BaByliss For Men Super Hair Clipper Review

I had the BaByliss Super Clipper for several years and overall they had served me well. They are powerful, have great cutting ability, build quality and have a decent weight with low vibration so they also feel good in the hand. Cutting hair can be a tedious chore for other people in the family so having a good and easy to use clipper is helpful in encouraging them to give you a quick trim.

With that said, I do have one criticism regarding a  fault that happened within the first couple of months of ownership with regard to them cutting out. Being a typical bloke I had thrown the manual out and searching online for the reason didn't yield any initial results either. Therefore, I thought it was my own fault for not charging them for the correct amount of time. However, one pattern I did notice is that if you fully charged the clippers and then started cutting immediately, they would start cutting and then cut out after a few seconds. If you fully charged the clippers and then let them cut out 4 or 5 times first they would eventually run continuously. I had always used this clipper cordless so to completely eradicate a power issue, I left the clipper plugged into the mains and got the same result. The real problem is that you wouldn't know when it would run continuously so if you put them in your hair prematurely and they cut out you would end up ripping some strands of hair out of your head. Ouch  !! 

Although it sounds ludicrous to put up with this for a few years it  was relatively consistent and therefore predictable so we just worked around it. It was only when I was researching getting a new clipper that I saw other people online saying that this is a known fault with the clipper and it had happened to them. In some cases the clippers had stopped working completely after a few days.

So I think overall we were lucky. Another factor is I have afro hair which seem to cause clippers a lot of problems due to it's thickness/curlyness. Having previously tested a few clippers (Babyliss For Men Home Cutting Kit and  Babyliss for Men Pro Power Carbon Clipper) before settling on the BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper, I was aware that not only would some clippers not cut my hair but they are so badly made that if you turn them at the wrong angle they can actually cut your head and cause bleeding. I had that issue with two Wahl clippers I had ended up returning. This only happens if you are not using an attachment obviously. I have my hair on a grade zero 'close cut' so there is no plastic guard between my head and the moving metal blade of the clipper.)

One day when I was due to have my haircut so I went through the usual routine of charging fully and then stopping and starting the clipper. At a certain point the clippers gave up and refused to startup again. Thankfully I didn't have anything important to go to the next day so I could afford to spend the time looking around for a new set of clippers.

In the end I purchased the 'BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper'. This is very similar to the Super clipper shown above in terms of weight, power and cost but does not have the issue of cutting out.

In summary the Babyliss Super Clipper is a fantastic set of clippers in terms of its cutting ability, build quality, weight and power however the cutting out issue definitely put me off buying another one especially when the Babyliss Lithium XTP is available.

Technical Specification

Brand: BaByliss For Men

Model Number: 7475U

Colour: Black with Chrome

Item Weight: 0.261g (Clipper) / 0.114g (Guides)

Product Dimensions: 193mm (H) x 50mm (L) x 3.8mm (D)

Cord Length: 2.5m

Guarantee: 5 year

Box Contains:

1 X Hair Clipper

10 X Comb Guides

1 X Cleaning Brush

1 X Oil

1 X Adaptor

1 X Instruction Booklet

If you have purchased the Babyliss Super Clipper and and have had a similar experience and would like to share your experience please add your comments below.

How much does it cost for an electrician to rewire a 3 bedroom house

When we moved into our house we noticed that not only did we have too few electrical sockets but the ones that we did have were located in strange places and were surface mounted. For example most of them were on the skirting boards which made it almost impossible to plug certain items in as the plug was almost on the ground and the wire leading out from the plug was pressing against the carpet.

In the living room we had two double sockets on one chimney breast and a single socket (with burn damage) by the television.

As a result, we made the decision to rewire our entire house. Our builder recommended a guy he had worked with previously so I contacted him with a list of what I needed.

