Medela Special Needs Feeder Haberman Feeder Review

Having a child is normally a joyous occasion filled with celebration and anticipation for the future. You picture the birth, a short stay at hospital and then returning home to visits from relatives, feeding, bath time, games and the dreaded lack of sleep which people always talk about.

Unfortunately, things don't always work this way for everyone and some parents find themselves finding out that their gorgeous child has some challenges. This happened to me and my partner who found out that our son had a 'Syndrome' we didn't know what syndrome he had and the hospital couldn't tell us but what we quickly realised is that our baby was not able to breast or bottle feed effectively. One of the possible reasons given by the hospital was his 'high arched palate' but this was also included with comments from doctors like 'tongue tie', 'small jaw' and 'maybe he has a weak tongue'. The reality is the hospital didn't know what the issue was and neither did we.

Faced with the prospect of being sent home to continue tube feeding our son I started investigating online to see if anyone else had encountered similar challenges and had overcome them with a special bottle. My search led me to a review on Amazon.com which read as follows :

"If your baby has a narrow high arched palate, try this feeder! My breastfed baby struggled for months to feed from a bottle. We tried Dr. Browns, regular Medela, NUK, Comotomo, Mimijumi, and First Years Breastflow. She has no visible tongue tie but she gagged on regular length nipples, struggled to latch on shorter nipples, and was never able to achieve a good latch with suction on any of them regardless of flow. The milk would pour out of her mouth instead of getting swallowed. If we flattened the Breastflow nipple and took all the air out, she could drink a few ounces over several hours. It was miserable, frustrating, and exhausting for her and us. At our wits end, this feeder was recommended to us by our pediatrician and changed EVERYTHING. From the first time we used it, my baby was able to take a full feeding from it with ease. No more struggles! No more tears! No more hungry baby! I would like to hug Mandy Haberman and Medela for this feeder."

I then looked to see if Amazon in the uk also sold the Medela Special Needs Feeder and thankfully they did. So at this point I was interested but didn't know much about it. I checked youtube and came across an explanation of the feeder given by the inventor Mandy Haberman. For those that are still wondering the Haberman Feeder is the Medela Special Needs Feeder, they are the same thing.

From this video and a few others I was convinced that this could be helpful for my son. I was at least willing to try given that all other attempts had failed within the hospital. So I purchased the bottle on the spot from Amazon.co.uk with next day delivery.

My Medela Special Needs Feeder / Haberman Feeder review

First feed

Having studied the videos and waited anxiously to receive the 'answer to all our problems' bottle I settled down for my son's first feed.

I put the bottle in his mouth aligned the medium flow line with his nose and waited. To my delight he started sucking really hard and kept going for longer than he had done previously on other bottles. I was so happy especially since us taking him home from the hospital was dependent on his feeding progress.

Unfortunately, my joy turned to confusion and disappointment when I pulled the bottle out of his mouth to find that despite his efforts he hadn't taken anything. Much like the other bottles we had tried. The good news was that the Medela Special Needs Feeder has an ace up it's sleeve and that is the ability to help baby along by squeezing the milk into his mouth. I did this and gradually the milk started disappearing into my little one. This wasn't the ideal outcome I was looking for but HE WAS BEING FED WITH A BOTTLE and not just his tube. Which was a great result. Also he had taken 30 ml of his 46 ml feed which was great on reflection.

Later feeds

We persevered with the Medela Special Needs Feeder bottle and as my partner and I developed our squeezing technique and became adept at reading his sucking and swallowing rhythm we are now able to feed him almost entirely on his bottle. At the time of writing we have been using the bottle for four days and the last feed we managed to give him all but 6 ml before he fell asleep mid feed.

Conclusion

It is still early days for us and I will update this post with more results as the time passes, however, as it stands our results have been positive. It's not ideal that he's not using the bottle as intended and we are 'squeeze feeding' him but it may be he will never have the mechanics to do so. It could also be that as he becomes bigger and stronger he will develop the tongue strength to drain the bottle of his own accord. Time will tell.

