What clippers are rated for the clippers for the Poodle coat?
There are a lot of clipper models to choose from but to help shorten your list, work out your poodle’s coat type first (check the coat list above), then match their coat to the clipper list below.
How to know if clippers are rated for fleece or wool Poodle coats?
Clippers generally come in 4 levels. Light use, Medium-duty, Heavy-duty or Super duty. They are available in corded or cordless. For the fleece or wool coat, look for a clipper rated from high-level heavy duty up to super duty. Always upgrade to super duty if budget allows. The clipper description might say they are super duty, otherwise, it will say something along the lines of ‘rated for full-body clipping’ for ‘difficult’ coats. The clipper shortlists below don’t include every model rated for wool and fleece coats, but do include our best sellers as a shortlist to get you started.
If you don’t see “super duty” mentioned in the clipper description, look for the mention of “for full-body clipping” for thick, difficult or matted coats. That tells you the clippers can handle knotted or matted coats, dense or double coats, thick or cottony undercoats, and tangle-prone coats. If you’re looking for clippers that can cope with full-body clipping, then avoid clippers that say they are rated “light use” or “medium duty” or clippers that say they are for “touch ups” or for “trimming only”. Trimming and clipping are not the same.
Most clippers rated for the Poodle coat will be multi-speed clippers. 2 speed are the most common, but 5 speed are also available in the newer models. Some single-speed clippers are rated for the fleece and wool coat (because what they don’t have in speed, they make up for in torque). Aim to run clippers on the lower speed in general, which keeps blades cooler for longer, and save the higher speeds to keep in reserve for thicker or knotted areas.
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What about clippers for the straight or hair coat?
These 2 coat types aren’t as often trimmed with clippers but can be. A heavy-duty clipper, single or 2 speed, will do the job nicely, just be sure to follow standard coat prep (below) before you clip.
IMPORTANT: Know what A5 means before you buy!
If the clipper description says A5 model (or A5 style or A5 type), that means the clipper is compatible with all standard blades and all universal comb attachments by any brand. That means no restrictions on you now or later, and you can mix and match brands. Some clippers have a limited range of blades and comb attachments, but A5 model clippers fit every size standard blade by all brands, and have the widest range of universal comb attachments available, for coat lengths from under 1mm to over 3cms.
Clipper models rated for the fleece or wool coat
These are all A5 models. This is not a complete list! Just a handy starting point so you’re not overwhelmed with options. Don’t rule out other clippers just because they are not listed here.
Corded Clippers
Andis AGC Brushless Super 2 Speed.
3 colors: Fuchsia Pink | Cobalt Blue | Lime Green | Burgundy
Wahl KM5 2 Speed.
2 colors: Original Purple | Gunmetal Grey
Wahl KM10 Brushless 2 Speed.
One color: Blue
Andis Excel 5 Speed.
3 colors: Gloss Black | Magenta Pink | Limited Edition Confetti
Cordless clippers
Andis Pulse ZR II 5 Speed. 2 colors and 2 blade options. All options come with 2 batteries and case: Original Black with 10 blades | Limited Edition Galaxy with 10 blades | Original Black with 40 blade
Heiniger Saphir Single Speed. Available in 1 color, with 2 battery options: With 1 battery Saphir > | with 2 batteries and case Saphir >
Wahl KM Cordless 2 Speed Brushless (this model doesn’t have removable batteries): KM Cordless >
2 speed or 5 speed?
If budget allows, a 5-speed clipper is worth considering. Most clippers have 2 speeds. A 5-speed clipper has the same top speeds as a 2 speed but gives you extra, lower speeds. Those lower speeds mean you can turn the clippers down to run quieter with less vibration. That’s a benefit for very anxious dogs who are more touch-sensitive or noise-sensitive than normal. At lower speeds the blade stays cooler for longer also, helping avoid blade burn. 5-speed clippers still have the same high speeds and extra torque as a 2-speed offers, needed for difficult, thick, or knotted areas.
How do you compare clipper speeds?
To compare speeds look for the SPM (Strokes Per Minute). Lower speeds tend to be around 1,500 to 2,000 SPM. Higher speeds can go up to 3,800+ SPM or more. To keep blades cooler for longer, always use the lowest speed that will do the job. To reduce blade burn, touch the blade every 10 minutes or so and apply coolant when needed. Remember to always apply oil to the blade before use, and again after you apply coolant. The oil keeps the metal lubricated to reduce friction, which reduces blade heat. Most clippers only come with a very small amount of oil, so it’s recommended to always buy a bottle of clipper oil with your clippers. You’ll need it.
What does brushless mean?
