Wahl Deluxe Self Cut Do It Yourself Haircut Kit, 18 Pieces
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Customer Reviews of Wahl Deluxe Self Cut Do It Yourself Haircut Kit, 18 Pieces
Customer Review: Works pretty well
Summary: 4 Stars
I liked my barber but he had gotten very popular, and finding a time when he didn't have a long waiting line was getting difficult. Many years ago I would cut my own hair with a razor comb, and it worked pretty well, so I thought I'd try again. In my research to see what options were available today I narrowed down my choices to this Wahl kit and the Philips Norelco QC5170 180-Degree Hair Clipper. When I saw the Norelco in a store, though, I wasn't impressed, so I ordered the Wahl kit from Amazon.
I have now done three full haircuts and a few quick trims around the ears in between. I must admit it feels a little scary when I first start out, but if I follow the instructions it works just fine. I limit myself to the three largest guide combs. The rest cut too short for my tastes. I then finish up around the edges with no guide comb and a light touch. The only real challenge is the final touches on the back of my neck. When I'm holding a hand mirror in one hand, and the trimmer in the other, with a wall mirror at my back, my trimmer hand partially blocks the view of my neck, so I feel a little like I'm flying blind.
But the results are pretty darn good! Maybe not quite professional quality, but close enough for most purposes. However, I'm not sure if I'd want to use this the day before a critical job interview. I find I discover one or two minor mistakes which I correct with scissors over the next day or two. The whole process takes me about 40 minutes from setup through cleanup.
Pros:
-The trimmer itself is solidly built and should last a good while.
-The instructions are easy to follow.
-The rotating head and bent handle make it easy to cut all the way around. However, I use only two of the four positions. The other two don't provide workable cutting angles for me.
-The charger/power cord plugs into the trimmer with a solid CLICK and feels secure.
-The trimmer works perfectly plugged into A/C power after the battery drains. I prefer to drain the ni-cad battery all the way to avoid memory effects. It usually runs out during interim ear trimming so I use it on A/C then. I can then give it a full charge before the next full haircut.
-With a light touch the trimmer also works great as a mustache trimmer.
-The scissors feel pretty lightweight, but they work equally well right or left handed.
Cons:
-The accessories are mostly serviceable, but feel kinda flimsy. The zipper on the case feels like it could fail at any time.
-The mirror isn't large enough to focus both eyes on it at the same time when cutting hair. It is useful, however, in a toolbox for looking behind things you can't otherwise see, such as behind the TV or under the sink. But for cutting hair you need a hand mirror at least 6" in diameter plus a fixed mirror.
-The instructions show this trimmer in the photos, but the text obviously refers to models that have different features.
-When the battery needs replacing, as it eventually will, the instructions ask you to remove the battery and take it to a recycling center. After that you're supposed to mail the trimmer to a Wahl service center to have a new battery installed. What? If I can remove the battery, why can't I replace it myself? If only Wahl can replace the battery, why can't Wahl handle the recycling? Dumb!
Overall, Wahl has a good product. However, because the kit has some weak points, they left the door open for a competitor to do it a little better.
Customer Review: Good Buy...With a Couple of Caveats
Summary: 3 Stars
2009 was a year, as for many, of belt tightening. Two adjustments of note I personally made were those concerning cable TV and haircuts. The first I took care of by canceling cable service and surprisingly I really don't miss it. The second, which brings me here, was deciding to cut my own hair. After some research online I settled on the Wahl Self Cut Kit. Overall I feel it was a good decision, but with a few issues I would be remiss in not mentioning.
The shaver works very well. The head rotates and can be locked in position allowing it too be used with either hand. This is good as it makes it easy to cut all areas of your head with relative ease. Eight combs of varying lengths are included along with 2 angled combs for cutting around the ears. The shaver can also be used without the combs for sideburns and shaving the neck below the back hairline. The Wahl Self Cut works extremely well for a simple cut such as mine (#4 comb, ear combs, and bare shaving) and I have saved good money by using it. I can get 2 complete haircuts with a full charge, but the razor can also be used with the cord if it becomes necessary.
Along with the pros, however, there are a couple of cons. The shaver is all plastic with rubber encased areas on the top and bottom of the handle. All parts seem to fit very well and it feels solid, but the quality of the plastic used is a little troubling to me. I believe if it was dropped on a hard surface (bathroom tile for example) it could possibly shatter. More importantly I am disappointed in Wahl's decision to use a Ni-Cad battery instead of Ni-MH. I find it nearly inexcusable in 2008 (year of manufacture) to be using such an outdated technology in this new product. Ni-cads take many hours to charge and cannot be left plugged to the charger when fully charged. It also prevents the ability to "top off" the charge just before use, as Ni-cads are prone to developing a "memory" and can permanently lose their ability to hold a full charge if you plug it in before it is depleted. Finally, the deluxe kit is filled with accessories that are too small to be useful (mirror) or just plain useless (comb) to add any real value. The leatherette bag is the only accessory I find to be a good addition.
All in all I can recommend the Wahl Self Cut Kit for those who, like me, are sporting a short and simple cut. I cannot dismiss the convenience and affordability of having a haircut whenever I want or need. Even with its shortcomings I feel it is a good buy and can pay for itself very quickly, as long as I don't drop it.