Having a child with a syndrome (especially an unknown syndrome) is incredibly difficult especially when fundamental issues like feeding become problematic. The Medela Special Needs Feeder has given us a sense of normality and could be life changing if we are able to provide all feeds via the bottle and free our son of his feeding tube.

Our son doesn't have a cleft palate which from what I have seen the bottle works really well for but he does have a feeding issue and I suspect many other parents will be in the same position. The bottle is more expensive than regular bottles but the problem it solves makes it worth every penny. I would highly recommend Medela Special Needs Feeder / Haberman Feeder.

FitBit Charge 2 Fitness Activity Tracker Set Up And Configuration On iPhone iOS

I had unboxed my FitBit Charge 2 and accessories (see previous post) and now it was time to set it up for its first use. In my last post I showed that within the box there is a piece of paper which says that you should go to www.fitbit.com/setup to configure the device. Once you do this it redirects you to the app store to download FitBit's own mobile app. The first time you open the Fitbit mobile app it presents you with a setup wizard.

1. Hey, there welcome to Fitbit - This screen establishes whether you have an existing Fitbit account or whether you need to create a new one. As this was the first fitness tracker I have purchased, I selected 'join Fitbit'. 

2.Which Fitbit tracker are you setting up ? - I purchased the Charge 2 activity tracker so I selected it from the list.

3. Fitbit charge 2 - There is no information to enter on this screen so select 'Set up your fitbit charge 2'

4. There is no information to enter on this screen so select 'Lets go'

5. How tall are you - Use the scroller to enter your height. In the UK we tend to use feet and inches. For example I am 6ft tall so I looked up a height conversion site to convert it into cm which worked out as 182.88cm precisely. I just rounded this up to 183cm.

Press 'Next' when you are happy with your entry.

6. 'What's your gender ?' - Thankfully Fitbit has not bought into the Gender fluid/Gender neutrality nonsense and still believes that it is significant/important.

Therefore, select your gender using the icons and select 'Next'.

7. What is your weight ? - It seems Fitbit do adapt the app based on country. As I am in the UK it asked for my weight in stones.

Use the horizontal scroller to find your weight and press 'Next'.

8. What is your Birthday ? -  Use the horizontal scrollers to select your birthday and press 'Next'.

* Screenshot doesn't show my real birthday !

9. Now lets put a name to those numbers - Enter name, email and password.

I agree to the Fitbit terms of service and privacy policy - you will need to agree to this or you wont be able to proceed and the 'Next' option will remain greyed out.

I acknowledge that my personal data will be transferred to the United States in accordance with the Privacy Policy. Just as above you will need to agree to this or you wont be able to proceed and the 'Next' option will remain greyed out.

Keep me updated about Fitbit products, news and promotions - This box is optional and as a rule I never tick them as it just leads to emails I never end up reading. However, if they will be of value to you then by all means select it.

Press 'Next'.

10. Read our terms and policies - This is your opportunity to read the terms of  service and privacy policy.

I'm sure like me you will open these up and diligently read every line and satisfy yourself you are legally, morally and spiritually happy with everything !

When you are finished with your studies select 'I agree'.

11. Meet Your Charge 2 - There is no information to enter on this screen so select 'Next'

12. Is your Charge 2 powered on ? (Make sure it's display turns on when you press the button. If nothing happens plug it into the charger) - My Charge 2 device did turn on and app began searching for it. Once it finds it, it takes you to the following screen.

13. Pair your tracker (Enter the number on your trackers display) - You will see for digits appear on your Charge 2 at this point and you just need to enter them into the app using the keypad which appears on-screen. Once you have entered the 4 digit pin it will take about a minute to complete the pairing process.

14. Update available (Keep your tracker close to your mobile device during the update) - Select 'Update tracker'.

15. Plug in your Charge 2 (The battery is abit too low to continue) - It was at this point that I got charger out of the box for first use. One instantly noticeable and annoying thing is that the lead for the charger  is extremely short. If you are intending on charging the device on your desk or side table in the future then prepare yourself for disappointment because it definitely will not reach.

