One Year Update: Just a heads up that the battery on this thing crapped on me after a year. Bummer. From the reviews, this apparently is an issue on some production runs? Your mileage may vary of course.
About the Author: Ryan N. is a professional web developer for (and alum from) the University of Delaware, who keeps a close shave as to not be confused with his strongly-bearded twin brother. He plays guitar and drums, loves going to concerts with his wife, and loves being a dad.
I’m new to the head shaving game.. brand new. I wanted to simplify my morning routine and maintenance; about six months ago I decided to go for it, but I had no idea where to even start. I had some clippers, but they were insanely loud and didn’t have attachments. So I went with what I knew: my Norelco beard trimmer. We’ll call the process… daunting? It took quite a while, but I finished with a result that was relatively good, but far from great. The beard trimmer is designed for smaller jobs, and for you to see what you’re doing.
What I needed was something wider, with an array of attachments, preferably waterproof, and dead-simple to use. The answer? The Remington ShortCut Pro.
This thing has a lot going for it, but the most striking thing you’ll notice is its design. Many trimmers are oblong and stick-like, forcing you to hold it in the meat of your palm and have your wrist do all the actuating. Not bad, but can’t we do better? One of the few, if any, shavers to sport a more natural hand-grip design, the ShortCut Pro can be used with the palm, fingertips, and anywhere in between. If you imagine the device like a baseball, I usually use a fastball grip up top, curveball grip for the sides, and a changeup grip in the back. However you need to hold it, you get a consistent cut and easy maneuvering.
Eat your heart out Warren Spahn.
Can’t talk about the design without also noting the blade itself. Per their literature, it’s 57% wider than standard hair clippers (and easily 2-3x the width of my measly beard trimmer), meaning you can cut more hair with each pass. It also helps to have a wider surface when you’re blending two lengths for a literally-seamless transition. If you have too narrow a cutting surface on each pass, your transitions are going to look stark at worst, and take a long time to dial in at best. The only downside I’ve experienced with the wider blade is that it’s a bit tough to get near the ears, but it’s a small price to pay for the quickness of the rest of the cut. Your mileage may vary, though, depending on how close you go (more on the way on how I personally do my cut later).
Couldn’t be easier to use, really. There are a few small complaints about how close you can get to the ears, but overall, the smoothest and easiest cut I’ve had, with super easy cleanup. I have had no qualms about using it in the shower, because Remington had the forethought to make it washable and waterproof. Simple! The blade also pops right out for deeper cleaning.
A note here: Make sure you use the included blade oil, ideally after each use. This will lengthen the life of the blade and reduce snags. I also use Lectric Shave preshave on my scalp prior to clipping for a closer, smoother cut, but have also had pretty good results dry. I do experience the occasional snag, but I have had so many cuts now without snags that I’m sure the issue lies either in my maintenance routine for the shaver between cuts, or the condition of my hair that day.
The ShortCut Pro comes with 7 attachments in various sizes. Initially, I was worried that there wasn’t a taper option, since I wanted to go pretty short with it but still fade the sides. Having never done this before, I wasn’t sure what to expect, and was afraid of going a little too short. The included attachments for my kit were:
I can easily get a complete cut done in less than 15 minutes, and the charger says it lasts about 40 minutes on a full charge. The issue I have is that there isn’t any way to tell just how much battery remains. If you’re in a pinch, you may need to forgo a cut in favor of a charge, or just hope it lasts.
Luckily, this shaver also works plugged into the wall, and the cord is plenty long enough to reach anywhere. (This is a moot point, though, if you’re a shower-only shaver like me. Don’t use plug-in appliances in the shower).
My cut takes about 10-15 minutes if I’m doing an all-over cut with tapered sides. This is the YouTube video I referenced to get my basics down about how to blend and shape the cut. I started out with a 4.5mm on the top, and tapered down in bands from a 3.0mm, to 2.5, to 2.0, to 1.5 on the sides. Now that warmer weather is here, I’ve gone even closer with a 3.0mm on top, and tapered sides.
What review about a product’s tantalizing usefulness would be complete without a before and after photo? You can see here just how differently each strand of hair can grow, even after just a week. I like a uniform presentation, so I trim about once a week. Here’s before and after:
I don’t think any other product would give me the ease of use, maneuverability, and features that the ShortCut Pro does. I was a little hesitant to throw $50 at another grooming tool, but now I can’t recommend this enough as an investment. My haircuts used to run about $20 each, which is on the lower end of men’s cuts. Buying the ShortCut Pro has saved me approximately ten haircuts — that’s $200. Run the math, and it’s actually put $150 back in my pocket over just a few months!
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it (apologies to Mr. Luhrmann). If you’re new to buzzing like I am, lathering your scalp might be a foreign idea, but unless you’re keen on peeling, redness and itching, you best protect yo’self. Use a daily lotion with SPF protection for your standard ritual, and then make sure to use extra coverage at the beach or pool (and don’t forget to re-apply).
Buzzing isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s not something you can do half-way. But if you do it, you’ll thank yourself for the cool breezes in the heat this summer. What’s great about going this short is, if you mess up.. it’ll grow back in no time and you can try again.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
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