Under stairs : New consumer unit and light switch
Living room : 7 double sockets, light switch and fitting of two ceiling pendants
Hall : New light switch and fitting of a previously purchased light fitting
Landing : New single plug socket, New light switch  and fitting of a previously purchased light fitting
Bathroom : Boiler timer, New light switch and fitting of a previously purchased light fitting.
Rear Bedroom : Two double plug sockets and ceiling pendant
Front Bedroom : Two double plug sockets and ceiling pendant
Box room/Office : Two double sockets and ceiling pendant
Kitchen : We would be replacing the entire kitchen at a later stage so we didn't need rewiring at this point.

Italics show items we had purchased previously so they weren't included in the electricians quote.

The electrician offered us two options £1200 without him supplying materials or £1500 supply and fit of everything. In the end we went for the £1500 'all in' option as the wires, pendants, sockets, consumer unit and boiler timer etc would all add up. Also it was just less hassle for him to get everything he needed.

The work took a week to complete and did cause a lot of damage to the walls so my advice would be to make this first job you do when you move into a new house. Thankfully we did this so it didn't cause us too many issues.

If you have any re-wiring experiences you would like to share, please leave a comment below.

How much does it cost to add skirting board to a box room/small room

As part of our house renovations we needed to re-plaster our box room (which we use as an office) and replace the skirting boards.

We wanted to keep things consistent so we opted for a 4" skirting board which we had also used in our living room. The box room/office dimensions are 2m x 1.8m.

Our builder agreed to remove the old skirting boards and supply and fit the new for £120.

This seemed reasonable and only took part of a day to complete.

If you have any experiences of adding skirting board to a room, please leave a comment below. 

How much does it cost to add skirting boards to a large living room

The previous owner of my house had his plug sockets located in the skirting boards. This was obviously how wiring was done years ago but it isn't what I wanted going forward. As a result I had the house rewired and needed to replace the skirting.

The living room is the largest room in the house as it has no dividing wall making it a "through lounge". In total it is 7.5m x 4m.

Our builder said he would supply and fit 4" skirting board all around the room (navigating two chimney breasts and one fireplace) for £280.

This seemed quite reasonable to me and only took him a couple of days including some other work.

If you have any experience with skirting board that you would like to share, please leave a comment.

How much does a plumber charge to fit a radiator and how long does it take ?

If you are not a seasoned property developer house renovations can be difficult to budget for.

I recently purchased a house which needed a lot of work and the living room seemed an obvious place to start.

One of the main issues was damp located near the front bay window. We called in a damp specialist who said the issue could be solved by placing a radiator underneath the front bay window. We already had a radiator in the room (at the back) so there was some pipework we could tap into if needed but we had no idea how much it would cost to add a new one.

We had a builder and qualified plumber that we trusted so we obtained a quote and he completed the work.

So in summary he fitted a 1200 x 600 mm double radiator and charged us £350. I'm not sure if this is considered cheap but it included the radiator, all of the valves, pipework and only took him two days.

If you have any experiences regarding fitting radiators and would like to share them with others, please leave a comment.

How much to buy a new remote key fob from Peugeot dealership for a Peugeot 207

Less than a year ago I purchased a second hand Peugeot 207. Unfortunately the key fob that was provided only opened the door and started the car manually as the remote function was no longer working. In addition the key was flimsy as the two halves of the key which clipped together had become loose over time.

I had contemplated getting another key or fixing the existing key but I dreaded the expense of it as I had seen some horrendous figures from forums online. However, one day when I was in a rush I locked the car manually and walked off and pulled the key but it didn't fully make it out of the lock. As a result the key snapped in two with little chance of piecing it back together.

So in the end I had to bite the bullet and buy a new key and I thought I would document the full process for others who may have to do the same.

Initial phone call

I called a dealership in my local area and asked how much it would be for a new key and what the process would be. The customer service person took my car details and then said I would need to visit the dealership and bring my log book with me.

Old Peugeot 207 key

The initial visit

Upon arrival at the dealership I sat at the customer service desk and explained the situation. I decided to bring all of the documentation I had received with the car just in case their was anything else required. I was asked for a utility bill to prove my address (which I didn't have with me) but I used my driving license instead.