Once you have the phone charging select 'Try Again'.

16. Updating your tracker (This update may take up to 10 minutes, but feel free to leave the Fitbit app while you wait) - It warns you for up to 10 minutes but mine only took 2.30 mins and having the progress bar was helpful.

17. Update complete ! - There is no information to enter on this screen so select 'Continue'.

18. Now for the fun (Walk through the  basics to learn how to make the most of your Fitbit Charge 2) - There is no information to enter on this screen so select 'Next'.

19. Navigation (Use the button to wake your tracker and page through the menu). Having owned the Fitbit for a while now you often need to press the button just to view Fitbit's default screen as the 'Quick View' feature (see below) doesn't always activate 100% of the time.

Select 'Next' to continue.

20. Quick View (You can turn on the display by turning your wrist towards you or by double-tapping the display) -  As mentioned above, although this is a good feature it doesn't always work 100% of the time so in those instances you need to press the button.

Select 'Next' to continue.

21. Fitbit basics (Wear your Charge 2 everyday to track a variety of stats. Your daily goal is set to 10,000 steps and resets at midnight) - You can also view how many steps you have completed within the Fitbit app.

Select 'Next' to continue.

22. Sleep and alarms (Automatically track sleep by wearing your tracker to bed. Use the Fitbit app to set silent alarms) - The sleep feature is fantastic and I will describe it in detail in my 'review of the Fitbit'.

Select 'Next' to continue.

23. Track exercise (Record your exercise to see real-time stats like pace and distance on the display for a variety of sports). 

Select 'Next' to continue.

24. GPS routes using your phone (Connect with the GPS on your smartphone to map routes and get real-time stats like pace and distance) - I noticed alot of people complained online about the Fitbit Charge 2 not being true GPS i.e. it uses the phone's GPS rather than having GPS capability within the tracker itself but personally I have found it to be absolutely fine as I always have my phone on me anyway.

Select 'Next' to continue.

25. Stay connected (Charge 2 will buzz when you receive text messages or calls. Turn your wrist towards you to view a notification. You can configure notifications in your app settings) - This was a feature I wasn't really interested in when I first got the tracker but I find it really useful now.

Select 'Next' to continue.

26. Guided Breathing Sessions (Find moments of calm throughout your day with personalized guided breathing sessions).


Select 'Next' to continue.

27. Charging (Plug the charging cable into a USB port. Connect it to your tracker and make sure the gold pins are aligned) - Good instructions for how to charge your Fitbit but if you are anything like me you had to figure this out earlier when the setup asked you to charge your device for the update.

Select 'Next' to continue.

28. How to wear it (All day : Wear the band loose enough that it can move back and forth. During workouts : Secure the band so it lays flat 2-3 finger-widths above your wrist bone) - This is the optimum position but I had to move it further up my arm to avoid it getting damage by cable weights I was using and it still recorded everything accurately.

Select 'Next' to continue.

29. Wear & care tips

1. Clean your band and wrist regularly with soap-free cleanser.
2. If you tracker gets wet, remove and dry completely.
3. Take your band off from time to time.

After exercise and at the end of each day I clean my Fitbit Charge 2 with an anti-bacterial handwipe/wet wipe. I find this method to be quick and easy and also doesn't risk the Fitbit getting too wet.

Select 'Next' to continue.

30. Which wrist will you wear your tracker on ? - I prefer the left wrist but select what works best for you.

31. Here's a hot tip (You can swap your current band with Charge 2 accessory bands. Just push the button in and slide band up) - I really like the black band as I tend to wear black i.e. black t-shirts and black shorts and trainers at the gym. However, for the more adventurous types the bands now come in a range of different colours and textures.

Select 'Next' to continue.

32. You're all set ! (Get moving and train smarter with Charge 2) - All you need to do now is select 'Done' and you can begin really getting some hands on experience with the Fitbit Charge 2.

