Simply removing your hair at a precise length or crafting out a fine fade look doesn’t always suffice because the hairdo is yet to be finished.
To make these look more professional and enhanced, you must follow up a haircut with an edge up around the hair fringes.
But not all of the hair clippers out on the market come with such a capability out of the box. Some may be modified to do so, but the outcomes won’t always be highly accurate.
Therefore, it’s essential for you to grab the best edge up clipper as these can take your haircuts to a whole new level!
Contents
What are Edge Up Clippers?
Edging up your hair implies outlining the hair edges, creating lines around the beard or mustache and cleaning up the neck or ear regions.
Edge up, shape up or line up are synonymous words which suggest the same thing, so no need to get confused there.
Basically, the clippers that help you achieve all of these tasks are called edge up clippers. These clippers can either be dedicated to only edging up or be versatile enough to trim your hair as well.
The proper uses of an edge up clipper are as follows:
- Hairline Shaping: Creating straight, even lines following the forehead and temples.
- Beard and Mustache Detailing: Outlining the edges of beards, mustaches, and goatees.
- Neckline Trimming: Cleaning up the neck region and around the ears.
- Creative Designs: Creating patterns and designs on the hair, drawing up some sharp or edgy hairdos.
Best Shape Up Clippers: Top 5 Devices from My Assessment
Before getting into the head to head comparison, let me break down each of the products to you so that you can understand their shape up expertise individually.
| Product | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Andis 04710 T-Outliner | Best Overall |
| Wahl Balding Clipper | Best for Balding Head |
| Wahl Magic Clip | Best for Professionals |
| AMULISS T-blade Trimmer | Best for Budget |
| U-Free Electric Trimmer | Best for Portability |
Note: The star ratings for each clipper is solely for edge up capability and doesn’t represent their overall status.
Andis 04710 T-Outliner
In my opinion, the Andis T-Outliner is the best edge up clipper in my list because of the blade type, the way it’s designed and the powerful motor that supports relentless cutting actions.
This T-Outliner is cased in a plastic housing but it has a sufficient amount of textured spots to render your grip a comfortable experience.
While the plastic might demotivate you, I’ve seen that this housing can survive harsh environments and rough usage, so professionals can also find it useful for daily activities.
The most charming factor for the T-Outliner from Andis is its T-Blade. This T-Blade isn’t very deep and therefore can create crispy and clean lines on all types of hair.
This blade system has a zero overlap, meaning you won’t leave any visible length of hair once you put it to work.
Apart from using it as a line up tool, you can also utilize the clipper for creating bald looks or a clean shave – the experience is comfortable due to the bump-free technology.
If you’re looking to add some versatility in your cuts using the same clipper, there’s the option for a separate purchase of the ‘Deep Tooth Blade’.
This may not be an ideal shape up unit then, but you’d be able to create fades or remove hair faster than the Original T-Blade.
So it’s not just a hair clipper dedicated solely for edging up since there are further enhancement options without having to buy an alternative clipper.
Some may find the 2.4 meter power cord restrictive, it hasn’t caused me much trouble. Rather, the cord ensures relentless power without the risk of batteries dying out in the middle of a cut.
Andis claims the motor to be less noisy, but that’s not entirely true. The T-Outliner makes audible noise and the housing can heat up if used for a prolonged duration.
The reason behind such noise level is the motor in this clipper. It’s very powerful and never halts – regardless of the density or texture of hair on its path.
So, a hair clipper that can maintain bald looks, shave beard, edge up hair, mustache, beard or clean up neck – all at a very affordable price – why not give this one a go?
What I Like
- Sharp T-Blades create lines down to the skin
- Lines are precise and neat
- Overall a quality hair clipper
What Could be Better
- Quite loud, can heat up a little
Wahl Balding Clipper Corded
Wahl Balding Clipper is widely renowned for its functionality with balding hair maintenance because of the way it’s built, but there is much more to uncover about this unique device!
For instance, this clipper can be used for edging up because of its surgical, zero gapped blades. I reckon this alone poses the device to be one of the best shape up clippers in the current market!
Although as edge up clippers go, this one is quite sizable as opposed to the most other compact hair clippers.
But let the 6.25” housing not discourage you! Because of this grippy size, you’d be able to keep yourself steady while drawing some neat lines.
The only downside here would be creating arched designs since you’d require a tinier hair clipper to achieve those.
Other than that, there’s nothing you should be wary of about the Balding Clipper. While the housing may weigh a little toward the heavy side, the great ergonomics compensate for that perfectly!
Also, it’s powered by a strong V5000 pivot motor from Wahl – one of their finest in the industry – rendering the Balding Clipper to be one of their very best!
