Robert B. Brown
A fade haircut has always been a popular choice for men, but even more so now with the number of internet personalities and athletes sporting them. They’re attractive, practical for those on the move, and are generally a cost-effective haircut. They’re somewhat easy to learn, but tricky to fully master. If you’re a new hairstylist or barber looking to learn more about doing a fade, or you’re someone that wants to cut down costs and start doing your own, check out this article, filled with the best clippers for fades and information about fades.
What Makes a Good Clipper for Fades?
It’s no secret that most clippers have a lever to change their blade length, which 100% matters when trying to replicate the perfect fade. Most go from one point to another, pretty bluntly, but there are some that have gradual levers, which may be more expensive, to ensure a better and more precise fade. Being able to delicately adjust the length of the blade easily will allow you to be able to achieve that precise, perfectionist fade without going to an expensive barber.
Stainless Steel
A blade that’s coated from stainless steel (carbon coated, to be frank) is one that’s going to give you the fade that you want. Without a good blade and a good lever adjustment, you’re not going to get that Rockstar fade that you’re going for. We know what you’re thinking – you want that Instagram worthy hairstyle, and not the appearance of a local 14-year-old whose mother decided to try her hand at cosmetology.
With blades that are high-quality, and are able to be adjusted accordingly, you’re going to get precision accuracy and be able to detail with ease. Powerful motors aren’t something you should pass up either, as power is everything and means that the performance is going to be spectacular when a great blade is coupled with a powerful motor.
Attachments and extras
Sure, you’ll want a set of clippers that are going to offer a ton of attachments and extras for the price, but when it comes to your appearance, sometimes you have to sacrifice attachments to get a higher quality of blade and ergonomic fit. When you’re able to hold your clippers extremely well and get into those nooks and crannies with the perfect blade length, you’re going to be able to achieve the perfect fade.
Features that we suggest you ensuring your clippers have include:
- Cordless capabilities
- Great running time
- Gradual blade level adjustment
- Ergonomic design for being able to seamlessly fade your hair with ease
These aren’t the only desirable features, though, and what you need ultimately outweighs some other features that you may look for in a set of clippers.
Best clippers for fades 2018
Let’s take a look at some of the best clippers for fades on the market – there’s not a holy grail for all from what we’ve concluded, but there are best types for everyone!
The Best Andis Clippers for Fades
There are a number of great Andis clippers on the market for those that want to do fades, but one of the best on the market is the Andis Professional Fade Master. While a little steep in price, these are going to give you the exact quality you need and want.
With many great reviews and great for beginners, you’re going to be able to utilize the durable, unbreakable, and lightweight body that’s composed of aluminum housing. You’re going to get years of service out of this device, and you don’t have to worry about replacing anytime soon – unless personal preference says otherwise.
Great for all types of barbering, you’re going to have an especially great time performing fades with this, as it features a fully adjustable blade, allowing you to avoid replacing blades entirely. Sure, you’ll want to remove and replace blades eventually if they become dull or rusty, but for the most part – with great care, you should be fine.
It’s worth noting that you should oil this blade every time you decide to turn it on, and if you thought getting a powerful motor wasn’t doable in this price range, you’re wrong! This motor is capable of powering out 7200 SPM – much more than others on the market. The magnetic motor ensures that your unit is going to receive ample amount of power while being much quieter than others, and not overheating the unit.
To prevent any sort of buzzing as you’re using, you’ll want to adjust and tighten the screws before using. This will probably be the extent of your maintenance using this device. The ceramic edges of the blades also stay much cooler than your traditional blades, acting as a nifty sidekick to your superhero-level motor.
The Andis Professional Fade Master is fantastic for tapering, which is what you need to perform a fade. The thumb-controlled switch on the side also ensures that you’re not going to turn off the unit as you’re getting into the groove, or potentially screwing up your haircut. Now, let’s take a look at some of the other competing brands on the market.
- MULTIPURPOSE TRIMMER: The ideal clipper will assist you in styling your hair, beard, and body hair to achieve any...
- POWERFUL MOTOR: It offers 14,000 cutting spm with an outstanding machine driving components to enable professional-grade...
- ADJUSTABLE BLADES: Adjust size 000 to 1 with the top blade, which provides fast feed action, is sturdier, and stays...
- CONVENIENT: It has an easily controlled button for one-handed off/on mode, is easy to use when cutting hair, and the...
- PRODUCT DETAILS: Andis Model-01690 Professional Fade Master Corded Trimmer is 2.5 x 7.75 x 10 inches and weighs 1 pound,...
The Best Wahl Clippers for Fades
Some people prefer the Wahl Professional 5-Star over other Andis products, and you’re going to be paying around the same, maybe a little more. If you’re a professional stylist looking to add another fantastic product to your toolkit, you’ll want to check out this Magic Clip Set from Wahl. With thousands of reviews around the website, with mostly good things to say (let’s face it, you can’t please everyone), these are definitely worth a try.
