Comparison Philips Series 9000 HC9450 vs Oster 616-91

— Blade for cutting. The device is equipped with a classic hair clipper. Hair clippers usually have a fairly wide blade, allowing you to capture a large amount of hair at one time. In beard trimmers, the blade width is slightly smaller, but still allows you to fully care for a certain area of the face.

— Additional blade for cutting. An extra blade can serve as either a backup or a supplementary tool. While spare blades usually match the width of the main blade, auxiliary ones are typically narrower. A narrower optional blade is primarily used for precise detailing and cutting intricate designs. Conversely, a spare blade can come in handy when the main blade is entirely dull.

— Trimmer for goatee. The goatee trimmer is a special nozzle with a narrow blade, with which it is convenient to shape the contours of the goatee and easily care for this type of beard. A characteristic feature of this nozzle is a blade about 20 mm wide. The goatee trimmer can be represented as a replaceable nozzle or an additional blade built into the clipper.

— Trimmer for ears and nose. The clipper is equipped with a special nozzle that allows you to effectively and safely cut hair in the nose and ears. The ear and nose trimmer is usually a small cylindrical blade, the diameter of the cutting head is usually 5-7mm, and the length can be up to 30-40mm. The pres...ence of a trimmer for ears and nose allows the machine to take a more comprehensive approach to hygiene and hair care.

— Eyebrow trimmer. Eyebrow trimmer — a special attachment in the form of an oblong cutting head that allows you to care for eyebrows, correct their shape, and also shorten thick and unruly hairline. The eyebrow attachment is often double-sided. On the one hand, the trimmer can be equipped with a 3-4 mm high comb, which allows you to protect the eyebrows from excessively short cutting, and the other side is usually represented by a bare blade, which makes it possible to cut off excess hairs on the eyebrow line under the root.

— Foil razor. The foil razor head is tailored for trimming short stubble. The mesh effectively and delicately cuts through three-day growth, leaving behind a smooth complexion without discomfort. Numerous clippers featuring foil razors enable shaving without the need for foam, commonly referred to as a "dry shave".

— Body trimmer. The body trimmer is an accessory designed for removing hair from the torso and sensitive areas. The shaving head for body grooming usually features a dual structure. The primary component is a conventional blade that effectively handles coarse hair. Positioned behind the blade is a shaving foil that ensures a clean shave for any remaining stubble. Additionally, the body trimmer often includes a detachable 3 mm comb. When dealing with dense hair growth on the initial pass, using the fixed comb is recommended as the foil shaver might not be as effective.

— Universal comb. The adjustable-height comb provides seamless hair cutting transitions without the need to change attachments. Altering the comb's height is easily achieved on-the-fly by pressing the latch and shifting the comb. These combs offer convenience as they enable cutting with a single attachment, maintaining workspace organization. However, due to their intricate design, the reliability of such attachments may be compromised. The adjustable comb attachment is versatile, with typical models allowing you to select any height between 1 to 20 mm.

— Comb for cutting behind the ears. Comb attachment for precise work behind the ears. Allows you to perform a smooth edging along the lower border of the scalp in the area behind the ears.

The cutting height is influenced by the type of cutting element and the inclusion of detachable combs. Toothed blades can trim hair as short as 1 mm. By coupling a toothed blade with a detachable comb, the cutting height can range from 2-3 to 20, and even 30 mm – the precise height hinges on the provided comb attachments. There are defined minimum and maximum cutting heights. The minimum pertains to the blade's inherent capabilities, devoid of attachments. The maximum cutting height is determined by the detachable comb type.

The width of the operating tool (blade) of the clipper. A wide blade is important for head hair trimmers, as it allows you to capture more hair in one pass and cuts faster. In turn, beard and mustache clippers use narrower knives, which is useful for fine work to give facial hair the desired shape.

By the width of the additional blade, you can determine its intended purpose. A 30-40 mm wide blade is usually used for cutting head hair, a 20-30 mm wide blade is most often used for beard and mustache trimming. Approximately the same width is needed for a blade for cutting body hair.

The performance of the tool, the maximum rotation speed of the motor and how well the device handles with thick and coarse hair depends on the power of the electric motor. So, for cutting thick head hair, you need a clipper with a power of at least 15 W, the performance of such a device is usually enough to ensure a motor rotation speed of 10,000 rpm. But there are also more powerful clippers(from 20 W). Trimmers for beards and mustaches usually need 5 W of power. Such models most often have a performance of 3,000 – 5,000 rpm.

