Robocut or flowbee - anyone use one?

[Baylor3217]

I'm looking at going this route. What's the total cost of ownership?  How often for blades to be replaced, etc?  What do the blades cost?

What's the down side?

[unplugged]

Had our Flowbee for years. Never replaced anything. Don't but the vacuum they sell with it though. It dies right away. It takes some practice getting the bangs long enough so be careful or they are gone quickly. It's sort of like using the MMM universal grooming tool as far as learning to work with the shape of the head. Longer here, shorter there etc.. I read once that a famous race car driver uses one to save time and trouble.

[KimPossible]

I had one for a while, when I had short hair.  It was a huge hassle and expensive to get haircuts often enough to keep it looking good, so I bought a Flowbee.

At the time, my daughter was around 18 months old, and freaked out by vacuums, so I'd have to lock myself in the bathroom and make sure she was entertained by my husband (which added a layer of complexity that most people won't have to deal with).

It did a pretty good job.  I'm sure I wouldn't have won any beauty awards, but it was nice to be able to get a haircut on my own schedule.  I found it to be a little hard to learn to work with.  I had the vacuum that came with it, and it worked fine for me.

I never had to replace any parts--just used the ones that came with the set.  When I decided to grow my hair out long again, I sold it on ebay and recouped most of my original cost.

[unplugged]

We have had ours over 13 years, maybe longer. We just use the Dyson with it. It is quite loud isn't it? I love it though. Ladies with complicated hair, don't forget about the Crea Clip but learn the more complicated cuts too in case you want something extra.

[Baylor3217]

Any dudes out there using it?

As a dude I don't have bangs.

Great feedback everyone!

[unplugged]

Bangs are the wrong word I guess? If I'm not careful I chop the front of my sons hair off way too short etc.. Same with hubby. That may work for some but my son likes a little length there.  We never use a flowbee on us girls.

[velocistar237]

I am also a dude interested in learning about the Flowbee. My main reason is that the process of using clipper and scissors is a bit time-consuming, especially when you factor in cleanup, and that time consumption means I usually procrastinate cutting my hair until I desperately need it. Is it worth going from clipper and scissors to the Flowbee?

[unplugged]

We want a close to professional look as possible so we clean up around the bottom with the clippers.

[jeepbraah]

It takes time but as far as a military high and tight or a fade you can learn to do just by hand and some clippers.

[trobertson79]

I just gave myself a 10 minute pretty good looking hair cut with my robo-cut.  Can't speak to how good the flowbee is.  I bought the robocut with the vacume cleaner package from someone on craigslist (when they delivered it they asked if it was for a dog or cat :) ).  For the past year I've been cutting my hair with it.  It's important to get a thing of clipper blade oil (I got a bottle from amazon) and lube it liberally, before the cut and after, so that it cuts well.  When I was not being good about oiling it, it tangled and pulled on my hair and I had to cut out a section.

[Bob W]

I'm a dude with short hair.  I do a number 3 with Wahl trimmers by myself.   

For my 7 year old son,  who I prefer longer cut,  I now just use scissors and fingers.   Go slow and learn from Youtube or someone who knows how to do this.   

I didn't realize they still made the flowbee deals.    But in the long run you're just better off learning how to do a real haircut.   Never seen a pro use a flowbee. 

[trobertson79]

However, a major advantage of a robo/flowbee is that you can cut your own hair.  Trying to cut your own hair with sissors would be darn near impossible.  I cut my hair for years with a clipper and it frequently came out like crap leading to a surprise shaved head this time around.  Usually I would get whatever partner or housemate I had at the time to help me out with the clipper.  A good sign that I had a new girlfriend was if I had a bad haircut. 

Since using the robo cut I very consistently get a reasonably decent hair cut.  It takes 10 minutes, I can watch TV while I'm doing it, and I don't even have to take my shirt off.  So it's much cheaper and convenient than using a pro.

[FoundPeace]

I used the Flowbee to cut my hair when I was in high school. It worked great for me. Now my wife cuts my hair with scissors and Wahl clippers. I don't think the Flowbee looks quite as nice, but it still looks better than most of the haircuts I've gotten at a barber.

[velocistar237]

Trying to cut your own hair with sissors would be darn near impossible.

I've cut my hair with clippers and scissors successfully since my first try with no problem. With setup and cleanup, though, it takes me almost an hour. Does the Flowbee/Robocut really leave no mess? Do you need to wash your hair afterward?

[Better Late Than Never]

I've used a combination of Flowbee and Wahl clippers on my sons' hair for at least 10 years. I've never had to replace the blades, but I oil them once in a while. I use the Flowbee on the top/front, where they want it a little longer, and the clippers in the back. Then I use a pair of thinning shears to blend the area where the Flowbee and the clippers meet.

[trobertson79]

I've cut my hair with clippers and scissors successfully since my first try with no problem. With setup and cleanup, though, it takes me almost an hour. Does the Flowbee/Robocut really leave no mess? Do you need to wash your hair afterward?

That's very impressive.  I'm not very good at cutting my own hair with clippers so using sissors sounds like quite the accomplishment.  As for Robo Cut, it takes me about 5-10 minutes, leaves no mess (I do it on the couch while watching TV with a portable mirror).  Basically it sucks your hair into a circular tube and cuts it.  You adjust the length of the tube, so you zone your head off into sections which you make the same length.  Usually my hair looks a bit wacky as all that burried hair is suddenly free to stand up straight for about a day or two until it finally decides to lay down and part.  It's so easy though that I keep my hair longer than I used to because it's no big deal to cut it every month or two instead of dragging it out until it was in my eyes then darn near shaving it every 6 months the way I used to.

[enigmaT120]

My wife found a Flowbee at Goodwill and I use that.  It didn't come with a vacuum cleaner but we just use the one we had before.  I think it works fine though I'm not a model.  This thread would be a lot more useful with pictures but I'm not aware of any of me on the web.  Sorry.