As per the blades, the model number is #2105 – a surgical blade unit that’s comfortable operating on both hair bodies and hair fringes.
If you’re an avid fan of shorter haircuts, i.e. something like a buzz, this clipper could be your ideal one-device choice for the entire cutting and maintenance phases.
Because you’ll get to clip at a very short length and create the outlines using the same tool – no need for another clipper at your disposal!
While you may require some precise knowledge on the lengths of this cut, everything else will easily be covered by the Balding Clipper and its two guide comb attachments!
The power switch is well-cleared from the grip you’d have while edging up your hair and the 2.4 meter standard cord keeps the clipper running for as long as you’d like!
I believe the Balding Clipper to be a complete tool for consumers with shorter or balding hair. Otherwise, it can be utilized as an edge up clipper without having to spend a fortune!
What I Like
- Surgical blades create defining edges
- Powerful motor helps efficient outlining
- Versatile clipper for short haircuts and maintenance
What Could be Better
- A little bulky
Wahl Magic Clip
The Magic Clip from Wahl is arguably one of the most premium hair clippers to ever exist with versatile potentials and a knack for crafting out the best possible results.
I’ve included this clipper in my top 5 because of the unique blade system the device comes with which falls in line to perform some professional degree hair edging up.
This blade system of Magic Clip comprises a Stagger Tooth Blade built upon the Crunch Blade technology.
What this blade does is, it gives you feedback on the hair you’re removing to draw an outline through the sound and tactile feeling – the crunchy noise to be precise.
You won’t have to wait for the clipper to move over to realize whether you’ve succeeded in creating a neat line as the sensation will tell you about it immediately.
Other clippers can be obstructive in this manner and it tends to create a wider line than you had intended if you’re not experienced enough.
Also, the blade can additionally remove hair in bulks. So, you can complete a haircut from scratch and finalize the cut with sharp edges using a singular clipper device!
The quality of the cuts is also of importance here. Since the Magic Clip is a professional-grade hair clipper, the outcomes are generally top-notch with a quite straightforward learning curve.
Its unique housing along with portable design allows you to line up your hair in angles that are quite impossible with most other edge up clippers.
Along with the 80 minute runtime on the battery, there’s an adjustment lever letting you switch between 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm cutting lengths on the fly.
With such diverse functionality, you’ll be easily able to scratch out some neat fade cuts and finish the look with stark lines around the hair fringes.
You might think that the price is quite expensive but the reason behind it is its durable housing, accurate blades, powerful motor and portable nature.
With all of these together, Wahl Magic Clip is the most complete hair clipper ever to exist and it would satisfy every type of customer out there, with a higher priority for the professionals.
What I Like
- Stagger Tooth blade increases outlining efficiency
- Unique housing retains grip for finer detailing
- Portable design allows maximum maneuverability
What Could be Better
- A little expensive
AMULISS T-Blade
Amuliss T-Blade is for the ones who enjoy handling aesthetic things and at the same time getting some smooth performance out of those.
This device is exactly that with a T-Blade sitting up top! Due to the multiple modes of its use, this can be interpreted as both a trimmer and a clipper.
The T-Blade I just mentioned is made with carbon-steel. Such material for a blade is essential if you hope to edge out hair across various textures.
It’s worth mentioning that the Amuliss T-Blade works better on shorter hair. If you have a longer hair body, you may want a bulk hair removal to trim down the length a bit.
The blades are aligned at zero, meaning you’ll get the most neat outlines once you put this electric clipper at work.
There are both upsides and downsides to the width of the blade unit. Since it’s quite narrow compared to most other edge up clippers, you’ll require a little bit more time to cover the hair area.
But on the upside, you can create the most detailed work you could ever imagine! Creative stylists will find it to be most useful as this Amuliss unit will respond at their will to deliver impeccably detailed looks!
Also, the light weight and tiny size helps out with the grip. The embossed housing assists with grip retention and this is very important for a good edge up clipper!
Another fact that helps is the housing material. It’s built with metal which ensures sustainability in the long run.
For a highly affordable clipper, this is indeed quite fancy. The battery lasts for over an hour and a half, charged through the Type-C USB cable.
There’s no information on the motor torque but it’s good enough for hair lining, that much I can tell you.
Other than that, you can use the device to shape up your beard or clean up your neck and it’s quite comfortable against skin.
I’d definitely recommend this budget pick for home consumers and the most alluring selling point is the zero gapped blades at this price point!
What I Like
- Zero gapped blades create clean lines
- Can be used for creative hair designs
- Great for hair and beard maintenance
What Could be Better
- Blades are narrow
U-Free Electric
Another handy little device completes my list of the best edge up clippers and this time it’s the U-Free Electric unit – great for its portability, size and price point.