As the name suggests, a brushless motor doesn’t have brushes. Brushes wear down over time. Being brushless extends a clipper motor’s lifetime up to 10 to 12 times, like the 10,000+ hour Andis Endurance model. Brushless motors provide better power efficiency, around 85% to 90% efficiency vs brushed motors at 75% to 80%. They offer increased torque as well. Brushless motors adjust to the job at hand, giving more torque when needed for tough jobs, dense, difficult, or matted coats. No brushes to wear out means lower maintenance. A brushless motor also tends to be noticeably lighter and quieter than a brushed motor clipper. They also run cooler, with less friction and reduced heat. Being newer technology, however, brushless clippers can require a higher investment than the traditional brushed motor clippers, but as everyone moves to brushless, prices are starting to come down. Both Andis and Wahl offer a number of brushless clipper models.
Clippers for STRAIGHT or HAIR coats
Corded Clippers
Andis AGC Brushless 2 Speed.
Wahl KM2 2 Speed.
Cordless Clippers
Andis Pulse ZR II 5 Speed.
2 colors and 2 blade options. All options come with 2 batteries and case.
Original Black with 10 blades | Original Black with 40 blade | Galaxy Limited Edition with 10 blades
Heiniger Saphir Single Speed.
Available in 1 color, with 2 battery options.
Saphir with 1 battery | Saphir with 2 batteries and case
Wahl KM Cordless 2 Speed Brushless.
This model doesn’t have removable batteries.
Do I need to buy extra blades with my clipper?
All the clippers above come with a standard #10 blade included free. They do not come with longer blades, or with comb attachments. To get longer coat lengths check the poodle blade guide below before you buy. With most clippers, you will also need to purchase: oil, coolant, at least one comb attachment, or one longer blade. See the blade and comb attachment guide below.
Trimmers for the Poodle Coat
Do I need to get a trimmer as well as a clipper?
No, a trimmer is not essential, but many poodle owners do get a trimmer. Trimmers are made for injury-prone, sensitive, delicate, smaller areas. Including tidying up the feet, trimming fur short in-between paw pads, tidying up around the face, the inside and edges of ears, around the eyes, nose, and mouth, and for sanitary areas (around the rectum and genitals). Trimmers are cordless and are smaller, lighter, quieter, and lower vibration than clippers.
Full-size clippers can be used for those same areas too, however, they are larger, with a wider blade, noisier, and higher vibration. Vibration is felt more by a dog on sensitive areas and where the coat is thinner. Rather than decide now, you can always just get a clipper for now, and see how you and your dog go with clipping those delicate areas, then decide about getting a trimmer later.
Trimmers rated for all Poodle coat types.
Mini trimmers have around a 3cm blade width. Ideal for all size Poodles but particularly well suited for toy and smaller size Poodles, including Cavoodles and Spoodles. A full-size clipper has a blade width of around 5cm.
Shernbao Mini (budget option)
Wahl Brav Mini
Heiniger Mini
MIDI trimmers have a medium-width blade around 4cm. For trimming all size Poodles but most popular for medium to larger Poodles, including larger and standard-size Labradoodles and Retrodoodles. Can also be used as a puppy’s first clipper for full body clipping before they get their adult coat.
Codos Trimmer > (budget option)
Andis Pulse Li5 >
Wahl Arco >
Blades and comb attachments for the Poodle coat.
Check your clipper model first before you buy a blade or comb attachment. If you have an A5 clipper of any brand, all standard blades by any brand will fit on your clipper, no matter what brand your clipper or the blade is. An A5 model clipper lets you mix and match brands, so an Andis blade can go on a Wahl clipper, a Geib blade on an Andis clipper, a universal Wahl comb attachment on an Andis blade, and so on. If you don’t know if you have an A5 model clipper, check the A5 clipper chart here.
The most popular blades for the Poodle coat are listed below.
The short blades.
#10 Blade The ‘standard blade’. Comes free with most clippers. Leaves the coat around 2mm (or up to 3cm when used with a comb attachment). Use by itself for anywhere you want the coat very short, such as paw pads, inside / under ears, sanitary areas, tummy, rectum, and genitals.
You can also attach any brand of universal comb attachment on any brand of 10 blades, to get longer coat lengths, from 3mm to over 3cm without buying multiple blades.
#15 Blade Shorter than a size 10, leaves the coat around 1.2mm. An optional length for paw pads instead of a 10. If you have a trimmer you would not need this length of the blade. Some comb attachments also fit on size 15 blades.
See ‘How to choose comb attachments’ below
Important to know before buying longer blades.