Get that professional precision you need with one of the highest-grade products from their company. In fact, one of the main features of this product is that it’s meant for professional usage, as it may be on the harder end to operate. While the design is fantastic, comfortable, and ergonomic, while being sharp, those that don’t know how to perform a fade or have never done so before, may not be able to maneuver a sharp blade like this in the best manner.
This cordless clipper is versatile, and features a precision lithium-ion powered design that will give you the fade you desire. If you so happen to be ballsy enough to get this product without being a professional, we highly suggest that you watch a bunch of YouTube videos before attempting to get yourself into this model.
You’re able to run on a continuous 90-minute battery life, which is great for those professionals who are always on their feet and have client after client to please. Trust us, if you’re really good at fades, you’ll need this 90-minute continuous run time.
How your fade comes out depends on your skill level, and this is the tool to master when it comes to Wahl products. Powered by a rotary motor, you’ll also be able to reap the benefits of many accessories and other features that come along with this Wahl clipper set. The type of blades that come with this clipper include zero-overlap 2161 blades, and some of the other attachments include a red blade guard, cleaning brush, 8 different attachment combs, oil for the blades, the clipper itself, as well as a recharging transformer.
Being a proclaimed, “ultimate cordless clipper”, you’ll be able to learn on one of the best sets of clippers for fades – if this is your first. If you’re a barber or cosmetologist, the Wahl Professional 5-stars Magic Clip #8148 is fantastic to have in your ever-expanding tool kit.
- Wahl's Magic Clip uses our patented stagger-tooth blade and is designed for creating seamless blends and textures when...
- The Magic Clip wireless clipper makes a crisp, crunch sound allowing the barber or stylist to know hair is being cut...
- The American-made Cordless Magic Clip comes with 8 attachment comb cutting guides (1/8”, 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”,...
- It measures just 6.25” long and weighs only 10 ounces; featuring a stagger tooth top (#2161) blade and an adjustable...
- PLEASE NOTE: Due to continuous improvement, the product appearance may slightly vary from the product images on this...
The Best Barber Clippers for Fades
Now, there are fantastic brands that you should seek out to see what you need in a clipper, but that doesn’t mean you’re tied down to that brand forever; however, for barbers (those that do fades professionally, and not just at home), we highly suggest the Andis Professional Fade Master equipped with an adjustable fade blade. We’ve mentioned this before, but we think it takes precedent over Wahl models, and other smaller brands.
The advantages
There are too many advantages to using this set of clippers over others, like how you don’t need to recharge every hour and a half to use. As a barber, it’s extremely important that you have your favorite and most reliable set of clippers readily available for the next person that walks in asking for a fade haircut. You can’t tell a client, “sorry, my clippers are dead”. If you wanted to avoid this, we’d suggest either buying this corded model, or stocking up on your favorite clippers to have multiple charged and ready.
Noted as virtually unbreakable, this Andis clipper set is lightweight, durable, and composed of great quality aluminum housing. You won’t have to replace your clippers next year because the housing is wonky. With a motor that measures 7200 strokes per minute, you’ll also not have to worry about compromising on power when using this set of clippers. Those that desire a high level of attention to detail will want to invest in this clipper set, as the precision that this unit provides will allow you to master incredible cuttery without going to cosmetology or barber classes! While we highly suggest it, or at least watching some YouTube videos, before going to town on your own head, sometimes going to school just to learn a viable life skill isn’t always doable – or practical; however, if you’re someone that wants to get in the business, we don’t suggest on skimping or passing on any sort of classes for hair cutting and styling.
- MULTIPURPOSE TRIMMER: The ideal clipper will assist you in styling your hair, beard, and body hair to achieve any...
- POWERFUL MOTOR: It offers 14,000 cutting spm with an outstanding machine driving components to enable professional-grade...
- ADJUSTABLE BLADES: Adjust size 000 to 1 with the top blade, which provides fast feed action, is sturdier, and stays...
- CONVENIENT: It has an easily controlled button for one-handed off/on mode, is easy to use when cutting hair, and the...
- PRODUCT DETAILS: Andis Model-01690 Professional Fade Master Corded Trimmer is 2.5 x 7.75 x 10 inches and weighs 1 pound,...
The Andis Professional Fade Master features blades and a motor that prevent overheating and keep the unit cool, you won’t have to worry about turning it off every now and then to let it cool off a bit – which can seriously cut into your time per day if your profession involves barbering of any sort. Most lower-grade models may be fine for you, as you may not be using it that much, but we suggest looking at the quality of blades and adjustments over the temperature, although if a different set of clippers truly got too hot, we suggest returning and getting your money back!
Tips on how to use fades clippers at home
We’re going to get into a ton of tips on how to make the most perfect fade at home. While we highly suggest watching videos of professionals, or tutorials in general before performing your fade, sometimes having a few tips in the back of your brain will keep you on your toes to perform perfection when you get a set of clippers in your hand.
Before turning on the clippers, make sure to wet your hair a bit and comb through it. If you have knots and are attempting to cut your hair, you’re going to be in a lot of pain and snag at your hair; this will ultimately cause frustration and probably a bad haircut/bad vibe as you’re trying to fade your hair.
