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

Loud Clunking Metal Sound In Car When Turning The Steering Wheel - Broken Coil Spring

After hitting a patch of black ice one day and helping my car through two 90 degree turns I noticed a clunking metal sound coming from the drivers side when I turned the wheel. The sound didn't happen on every turn of the wheel but would happen each time I completed one revolution of the wheel. It would definitely happen loudly when I was turning the wheel into full lock for parking.

I checked online and had noticed alot of people advising it was the 'CV joint' but as I was due to have my MOT anyway, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and ask that they take a look into it.

The mechanic eventually put me out of misery by telling me the problem was quite common as I had a broken 'Coil Spring'. He said they replace these on cars every single day so it won't take long to fix. In terms of cost he said I was looking at £85 which included my retest and MOT pass certificate.

How to check if you have a broken coil spring

1. Check if you hear a loud metallic clunking sound when you turn the wheel. On my car after the clunk it would resonate a little as the broken spring vibrated.

2. While stationary full lock the wheel to the right and go to the wheel arch where the  sound is coming from. Take a powerful torch and shine it up into the wheel arch.

3. Directly above the wheel you should see the bottom of a large spring. It is tricky because of the lack of space but try to look up the spring as much as you can. If the crack/break is on the bottom of the spring it should be easy to spot.

4. Full lock the steering to the left and repeat if you don't get a good view the first time.

5. If you still can't get a good view and have access to a home jack, Jack the car up and take the wheel off to take a closer look.

At this stage if you can see a break and have the knowledge and tools to fix it yourself then this is recommended, however, if you are like me and have neither I would suggest taking the car to a reputable garage and ask them to put it up on the ramp and confirm the issue.

If this article helped you or would like to share your own experiences, please leave a comment below.

What Is The Cost Of Replacing A Rear Window In The Back Of A Peugeot 206

I received a knock on the door from a neighbor one day who  said "Sorry mate but I think someone has smashed in the back window on your car ".  Unfortunately there were no parking spaces outside my house the night before so I parked it further up the road towards our local pub  so I wasn't able to see it from my house.

As I left the house and walked up the road part of me was hoping that my neighbor was confused and that somebody else's car had been damaged but unfortunately I was greeted with the scene in the picture on the right which was my car.

I obviously went through the natural emotions that come with seeing your property mindlessly damaged  by someone you will never get to confront  but once I got over that and some inner grumbling about broken Britain, the youth of today and Drunken punters,   I needed to figure out what I was going to do.

The first thing I did was call the police who told me that unless I had  video evidence of who did it they would not be investigating it.  This was not very helpful but they did give me a crime reference number for my insurance company.  When I called the insurance company they told me that I did not have window cover on my policy and even if I did I would need to pay a £250 excess.

It was at this point that I realized that  not only had my property been damaged causing me great inconvenience but it was also going to cost me quite a lot of money to get it fixed.  I called around a few local window repair places and came across one that seemed helpful and well priced.  The other bonus was that they could fit me in the next day which meant that my car only had to be unsecured overnight.

I taped some plastic sheeting to the inside of the back window and the boot as a best effort to keep out the pouring rain (which decided to start as soon as I went to the car !!) and finished up by clearing the broken glass out of the street.

The next day I visited the windscreen repair place and they said that they will get it sorted within the hour  and fit a replacement window.  He told me the back window was actually the worst to get broken because it has the rear heated element running through the glass.

I watched the guy doing the job and everything went smoothly apart from the fact that they could not open the boot. The reason for this is that the glass had shattered and gone down into the frame of the boot and it was actually blocking the mechanism from working.  Thankfully the guys were very used to this kind of issue but he did tell me that the shards of glass get everywhere and although they will do their best they won't be able to get every single piece out because it works its way into the frame of the car.  I wasn't too bothered by this as long as it got fixed and to their credit they did work very hard to try and remove as much glass as possible from the boot. I did occasionally hear a few pieces rattling around as I was driving around but it was nothing major .

Due to the issue with the boot it did take just over an hour to get my car sorted and cost £210  but my window was fixed,  the car was secure again and the rear heated element did get reattached and was working.