Blade sizes 10, 15, 30, 40, and 50 are short blades. They only come in one tooth type, called finish cut. Popular body length blades like the 7, 5, 4 and 3, are long blades. When you buy any longer blade, they come in two teeth types. Either finish cut or skip tooth. A finish cut blade will have F or FC listed after the blade size. A skip tooth blade will say ST.
A skip tooth blade has every second tooth shorter. A finish cut blade has all the teeth of the same length. Unless you are experienced or trained using skip tooth blades, always get the finish cut version when buying any longer blade. All blades 10 or shorter – such as 10, 15, or 30 – are always finish cut (all the teeth are the same length) so short blades don’t say F, FC, or ST after the size.
For more about blade types, search ‘finish cut’ or ‘skip tooth’ in the Help section
The long blades.
#7 Blade (3mm) For badly knotted or matted coats (if the mats have formed up close to the skin you may have to use a shorter 10 blade instead). Leaves the coat around 3mm depending in the direction you clip* Get the F or FC version unless experienced.
*Search ‘direction’ in the help section to learn more about what direction to clip the coat, and how it changes coat length
#5 Blade (6mm) For a very short trim, or when the coat has a few tangles but isn’t knotted. Leaves the coat around 6mm depending on the direction you clip. Get the F or FC version unless experienced.
#4 Blade (9mm) Standard length for a summer trim, or to keep the coat trimmed short all year round. Leaves the coat around 1cm depending on the direction you clip. Better coat prep required. Get the FC version unless experienced.
#3 Blade (13mm) For a longer trim, leaving the coat around 13mm depending on the direction you clip. Very good coat prep required. Get the FC version unless experienced.
3/4 HT Blade (19mm) The longest blade. Excellent coat prep is needed.
Important: This blade is best for experienced users only, and the coat must be 100% free of knots & tangles, otherwise use a 3 or 4 blade instead, or use a comb attachment on a 10 blade (see ‘puppy cut’ below). A blade this long is more difficult to use unless experienced.
Puppy Cut or Teddy Bear Trim (2cm to 3cm) > For a longer, fluffier coat length, make sure the coat is free of knots or mats first, then use a universal comb attachment on top of your 10 or 30 blade. Comb attachments go up to 2.5cms in stainless steel or 3.2cms in plastic.
How to choose comb attachments?
Any brand of 10 blade fits any brand of universal comb attachment. You can mix and match brands (use a Wahl universal comb attachment on an Andis 10 blade for example). Some universal comb attachments also fit on size 15 and size 30 blades.
Stainless steel comb attachments are recommended for the wool or fleece coat, as these clip on to the blade more firmly on all 4 sides, so are better for thicker, curlier coats. Check the coat prep instructions below, because if a grooming comb cannot get through the coat without getting stuck in tangles or knots, a blade with a comb attachment on will not get through either. To keep a ‘poodle’s coat long, you need to keep it free of knots, otherwise, you can choose a shorter blade that can go ‘under the knots.
Poodle grooming guide by body area.
HEAD, TAIL, EARS > Use scissors or mini trimmers for these areas. Short, safety tip scissors are the most popular for trimming delicate areas to avoid injury. Ideal for eyebrows, around eyes, the nose, and mouth. Thinners are popular for a more natural, textured look, popular for longer ears and feathery tails, for blending shorter coat areas smoothly into longer coat areas, for creating a smooth, rounded ‘teddy bear’ head, and removing clipper track marks. Check the ‘poodle gallery (linked below) for ideas.
LEGS > You can clip the legs the same length as the body, or for that popular ‘poodle look of a shorter body blended into a longer length on the legs and head, clip the areas the two different lengths you want first, then use thinning scissors to smoothly blend the two lengths together.
BODY > Comb attachments offer a range of body coat lengths from 1.5mm to over 3cm. You might like the body the same length as the legs and head, but typically you’ll want the body slightly shorter for a balanced look. Getting at least 2 comb attachments, or a set with 8 or 9 different lengths, means you can go shorter in some areas, longer in others, shorter in summer, longer in winter. A set of comb attachments costs less than buying individual longer blades. For a smoother finish on the body, and for very sensitive dogs, using a longer blade such as a 3 or 4 is recommended, instead of using a comb attachment.
AFTER YOU CLIP > For a smooth finish, use thinning scissors to go over the coat to remove any track lines or uneven areas, and to blend shorter into longer areas. Use a grooming comb while you work to lift the coat during clipping and scissoring to check your work for uneven areas you may have missed.