The speed of rotation of the motor of the clipper. The speed of movement of the blades directly depends on this parameter, and the quality of the haircut, in turn, depends on it: the faster the blades move, the faster and more accurately the clipper cuts.

The device's range of adjustable speeds is noteworthy. While most clippers typically operate at a single standard speed, there are models with dual speeds, often referred to as turbo. More advanced variations have been developed by certain manufacturers, featuring 3, 4, or even more speeds. Clippers equipped with variable speeds are designed to effectively manage denser hair by increasing the motor's revolutions.

— Stainless steel. The standout feature of stainless steel is its exceptional resistance to rusting. When the clipper or trimmer boasts a sealed casing, the stainless steel cutting head can be conveniently cleaned using water pressure. While stainless steel is common in lower-tier devices and its blades can endure high temperatures, they tend to lose sharpness relatively swiftly.

— Titanium. Titanium alloys showcase impressive durability against substantial mechanical strain. The titanium cutting edge adeptly manages hair of various thicknesses and densities, retaining its sharpness admirably. Tools equipped with a titanium blade are reliable for frequent usage, notably in beauty salons. However, the drawback lies in their notably steep expense.

— Ceramic. Ceramic offers remarkable strength; its blades remain cool and sharp over time. Machines or trimmers featuring ceramic blades effortlessly handle even the thickest hair, allowing for frequent and prolonged use. Interestingly, models with ceramic blades often come at a more affordable price compared to those with titanium blades. Nonetheless, fragility is a significant drawback of ceramics; these blades are susceptible to damage from impacts and falls. Clippers and trimmers that are equipped with a ceramic cutting part must be handled with extreme delicacy.

— Titanium ceramics.... Blades made of ceramic with a high titanium content. Ceramic in the context of the material used improves cutting performance, reduces friction and maintains a sharpness for a long time, and the titanium coating gives the blades strength, provides resistance to wear and corrosion. Titanium-ceramic blades are good for cutting coarse, thick hair, but they are quite expensive.

— Diamond. Diamond-coated blades have increased edge strength. Typically, these blades are based on steel, most often stainless, but thanks to diamond coating, the knife acquires higher reliability and durability. Of course, the presence of diamond coating on the blade significantly increases the cost of the device.

— Steel. Steel blades are the budget-friendly option. Steel performs effectively in devices used sporadically, mainly for home purposes. Although steel edges tend to lose sharpness relatively swiftly, their durability can be enhanced through the application of protective coatings like diamond, ceramic, or titanium. Clippers or trimmers with uncoated steel blades typically fall into the low-cost category.

— Graphite. Graphite coating is typical for stainless steel blades, it allows the blade to glide more easily through hair and skin and generally increases the efficiency and convenience of working with such a device. Most often, detachable trimmer blades are equipped with graphite coating.

— Self- sharpening blades. Blades made using a special technology, thanks to which they sharpen themselves, due to friction against each other in the process. Thus, the blades remain sharp at all times, and their maintenance is limited to the replacement of worn blades.

— Function of thinning. Thinning in hairdressing is called cutting the ends of the hair at different levels — as a result, after the haircut, the hairstyle looks more natural and magnificent. In machines, special thinning nozzles are usually used for this.

— Wet cleaning. The clipper's capacity for wet cleaning of its attachments, allowing them to be rinsed under flowing water, is a notable feature. It's important to clarify that this pertains exclusively to the attachments – not all models with wet cleaning have waterproof casings (see below). Nevertheless, even without a waterproof casing, it might still be feasible to clean the attachments without detaching them from the device. In general, wet cleaning is frequently more efficient, quicker, and precise compared to dry cleaning.

— Waterproof body.In this context, a sealed enclosure is indicated, enabling the machine to withstand water exposure without adverse effects. The extent of protection can vary; certain models tolerate brief water immersion, while others can operate even when submerged. These specifics should be detai...led in the accompanying instructions. Nevertheless, for clippers used in environments with elevated humidity (like bathrooms or wet areas), having such a water-resistant enclosure is greatly preferred, and sometimes obligatory.

— Built-in vacuum cleaner. The clipper is equipped with a vacuum cleaner, which greatly facilitates cleaning after cutting. The suction hole located under the blades sucks most of the cut hair into a separate reservoir. Of course, there will not be a 100% return, but there will be much less hair scattered on the floor. However, when cutting a beard, a vacuum cleaner will do just fine.

— Laser pointer. The presence in the electric razor of a laser in the form of a straight line. With its help, you can easily, and most importantly, evenly and symmetrically trim the desired areas.