Best Dog Clippers for Poodles
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Is your Poodle overdue for a haircut because your groomer is closed? Are you tired of paying out the nose for professional grooming? Maybe you’ve recently acquired a puppy and you want to groom them yourself from day one.
Out of this list of the best dog clippers for Poodles, our best overall pick is the Andis 22340 ProClip 2-Speed Detachable Blade Clipper. It has the power of professional clippers at a price that’s more palatable for the average pet owner.
Let’s take a closer look at the best dog clippers for Poodles, features to look for, and answers to common questions about clippers for Poodles.
Our Top Picks for Best Dog Clippers for Poodles
Best Dog Clippers for Poodles Reviews 2024
The Andis 22340 ProClip 2-Speed Detachable Blade Clipper is our top pick because its two speeds (2,700 or 3,400 strokes per minute) make it powerful enough for professional use. However, they’re cheaper than most other professional-grade clippers.
These clippers feature a 14-foot-long cord that gives you plenty of room to work around your dog. Most of the parts are easily replaceable, too, meaning these clippers will last just about forever. They have detachable blades, which gives you more options for how you can groom your Poodle.
The Andis UltraEdge Super 2-Speed Detachable Blade Clipper is one of the most powerful clippers on the market, with a top speed of 4,400 strokes per minute. That makes them the best choice for matted Poodles because weaker clippers with slower cutting speeds can’t safely cut under matted fur.
With their curly fur, Poodles are extremely prone to having mats. Don’t waste your money on clippers that aren’t powerful enough to deal with that situation. Spend the extra money on these powerful, professional-grade clippers. They’ve been one of the top choices for professional groomers for many years.
The Wahl Professional Animal U-Clip Grooming Kit is a great choice if you want to try grooming your Poodle yourself, but you aren’t sure how well it will go. This kit includes just about everything you need to start grooming your dog for a very affordable price.
Grooming your dog can be frustrating for both you and your Poodle. If you don’t want to invest in professional-grade clippers, these should get you through one or two haircuts. They don’t have enough power to deal with mats, and they won’t last forever, but this kit is a low-risk way to start grooming your Poodle at home.
The Wahl Professional Animal Bravura Cordless Clipper Kit may be the best cordless clippers you can find. They are powerful enough to get through a Poodle’s coat and only weigh 8.8 ounces.
If 90 minutes isn’t long enough to complete your Poodle’s haircut, you can still use these clippers while they’re plugged in and charging. They come in 5 different colors and include a 5-in-1 blade and 6 attachment combs of varying lengths.
If you just want to buy one kit and get everything you need to groom your dog, the Ceenwes Rechargeable Cordless Pet Clipper is your best bet. In addition to cordless clippers and a power adapter, this kit also includes a slicker brush, 4 attachment combs, scissors, a comb, nail clippers, and a nail file.
These clippers are quieter than many other models, and the battery can last for hours. The blade is partly plastic, so it may not do well with matted Poodle fur, but it should do OK on fur that’s totally brushed out.
What to Consider When Buying Dog Clippers for Poodles
Corded Vs. Cordless
Cordless clippers tend to be more convenient and lighter than corded clippers. However, they may lose power as the battery drains. Some cordless clippers can be used during charging, while others can’t.
Check the battery life before you purchase cordless clippers. Many have a battery life of only around 90 minutes. If you have a Toy or Miniature Poodle without any mats that you want to do a simple cut on, 90 minutes may be long enough to do the whole cut in one sitting. If you want to shave a matted Standard Poodle, 90 minutes may not be long enough to do the whole haircut at once.
Another thing to consider is the longevity of the clippers. Cordless clippers tend to have a shorter lifespan than corded because the battery can only hold a certain number of charges. If you don’t mind replacing your clippers every couple of years, then cordless clippers are fine. If you want to have the same clippers for a decade or longer, it might be better to buy corded clippers.
Adjustable vs Detachable Blades
An adjustable blade seems like it would be more convenient than detachable blades, right? However, adjustable blades typically only adjust from 1/16” (nearly down to the skin) at the longest down to a blade so short that vets use it to prep animals for surgery.
Unless you want your Poodle to be basically bald all over, you will need to use attachment combs over the adjustable blade. The problem is that attachment combs (especially plastic ones) tend to have a difficult time with thick, curly Poodle hair. Apart from injuring your dog, there’s nothing more shocking than having a 1/2” attachment comb pop off and cause you to leave a long, bald stripe on your dog.