You are then taken to the Fitbit app home screen.

Setting up the FitBit Charge 2 was very easy and had it not been for the battery on the Charge 2 being a little low and needing charging midway it would have been even simpler. It is clear that alot of thought has gone into providing a smooth user experience for the initial setup and it provides a good level of information regarding the features to prepare you for first use.

If you have purchased a Fitbit and would like to leave a comment regarding the setup, please do so below.

Buying And Unboxing Fitbit Charge 2 Fitness Activity Tracker Watch

Moving to becoming a more health person was a very gradual process it started with me 'trying' the gym, going abit more often and then genuinely enjoying it. I started making changes to my diet aswell because I didn't want to undo the good work I had sweated through in the gym.

I could see positive changes happening to my body i.e. weight loss and muscle growth but I wanted abit more structure and information. I was also having problems sleeping due to medication I was on so any insight into how much rest I was getting would be a huge bonus.

Fitness trackers have been around for a while and I knew the basics of what they do but I wanted one that would meet all of my needs and not be too cumbersome. I wasn't interested in a chest band option so I decided to go with a watch.

There were so many to choose from so after some research and a short evaluation I settled on the FitBit Charge 2 which has the following features :

FitBit Charge 2 Features List

• Steps taken
• Distance covered
• Calories burned -  (total for day including rest)
• Active Minutes with strenuous activity
• Floors climbed
• All day heart rate and zones
• Daily Goal - The Charge 2 will celebrate when you reach your main goal. By default this is set to 10,000 steps and it resets at midnight. This goal change be changed in the FitBit app settings.
• Navigation - The screen of the Charge 2 will turn on when you lift and turn your wrist towards you. You can disable this behavior in the FitBit app. The screen can also be turned on by pressing the button or double-tapping the screen. You then flip through the menus by pressing the button again. On the clock just single-tap to flip through the daily activity stats.
• Sleep and Silent Alarms - The Charge 2 will automatically track your sleep. Just wear it to bed!.Use the Fitbit app to manually adjust your sleep or set Sleep Reminders
• Silent Alarms - To wake up in the morning or alert you at a certain time of day, you can set silent alarms that gently vibrate.
• Heart Rate - Charge 2 tracks your heart rate all day and during exercise.
• Reminders to Move -  helps to keep you active by prompting you to get moving every hour if you are inactive. 
• Tracking Exercise - Fitbit Charge 2 will automatically detect certain exercises and record them using our SmartTrack feature which automatically recognizes continuous movement at least 15 minutes in length.
• Track your route - Some outdoor workouts can track your GPS route and give you more accurate real-time stats like pace and distance when your phone is with you.
• Notifications - Charge 2 can receive phone calls, text messages and calendar alerts when near your phone.
• Guided Breathing Sessions - The guided breathing sessions on your Charge 2 provide personalized deep breathing exercises that can help you find moments of calm. You can choose between two-minute or five-minute long sessions.
• Clock Faces - Charge 2 comes with several clock styles. You can change your clock face in the settings of the Fitbit app. The new style will appear once you sync your tracker.

I ordered the Charge 2 fitness tracker from Amazon on it's Prime service and it arrived the next day.

FITBIT CHARGE 2 UNBOXING AND CONTENTS

1. The FitBit Charge 2 comes in a small blue box which is inserted into a slightly larger white box which features the product on the front and product details on the back. At the bottom of the packaging it has two small clear stickers which bond the outer and inner boxes together to prevent the blue box from sliding out in transit. If you have the patience you can peel these stickers off but I opted to cut through them with a Stanley knife.

2. Once the fastening stickers have been removed the inner blue box can be removed. There are two magnetic disks within the box which hold the box closed even after the stickers have been removed (which I thought gave a good impression quality wise). You just need to apply a bit of pressure and unfold the box to reveal the contents shown in the picture.