Tip for very thick coats > If your ‘poodle has a very dense or thick coat, use a de-shedding rake to thin the coat before you clip. This helps comb attachments and blades get through extremely thick areas more easily. If you have a brand new sharp blade, and you followed the correct coat prep below, but the blade is getting clogged, or ‘chewing’ or ‘grabbing’ instead of going through the coat ‘like a hot knife through butter’ then thinning the coat first usually resolves it. The Andis Original Deshedding rake is the most popular for ‘poodle coats.
Scissors for the Poodle coat.
The ‘poodle coat type is particularly tough on scissors. We have a category for ‘poodle scissors which are more hard-wearing ‘workhorse’ level scissors. This is not the entire range rated for the Poodle coat, just a place to start when choosing scissors rated for the Poodle coat when you want something more robust that will keep a sharp edge for longer.
Where can I see photos of Labradoodle Cavoodle & Spoodle clips for ideas?
We get asked that A LOT so over time we’ve created a gallery of inspiration for popular styles and clips for oodles. View the Labradoodle Cavoodle Spoodle & Poodle Gallery Gallery for lots of ideas.
There’s no right or wrong for how you clip your Labradoodle. In general though, aim for the head and legs to be longer than the body length for a more in proportion, balanced final look. You can of course do the same length all over, but take a look at the gallery (linked above) for more ideas.
How can I learn to clip at home?
A book like The Theory of 5 by Melissa Verplank (you’ll find that under the Education section on AllGroom), is a superb resource for learning how to do all the most popular pet clip styles. It covers 5 styles each for ears, tail, body, legs and face, as well as how to use grooming tools, including clippers, blades and comb attachments. It includes step-by-step instructions and lots of photos.
YouTube videos are also a great resource to watch how other groomers use their tools to achieve different clips. There are also multiple grooming schools who offer courses of different lengths for practical ‘hands on’ learning for all levels. Search ‘grooming school nz’ to research your options.
What coat prep is needed before clipping an ‘Oodle coat?
Even with a brand new, sharp blade, and clipper rated for your dog’s coat type, poor coat prep will cause a lot of (avoidable) problems when clipping. Good coat prep will make everything easier and faster, you’ll get a better result, be able to keep the coat longer, and your blades will stay sharper for longer also.
Before you clip:
- Remove all knots and tangles first (if you can!). Start with a wide-toothed comb or pin brush. Swap to a slicker brush if you find a knotted area. Use a detangler spray for faster knot removal and less discomfort for your pet.
TIP: Never wash a knotted coat! This almost always makes knots much worse and harder to remove. If you want to wet the coat to help with knot removal, use a detangler spray, or dilute your conditioner with a little water and apply straight on the knotted area.
- Shampoo AND condition. Always condition a fleece or wool coat after you shampoo, before you clip. See ‘the shampoo mistake’ above for why. Keep in mind as well (and this applies for all breeds), that the more frequently you wash any dog, the more important conditioner becomes. As a general rule, any coat needs conditioner when washed monthly or more frequently, however for the fleece or wool coat, conditioner is always recommended.
3: 100% dry the coat. ‘Blot’ the coat with a towel or fast-dry chamois (you’ll find chamois options under Dryers on AllGroom). Use a chamois to blot up excess water, twist it to wring out the water, and repeat. A chamois saves you creating tonnes of wet towels to wash every time you bath your dog. Avoid rubbing the coat with a towel, as this can cause tangles and knots to form.
Once the excess water is removed, use a high-powered dog dryer to make very quick work of thoroughly drying the coat. If your dog is noise-sensitive, put a Happy Hoodie on over their ears. A dryer also helps temporarily straighten a wavy or curly, fleece or wool coat while drying, making clipper and scissoring so much easier, and giving you a smoother more even result. A dryer also helps blow out missed tangles, dead coats, and loose hair. Help choosing dryers
4: Comb. Once dry, use a wide-toothed grooming comb (or a combination comb with wider and finer teeth spacing), to go through the coat and check for any remaining tangles or knots you may have missed. If a wide-toothed comb can’t get through the coat, your blade and/or comb attachment will struggle also! If you want to keep the coat maintained long, you need to remove knots before you clip. If you have knots or mats you can’t remove, you’ll usually need to use a shorter blade to clip ‘under’ the knots. You can also use safety-tip scissors to cut out the knots before you clip.
5: Now you’re ready to clip
WARNING
If you decide to clip the coat before you wash and dry it, your blade will become dull or blunt much faster compared to clipping a freshly washed coat. A dog’s coat can quickly attract dust, dirt, sand, grit, dander, and uninvited guests. Cutting through all that is like cutting sandpaper with scissors, and can damage or dull your blade, sometimes very quickly. You can get most types of blades sharpened, rather than having to buy new blades all the time, but with good coat prep, your blade will stay sharper much longer.