I was asked for the key fob code card which tells Peugeot the code they will need to program into the key to match my car. I wasn't supplied this with the car so I was told that I needed to pay £19.99 for this in addition to the cost of the key. After signing a form or two and using the £19.99 as a deposit I was told that the key would be ordered and should be back at the dealership within 10 days.

Text and booking

10 days later I received a text telling me that my key had arrived and I just needed to book the car in. I arranged a time for the same week and opted to wait for the work to be carried out as I couldn't get a lift from the dealership.

New Peugeot 207 key

Day of the work

Shortly after arriving I was seated with a service desk person who filled out the paperwork. I was told that the work would take roughly 1 hour 30 minutes to complete  and would cost £142.26. After paying this amount I made my way to the seating area where a staff member made me a coffee while I waited.

After an hour (quicker than I had expected) I was told that my car was ready and I was given my old and new key fobs.

A week later

I received a courtesy call asking if everything was OK with my new key !

Final cost breakdown

Key code cost : £19.99

Lab to carry out programming of key : £48.40
Work to sync key with car * : £70.15
VAT for Lab & Sync : £23.71

Total I paid for a new key : £162.25

*Listed as 'Allocate recall C' & "Allocate prepricke" on statement.

Conclusion

Overall I was impressed with the service that Peugeot provided, however, the cost of the key seems very steep for what you get. Dealerships are known for the their high prices/ripping people off so it didn't come as much of a surprise.

If this article helped you or you have your own experience you would like to share, please add your comments below.

Emporio Armani AR2434 mens chronograph watch review

The Emporio Armani AR2434 has been in my collection for a while now and it is one of my favourites. Not only does it hold sentimental value because it was the first expensive item I purchased after getting a promotion, but it was during the hunt for this that I really became interested in luxury watches.

So let's look at some features .......

Weight - Having tried many different watches on before buying the AR2434 I have to say it is the perfect weight. Other watches tended to be too heavy without any real justification (as if the manufacturers were trying too hard to come across as high end), at the other end of the spectrum many were too light and came across as poor quality and cheap. The AR2434 sits perfectly and feels really good on the wrist.

Size - In addition to the weight the AR2434 also has nice dimensions i.e. 43 mm diameter and 11 mm thickness. The result is a watch that is big enough to be noticed but discreet enough to look classy.


Appearance - This is what it is all about !. This watch looks great and really stood out among the racks and racks of other watches on offer. The three chronograph dials and day counter sit beautifully within the black watch face whilst the reinforced mineral crystal glass and stainless steel bracelet ensure the piece can withstand the rigours of everyday life. Great care has been taken with the design and the Emporio Armani logo is featured subtly in several places namely the watch face, side dial ( middle winder) and back. It is this sleekness that really sets it apart and doesn't indulge in the 'in your face' branding of other watches in the same category. On the subject of category the AR2434 has been described as sports luxury. Looking at the functional chronograph dials and the elegant watch design it is easy to see how it earned this title. So if you want to carry out an intense business meeting and follow it with a few laps around the park this is the watch for you.

Wow factor - As I mentioned earlier this was the first watch I had spent a significant amount of money on and it was a milestone item for me. There were other more expensive watches and cheaper watches that were in the same category but I just liked this one and didn't realise others would notice it. I'm not a showy person so I was suprised that when I meet people they always comment on it. In fact one salesmen in my office liked it so much he went home and ordered one for himself the same night !.

The most suprising interest comes from women who I never thought would pay attention to men's watches but I was very wrong. If you are considering buying this watch for yourself or as a gift for someone it is definitely worth doing. In addition to the watch itself it also comes in a soft leather Emporio Armani black watch box with all the documentation, so you get that luxury feeling from the time you get it in your hands.

If you like this post, own this watch or another Armani model please leave a comment as I would love to hear from you