Personal experience with pet clippers

Personal experience with clippers

Personal experience with clippers in the clipper comparison

Our experience with the pet clippers is based on reports and experiences in our dog salon, our pet groomer partners, our pet groomer school, our customers (both pet groomers, veterinarians and private users) and our well-known dog breeders.

Top clippers for professionals:

For dog groomers who work continuously, these clippers are the only options to consider. You can use these clippers in continuous operation without any issues. Repairs have been almost nonexistent, even though they are our best-selling clippers.

Differences between leading dog clippers:

The Heiniger Opal has now overtaken all other clippers for the top spot. It is the best-selling cordless clipper, and Heiniger also offers a 2-year warranty. In terms of speed, noise level, and battery performance, the Heiniger Opal is unbeatable. Closely following in second place are the Heiniger Saphir models, which mainly differ in design and features, but are technically identical.

The new generation of clippers from Andis has also significantly improved in quality and has now surpassed Aesculap, the former leader, into third place. With the Andis beSpoke, there is now a clipper that can be charged wirelessly. The Andis Pulse ZR II generation offers five speed settings and can be perfectly adjusted for sensitive animals, while the Andis eMERGE completes the hybrid clipper range at a particularly affordable price.

Aesculap Favorita clippers with their custom-developed slide blade system are especially popular with groomers who are experienced with this system. They, along with the Aesculap Fav5 clippers with the Snap On blade system, stand out particularly for their metal rocker arm, which protects against wear and tear even in continuous operation.

The GogiPet small animal clippers, on the other hand, are impressive for their fantastic price-performance ratio and are particularly lightweight and user-friendly. GogiPet small animal clippers are a favorite among beginner groomers and, due to their lightness and low noise, are often used as a secondary clipper by professional groomers. However, many groomers also exclusively use GogiPet dog clippers on a permanent basis.

Top clippers for breeders:

The ideal clippers for breeders and part-time dog groomers, these slightly more affordable clippers still deliver excellent performance. Breeders who use clippers for small breeds or only for specific areas are particularly enthusiastic about the GogiPet Orate because it is especially lightweight and performs well with custom-developed blades, even for slightly longer hair. Since clippers for full grooming are typically not used regularly by breeders, a corded clipper like the GogiPet Horus, GogiPet Hathor, or Heiniger Saphir Cord with cord is preferred. Besides being lighter, the maintenance costs are significantly lower as batteries that are not regularly used tend to fail prematurely. Fans of cordless clippers enjoy the Heiniger Saphir models or the Aesculap Durati. The absolute insider tip from our groomers for these Snap On clippers are the GogiPet Titan Ceramic Clip blades, as they are the easiest to use, heat up more slowly, and allow for the ceramic blade to be easily replaced when dull without needing to send the blade for sharpening services.

Differences between professional dog clippers:

The GogiPet dog clippers stand out for their excellent price-performance ratio and represent outstanding quality.

The Heiniger Saphir clippers from Switzerland have been known for their high standard for many years and offer not only a warranty but also a 2-year guarantee.

The Andis corded clippers with 2 speeds are convincing due to their excellent price in the professional clipper class. The also very affordable Andis hybrid clippers are very agile and can be used directly from the power socket if needed, eliminating battery issues.

The Aesculap Durati clipper has been improved with a higher stroke count. However, unlike the traditional Aesculap small animal clippers, the Durati features a plastic rocker arm.
Due to relatively frequent complaints, we no longer carry Oster, Wahl, Moser, and AGC clippers in our program and focus on the top dog clippers because we prioritize animal welfare and proper care.

Clippers for private users:

For small dog breeds and cat breeds, the GogiPet Orate is highly valued. With proper use, full grooming is also possible, even though the GogiPet Orate was designed as a clipper for specific areas. Since even professional groomers like to use this clipper for full grooming on small dog breeds, GogiPet has also developed longer special blades for the GogiPet Orate, as the included comb attachments are primarily suitable for human hair. When it comes to fine work and specific areas, the GogiPet Orate leads the way because it is particularly small and lightweight and can even be used for full grooming on small dogs and cats if they are thoroughly bathed, brushed, and combed beforehand.

The GogiPet Horus dog and cat clipper is ideal for full grooming and features the well-known Snap On blade system, making the blades compatible with numerous other brand manufacturers. We highly recommend these clippers for private users because they are particularly quiet, and with 2 speed levels, they are also very suitable for anxious dogs.

