
There are many different types, materials, and lengths to choose from, which is why clipper guards are not a simple item to shop for. You’ve also got to worry about compatibility, i.e., whether or not a guard kit is designed to fit your trimmer model. To help you out, this article lists some of the finest clipper guards of 2023, along with a buyer’s guide to help you choose the right set. Keep reading!
Comparing Our Favorite Clipper Guard of 2023
CR8GR8 Clipper Guard – Best Overall

Using these, you can give yourself basic haircuts saving up to $250 every year on barbershop trips! They’re also perfect for giving your kid(s) a neat-looking haircut right at home, even if they don’t want to cut it too short. Overall, the guards are long enough for styling but small enough for a proper haircut. Just pop them into your Wahl clippers and start giving yourself perfectly even haircuts consistently. Boasting the largest guard length with a variety of other sizes to pick from, this clipper guard set is easily our top choice overall.
- Ideal at-home guards for Wahl full-sized clippers
- Eight different sizes to work with
- Available in green and gray
- The only 3-inch clipper guard available online
- Too long for beard trimming
Wahl Professional Clipper Guard – Most Popular Brand

This range of sizes is ideal for all sorts of complex haircuts and precision fades, especially for customers who ask for a specific numbered fade. The numbers 1 or 3, for instance, would correspond to the ⅛ and ⅜-inch sizes in this set of premium cutting guides by Wahl. It’s an ideal piece of equipment for pro stylists and barbers.
- All-black guides match well with clippers
- Compatible with most full-size Wahl clippers
- Ideal for precision fades and complex haircuts
- Incompatible with Wahl’s Competition series and detachable
Miaco Clipper Guard – Most Affordable

Since these clipper guards are made out of plastic, the build feels flimsier than steel alternatives, but the guards are sturdy enough to resist cracks for a long time. Being the cheapest option on this list, there’s not much room to complain — especially since it gets the job done so well with complete compatibility with blades in a certain width range, as well as the entire line of Wahl’s full-size clippers.
- Very affordable price point
- Highly versatile with broad compatibility
- Covers the three most common fade lengths
- Flimsy build quality
LAVEST Clipper Guard – Biggest Set

The sizes are mentioned on each guard with easy-to-read etchings, but you’ll eventually remember them by their dedicated color once you get used to them. For your convenience, there’s also an organizer tray to store all guards safely. These clipper guards work with countless Wahl trimmer models, including the 5 Star series, Color Pro, Elite Pro, Home Pro, Ico, Pilot, Self-Cut Pro, Senior, Extreme Grip Pro, FadeCut, and HomeCut, among many others.
- Color-coded for easy identification
- Comes with a convenient organizer tray
- Premium-quality, flexible guards made out of nylon
- Guards don’t have any sharp edges
- Won’t fit Wahl’s Competition series
- A little flimsy
Andis Clipper Guard – Sturdiest Build

These guards feature the sturdiest construction on this list with a metal build, and you can tell that just by picking one up. They’re very simple to clean, provide sharp performance, and last a long time despite repeated and frequent use in a busy barber shop. The sizes included are zero, one, two, three, and four — i.e., ¹⁄₁₆, ⅛, ¼, ⅜, and ½ inch.
- Sturdy, waterproof clipping guards
- High-quality metal construction
- Fits a variety of Andis clipper models
- Slightly pricey
Buying Guide: Clipper Guards
These accessories allow stylists to cut your hair in accurately measured lengths. Switching them out for a different size for each new layer of the fade lets them create seamless gradients, which simply wouldn’t be possible without a clipper guide attached to their machine. If you’re planning to purchase a set to serve your customers better, or to start giving yourself DIY haircuts at home, here’s every purchase consideration you need to keep in mind!
Compatibility
Firstly, consider the brand and compatibility of the clipper guides you’re considering purchasing. That’s because not all guards are meant to fit your particular trimmer model. If you’ve got a Wahl full-size hair clipper, you need guards from either Wahl themselves, or a third-party manufacturer that creates Wahl-compatible guards.
Similarly, certain clipper guards are exclusively designed for Andis clipper models and probably won’t fit your Wahl trimmer.
Brand
These guards can be from Wahl and Andis as native clipper attachments. Ideally, you should get attachments for your clipper from the company that made it (which would usually be Wahl and Andis) as those guards are always high-quality, durable, precise, and easy to install. But, with that said, they’re also relatively expensive!
If you don’t want to pay the big bucks for these premium guides, you can also purchase them from brands like LAVEST, Miaco, and CR8GR8 to get the job done for a fraction of the price. All sets clearly state which clipper models they fit, so pay attention to that before adding it to your cart!
Sizes
The size of the guides in your new set is a key consideration for barbers and stylists. It mostly depends on the type of customers you get in your shop and the haircuts they demand. As an example, for customers who mostly want a number one or two fade, you need a precise set of guides which includes a dedicated guard for ⅛ and ²⁄₈-inch hair lengths.
Did you know that the comb numbering system that’s currently used in the industry was created by Wahl? It entails the following sizes:
Guard Comb Number | #½ | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #8 | #10 | #12 |
Size in Inches | ¹⁄₁₆ | ⅛ | ¼ | ⅜ | ½ | ⅝ | ¾ | 1 | 1 – 1 ¼ | 1 – 1 ½ |
When you’re in the market for a set of clipper guards for your shop, pick one that includes your most-used clipper lengths depending on the type of haircuts you usually do for your customers.
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