Getting the hang of a rocking motion may also work fantastically for those performing a fade, and with a lovely set of clippers that fit will into your hand and are designed well, you’ll be able to maneuver seamlessly. It’s also important to note that detailing is extremely important when it comes to a fade, and it makes all the difference. You’ll notice as you get used to fading your own hair that different detailing techniques can make your fade look better or worse.
Wahl notes that when it comes to a fade, you should always make sure you’re trimming, or cutting in the opposite direction in which your hair grows. There are different levels and extremes for fades, and you’ll want to get used to the features on your hair clippers, as well as the looks of even level of blade adjustment before diving in, as you could end up looking seriously weird if you don’t.
You should always start on the sides of your head, rather than working on the top and then moving onto the sides. The sides will gauge what you need to do with the back and the top of your head. As we mentioned, you’ll want a rocking motion in order to make the cut and fade you desire; however, you’ll also want to get the upward technique down, meshing the two together to deliver a high-quality fade that you would typically see from famous barbers on Instagram – we all know that’s the look you’re trying to achieve! Precision at it’s finest can be accomplished at home with the right research and patience. Here’s a quick video if you still have doubts:
When it comes to styling a fade, you don’t want to start out a bit moist like when you need to cut it. Cutting it while wet ensures that your blades are going to give a sleek cut that will look fantastic when fully dried. Depending on your hair length, you’ll want to take a round brush and roll this brush backwards while moving it towards the front of your head. If you have longer hair, and want to style it into a pompadour, you’ll want to use a water-based pomade that’s high-hold, and make sure you slick back the sides of your fade.
When performing your fade, you should already know where the part of your hair is. Without, you will be going in aimlessly with your haircut. Make sure you take a look in the mirror and make sure the current part you have is a bit more precise, by pulling over hair or pushing hair over to make this part more precise and perfect. This ensures that there will be a definite point on your head that you can begin fading from. When you’re trying to go in without parting, when you go to style it another day, you may find even parts, and it may be hard to get that perfect post-fade look again.
Guard sizes for fading:
- A higher number guard size will allow you to get a more even shave around your head – this is fantastic to use to give you a great base
- A lower guard size means that your fade or cut is going to be a lot shorter and closer to the head
- When you’re able to adjust these levels with ease, and have multiple guard sizes or blade levels to choose from, you’ll be able get that precision fade cut instead of giving yourself an “off brand” look.
- The first guard you use will ultimately be used to shave down the entirety of the sides of your hair, then you’ll want to repeat certain sections with a lower guard, moving down the head – you’ll want to leave the top of your head normal. Making your way down with shorter guards ensures that you’re giving yourself a gradual fade. While it may not look gradual at first, step away and back into the mirror to see a definitive tapering of hair.
General tips for Fading
When you go to perform your own fade, you should know where you want your fade to start. Do you want something that’s extremely gradient? This may take longer as you’ll need to get a new guard – short for each section, and make sure the gradient is even on every level. Or do you want something that’s extremely sharp looking? A dark fade that immediately drops into a lighter palette will give a certain precise and distinct appearance.
Learn to section off and define where you’ll be using what will be the hardest, but most important – although getting that perfect rocking / upward motion may be harder for others to nail! We suggest practicing and watching videos to ensure that you’ll be able to do this a lot easier when the time comes to perform your own fade.
How to Clean Your Clippers for Fades
Most devices come with cleaning brushes for optimal convenience when it comes time to clean those clippers. You should also never go a long time without cleaning your clippers, as you can make yourself susceptible to bacteria and rust. The most essential tips you need to know when cleaning your clippers after you’ve done a fade are the following:
With the cleaning brush that comes with your unit, you’ll want to remove the leftover hairs in your unit, and you’ll want to do this every single time after you perform a haircut. Without doing this, you could cause irritation or bacteria issues when you use it again. Some models also come with oil for the blades, but most people that aren’t familiar don’t know how to use this. When you’re finished cutting your hair with a unit that comes with oil, you’ll want to put oil on the blades after every use, or once every 2 uses.
Sometimes, depending on how difficult your hair is, you’ll want to open up the unit and clean the parts individually. It’s recommended that you do this every few haircuts if you have fine hair, or once every 4-5 uses if you have thicker hair. If you’re more of a visual person, check out this video:
What can happen if you don’t clean your clipper blades:
- Your blades will become duller, quicker
- Skin irritation that can cause infection
- Haircuts will be patchy, and can also be quite painful
How to Use a Clippers for Fades
As we’ve mentioned, you’ll want to define your part and successfully part your hair as such. Then, you’ll want to define if you want a gradual fade, or something sharper and “quick”. Start with your sides, and then perform an upward rocking motion that goes against the growth of your hair. Never start with the top of your hair or the back. Once you’ve completed the sides, move onto the back by using multiple mirrors – a mirror in the back and a mirror in the front to ensure that you’re going to get the cut that you want.
Trim the top of the hair with scissors if needed, and make sure to clean the blades after every usage. Without, you may experience one of the aforementioned issues like dull blades, patchy haircuts, bacteria growing and spawning infection in those that have sensitive scalps with open cuts, as well as skin irritation in general.
