Review of the Evolution Barber ProBoost clipper

The main character of our review is the Evolution Barber ProBoost hair clipper. This is an affordable solution for those who prefer to do haircuts at home, as well as for those who are often away from city infrastructure, for example, work on a rotational basis or spend a lot of time in the country.

Without further delay, let's take a look at the device and test it in action.

^* Contrary to popular belief, this is not the time limit after which the device will necessarily break down. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its performance and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.

The machine is packed in a small cardboard box with a minimalist design: a vector illustration of the machine is shown on a white background. On the sides there are icons with brief captions representing the main characteristics of the device.

The back of the box contains a detailed description of the machine, its capabilities and technical characteristics in Russian and English.

Inside, the contents were placed in a plastic tray.

Upon unpacking, we found the following components inside the package:

• Hair clipper
• Two plastic comb attachments
• USB charging cable
• Cleaning brush
• Instructions with warranty card

We see that the equipment of the machine is quite standard, including everything necessary to start using and maintaining the device. No charger was found, but this is even convenient, given the abundance of low-power USB chargers in the house.

At first glance, the hair clipper leaves a rather pleasant impression, especially considering its affordable price, which at the time of preparation of the review was less than 1,500 rubles.

The body is made of matte black plastic, which gives it a stylish and balanced look. The design looks organic and thoughtful. The only element that can give away the budget of the device is the plastic plug at the bottom of the case, painted to look like metal.

The Evolution logo is visible on the front panel, located above the power button. Below are three white LED indicators.

Although there is no special grip zone on the body, the machine fits comfortably in the hand and does not slip or slip due to its ergonomic design.

On the back there is a connector for installing floating combs. To the right and left of the connector there are digital symbols corresponding to the selected haircut length. The values on the left are for the comb labeled A, and on the right are the values for the comb labeled B.

The ridges themselves look pretty standard. Particular attention is drawn to the plastic guides with which the combs are fixed in the body of the machine. However, this solution may not seem very reliable: the guides can easily bend and are probably at risk of breaking if handled carelessly. With this in mind, it is recommended to store one of the combs in a box, and keep the second one permanently installed on the machine.

The first comb allows you to adjust the cutting length in the range from 3 to 21 mm in 3 mm increments. The second is from 10 to 28 mm in 3 mm increments.

On the front side of the ridges there is a spring-loaded locking button. To change the length of the haircut, you must press this button, but even with a little force you can accidentally change the position of the comb, accompanied by a louder clicking sound.

At the bottom of the machine there are inscriptions with the model number and technical information.

The plastic power button is located conveniently under the thumb.

Three LEDs located below indicate the current battery charge level.

Now let's look at knives. The cutting mechanism consists of two parts. The first is a movable metal knife, and the second is a fixed one. The knives are made of stainless steel and, according to information from the manufacturer, are self-sharpening. The width of the cutting part is 3.5 cm.

The spring-loaded knife block easily snaps off, which allows you to inspect its insides, as well as clean cut hair and lubricate it with oil.

Under the knife block you can see how the driving moment is transmitted to the knives. This machine uses a standard solution — a pin with a displaced center of rotation.

At the bottom of the machine there is a connector for connecting the power adapter. Despite the fact that the machine is charged from a regular USB, the connector on the device itself is non-standard. Finding a similar cable can be difficult and sometimes impossible.

The cable length is 0.7 m, which provides sufficient comfort while charging the machine.

The kit also includes a brush for cleaning the mechanism from hair cuttings, which makes cleaning the device easier.

Well, everything looks pretty good. Let's see what will happen next.

The user manual is presented in the form of a compact brochure printed on black and white glossy paper. It contains simple and concise information about the rules of operation and care of the device, allowing you to receive all the necessary instructions.

However, obvious errors were found in the instructions: part of the text was clearly copied from the manual for another device model, which differs both in characteristics and in appearance. After contacting the device supplier, it was explained to us that this was a problem with only one batch and that the next version of the manual would correct these errors.

The machine has two controls: a power button, as well as the ability to change the length of the haircut by moving the sliding combs.

Under the button there are three white LEDs that indicate the charge level (three lights on — fully charged, one — minimal). During charging, the indicators remain on without changing color as long as the machine is connected to the network.

The cutting length changes in steps with a slight click. The nozzle extends from the device body or, conversely, slides inward.

The set length is displayed in numbers opposite which the arrow stops on the ridge.

Before using the device for the first time, it is recommended to charge it for 4-6 hours, and not 14-16 hours, as indicated in the instructions. To extend the life of the machine, it is recommended to completely discharge the battery every 6 months.

