Hey guys. So here's another review of an extremely popular clipper. This time i'm reviewing a pair of clippers from across the pond. The
To buy and use these clippers you're going to need a frequency converter. This will set you back around £90-£100 pounds. UK mains supply runs at 240v/50mhz, while the US mains supply run on 110v/60mhz, so buying both will probably set you back around £150- £170 pounds. Plus you'll also need to buy Andis guards. (I find Andis nano guards are best) £15 This may seem like quiet an investment, but it will open you up to a very diverse market of US clippers, which include some seriously powerful motors.
So first things first, looking at these clippers you'll notice their unique shape and body, this is because Andis have used one solid piece of lightweight aluminium for the Fade masters body. It is also designed to have very few moving parts and with a minimalist interior, makes it very hard wearing and should last many years. They kind of give the impression of an American muscle car, boxy shape design, but lots of power. This does make the clippers heavier than most standard cutting devices, but what you get in return is an almost indestructible pair of clippers.
With just a protective plate on the top of the unit, the Fade masters has no join seems whatsoever, due to it's carved solid block aluminium body. It has a simple switch that's placed in a very convenient location , meaning you can easily use your thumb to switch it on and off while fading to prevent the motor from heating up too quickly.
It also has an adjustment screw on the side so you can tweak the speed of it's motor, although I recommend leaving this alone as it runs fine without having to adjust it.
Taking a look at the masters cutting blades we can see that this clipper blade is super thin, some people like to zero gap the blade, but this can make the Fade masters really sharp and some people may experience minor irritation on the scalp when fading. Although when done you will benefit by being able to knock out any line you've put in with your outliners. This is why you'll see some barbers with 2-3 pairs at their stations as they may have one zero gaped.
When I first bought these clippers two years ago, I had no experience with US clippers and quickly realized they're really not for beginners and I struggled with the new cutting angle.
You can clearly see this in the comparative picture with the Wahl Icons , as I was used to using these . I gave up for a while, but then I went back to them again later on. By then I'd got used to using the Oster fast feeds, which have identical cutting angles. When first switching on these clippers they seemed to run pretty nice and quietly, but I could feel they were packing some serious power, running at a speed of 14,000 spm. Compared with the Super tapers 6000spm, It's over twice the speed
If you're looking to step up your fading game, then these are definitely worth making the investment, as you can see when looking at the adjustment lever (like the Babyliss pro FX880) the Masters have 5 little notches next to the lever, great for teaching a bit more experienced barbers how to fade. I recommend beginners use the Andis Masters without the surgical fade blade, which can very easily be swapped over.
The best thing about Andis blades is the way they just fit into place, unlike the Wahl blades that are loose until you tighten the screws which can be a bit fiddly.
I quickly learnt the Fade masters aren't good for anything above a number 2, they really struggle to cut longer hair, especially European hair. So if you're looking for an all round clippers then the Masters probably aren't for you.
Also because of it's powerful motor and solid metal body I found that the Masters tend to heat up quicker than most other clippers I've used, this is also why it's not for beginners as the longer you take, the hotter they become, this is another reason barbers have 2-3 pairs at their stations. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my review of the Andis Fade Masters.
I rate it 4 out of 5.
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Dino The Barber.