It’s so tiny that you’ll have to readjust your gripping style to make the hair edging work out perfectly.
My recommendation would be to hold it like a pen to craft out the lines, edges or designs of your desire and such grip has generated the best results for me.
The U-Free device has even a narrower blade unit than the Amuliss, suggesting your designs on hair are going to be further detailed.
This blade is built with titanium ceramic. Such material combination on blades is generally meant for skin comfort at the cost of sharpness loss.
Therefore, the outlines can require a little more nudge to be visible. Although the zero gap helps out to a great extent in this regard.
It has a textured housing and grip levels are optimum in my opinion. There are some claims by the brand that I had to check out myself to offer an authentic insight.
Due to the blade material, U-Free argues that the device can be used for body grooming as opposed to hair lining, beard shaping and so on.
But from what I’ve experienced, it’s better not to use it on your body skin and if you must, you should opt for specialized body grooming tools available on the market.
Also, another claim from the brand is this tool can hold its battery for 2.5 hours with a full charge. It’s not true to be honest, a 40-minute runtime is the maximum I got from my device.
A positive thing about the U-Free clipper is its powerful motor. I don’t know how they fit a 6,500 RPM motor into this little device, but they did and it works like a charm!
The noise levels are also reduced, probably because of the opening underneath the blade system.
Its housing has very little heat-up issues and the vibration is comfortably manageable. While the brand suggests you rinse the blade, I’d suggest you to use a brush and clothes for dry cleaning as it’s not waterproof.
All of this at a highly affordable price marks it as a perfect device to carry inside the pocket while traveling and maneuver it around your hair in any way you may want to!
What I Like
- Tiny size reinforces portability
- Narrower blades can create unique shaved designs
- Zero gapped blades are comfortable on skin
What Could be Better
- Limited battery life
Why Trust My Verdict?
For starters, I used all 5 of these clippers personally and particularly for edge up or line up purposes.
It’s tricky to master self-lining, especially if it’s at the back of your head, but I was able to try out hair edging on the sides, at the sideburn and beard outlining.
Other than my own take, I consulted with my barber friend for his take on the devices since he has used all of these on a professional scale.
Combining my experience, a professional’s take and consumer reviews from the internet, I was able to reach a verdict that contains these 5 unique hair clippers to be the current line up champions!
Test Results: Best Line Up Clippers
There are 5 important criteria for the measurement of the best edge clippers. You must identify and evaluate these five qualities before purchasing your clipper to render it a successful one!
Cutting Precision
Cutting precision implies how accurately the line up clipper can cut and if there’s any error radius at the tip of the sharp blades.
As per the precision goes, Andis T-Outliner is the undoubted victor of this category because its blades never falter! It creates neat lines exactly where you place the blade tips and it’s pure masterclass in this regard!
U-Free is the second in line at this measurement with its narrow yet precise T-Blade. This blade is able to put forth creative designs with aesthetic values and deters from its past almost rarely.
Wahl Magic Clip and Amuliss T-Blade are tied for third. The former can show a hint or two of moving out of line and the same could be said for Amuliss due to its holding angle.
The last entry here is the Wahl Balding Clipper. While it has a unique blade system, the width of it along with the housing size makes it difficult to craft a precise design as it’s only good for neat and straight lines.
Blade Sharpness
When a blade’s raw sharpness is measured, there’s still a device yet to defeat the Andis T-Outliner and its deadly sharp T-Blade!
Its closest competitors are the two Wahl brothers of Magic Clip and Balding Clipper – although each upholds their unique blade systems.
Amuliss T-Blade comes home third with the carbon-steel blade system. Since the blades are quite tiny, the sharpness isn’t magnified the way former, heavy-duty clippers are able to radiate.
Finally, the U-Free clipper fails to meet the sharpness of all the other tools in my list because of its skin-friendly, titanium carbon blade material.
Motor Power
In terms of raw motor power, not many devices in the market can meet the torque of the Wahl Magic Clip and its rotary magnetic motor.
Andis T-Outliner and Wahl Balding Clipper although are quite close in terms of raw power, credit is due to their corded clipper design which guarantees relentless performance.
Amuliss and U-Free clippers share resemblance with their motor power. It’d be foolish to hope for their torque to match with the big boys but they do suffice when it comes to hair edge up or lining!
Zero Gap Check
For hair lining, shaping up or edging up to be accurate and on point, you must check if the clipper blades are zero gapped.
The perfect zero gapped blades in my list belong to the Andis T-Outliner and the Wahl Balding Clipper with its surgical blade system.
Amuliss T-Blade and U-Free clippers are a little off in their zero overlap blade system but their functionality remains very close indeed.
Finally, Wahl Magic Clip enters as the fifth contender having a 0.5 mm minimum cutting length – lengthier than rest of the edge up clippers in my list.