Customer Review: It Does What I Needed It To Do.
Summary: 4 Stars
Having recently found myself in the ranks of the unwillingly retired I decided to try this product out to save a few bucks over the cost of a salon haircut. I watched the On-Line video and figured I could do it. I was right. It took me about 10 mins to give myself my first "Do-It-Yourself" haircut and it really does look pretty good. I needed a little help trimming up the back, which is something I'm sure will get better with practice, but other than that I considered my first attempt a success. In my opinion, this kit does what it's supposed to do, and it's definitely worth the price.
However, be advised that everything that other reviewers have said about the quality of the kit's accessories is absolutely true. Don't plan on using the mirror or the comb, and I'm not sure how long the storage case will last. When I went to unzip the storage case that holds the kit, the zipper tab popped in half, not a very good "welcome to Wahl" moment. When I went to remove the protective film from the mirror, the mirror lifted up out of it's handle. The mirror was being held in place by three very tiny pieces of really flimsy double stick tape that had less holding power than the protective film. But it was no great loss as the mirror itself is only about 2.75" in diameter, smaller than the display on many smart phones. And the comb, well I never realized that anyone could make a comb that cheap and flimsy. The mirror, post super gluing, went to my 5 year old grand-daughter, who was thrilled with it but would rather it had been a little bigger, and pink. The comb went into the trash. I'm holding onto the storage bag for now, we'll see. I suppose Wahl figured a comb and a mirror should be mandatory items to include in a DIY haircut kit, especially since a mirror is needed to to do the back of your head. But I can't help but wonder which is worse, not including them at all or throwing in items that are too cheaply made to be capable of performing their intended tasks. Either way you end up supplying your own needs. I suppose I should admit that the mirror did supply a few chuckles as I tried to visualize the events at the engineering meeting at the Chinese factory that assembled the mirror, when they were trying to figure out the best place to put the double stick tape to hold the mirror to the handle. And then there is the one little Chinese guy in the back who is thinking to himself "That isn't going to work".
But I didn't buy the kit for the mirror or the comb or the storage bag. I bought it so I could give myself a decent haircut. And at that, it does quite well.
Customer Review: Nice concept, but embarrassing quality
Summary: 1 Stars
The ergonomics and pivoting head are nice. But when you open this up you realize what's wrong with US companies outsourcing all their manufacturing to China. The quality is crap.
The clipper itself is all plastic-looks-like-metal. But it's a very thin and light plastic. It's not going to last. There is a noticeable wobble in the twisting head. The fit and finish are just not good enough.
But the accessories! Unbelievably cheap! The scissors, comb, and "mirror" are so crappy I gave them to my daughter to use with her Barbies. The "mirror" is a 3" plastic disk which is very fuzzy. I get a clearer reflection from a car window. Put a sandwich baggie over a glass mirror and that'll give you an idea of the quality. Imagine the shlockiest chinese junk you've seen. This is it.
My package included two right ear tapers and no left ear tapering attachment. Great quality control and inspection. There are several cutting guides included, but they are also injected molded of very cheap plastic. The bag itself is ok -- cheapish, but ok -- but it is about 3 times as big as it needs to be to hold this stuff. The bag and clippers must have been outsourced to two separate factories which weren't talking to each other.
The instructions mention a tapering lever -- but there is none. It's a carryover from another set of instructions. Did I mention the poor quality control?
Bottom line: the economics are powerful. This clipper will pay for itself in two haircuts (assuming they ever send my my left ear taper tool). But I would NEVER have bought this if I had held it in my hand first and seen how poorly it is made. Don't buy this "kit". If you're curious just buy the clipper itself and as few guides as you can (the instructions limit you to two guides but they toss ten of these in the bag and charge you for them). The cost of haircuts are so high that I would happily pay double this for a quality product. Doing this on the cheap was a very bad idea.
Wahl: if you're listening, bring your production back home and focus on quality. Before the word spreads
Customer Review: I love mine too!!
Summary: 5 Stars
The quality isn't as bad as I expected after reading a few reviews. I Love the fact that I can either have the cord as a backup (because I didnt give it enough time to charge) or go cord free and shave my head away from power. The rotating head makes grooming yourself, a breeze!
I have the Wahl Peanut as well, but it doesnt have (and cannot be fitted with) any guard larger than a 1/2" (#4). The Peanut is also a permanent corded unit, and I quickly found out how convenient it was to not have a cord with my new Deluxe unit.
My "Wahl Deluxe Self Cut" (18 pc) has many guards up to 1". PERFECT! I need a #4 around the low sides and a #6 around the top and an #8 on the top. Quick guard changes are no problem. It also has two Ear taper guards (L & R) for clean "over the ear" look. The razor itself, is chrome and fits in your hand well, especially with the rotating head. Left or right hand? No problem. The kit also comes with some pretty simple "hair cutting" instructions for quick reference.
The kit comes with a little pouch and I use it to keep all of the parts together and stick it in my bathroom drawer for quick access. A quick charge after use, then put away for a week or so for the next trim. I like to keep on top of cutting my hair so it doesn't get out of hand, and this Wahl does the trick!
Time will tell how long it will last but it has payed for itself already in three cuts!
I LOVE my Wahl kit!