Wahl Balding Clipper Review: Outperforming Andis T-Outliner?

To all of those men with receding hairlines - shaving off of your scalp is no longer the only option for you, because you can still style your hair with the Wahl Balding Clipper!

This clipper vows to leave your scalp with a certain degree of scalp, allowing you to carry some textures.

It belongs to the Wahl 5-Star series, therefore you should be able to understand the build quality and grooming outcomes to be supreme.

Honestly, the Balding Clipper feels like a barber-tool, despite its affordable price point. And balding men can definitely make great use out of it at home!

Specs: Wahl Balding Clipper

The technical specifications of the Balding Clipper will tell you a lot about this bulky yet durable device, meant to be used for shorter haircuts.

• Dimensions: 16.0 x 4.8 x 4.2 cm
• Weight: 14.7 oz (Without Cord)
• Colors: 1 (Burgundy)
• Guide Combs: 2 (1/16”, 3/16”)
• Blade Type: Balding 6 x 0 Blade
• Blade Name: 2105
• Cutting Length: 0.2 mm
• Motor Power: 14,400 SPM
• Motor Type: V5000 Electromagnetic
• Cord Length: 8 Meter (Chemical Resistant)
• Voltage: 120V-60Hz (US)
• Adjustment Lever: No

Pros & Cons

I’ll put the positive and negative aspects of Wahl Balding Clipper side by side to give you a brief assessment for this tool.

What I Like

• Slip-proof, ergonomic design with durable material
• Blades are ultra-sharp and can deliver skin-close outcomes
• Motor unit is powerful enough for diverse hair textures
• Corded usage delivers relentless power without the risk of battery dying
• A perfect tool to maintain receding hairline and balding head
• Long-term investment at a much lower cost

Areas for Improvement

• Blade can be too sharp if handled incorrectly
• Bulky handle might pose problems for smaller fingers
• No adjustment lever or cordless functionality

Verdict Buying the Wahl Balding Clipper has been the best investment for my brother, according to his words. It didn’t cost him much, the blade trim with surgical precision and allows flexibility to balding heads - which isn’t really possible with other tools in the market.

Unboxing the Wahl Balding Clipper

Wahl Balding Clipper belongs to the premium line of Wahl 5-Star clippers, therefore the package design is synchronized with the series.

There’s the usual slide-out method to unveil the portion containing a lid. Upon removal, there are two segments inside the box.

One segment houses the Balding Clipper with its corded bended underneath, covered by the plastic holder.

The opposite segment contains the guards, combs, brushes, oil and whatnot, along with a user manual to instruct the groomers. 

What’s Inside the Box: Wahl Balding Clipper Device, 2 Cutting Guides (1/16” & 3/16”), 1 Styling Comb, 1 Barber Comb, 1 Pre-Shave Brush, 1 Blade Oil, 1 Cleaning Brush, 1 Red Blade Guard, User Manual.

Wahl Balding Clipper: What are the Standout Features?

Let’s check out the features that stand out in the Wahl Balding Clipper as it’s going to help you identify the qualities you need in your next grooming device purchase!

Feature Highlights

• 14.7 oz render it a decently balanced tool for precision cuts
• Balding 6 x 0 Surgical Blade cuts at 0.2 mm length
• V5000 Electromagnetic motor is highly responsive
• 2.4 meter cord is long enough for both barbers and home groomers
• 2 short guards let you trim out stubble lengths

Burgundy, Bulky Aesthetics

Balding Clipper is one of those classic-looking tools with a bulky handle - not ideal for those with tiny fingers.

The color tone is a traditional burgundy, somewhat of a tribute to the classic line of Wahl devices with a black, plastic base.

Its golden writing of the Balding Clipper text, burgundy plastic and silver blade come together in creating an eye-soothing effect over the onlookers.

Great Grip with Robust Build

Despite the handle size, the subtle curves on the housing welcomes firm ergonomics for a full wraparound grip.

From just holding the device, you’ll be able to sense how robust the build material is. While there are sturdier tools in the market like the Oster Classic 76, Balding Clipper still feels like a good price to build quality ratio.

With such a degree of grip on the handle, you’d be able to land the perfect strokes for even outcomes and that’s a confidence-boosting way of grooming in my opinion.

14.7 Ounces Weight

Without the cord, Balding Clipper weighs 14.7 ounces. It’s somewhat categorized toward the heavier end of premium hair clippers, but the weight does enhance precision by a margin.

For a long day of grooming, this weight class might feel slightly fatiguing for a barber, but home groomers can easily avoid it if their operation completes within 10-15 minutes.