Ergonomics
Measuring ergonomic points is also important to assess the best line up clippers because the grip levels highly contribute to the finesse of a hair or beard shape up.
On that note, Wahl Magic Clip tops the list with its unique, tactile housing that ensures maximum grip with the curved handle design.
Wahl Balding Clipper would have tied with Magic Clip had it been a little less heavy, therefore it ties with Amuliss T-Blade clipper due to its highly ergonomic, designed housing.
Third place is shared between Andis T-Outliner and U-Free clipper. Both of these are fun to hold on to but they can heat up quite fast, thus the reduction in score. Otherwise, their grip levels in no way compromise the edge up operations at any given hair body!
Buyer’s Guide for the Best Edge Up Clippers
In this section, I’ll be addressing the buyers to tell them about the particular strong suits about each of these edge up clippers. This way, you’ll be able to make a successful purchase based on your demands!
I’ll say the Andis T-Outliner is the overall best edge up clipper in my list. It’s not filthy expensive and gets the job done with utmost precision – a great pick for both home and professional consumers.
Wahl Balding Clipper should be ideal for consumers who prefer to maintain a balding look with some neat outcomes. Otherwise, it should only be considered by professionals.
Wahl Magic Clip is an expensive device because of the premium build, versatility and professional-looking outcomes.
It’d be an overkill for home consumers if your goal is just hair lining. But if you want to clip or style your hair too, then the purchase can be worth your investment.
Amuliss and U-free are both budget options but I’ll have to mention the former to be the most budget efficient edge up choice due to the price to performance ratio.
The U-free clipper is not very versatile and it’s understandable based on its price. But it can certainly be very portable and maneuver-friendly – something to create unique designs and carry at any place you want!
Common Tips for Using Edge Up Clippers
There are some common tips about the edge up clippers and their usage. Going through this section should speed up your game if you’re new to this arena of hair styling!
Preparation and Maintenance
No matter what sort of edge up you want to do, preparation is a key factor.
It includes cleaning and oiling the blades, keeping the device fully charged, starting off with a clean hair and knowing which outcome you want.
Techniques for a Perfect Edge-Up
There are a couple of techniques to master a perfect edge-up and learning these could save you from disasters in my opinion.
Once you have decided where you want the line up to be, hold the clipper blades at a 90-degree angle with the skin. Make controlled and short strokes from your hair toward the fringes.
Go slow if you’re new to this. Be consistent with your hand movement. Start from one side of your hair and move toward the other. Check and re-do for fine tuning.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t overpress your clipper blades as it can cause cuts or nicks. For corded clippers, ensure electrical safety. Take all the safety precautions necessary beforehand.
These tips may seem very simple but in practicality, any of these can help you avoid a disaster while reaching out for the perfect edge up on your hair.
FAQ
This section will exclusively discuss some major concerns about the best line up clippers. The questions in this section are collected from internet consumers and begs to be answered.
Q: Are expensive edge-up clippers worth the investment?
Ans: It depends really on what you want to do with your edge up clipper. If you’re a home consumer looking for a device just for edge ups, then the higher investment won’t be worth it for you.
If you want to clip your hair along with lining up, then you can consider it. For professionals, a good and expensive edge up clipper will be worth it as they have to use it on a scale unmatched by others.
Q: What’s the difference between a trimmer and an edge-up clipper?
Ans: Trimmers are generally used for grooming a beard or to some extent for maintaining shorter hair. An edge up clipper is usually a zero-gapped device that has prime focus on hair outlining while secondary speciality could be hair clipping or creating particular hairdos.
Q: Can I use edge-up clippers on sensitive skin?
Ans: Not all of the edge-up clippers can be used on sensitive skins. You’ll have to make sure that the blades aren’t extremely sharp or the motor torques up way too much. From my list, you can safely use the U-Free Clipper on your sensitive skin without triggering any reaction.
Q: Can I use regular hair clippers for edge-ups?
Ans: The answer is, no, you cannot use your regular hair clippers for edge ups. Firstly, most of the hair clippers aren’t zero gapped and that’s where you’ll start to notice some blurry edge lines. Also, using regular clippers for edge ups can be a painful experience if the blades aren’t meant for line up jobs.
Concluding Remarks
After all we’ve discussed so far, it’s time for me to close out the discussion on the best shape up clippers I believe to be the top dogs this year.
Each of the clippers in my list have their unique characteristics and are meant to be utilized under a wide array of circumstances.
As a consumer, it’s your responsibility to assess your needs and pick out the edge up clipper solely based on that.
Only then your purchase will pay you back way more than what you had invested in the first place – be that on a budget edge up clipper or a highly expensive, professional one!