I would like to think that my experience was the last piece of mindless vandalism that would take place but I'm guessing as you're reading this it may have happened to you so my apologies. Hopefully you found this blog post helpful and if you would like to share your experience please leave a comment.

Tend Skin Liquid Review - The Miracle Cure For Razor Bumps, Ingrown Hairs And Shaving Rash

Tend Skin is a liquid treatment for eliminating razor bumps, ingrown hairs and shaving rashes and is just one of those products that I cannot praise highly enough.  In fact it is so effective it has actually saved me from several surgeries !! .

I have curly Afro hair and several years ago I started to get razor bumps due to ingrown hairs.  I used to monitor these and at first they were easy to spot and I would just extract them with a pin to stop them going further into my skin, however, as time went on they became harder and harder to spot until in the end one developed into a large bump and I could not get to the hair. This bump  was located underneath my chin and got bigger and bigger over time.  I tried to dig into it with a pin to reach the hair but this was extremely painful and unsuccessful.

In the end I became so paranoid about the lump I visited the doctor to see if they could do anything about it.  The doctor said that what they could do is send me to surgery and get them to slice the lump off with a scalpel.  Unfortunately I suffer from Keloid scars so I was worried what I would look like after I'd had this procedure,  this was in addition to not liking the thought of somebody slicing my face with a scalpel.  The doctor said it should be okay as the face has a good blood supply but he recommended I speak to the consultant at General Surgery that will carry out the procedure.

I turned up on the day of the proposed surgery and when I spoke to the consultant I asked him what he would be doing and how big the scar would be.  He told me that there would be an inch long scar underneath my chin following the procedure.  Due to the size of this incision and the subsequent Keloid scar this would have been really noticeable and would have been worse than the actual razor bump (which was approx 1cm in diameter).  I told him that this was unacceptable and asked if there was another way to which he responded "This is general surgery this is what we do, do you want it or not ?".

He seemed a little disgruntled but I told him that I would need to go away and think about it because I didn't want such severe scarring on my face.

I returned to the doctor and explained the situation and asked if there was anything else he could do. He then told me that rather than send me to General Surgery he will send me to plastic surgery instead to see if there was a way of doing the procedure with less scaring.

I went to the plastic surgery appointment and spoke to the consultant who said that he could shave the lump down with a scalpel in stages until it reaches the level of my chin.  The incision will be confined to the lump diameter itself so the scar should be minimal.

This was much better news so this is the option that I went for.  On completion of the surgery I asked the surgeon what he found and he said that the razor bump had developed into a cyst which is not what we were expecting and he said that I may encounter this problem again in the future.

All of this had started with an ingrown hair/razor bump and I knew that it was a matter of time until it happened again and more surgeries followed. My girlfriend decided to have a look to see if there was any cosmetic product that would be appropriate for me. After a bit of searching on the web she stumbled upon a product called Tend Skin and ordered it.

What is Tend Skin and what does it do ?

The ingredients stated on the bottle of Tend Skin are : Isopropyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Acetylsalicylic Acid, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Polysorbate 80 but to be totally honest that doesn't mean a lot to me.  What is important though is how it works and from a customer's perspective what I do is I apply it with a cotton wool bud directly to the ingrown hair/razor bump and a little bit of 10 skin and applied to the razor bump it seems to have a drying effect on the lawn and with multiple applications (maybe four or five times a day) you can quickly get on top of it. In terms of effect, it seems to have a dry the bump out allowing the dead skin to crumble away until it vanishes completely or you can reduce the lump enough to see the underlying hair and extract it.

Since I had my surgery I have had many ingrown hairs/razor bumps and every single one has been dealt with successfully with Tend Skin.  I do believe that if Tend Skin hadn't been so effective and I was unable to find an alternative product I would've had to visit Plastic Surgery again for more procedures.

How much does it cost ?

Tend Skin costs approximately £20 for a 236ml bottle, however, if applied with a cotton bud one bottle will last a very long time.  I think I had my last little bottle for several years.

Overall Tend Skin is a fantastic product and I don't know what shape my face would be in if we hadn't come across it many years ago.  It is always good to have a product that works 100% every time and so Tend Skin has not let me down and I would recommend it to anybody.

If you have used Tend Skin and would like to share your experience, please use the comments section below

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.