If you buy clippers with detachable blades, you can buy longer blades that will have an easier time with a curly coat. You can find detachable blades as long as 3/4”. Steel blades are also better at dealing with matted fur than plastic attachment combs.
One final benefit to detachable blades is that clipper blades get hot. No matter how much the company swears the clippers and blades won’t get hot, it’s simple physics: metal parts rubbing together cause friction, which results in heat. While cooling sprays help cool down hot blades up to a point, it’s best to have spare blades handy so you can switch to a cool one any time you need.
Speed and Power
The speed of a dog clippers motor is measured in strokes per minute (SPM). The higher the SPM, the more powerful the clippers should be. Since Poodles have thick coats, you’ll want clippers with a high SPM. This is especially true if your Poodle is matted.
Single Speed vs Multiple Speeds
What’s the benefit of having multiple speeds? Slower speeds keep blades cool longer, but they don’t have enough power for heavy duty work. If you have multiple speed clippers, you can stay on the lower speed to do sensitive areas (like around the anus and genitals) with less risk of the blade getting hot. Then, you can ramp up to the higher speed to power through your Poodle’s body.
You can get by with single-speed clippers. Just be aware of the fact that they may not have enough power for big jobs, or they may get hot quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use dog clippers on poodles?
We could write an entire article on this topic, but here are a few key points to know about using dog clippers on Poodles:
- Blades should be held at an angle to your dog’s body, while attachment combs should be held flat.
- Blades get hot. Every few minutes, touch the blade to your inner arm. If it’s hot enough to make you flinch, you need to use cooling spray, change the blade, or take a break to let the blade cool down
- Be careful around loose skin, like the armpits, neck, and where the back legs meet the body. It is very easy to cut your dog with clippers!
- For detachable blades, turn off the motor before taking the blade off, then turn it on before snapping the new blade into place.
- Start with the most sensitive areas of your dog (around the anus, genitals, paw pads, and face) so you can finish those areas before your blade gets hot and burns them.
- Always shave in the same direction the hair grows. Going “against the grain” results in a shorter haircut and may irritate your Poodle.
- Always make sure your Poodle is clean, dry, and brushed out before starting a haircut.
What size blade do you use on a poodle?
The short answer is that you can use just about any size of blade you want on your Poodle. The long answer is that it depends on what type of look you’re going for and how matted your dog is. Here are the most common blades lengths with how long they leave the hair on your dog:
- #30 – 1/50” – best for under attachment combs
- #10 – 1/16” – this is considered the “safety blade” and is ideal for sensitive areas
- #7 – 1/8” – very short but not bald
- #5 – 1/4” – turns out sort of velvety on Poodles
- #4 – 3/8” – still a little fluffy
- #3 – 1/2” – a good fluffy length that’s not too hard to keep brushed
As you can see, the higher the number, the shorter the cut. The #40 and #50 blades are used by vets to shave an area for surgery and generally shouldn’t be used by people grooming their dogs at home. The most common body length blades for Poodle are the #3, #4, #5, and #7. The #10 blade is the safest one to use if your Poodle is matted. For longer cuts, you can use an attachment comb over a #30 for lengths up to 2”.
How do you groom a matted poodle?
The first thing to understand about grooming a matted Poodle is that you can’t shave THROUGH mats – you must shave UNDER them. Mats tend to be close to the skin, so you need to carefully aim the clipper blade between the mats and your dog’s skin.
The safest blade to use on a matted Poodle is the #10 blade. With that being said, you can still injure your dog with this blade. Always be mindful of where your Poodle’s skin is.
If your Poodle is severely matted, the best thing to do is find a spot on your dog’s neck or back that isn’t matted where you can fit the clipper blade under the matting. Use short, gentle strokes to ease the mats off of your dog.
Don’t try to muscle the mats off with force – you’re more likely to cut your Poodle like that. Skin can be pulled up into mats, so you could be forcing the blade through skin instead of matted fur.
Use your spare hand to pull your Poodle’s skin taut to help prevent snagging loose skin in the clipper blade.
Go slow, take lots of breaks, and keep a first aid kit handy. Anybody (even professional groomers) can accidentally cut a dog. An inexperienced person shaving a matted dog is more likely to cut their dog than most.
What kind of dog clippers do groomers use?
Groomers generally choose from one of the 3 biggest dog clippers brands: Andis, Wahl, and Oster. These 3 brands have been known for producing quality grooming tools for decades. Each groomer has their own preference of style within each of those brands, with the Andis UltraEdge and Wahl Bravura being two favorites.
Last update on 2024-08-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
