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The Wahl Clipper Corporation is a leading hair clipper manufacturing company. It was established in 1919 by Leo J. Wahl, and since then, they have been one of the best companies in the manufacturing of top-quality hair clippers.
In 2016 they launched the Wahl 5-star Magic Clip, and many years later, it’s still a best-seller product. This is because it is a high-quality clipper with amazing features that keep any user hooked. So if you’ve been searching for a handy clipper, this product might be a good choice.
Keep reading because we have explored all the features of the 5-star Magic clip, and we will talk about what we have discovered. So, without further ado, let’s get down to the review and see if the 5-star Magic Clip is worth the hype.
Quick Overview
The Wahl Cordless Magic Clip is a sturdy clipper with a crunch blade, powerful rotary motor, lightweight design, and ninety minutes of battery run time. It’s beginner-friendly, easy to handle, and a perfect solution for haircuts and quick trims.
If you want a quick overview of this hair clipper without diving into the details, here is a quick Wahl Magic Clip cordless review.
Pros
- It has ninety minutes of battery run time.
- It can be used corded or cordless.
- Suitable for beginners.
- It has a lightweight design that makes it easy to handle and carry around.
- Zero-gap feature to achieve skin-tight fades.
- It has a unique crunch cutting blade, “Staggered tooth,” for precision fades.
Cons
- No storage case.
Below you Can See Our Unboxing Video
Related Article: 7 Best Hair Clippers for Black Men
The Wahl 5-star Magic Clip Cordless In-Depth Review
The Wahl Magic Clip has many amazing features, and in this section, we will explore them one by one and talk about their benefits and drawbacks. So let’s dive in and start exploring!
The Crunch blade (Stagger tooth)
We already mentioned that it has crunch blades, and many of you would be wondering what that is and why you should care. In simple words, the crunch blade is a blade that alternates between long and short blade teeth (stagger teeth).
This design creates texture, enhances blending during soft or hard-line fading, feeds on the hair faster, and creates seamless blends while cutting. The blades are also adjustable to a zero gap to help you achieve sharp edging and skin-tight fades.
The overall quality of the blades is top-notch. They are made of stainless steel, and they are very sharp. In fact, they are so sharp that you should be very careful when using this clipper (especially if you are a beginner). We know from first-hand experience (ouch!) that you can easily cut yourself or your client, so again be very, very careful.
Taper lever
The taper level of the Wahl 5-star magic clip modifies the cutting length by moving the top blade back and forth.
When you move the lever up, it adjusts the blade for a closer cut, and when you move it down, it adjusts for a longer cut. Doing this creates room for greater precision and variation in cutting lengths. It also helps you blend and create killer fades without adding the guide combs.
Related Article: What is the lever on hair clippers for?
Super Powerful Rotary Motor
The corded version of the Wahl 5-star magic clip uses the super strong V9000 electromagnetic motor, while the cordless version uses a powerful rotary motor.
The rotary motor makes bulk hair removal easy and can cut through any hair type. And while it might not be as powerful as the V9000 motor, it creates a smoother blade motion, which as a result, causes less vibration and less heat build-up.
Overheating is one of the biggest problems of heavy-duty high-power clippers like the Wahl Senior and the Andis Fade Master, but with the Magic Wahl Clip cordless, you won’t need to worry about it.
So when it comes to the motor, we don’t have any complaints other than it doesn’t have the most powerful (V9000) motor on the market.
Battery Run time and Charge time
The battery run time is perhaps the best feature of the Wahl 5-star Magic Clip. It has a new-generation lithium-ion battery that can last up to ninety minutes.
Most hair clippers average about seventy minutes of battery run time, and most haircuts take about thirty-five to forty minutes. So, the ninety minutes battery run time is a huge plus, especially for professional use, as it gives you enough time to comfortably finish up your cuts before having to charge it again.
Another plus is that the battery charges completely within a hundred and twenty minutes. With ninety minutes of run time and one hundred and twenty minutes of charge time, this balance is perhaps the best of the Wahl’s clippers bunch.
Finally, when you charge your clipper, a blue led light shows that the battery is charging, and when it is fully charged, it turns off.
Ergonomic Design
The Wahl 5-star Magic Clip has a very easy-to-use design, which is why it is such a good choice for beginners. The biggest pro is that it is very lightweight (0.62 lbs), which is way less (almost 40%) than the average heavy-duty clipper weight. Plus, it is sturdy and will give you full control while in use thanks to its ergonomic indents at the back that let your fingers fit perfectly, giving you a firm grip on it.
Guide combs
Guide combs are attached to the clipper, allowing you to cut your hair to your desired length. The longer you want your hair to be, the larger the guide comb you’ll use, and vice versa.
Now, to the surprising part! You’d be pleased to know that the Wahl 5-star Magic Clip has a complete set of guide combs. They include;
- ⅛” (3mm)
- ¼” (6mm)
- ⅜” (10mm)
- ½” (13mm)
- ⅝” (16mm)
- ¾” (19mm)
- ⅞” (22mm)
- 1″ (25mm)
These guide combs are good, but they’re not the best. They are okay for home use, but if you want to use this clipper professionally, you will need to upgrade to Wahl’s premium metal attachment guards. The premium versions are much tighter and are of better quality. So overall we think that the guards are a part that could be improved.