The Optimum Ultra and Heiniger Saphir Cord are also excellent clippers but are not widely popular among private users due to their higher prices. If you use clippers very often, a cordless clipper, such as the affordable Heiniger Saphir dog clippers with a single battery, might be suitable. However, if you use the clipper only occasionally, we recommend a corded clipper, as batteries wear out quickly when not regularly used. If you cannot decide between battery or cord operation, the Andis eMERGE models are the best choice, allowing you to use them both with or without a cord. Forgetting to charge the battery is a thing of the past with hybrid clippers. Wahl and Moser machines have been removed from our range due to poor reviews.

Differences between premium dog clippers:

GogiPet Orate: For small dog breeds and cat breeds or as a clipper for specific areas. The hybrid clipper can be operated with a battery or directly with power. Special blades available.
GogiPet Horus: Perfect for full grooming and compatible with blades from various brands. Specially developed for the needs of private grooming (small, lightweight, quiet, ergonomic, 2 speeds for anxious animals).
Heiniger Cord and Saphir: Top quality from Switzerland with a 2-year warranty.
Andis Hybrid: Cable or cordless operation for all coat types.
Aesculap Durati: Upon release, the Aesculap Durati was the number 1 in sales for private users due to the trusted Aesculap brand. However, recurring issues have significantly diminished its importance, and it has fallen to last place. Nevertheless, it remains a professional clipper.

Paw Clippers:

Paw clippers are particularly light, quiet, and low in vibration. These small clippers are primarily designed for safely trimming hair between the pads and are especially characterized by barely noticeable vibrations, preventing tickling during grooming. These clippers are also very helpful for smoothing out hair on the ears, muzzle, armpits, intimate and anal areas, and for removing knots that cannot be untangled.

Differences among paw clippers:

The leading option is the GogiPet Tornado Hybrid, which is the only paw clipper with 3 speed settings, making it adaptable for very sensitive animals. Additionally, it can be operated both cordless with a battery and with a cord, ensuring it is always ready for use.

The GogiPet Orate, though technically a clipper for specific areas, is also popular for use as a paw clipper for larger dogs due to its wider blade, which enables faster work. It also offers multiple speed settings and can be operated with a battery or a cord.

The Heiniger Style Mini features an extra-narrow blade, is very powerful, and is one of the least vibrating paw clippers on the market. We have used it in our partner dog salons for years, and blade replacements are only occasionally ordered due to the carbon steel being particularly hard and durable. The blade can be replaced without tools.

The Aesculap Exacta and Aesculap Isis are two identical machines that differ only in their appearance. Their quality is comparable to the Heiniger Style Mini, although a (provided) Allen key is necessary for blade changes.

Clippers for Specific Areas:

Clippers designed for fine work, finishing, shows, facial grooming, and for specific tasks needed by both groomers and veterinarians for minor grooming or shaving jobs. Smaller dogs with simple and well-prepared coats can also be fully groomed. All clippers for specific areas come with length-adjustable blades and attachment combs. They are particularly characterized by their maneuverability, lightness, and the ability to be operated either corded or cordless.

Differences among clippers for specific areas:

The GogiPet Orate is the only clipper for specific areas that also offers blades in different lengths, making it not only suitable as a clipper for specific areas but also usable as a small animal clipper for smaller dogs with well-maintained coats. The attachment combs are suitable for human hair and are also used by hairdressers. With 5 speed settings, it can be optimally adjusted for especially sensitive pets, and with a runtime of up to 8 hours, it is unmatched.

The Heiniger Style Midi impresses with its ergonomic design and extraordinary styling and is a true eye-catcher in dog salons. It comes with 5 attachment combs that are perfect for finishing work.

The Andis Vida features a USB-C connection and can also be operated directly with it. It comes with 6 attachment combs and can be expanded with 8 additional color-coded combs.

The Aesculap Akkurata and Aesculap Vega are identical and differ only in their design. Both clippers come with 5 attachment combs that are suitable for finishing work.

The Optimum clippers round off the range, and these machines have also proven very successful.

We particularly recommend these clippers. In our clipper comparison, you will find the following evaluation based on emails from our customers. Even if we no longer sell some of these clippers, we welcome your current experiences.

We would be delighted to hear your opinion about small animal clippers. Please share your experiences with us at info@hundefriseur-wien.at. We compile all feedback and are happy to update our test results. The more feedback we receive, the better we can advise our customers.

This report is based on approximately 13,500 customer reviews.