Remington Shortcut

The Remington Shortcut is a clipper designed for self-administered haircuts. A curved clipper head makes it almost impossible to over-cut small or large regions, and the clipper's unconventional hairbrush-like shape makes it easy to reach the most awkward spots on your head. Before getting the Shortcut, I'd tried cutting my own hair several times and always had disasters. On my first attempt with the Shortcut, I got about the same results I'm used to from a pro, which rather astounded me. It seems almost impossible to mess up. Using the Shortcut takes me five to ten minutes, which I usually fit in just before showering for obvious reasons. The cutter can be set from "skinhead" to "George Clooney" and you can easily mix lengths on the sides and top for effect. Once you get used to five minute haircuts on-demand they're rather addictive. Going to the barber for a typical male haircut now seems as silly -- and time wasting -- as traveling across town for a shave. Every time I use the Shortcut I save about $20 and at least an hour and a half of my time -- a good return on my initial investment.
-- Jonathan Coupe
Remington Shortcut
$35
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Remington

Favorite (15)






Matthew Fassberg
I found this device to be a total waste of money. Where to start?
1. Unless your hair is already VERY short, the clipper needs cleaning out of the hair continually while you are using it. Clogs instantly.
2. It's curved, so the flatter portions of you head, like around the side burns are difficult to do without going over them from several different angles. A pain.
3. Mine seems to randomly go off whenever it gets to a thicker portion of my hair, and my hair isn't close to being considered long. It's pretty short.
Yes the curved cutting surface seems like a good idea, but in practice this is another cheap gadget, and I'm a man that loves a good gadget.
Stick with your tried and true Wahl trimmer and you be much happier.
Micah
I bought this after I saw it here and wasn't really impressed. There are some design flaws. Hair gets wedged up in the guard. It doesn't cut very evenly.
Sam
have to disagree with the guys above, but it definitely isn't perfect.
1. I had to order the thing through the mail and it was poorly packed.
2. Overall, it doesn't give the impression of being very durable. But with haircuts at $15, paying $30 for it will be fine if it lasts for at least 2-3 years. I bet a $40 Wahl will last 5-10 times longer.
3. I use it every 2-3 weeks. It takes a while to get the hang of it. It's not a fast haircut since you have to shave slowly and carefully (and check with a mirror) to get the cut even. I don't think this is a drawback of the machine. The human head is a complex shape.
4. To make cleanup easier, take one of those tiny 4 gallon trash bags and cut off the bottom and one of the sides. Spread the trash bag over your bathroom sink. Lean over the sink while you cut your hair, and all the hair is collected in the trash bag. No clean up!
5. I've been using it for about 2 months and would definitely buy it again. On the shortest setting it cuts even closer than the Wahl and your hair stays short for a while. It's really convenient. Another thing I love about it is that it is cordless, which my Wahl is not.
Thomas
Like many new things one must learn the proper skills to operate them.
The clippers work fine - if you have the patience and the desire for the haircut that it will give - because it will only give one haircut.
As far as the Wahl clippers are concerned the Remington Shortcut (I have both) actually gives a better "clipper cut", and by that I mean more even and I do not have to ask my daughter to even up around the neck.
Moon
Flowbee solves all the above problems mentioned. It moves all the cuttings into your vacuum cleaner and it has a small cutting surface.
The only thing you have to get past is the cultural "You use a FLOWBEE??" thing.
I've been using a Flowbee for 20 years and once you get it down, it's easy and produces a good result.
Kevin T. Keith
Well, I'm sitting here with a dork haircut that looks like I did it myself (which I did). I got the Shortcut trimmer on the strength of the recommendation here at Cool Tools, which I respect a lot, and particularly the assurances that it is "almost impossible to overcut" and "It seems almost impossible to mess up." Let me tell you that it is perfectly possible to mess up your head real bad with this thing.
A few clarifications: Not only does the Shortcut not cut long hair well, it doesn't leave you with even medium-long hair at all. "Short cut" is meant literally - not a shortcut around the barber, but a way to get a *short* cut. The longest setting on the trimmer guard is 1/2 inch. You have to want a *very* short haircut to use this. And if you let it grow out even 2-3 weeks between cuts, the hair guard will clog badly, as one commenter mentioned above. Also, though the product is touted as some sort of revolutionary system that automatically produces good haircuts, it is really just an ordinary trimmer with a large, curved clipper blade. There is nothing special about it that guarantees a perfect cut. It's up to you to get the length you want in different areas, and to blend the sides and back and so forth. If you go over the same spot again and again, trying to get the length right, you will certainly get a "hole" in that spot when you try to comb your hair. And getting perfect evenness in the shortest sections is very problematic - most of the settings on the clipper are short enough that your skin shows through, and even small differences in cut in those sections make your head look very splotchy. Trimming around margins and ears is hard - the little pop-up trimmer does not seem to do much, and using the main trimmer around your ears gives you a huge bald spot just above them.
Now, I am sure my first experience was just bad technique. After I finally stop looking like Forrest Gump, I'll give this thing another try. But don't have unrealistic expectations: the device is designed for a narrow range of haircutting chores, and it does take a careful hand. It's more than possible to give yourself a bad haircut with this thing. Trust me on that one.
Robert Clark
I'm sorry, but I'm just going to have to side with the negative reviews on this one. When I first got it, my results were not that good. But I chalked it up to inexperience and figured that the Shortcut has a learning curve just like everything else. I went to a barber to get straightened out before trying again. Even after reviewing the instructions and taking extra care, I still got a bad haircut. The Shortcut just doesn't seem to like hair any longer than a buzz cut.
My unit just got tossed in the wastebasket. I'm going to tough it out until the end of the month; then it's back to a regular rotation with the local barbershop.
thom
I would like to amend my first comment. After using the Remington shortcut several times (I like my hair short-no muss no fuss) the last time accidentally rotating the length adjustment switch with my thumb causing what would be known in most circles as skinheadedness, I put it away and broke down and bought the last (that I know of) do-it-yourself hair cutting system - The Flowbee. I have used the Flowbee now for nearly a year, giving myself a trim once a week, trimming my boy's hair once a month and I even bought an extra set of the clip on length adjustment doohikees and have given my girl friend (at her request) four haircuts.
I gotta say, hands down, The flowbee has my boy coming up to me and requesting a trim, my significant other states that she has saved $140.00 in haircuts and are more uniform and of higher consistent quality.
I still have to ask my daughter to clean/square up my neckline but $60.00 a month in my pocket and I'm not embarrassed to go out in public.
Iain
I have to agree that this isn't that good:
1. Battery runs out too quickly.
2. Poor around the ears.
3. Struggles with longer hair.
I have gone back to my Wahl trimmers too. I use two mirrors to do the back of my head and I have special ear trimming combs which work really well.
Brent
This thing really is junk and it not deserving of a listing in Cool Tools. Being a thrifty kind of guy, I've been reluctant to throw it away and have tried it repeatedly over the past year. I've been cutting my own hair - short - for about 6 years now, and thought this might be an improvement on my stnadard Wahl clippers. It is not. It is frustrating to use and the results are dubious at best. You have to charge it for quite a while to get it to work - it will not operate when plugged in to the charger. And it doesn't hold a charge long, maybe long enough to do one haircut if you're quick and lucky. Charge it and put it back in the drawer, it will be discharged in a week's time when you are ready to use it again, so you have to go thru the same waiting game for it to re-charge. I'm adding my validation of the negative comments by other reviewers. Don't buy this thing.