2023 Update: The newer Wahl 5-star Magic Clip Cordless we ordered and tested came with the premium metal attachment guards, so kudos to Wahl for improving that!
Durable plastic casing
The hard, shiny plastic casing of the Wahl 5-star magic clipper is indeed attention-grabbing. When we saw it next to other clippers in the mall, we couldn’t help but check it out. The entire package screams ‘luxury!’
And it is not only the looks we admire but also its durability. The casing is sturdy and doesn’t break easily like other clippers that break away when they hit a hard surface.
But most importantly, Wahl clippers’ standard and durable plastic casing do not conduct heat rapidly like clippers with metal casings do (we discuss this in more detail in our Wahl Senior Cordless review). As a result, it won’t heat up, and you will be able to use this clipper conveniently without worrying about overheating.
Wahl clipper oil
Every clipper deserves well-maintained blades, and if you don’t take care of them, they will get dull or give off annoying sounds while in use.
The good news is that the Wahl 5-star magic clip comes with a high-quality oil. It comes in small, dark bottles with a narrow, pointed cover. All you’ve got to do is to apply the oil on the clipper blades before and after every use. Just squeeze the bottle and spread the oil on your blades.
The only shortcoming is that there isn’t much oil in the bottle. So, sooner or later, you’ll need some more.
Cordless or Cord design
And while we have been talking about the cordless version, the Wahl 5-star magic clippers come in two different versions. You can either get a cordless Wahl magic clipper or one with a power cord. The biggest differences between these two are the motor, the blades, and the weight.
We are not going into more detail now, as we will discuss the differences between these two models in the next section.
Wahl 5-Star Clipper alternatives
We think the Wahl 5-star Magic Clip is a great clipper. But if after this review, you’re not impressed, there are other great alternatives you can try out. So, let’s see them and examine how they compare to the Magic Clip.
Wahl 5-star Clipper Corded
The closest alternative to the 5-star clipper is its corded version, and although it is the same model, there are many key differences between these two. Let’s examine them.
As already mentioned, the corded version uses the V9000 motor, which is way stronger than the rotary motor of the cordless version but, at the same time, makes the corded clipper a bit heavier and more difficult to use
When it comes to the blades, these two versions have completely different designs. As you know, the cordless version has crunch blades (#2161), while the corded version has fade blades(#2191). We won’t get into much detail about the differences between the blades, but the fade blades work better for bulk cutting, and the crunch blades are better for creating texture.
The last difference between these two models is the weight; as already mentioned, the cordless version weighs (0.62 lbs) and is 40% more lightweight than the corded version, which weighs 1 lb.
When it comes to hair clippers, there is no such thing as an absolutely better option. It all depends on your needs and preferences. So, if you’re a more experienced user with coarse hair that wants as much power as possible, you should go for the corded version. On the other hand, if you are a beginner and want a high-quality lightweight clipper, go for the cordless one.
Andis Master Cordless
Andis is easily one of the best hair clipper manufacturers in the market, and the Andis Master Cordless is the company’s poster boy! It is distinctively designed to be elegant and stylish and is one of the best fading clippers. The clipper’s body is made of extra tough aluminum making it very durable.
Now, let me have your attention! The Andis Master Cordless clipper has one of the best oscillating electromagnetic motors that run on 14000 cutting strokes per minute. In simple words, it is two times faster than normal clippers. Fascinating, isn’t it? The Andis Master Cordless clipper is surely in a class of its own.
BaByliss Pro GoldFX Clip
If you don’t go for the Wahl 5-star magic clip, why not try a premium, great-looking hair clipper?
The premium BaByliss Pro GoldFX clipper is designed with a high-torque, brushless motor.
It also uses a Diamond-Like (DL) Titanium-Coated blade to complement the working effect of its motor. This blade coating is one of the factors that contribute to the clippers’ low friction coefficient and corrosion-resistant quality. BaByliss GoldFX also has a 5-dent taper lever which you can use to adjust the blade and control your haircut.
Wahl Elite Pro Clippers
Wahl Elite Pro is a one-of-a-kind clipper with a heavy-duty, powerful motor and self-sharpening, fast blades. It also has a long power cord attached to its end for flexibility, and just like the Wahl 5-star magic clipper, it does not heat up.
Unlike most clippers, Wahl Elite Pro operates silently without giving off annoying sounds. And even though the Elite Pro clippers can be somewhat heavy for beginner barbers, it doesn’t stop it from being one of the best clipper choices out there.
Finally, it comes with standard package accessories, which include a blade guard, 10 premium Wahl Guard combs, a barber cape, a storage case, and many more.
Final Thoughts
After reading this review, you should be able to deduce if Wahl’s 5-star Magic Clip lives up to its name or not. We’ve explored this product’s features, pros and cons, alternatives, and accessories.
Is it the battery’s 90 minutes running time? Or the super-powerful rotary motor? Or is it the crunch blade? Each of the features shows without any doubt that it’s definitely worth the hype. All in all, it’s a reliable and standard hair clipper worthy of its price. It has everything you need for personal and professional use.
The only shortcomings are the guide combs which are not of very high quality, and the lack of a storage case. But if you can look past these two factors, you’re good!
Russell is the founder of themensattitude.com. He is a barber a beard enthusiast and he is obsessed with trying men’s lifestyle products and blog about them. If you have any questions you can hit him up via the contact page.