Contents

Paper work - On the top of the USB charger you will find a card envelope which contains your 'Safety Instructions & Limited Warranty'. You will not find instructions to set up your FitBit Charge 2 but you will find a piece of paper with the URL www.fitbit.com/setup . Details of how to setup and configure the FitBit can be found in my Fitbit Charge 2 Step by Step Set Up Guide.

USB Charger - As mentioned above, the box underneath the paperwork envelope is your USB charger for the FitBit Charge 2. Once you have removed the stickers that keep the box sealed you can then remove the charger. The charger has a rather unconventional shape but I will show you how to use it my 'how to charge your FitBit guide'.

FitBit Charge 2 Watch - Last but not least we have the fitness trakcer watch itself which has a sticker over the top showing you what the screen will look like once it is in operation. The watch I purchased comes with a SMALL. Please note there is no MEDIUM only small or large to choose from at the point of purchase. Most people will require the small strap but please check before purchase.

This is the first FitBit or fitness tracker band I have ever owned so the setup process is completely new to me. I'm sure other people will be in a similar position so I have put together a Step By Step guide to setting up the FitBit Charge 2 to make life a little bit easier for my visitors.

I will also write an honest review of the FitBit Charge 2 once I have used it for a month or so.

Hope you found this post helpful. Comments are always appreciated so please feel free to let us know your thoughts below.

Click here for : How to set up the FitBit Charge 2

BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper review

BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper

The 'BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper'  is my recent purchase and current hair clipper. I've been using it for a few months now and it is very impressive.

Having had the 'BaByliss For Men Super Clipper'   for a number of years (until it stopped working) I wanted to trial some of the latest clippers to see if I could save some money on my next clipper purchase. I decided to start at the bottom with an entry level cheap clipper Babyliss For Men Home Cutting Kit and when that proved useless I tried the Babyliss for Men Pro Power Carbon Clipper . The Pro Power Carbon was not a terrible set of clippers but having come from the Black (Pro Grade) Super Clipper it did seem quite cheap and under powered. It was £40 cheaper than the Super clippers so i didn't have particularly high expectations for it in the first place.

Unfortunately, this left me with a dilemma - Do I trial other mid price/mid range clippers from other brands or do I try and get a newer version of my existing Super Clipper. With my recent experiences I had concluded that you get what you pay for so further cheapo or mid range products were out. Also, I had tried a couple of Wahl clippers in the past and they had cut my head when using the clippers without the guard i.e. grade 0. So the only option was to look for an upgrade. 

After a short search I came across the 'BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper' for £70. This is expensive for hair clippers but was the same price I paid for my previous pro grade ones so I was willing to overlook the cost. With that said the price tag did make me have high expectations, especially since my (afro) hair grows really quickly and needs regular cuts. Only the best tool would do.

UNBOXING AND USEAGE

The first noticeable thing about the XTP Super is that it is very similar to the Super clipper except the XTP is red. When i picked it up out of the box it really had a good weight to it, unlike the cheap clippers I had recently tried. The quality is also extremely impressive with everything feeling solidly contructed and the blade adjustment handle being made of metal and not plastic. I know that some plastics can be robust but the handles on the cheap and mid clippers felt really flimsy and like they would break with relatively little pressure.

The XTP can be used corded or cordless and came precharged which was a nice touch as I could switch it on as soon as it came out of the box. Once I flicked the switch I can only describe the sound of the motor as 'Fast and Angry' which came as a huge relief as the others sounded nowhere near up to the task, whereas I knew I would have no trouble with the XTP.

The true test was the first hair cut which my girlfriend kindly did for me. Having tried the others she commented that the XTP felt more robust, glided through the hair quickly and had little vibration. We were chatting about how good it was and before I knew it the hair cut was over. It is quite the over achiever.

I may sound over enthusiastic about the XTP Super Clipper but it is so nice to find a tool that does it's intended job well and without any fuss. If I was forced to make one criticism it would be that the XTP doesn't come with a bag and scissors, I wouldn't use either of those anyway but I thought it was worth mentioning as many of the other models have them included. The XTP does come with a hard case which stores the power lead, clipper and all its accessories.

