Wahl WAHL 08147 WAHL 08147 (Open Box)

*UPDATE: 6 years later and I'm still using this clipper! I replaced the blade twice during that time but cut my hair every 2 weeks, so I don't think that's too bad. ========= Allow me to preface this review with a bit of backstory. Much to my wife's dismay, I've been cutting my hair myself for 4 years or so. While she prefers that I go to a professional, it's just easier and more cost effective to do it myself. I'm unfazed by her disrespect plus it's a pretty simple fade cut and I cut it every 2 weeks to keep it tight. As I've gotten better at the cut, I've noticed that she uses disparaging words less frequently. To illustrate, in the past "jacked-up" was a favorite phrase of hers as she reviewed my handiwork. Nowadays, however, she only stares at my haircut with a look that I perceive to be amazement. While it's true that her blank stare could be interpreted a couple of ways, I take it as a speechless gaze of awe and wonder. "I'M A MAN, HONEY!", I shout triumphantly upon completion, "I'm a man." Sadly, I've never been able to witness a look of eye-popping excitement from her after I proudly model my latest cut. Additionally, she's never once requested an appointment from me (I know, right?). I've analyzed my techniques and honed my skills by watching countless hours of instructional YouTube videos but to no avail. What could be holding me back from her smile of approval? I began to suspect that the fault may lie in the quality of clipper I use. That, after all, was the only factor remaining in my self-cut-success equation. Now, I can hear your comments already: "But, Ant, couldn't it be that you lack the skills needed for a successful self-cut?" My reply is a hearty "Pshaa, right. Trust me, it's the clipper." Emboldened by my flawless logic, I decided to purchase a professional model clipper and move on from the one I selected years ago out of the closeout bin in the discount store. Off to Amazon I went! In addition to the Carpal Tunnel flare up in my mouse hand, the untold hours of researching brought me to 2 brands: Wahl and Andis and, after talking with professionals, I chose the Wahl Professional New Look 5-Star Legend Clipper #8147. The feature lineup is exactly what I needed: (8) attachment combs, oil, cleaning brush, instructions, and red blade guard. Plus an 8' cord and legendary Wahl quality. BOOSH! I could hardly contain my excitement! TAKE MY MONEY, WAHL! Of course, that name is a mouthful to say, so I decided to abbreviate it to "WPNL-5SLC-8147" when announcing my purchase to my friends, family and random strangers on the bus as they typically prefer brief interactions. Knowing the backstory, that brings me to my review. I have used these clippers 5 times since my purchase and I love them! Seriously. I was easily able to zero gap them (I was so proud) and the lever functioned perfectly. As mentioned by other reviewers, the lever is plastic but it works fine. Mine was not loose fitting and there is a screw to tighten if needed. The blade arrived sharp and it cuts really well. It is much better than my now-retired clipper. The lever moves well and the clipper is sturdy but light enough to control easily. When I'm cutting the hair on the back of my head, I can easily hold the mirror with one hand and the clipper with the other. It is a bit loud but that is probably just something I noticed because I've only used a low quality clipper up to now. I mean, it's not "Sweet fancy Moses I need earplugs!" loud, but you'll not likely be carrying on a conversation with anyone while using it. Some things I've noticed, which other reviewers have also mentioned: Every time I have used the 1/16" and 3/32" guards (they're white and grey) my hair gets pulled. I don't know why that happens but it definitely does. It's uncomfortable enough to stop me from ever using those 2 guards. As I mentioned, I cut my hair every 2 weeks, so I'm not trying to cut long hair here. My feeling is that the hair is somehow getting pinched between the guard and the blade and being pulled as I move the clipper. It's possible that these guards do not fit perfectly (see picture of the 3/32" guard). Thinking it was a heat related issue, I've tried using those guards before the clipper had warmed up but that didn't change anything. They pull my hair every time. Since I cut my hair over the sink, I don't need an 8' cord. However, a cord that length would be handy if one didn't have an outlet close by and it would be good for a professional shop too, I'd say, but I'm not a professional (see above). Lastly, there is a distinct rattle when the clipper is running. Somewhere inside the housing is a small piece of plastic that is loose and bouncing around. I heard that rattle the very first time I turned the clipper on but I've not noticed any performance issue to this point. I expect it will be a problem later on but it just makes the clipper noisy(er) for now. I don't want to open the housing to see what it is because that'll probably void the warranty. I'll update this review if anything changes. I hope this review is helpful! If you read this whole thing, you are a trooper! :)