The instructions do not contain information about whether the device can be used with the power adapter connected. However, we have verified that this is possible, although it is recommended to avoid this usage scenario to avoid damaging the battery. The stated battery capacity is 1200 mAh, and the operating time is about 120 minutes.

For cutting, it is recommended to wash, dry and comb your hair. For a short haircut, you do not need to use combs, the installation of which allows you to adjust the length of the haircut. The cutting process should be carried out without applying strong pressure to the device.

Recommended cutting order: back of neck first (3 or 6 mm), then back of head (12 or 18 mm), side of head (3 or 6 mm), trim at top (24 mm) and contour at base and sides of neck without comb attachment.

The machine may become hot during use, which can lead to premature deformation and wear of the knives. It is recommended to take breaks during cutting and avoid heating the blades.

Sliding combs are convenient for home use, but may be inconvenient for frequent use. During operation, the machine cuts hair clearly and accurately, without catching it. It is recommended to clean knives from time to time to remove accumulated hair.

To ensure a long service life of the machine, it is necessary to regularly clean the blades and body of the device. After each use, the blades should be cleaned with a brush and the body should be wiped with a damp cloth and then dried. It is also recommended to periodically lubricate the blades by dropping a few drops of oil on them.

The blades can also be washed under running water, but before doing this they must be removed by snapping the knife block off the machine body.

The housing can be washed under running water. The manufacturer claims that the device has an IPX7 protection standard, which means it is highly protected from dust and moisture. It can withstand immersion in water up to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes. However, please remember that the device can only be exposed to water if it is not connected to the mains.

In general, caring for the device and its daily cleaning does not cause any problems.

During the charging process, the machine consumes very little energy: we recorded readings of about 2-3 W on the wattmeter. The LED indicators light up continuously when the device is connected to the charger: first one LED lights up, then two, and finally all three.

A full charge takes only 2 hours and 10 minutes.

In terms of runtime, we took measurements by running the machine without load for successive 5-minute periods. It turned out that this model is capable of working in this mode for 2 hours and 15 minutes. This is slightly more than stated by the manufacturer.

This time we decided to change our usual testing methods and invite a hairdresser to do a single test.

Indeed, it is important to understand how effectively a machine can be used for a high-quality haircut in real conditions, and not just evaluate its performance with different attachments on models. We focused on how to conveniently and efficiently cut your hair using a clipper.

During testing, we used two machines: the Evolution Barber ProBoost and the older model Barber Full control. We tried to divide the areas of work between them so that they did not overlap: one machine was used on one side of the head, and another on the other. The photographs show the operation of the machine on the left side of the head (unless otherwise indicated in the comments).

We checked how both clippers cope with different areas of the haircut, and recorded our feelings and impressions. Having started testing with fairly long hair, we were able to fully evaluate the performance of the clippers.

Let’s say in advance that the general impressions of both machines turned out to be similar, and the quality of the haircut was considered quite decent. In some cases, it was even difficult for us to distinguish the results of a “blind” haircut.

We started the haircut by treating the neck area. Here is the initial state.

...but after just a few minutes of processing with the machine.

The beginning has been set, and so far everything is going well. The machine works confidently, cuts hair on the first pass, and does not catch individual strands. The haircut process takes place without any inconvenience.

Now we move on to processing the side sections. We cut the hair from the side of the neck and shorten it short in the ear area.

A little more processing, and you can move on to shortening the bulk of the hair.

We work from the bottom and top using scissors, and on the back we again switch to the machine. We try to avoid sudden transitions, so we change the position of the sliding ridge from time to time. While sharp transitions remain noticeable, we will have to conduct some experiments with the position of the ridges.

...finally we arrive at a satisfactory result.

We were convinced that our machine completed the task quite successfully. It was quite easy to cut one person's hair, and we didn't notice the blades overheating too much (though we did, of course, take short breaks from time to time).

In our testing, the Evolution Barber ProBoost performed quite well, especially considering its affordable price. We were satisfied with the cutting process: the hair was cut easily and evenly, and the knives did not pull on individual hairs, which often happens with budget models.

Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting that the quality of the knives is not the highest: you can feel some unevenness and roughness to the touch. In addition, we noticed a noticeable heating of the knives during operation. We recommend limiting yourself to cutting one person's hair at a time, as prolonged use may cause the blades to overheat and become deformed.

The motor power seemed quite adequate for a “home” haircut of any complexity. As for the sliding combs, this, in our opinion, is a nice solution for home use, which, however, can cause some inconvenience if the device is intended to be used frequently.

Pros:

• low price
• decent appearance
• decent quality haircut

Minuses:

• сNot the highest quality knives