It’s not a portable tool - not by weight, nor by the corded design. The only good thing about the weight is enhanced precision and refined control over your grooming animation.

Surgical Precision Blades

The blade unit in the Balding Clipper is the #2105 blade made with stainless steel. It has surgical precision and trims at a minimum of 0.2 mm length.

This zero-overlap unit does open up a lot of grooming doors for you - from maintaining your balding hair to applying precision trims on your overall hair body.

Since it’s a blade made to be used on shorter hair, bulk trims with coarse hair can prove challenges because of the blade teeth height.

V5000 Electromagnetic Motor

Although there are more powerful motors in the Wahl 5-Star line, like the V9000 in the Wahl Senior, Balding Clipper is attached with a slightly slower V5000 electromagnetic unit.

I think the reason behind this is the ultra-sharp blade unit which can cause cuts at times, even with a V5000 motor. Had it been an even powerful motor, your scalp would be vulnerable to serious cuts.

However, I think 14,400 SPM is ideally set for direct scalp to blade interaction and trimming off the hair edges as most of Balding Clipper’s operations will surround short hair bodies.

2.4 Meter Corded Operation

One of the reasons why Wahl Balding Clipper is ranked among the more affordable grooming tools is its corded functionality.

The cord length is 2.4 meters, same as any other barber-grade tool you might find on the market.

For self-grooming enthusiasts, try situating yourself near a power outlet, otherwise the cord length might feel insufficient at times.

2 Guide Combs with Accessories

There’s only two guide combs included inside the package of the Balding Clipper. These guards are sized at 1/16” and 3/16” respectively.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Balding Clipper is a dedicated, niche tool for balding men or those who have receding hairlines, preferring shorter haircuts.

You shouldn’t really need anything longer than 3/16”, and the blades of this hair clipper are not equipped to trim longer hair anyway.

First-hand Experience with Wahl Balding Clipper

I’m going to leave you with some real-life grooming experience and observations about the Wahl Balding Clipper in this particular section!

Experience Highlights

• Close trims leave only a stubble with direct grooming
• Rough strokes may cause cuts or tugs on skin
• Superior efficiency on shorter hair
• Less noisy than similarly powered hair clippers
• Niche product, all-encompassing for balding heads

Zero-Gap Closeness for Neat Trims & Outlines

Whether you agree with me or not, Balding Clipper’s surgical precision is out of the world, making it unparalleled from a lot of hair clippers on the market.

From zero trims to edge up work, Balding Clipper is a master of all. But mind you, the line up work is mostly limited to straight or curved hair fringes, not for intricate designs.

The results I’ve witnessed have always been sharp and neat, the quality you’d only get out of a barbershop. If you own this, your grooming cost will reduce drastically.

Requires Finesse for Comfort

With a clipping tool like the Balding Clipper, you’ll feel obligated to trim directly against the scalp to get the shortest cut out of it at around 0.2 mm.

But that comes at a risk of leaving your skin vulnerable to cuts or tugs. If you develop some familiarity with the tool and earn stroking skills, you’d be able to navigate past the mentioned concern.

Then, the comfort levels won’t post a threat to your grooming. At right angles and correct pressure, even the surgical blade in the Balding Clipper can feel comforting!

Super Efficiency over Shorter Hair

I don’t think there’s anything lacking in the V5000 motor of the Balding Clipper, given that it’s meant to be utilized on shorter hair bodies for regular maintenance.

Even if you don’t rush, your average groomings would be more efficient in retrospect, giving you refined outcomes without going head over heels in the time department.

 Longer hair might demand a few extra strokes to even things out. But it all depends on your hair situation - how much hair you have, the volume, the texture - these guide the overall efficiency.

Tolerable Heat & Noise Levels

I was expecting the Balding Clipper to be very loud since it’s a corded tool equipped with a powerful motor.

But due to the electromagnetic design, the noise levels are actually quite low - even if you compare it against the likes of Senior or Legend.

In terms of heat, the plastic build prevents the housing from heating up to an uncomfortable level. Still, I’d recommend letting it breathe every 5-10 minutes, or turning it off when you’re not using it directly for trimming.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Wahl Balding Clipper’s blade unit demands a straightforward cleaning routine - brush off the hair and lubricate.

Home groomers can get away with lubricating once a week, but the cleaning must be conducted after each grooming session.

Barbers might even have to brush off and lubricate more frequently than home consumers due to the volume and intensity of their work.

My Testing Methods for Wahl Balding Clipper

I plugged in my Balding Clipper and directly went on to trimming off my brother’s hair fringes. It’s unfortunate that this tool doesn’t have any adjustment lever, thus, fading is not its strongest suit.

