Yahoo News Philips series 5000 HC5632 review: A convenient hair clipper for a quick, easy cut
The global pandemic has taught us many new skills – not least how to lunge for the last pack of toilet rolls as if entering a rugby tackle – but one unexpected skill many men have picked up is how to execute a reasonably proficient DIY hair cut using one of the many hair clippers available.
At the height of lockdown clippers sold out everywhere and the Philips Series 5000 HC5632 hair clipper (£50, Boots.com) was one of the most sought after – and it remains popular even now barbers are back in action.
But is this all-singing, all-dancing, feature-packed clipper worth a punt if you’re contemplating a DIY crop or just want to tidy up your hair between professional cuts?
How we tested
We road-tested the Philips series 5000 HC5632 hair clipper over several weeks – putting it through its paces on both straight-forward, all over super-short crops but on longer hair too which enabled us to try out a selection of cutting lengths. As well as performance, we also considered appearance, battery performance and overall value for money.
Philips series 5000 HC5632 washable hair clipper: £50, Boots.com
Rating: 9/10
Cutter width: 41mm
Run time: 90mins
Charge Time: 1hr
Battery type: Lithium ion
Washable: 100 per cent
Cutting lengths: 0.5-28mm
Warranty: 2 years
Operation: Corded and cordless
Design
The series 5000 hair clipper is ergonomically designed to sit perfectly in the hand, while a matt black, textured casing ensures a firm grip ensures excellent stability whilst cutting. It’s beautifully designed, overall, with an array of interesting surface textures and finishes. The three comb guards, meanwhile, keep everything minimal and are easy to change, though we’re not sure they’d survive too many drops so you do need to handle them with care.
Performance
As you might expect from electronics pioneers Philips, this hair clipper features a raft of cool features many other hair clippers don’t have. Top of the list is the “dualcut” technology, which uses two-sided cutting blades to trim hair twice as fast as one-sided blades.
It’s hard to say whether this makes a noticeable difference to the speed of the cut because everyone will go at it at their own pace, but it certainly ploughs through hair without a problem. As a bonus, there’s a turbo mode function to power through thicker hair (we definitely noticed this making a difference) and the blades themselves are self-sharpening so there’s pretty much no maintenance – and who doesn’t appreciate that?
In another useful twist, the comb guards are designed to help hair flow away from the blades during use, which helps prevent clogging so you don’t have to keep stopping to blow away hair. This “trim-n-flow” technology works pretty well, though we still needed to stop occasionally to blow away some clippings.
Unlike many other clippers, there aren’t a multitude of different length combs – just a long and a short one. Instead, the Philips series 5000 hair clipper uses a “zoom wheel” which allows you to select and lock a length setting. This offers a cutting range of between 3mm and 28mm, and minute 1mm changes between each length. An additional beard comb, meanwhile, can be used on the head or face and allows you to go even shorter – to 2mm, while removing the comb entirely means you can cut to a super close 0.5mm.
A one-hour charge offers 90 minutes of cordless cutting, which might not be as long as some other clippers on the market but is more than ample for several decent at-home haircuts, while accessories are kept to a minimum (there’s a storage pouch, comb, scissors and cleaning brush.)
Perhaps the biggest advantage this clipper has over many others on the market, though, is that it’s 100 per cent washable, so you can simply rinse it under the tap to clean after using.
The verdict: Philips series 5000 HC5632 hair clipper
For the price, this cool-looking clipper is one of the best on the market, especially as it offers a raft of clever features. The addition of a beard comb turns it into a 2-in-1 product – handy if you’re a facial hair enthusiast – and it’s lightweight, solid and gets the job done in no time, while the whole look and feel of suggests it’s ideal for young, style-conscious types.
The fact that it’s 100 per cent washable and has self-sharpening blades that don’t need oiling certainly make it one of the most convenient clippers on the market – perfect for busy (or lazy!) guys who want great results with as little fuss as possible.
Philips series 5000 HC5632 hair clipper
Buy now £50.00, Boots.com
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