I'm extremely happy with this clipper and would recommend it to anyone. It is abit pricey but it will do the job perfectly for many years so I believe it is definately worth the money.

If you have used the XTP or would like to share your experiences with other clippers, please leave a comment.

Product Description / Spec for the BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper 

• Model number: 7475ru.
• Japanese steel blades for smooth, effortless cutting even through longer hair.
• Extra-powered rapid charging system with 2 hours full charge for 90 minutes use or 30 minute quick charge for 30 minutes use.
• Lithium ion gives sustained power performance for reliable cordless use, even at lower charge levels.
• Not washable.
• Grades 1-8.
• Worldwide voltage.
• 2 hour charge time for 85 minutes usage.
• 90minute quick-charge time.
• Included: 10.
• Japanese steel blades.
• For dry use.
• Corded or cordless.
• Self sharpening blades.
• Accessories include: travel pouch, cleaning brush, oil, blade guard, ear taper guides, .

General information:

• Cord / cordless powered.
• Batteries required 1 x Li-Ion (included) .
• Manufacturer's 5 year guarantee.
• EAN: 3030053174752.

BaByliss for Men Home Hair Cutting Kit review

It had been several years since I had looked for clippers and so I wanted to see what the latest and greatest were. I had previously used the BaByliss For Men Super Hair Clipper which were really good good but they were quite expensive at approx £70 and I didn't particularly want to spend this much if I didn't have to. I thought that technology would have moved on quite a bit since my last set of clippers (5 years ago) so I thought I would take a look at the cheapest because 'how bad could they be, right ??' .That was the first mistake.

So I searched a couple of sites before purchasing the BaByliss for Men Home Hair Cutting Kit from Argos. At £15 I wasn't overlly optimistic but I expected a semi decent cut especially since all of the reviews have been positive.

UNBOXING AND USEAGE

On opening the box I was impressed by the number of accessories that were included although the scissors were very flimsy and it was questionnable how well they would cut anything. The worst was yet to come when I looked at the actual clipper and realised that it was very cheap and plastic looking, almost like a toy.

In the hand it felt very light and hollow and when moving the adjustment handle you felt like it was going to snap under the pressure. These clippers are corded so I could plug them in and use them straight away to check how powerful they were.

The first thing I noticed is that they sounded much quieter and slower than my previous BaByliss clipper and combined with the lightness didn't inpire much confidence when it came to cutting ability.

When I put the clippers to my head they immediately got stuck and would not move. I do have afro which can be slightly thicker than straight hair but I would expect that all clippers should at least be able to hair of all ethnicities ?!?. However, it turns out this is not the case. The BaByliss for Men Home Hair Cutting Kit Clipper could not get through my hair AT ALL !!.

It is hard to rate the overall performance of these clippers because there was no actual performance, they just completely failed to cut and caused abit of scalp pain while trying. I honestly don't know what hair these would actually go through but I'm guessing the person must have a head like a seeding dandelion.

Needless to say I would not recommend these clippers to anyone and I promptly packed these back up and returned them to the shop for a full refund.

The search for a new set of clippers ended with me buying the BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper and I am extremely happy with it. It is a little bit more expensive (£70) but it is really powerful and makes cutting hair a breeze. If somebody else cuts your hair they will definitely appreciate how easy this clipper is to handle.

If you have had any experience with the 'BaByliss for Men Home Hair Cutting Kit' or any other clipper please share your experience in the comments below.

Product description for BaByliss for Men Home Hair Cutting Kit

Lightweight mains hair clipper with extra long 2.2m cord for total ease of use. Diamond sharpened stainless steel blades for a precision cut. 

• Model number: 7452U.
• 5 Position taper control for afine cut adjustment.
• Complete with a range of accessories and a convenient case for easy storage.
• Not washable.
• Grades 1-8.
• Included: 8x comb guides, left and right taper combs, cleaning brush, pouch, scissors, oil, blade guard.
• Stainless steel blades.
• For dry use.
• Corded.
• Accessories include: travel pouch, cleaning brush, scissors, oil, blade guard, ear taper guides, .