Other than first-hand grooming, my assessment measures the blade sharpness, housing integrity, motor power across different hair types and so on.

Also, for sound and heat level tests, I measured it against the other hair clippers in the market and my verdict is based on a comparative understanding.

Who Should Buy the Balding Clipper?

I personally think both barbers and home groomers will find the Balding Clipper to be a highly useful and effective tool to own.

Since it’s not priced as high as the other premium clipping devices, men with balding hair or receding hairline can most certainly consider it as a viable option.

Barbers can keep it in their arsenal to treat men who demand a bald trim, fix their receding hairline or deliver cuts that are very close to the skin.

With its robust housing, relentless power and professional grade blade-motor combination, I think the Balding Clipper can easily earn its spot in the busiest of barbershops!

Wahl Balding Clipper vs Andis T-Outliner: Who Wins the Zero-Gap Battle?

With similar capabilities as the Wahl Balding Clipper, consumers often consider whether Andis T-Outliner would be a better fit for their cause. Well, time to figure that out!

I’ll be starting off with the basic similarities between these two tools, then proceed to highlighting the differences.

Similarities

• Both feature zero-overlap blades
• Neither of these has adjustment levers
• Corded design without battery
• Weighs between 10-14 ounces

Broadly speaking, these two devices come with zero-overlap blades where there’s no visible gap between the blade teeth, more on that later.

They don’t have any adjustment levers, meaning, you’ll have to work with what you get. There’s no battery for cordless use, 2.4 meter cord anchors you near a power outlet. 

Balding Clipper weighs around 14 ounces and despite being more compact in size, T-Outliner weighs slightly above 11 ounces - not much of a gap. 

Differences

• Balding Clipper is larger and more ergonomic, T-Outliner can allow finger grip
• T-Outliner blade teeth are short in contrast
• Balding Clipper trims at 0.2 mm, compared against T-Outliner’s 0.4 mm
• Motor units are different, Wahl having the more powerful one
• T-Outliner excels at precision trimming, Balding Clipper for hair grooming
• Wahl offers two guards compared to Andis’ 0 attachment

Among the differences, I guess the most important one concerns the trimming types and abilities of the two devices.

T-Outliner is more like a trimmer than a clipper, thus its short blade teeth and an inability to bulk trim hair bodies, struggles even more if the length is longer than an inch. 

Its teeth are designed mostly for precision trimming, lining up and creating intricate designs, compared to Balding Clipper’s excellence with balding hair maintenance.

Also, Balding Clipper is able to trim much closer to the skin at 0.2 mm, compared to T-Outliner’s 0.4 mm cutting length.

Comfortwise, these two feel similar - safe if you stroke cautiously, can be threatening with harsh movements. 

Ergonomically Balding Clipper feels the more durable one and the gripping pattern is usually five finger wraparound style.

T-Outliner, being the more compact of the two, ensures grip quality using textures on the handle and the size that can be both grabbed with five fingers or U-hold for delicate work. 

Wahl Balding Clipper will give you two guide combs but T-Outliner won’t do any - because its stainless steel 000 blade is not meant to be used with guards.

Key Takeaway: Wahl Balding Clipper is a hair grooming tool, T-Outliner is more like a finisher. The latter can be used for beard trimming as well, extending its field of work. Pick one based on your needs as they are completely different in their grooming speciality.

FAQ

Answering a couple of questions regarding the Wahl Balding Clipper should clarify some of your concerns regarding this tool

Q: Is the Wahl Balding Clipper good for shaving your head bald?

Ans: No, the Balding Clipper is not a shaving device, rather it’s a hair clipper that cuts very close to the skin, leaving a 0.2 mm length stubble. If you want silky smooth outcomes, picking up a head shaver should be your way to go.

Q: Can you use the Wahl Balding Clipper on your beard?

Ans: I personally would advise you against it. You may not realize, but the blades in Wahl Balding Clipper are dangerously sharp and it can cut your facial skin pretty easily. To groom your beard, you may want to look into dedicated beard trimmers for safety and versatility.

Concluding Remarks

I guess this Wahl Balding Clipper review covers everything that’s relevant and important about this niche grooming tool.

If you feel I’ve missed something, or have any queries regarding this hair clipper, feel free to reach out to me and I’ll try to satisfy your queries.

 From my experience, Balding Clipper is usually endorsed by self-grooming individuals who don’t want the shiny, bald head outcome, rather wish to retain a stubble as style.

 Otherwise, barbers often equip themselves with this tool as no other hair clipper dedicates itself to treating receding hairline or draw out the neatest zero look hairdos.