordless clippers for simple tasks that require extra maneuverability (like trimming paws) but break out the corded clippers when it comes to trimming the dog’s body. Especially when it comes to grooming larger dogs, corded clippers are up to the task!
Corded clippers are best for:
- Groomers working in busy salons
- Full-body grooms
- Grooming large or thick-coated dogs
As part of your online dog grooming course, you’re provided with top-quality cordless clippers in your dog grooming kit. These will be more than adequate to complete all your grooming assignments and practice your craft! As you launch your grooming career and start taking on more and more clients, you’ll probably want to invest in a good set of corded clippers.
What’s in a brand?
Are brand name clippers really worth the extra money? Yes and no. Sometimes you can find less expensive clippers of unknown brands that are just as good as the top brands!
But buyer beware. If you don’t know where your clippers come from, you can’t be assured of the quality of the materials. This can lead to dangerous circumstances, especially if they are manufactured outside of your country. Similarly, clippers from unknown brands might be calibrated differently than what you’re used to. If the teeth are set wider or the attachment combs are of different lengths, you’ll have to re-learn how to use them in a way that doesn’t cause injury.
Since you’re working on a living being with your clippers, our recommendation is to always go with a brand you know and trust for your clipping needs. That’s why QC’s dog grooming kit comes with top-of-the line WAHL cordless clippers. We suggest you do the same!
Comb attachments vs. adjustable clippers
You need to be able to cut hair at different pre-set lengths. This means either getting adjustable clippers, or getting attachment combs for your clippers. It’s the final big decision you’ll have to make in choosing your clippers.
Comb attachments
Most clipper brands will have universal comb attachments that fit most models of clippers. These are usually between 5 and 10 different sizes depending on the brand, and come in different colors for easier identification/use. Comb attachments are sturdy and can last a lifetime. However, they can also be lost and they can be difficult to purchase as one-offs. Meaning, if you lose one size you might be forced to buy the entire set.
Comb attachments are better for groomers who:
- Don’t travel with their grooming kit
- Have multiple clippers of the same brand
- Plan on purchasing new clippers of the same brand in the future
Adjustable clippers
Some brands offer clippers with a built-in height adjustment. These clippers have an extra dial near the blade that you can adjust to various pre-set lengths. It’s the equivalent of choosing a comb attachment. These can be extremely convenient for the groomer on-the-go or for a grooming salon/environment where space is at a premium. On the down side, more moving parts on your clippers mean more chances of a piece breaking. If the height adjustment on your clippers breaks, you’ll need to purchase brand new clippers.
Adjustable clippers are better for groomers who:
- Travel often with their grooming kit
- Are prone to losing spare parts
- Work in a confined space
By following this guide and choosing the best clippers for your style of professional dog grooming, you’re sure to build a strong dog grooming kit that will help launch a successful career!
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