General information:

• Mains powered.
• Manufacturer's 3 year guarantee.
• EAN: 3030053074526.

BaByliss For Men Pro Power Carbon Hair Clipper review

When my long serving (roughly 5 years) BaByliss Super Hair Clipper finally called it a day and stopped working I decided I needed to look for a new set of clippers.

I didn't want to spend the same amount of money (approx £70) on a 'professional grade' clipper if I didn't need to so I tried the BaByliss Home Hair Cutting Kit which was one of the cheaper clippers that was available and what could easily be considered 'entry level'. Before trying this clipper I thought 'how bad can it be ?' but it turns out that they were awful and in all honesty I think you could barely categorize them as clippers since they could not cut my hair at all.

I am a realist though and I accepted that the BaByliss Home Hair Cutting Kit is the bottom end of the market so I couldn't really expect too much, so I decided to try something in the middle namely are you there BaByliss For Men Pro Power Carbon Hair Clipper.

This clipper looked great on the website, had great reviews and was expensive enough to expect a quality cut on my hair. It also came with a case and a number of accessories that although I wouldn't use did make me feel like I was getting value for money.

Unboxing and useage

Unboxing the clipper was reassuring since it looked bulkier and better quality than the BaByliss Home Hair Cutting Kit . The accessories looked great and everything was going well until I started it up and began using it. The first noticeable difference between my previous BaByliss Super Hair Clipper and my current BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper is that the BaByliss For Men Pro Power Carbon Hair Clipper sounded very weak and underpowered. It is also significantly lighter which is not a good thing as a bit of weight makes cutting easier (as long as it has a powerful motor powering the blades).

Much like the BaByliss Home Hair Cutting Kit  the adjustment leaver is plastic and felt very flimsy and i'm convinced that had i had kept the clipper would have snapped off eventually.
When it came to cutting ability it was better than the BaByliss Home Hair Cutting Kit  which sounds positive but this was not a huge achievement since that clipper failed to cut my hair at all. 

The BaByliss For Men Pro Power Carbon Hair Clipper kept getting stuck in my hair because the blades could not cut the hair fast enough to keep up with a normal hand movement. So the reality is that if you were desperate and didn't want to spend the extra money this clipper could do the job but it would take forever to complete a full hair cut.

Cutting hair is a very tedious task at the best of times but the last thing you need is a very poor tool to do the job so this clipper went straight back to the shop. This was disappointing because I expected to get a fairly decent cut for the money spent on the clipper. I have very short (grade 0) afro hair which I know is about tougher but these clippers are so bad I'm very confused as to what type of hair this actually cuts.

As this was the second set of clippers I have tried and were unsuccessful I decided to bite the bullet and buy the much more expensive BaByliss For Men Lithium XTP Super Hair Clipper. This was a great move because it is a wonderful set of clippers, very powerful, robust, high quality and it does my hair in no time. It is heavier than the Carbon clipper which means it is easier to use and has less vibration in the hand than other models. 
Hopefully, this review has been helpful. If you have used this clipper or any others and would like to share your experience please use the comment section below.

Product description for BaByliss For Men Pro Power Carbon Hair Clipper

• Model number: 7472u.
• Carbon steel blades for smooth, fast, effortless cutting.
• Not washable.
• Grades 1-8.
• Worldwide voltage.
• 3 hour charge time for 40 minutes usage.
• 40minute quick-charge time.
• Included: 6.
• High carbon steel blades.
• For dry use.
• Pop-up trimmer.
• Corded or cordless.
• Self sharpening blades.
• Accessories include: travel pouch, cleaning brush, scissors, oil, blade guard, .
• Cord / cordless powered.
• Batteries required 1 x rechargeable (included) .
• Manufacturer's 3 year guarantee.
• EAN: 3030053074724.

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.