Clippers are the workhorse. A great clipper should be powerful, sharp, and reliable. Nowadays, I argue they should also be cordless.
Maybe you’re tired of your old, cheap clipper. Or maybe you’re bored of wielding a corded clipper. Either way, you need to consider investing in a cordless clipper.
But is the Oster Octane Cordless clipper worth it? We both know the choice to go cordless isn’t just a mental one. It costs a large sum of money, too. With every big investment you face an equally big choice.
I want you to make the right choice. That’s why I thoroughly tested the Oster Octane clipper. What were my results? Read on to find out.
Table of Contents
Specification of Oster Octane Clipper
| Features | Oster Octane Clipper |
|---|---|
| Motor Type | Rotary |
| Blade Size | 000, 1 |
| Blade Includes | 2 |
| Cleaning Brush | Yes |
| Blade Guard | Yes |
| Oil Included | Yes |
| Charging Stand | Yes |
| Warranty | 1 Year |
| Voltage | 110v |
| Price | Check Price |
So Fresh, So Clean
I’m a sucker for a great unboxing experience. When I took the Octane out of its foam plastic sleeve, I instantly fell for the style. It’s a handsome tool.
The clipper’s front and back plates are both black. But Oster chose a carbon fiber finish on the front. It’s a bold decision. No other cordless clipper on the market looks this sharp.
The carbon fiber is more than just eye candy. By using high quality plastic, the Octane achieves unmatchable break resistance.
With a cordless clipper, a slip up is always possible. So, having a tool that is both stylish and ultra-durable is a rare find.
Everything packed with the Octane matches the black theme, too. The charger and brushes are black. Even the two included clipper blades, sizes 000 and 01, are black.
I imagine the Octane would fit right in at stylish barber shops. And for you at-home consumers who don’t mind spending the money, you’ll be proud to dock this clipper in your bathroom.
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It’s All in The Hands
From the moment you pick up the Octane, you can tell Oster spent a lot of research and development on the design.
With a corded clipper, you’re fighting against the back end constantly. Pulling and re-orientating the cord is a pain. Plus, they’re heavy, bulky tools.
Because it’s no longer connected to your wall outlet, a cordless clipper needs to be balanced. It must work in harmony with your arms.
I’m happy to say the Octane does just that. It fits snuggly in my hand. More importantly, it feels balanced.
With the battery snapped into place, the front and the back of the clipper evenly distribute the 1.2 pounds of weight.
I could easily see myself working with the Octane all day without an issue. That’s possibly the most important feature of a bulk clipper, so keep that in mind.
The middle of the body curves inward, setting a groove for your hand. The raised notches on the back spine secure your thumb. Although it looks like it’d be heavy, it’s much lighter than other clippers I’ve tested.
Brushing my fingers over the back cover plate, I noticed it isn’t a smooth plastic. Oster coated the backside in a grippy polymer to better secure the clipper in your hand.
The fantastic grip and balanced body mean the Octane would be a good choice for clip over comb work, too.
My only gripe with the ergonomics rests with the power switch.
It’s located a little low on the front housing for my liking. If you’re the type to turn your clipper off and on with one hand, you’ll find it a little awkward.
A Professional Cutting Experience
Ergonomics and aesthetics are grand, but they’re pointless if a clipper under-performs. That’s not an issue with the Octane.
Here’s a trick I learned from a master professional barber I know: Once you finish clipping, peer over the crown of the head and check for stray hairs.
Although most clippers may look like they cut every hair, they don’t. The Oster Octane passed the test. It’s easily up there with the best clippers I’ve used.
The clipping prowess of a tool comes down to two factors. Blade sharpness and motor power. Blades you can re-purchase or re-sharpen. The motor is what you’re paying for.
As you make your pass over the head or body, the motor must be strong enough to cut thick hairs. Plus, it needs to be fast enough to remove every hair that passes through the blade.
The Octane’s rotary motor impressed me every time I used the device. Straight up, this is a powerful motor.
It’s stronger than other premium clippers, too. That’s because it uses the same motor as the Classic 76, which is the benchmark of corded clippers. Switching to cordless doesn’t have to mean dampening your power.
Other well-known cordless clippers use electromagnetic motors, which means they run hotter and consume a lot more energy than the Octane.
If you’re cutting lots of hair, you will notice that you don’t have to go over the same passes more than once or twice. No little hairs left over peaking higher than the others.
I have no complaints about its performance.
Music to My Ear
I’m a sucker for the sound a clipper makes. I’m not the only one. Plenty of barbers and consumers like to hear the clipper perform just as much as see it.
The Octane’s noise output matches the Oster Classic 76. That’s saying something because the 76 isn’t exactly quiet.
If you’re used to Andis products, or consumer level clippers, the sound out of the Octane may surprise you.
That’s because Oster favors the same heavy-duty motor found in the Classic 76. They argue a faster, stronger clipper cuts more hair and saves you time. I agree.
So for me, sound indicates a great clipper. But if you work with lots of kids, or your own kid shies away from haircuts, then ease them into the experience.
Stellar Battery Life
With a wireless clipper, the motor’s output is meaningless without a reliable battery. So how does the battery hold up over time?
Oster claims their battery technology lasts longer than its competition. After extensive testing, I agree that it lasts up to two hours, just like the box says. That’s a step up from the average of 90 minutes you find with other wireless clippers.
As is standard with higher end products, the battery is lithium ion. But Oster tweaked their battery to manage a constant flow of charge. Clipper performance will not die off as the battery’s charge fades.
With the Octane you have a constant flow of power until the battery fully depletes charge.
Another benefit of lithium ion over NiMH is that the cells don’t lose their memory. That means you don’t have to worry about only charging the Octane when it’s near dead. You can holster the Octane whenever you aren’t using it, worry free.
Which brings us to the charging dock. I expected it to be durable and reliable. It didn’t disappoint me.
The dock’s LED indicator glows red when charging, and green when the battery is fully charged. It’s a simple, yet convenient feature.
Also, you get two charging ports with the dock. This is a unique attribute of the Octane. One port is for the clipper and the other for an additional battery.
High Quality Blades
The Octane includes two blades, 00 and 01. They’re from Oster’s Titan series and made of steel.
You can snap your old Classic 76 blades onto the Octane. If you’re switching from an Andis product, you can use their blades with the Octane, saving you money.
Oster’s Titan series blades are sharp and precise. They run cooler than Osters older line of blades, too.
The blades come in many sizes, from the skin-close #0000, up to 3.75. With the right set of blades at the ready, any fade or hairstyle is possible.
Switching blades is simple. With the Octane running, you pull back on the blade and it’ll snap right off. Make sure to remove and replace blades with the clipper turned on. I know it seems weird, but that’s how Oster designed the tool.
Oster blades should last you years. With the proper maintenance, the blades will hardly dull. Some Oster blades I’ve used daily for years still haven’t required sharpening.
My only gripe with the blades is that Oster doesn’t manufacture a ceramic blade as of the time of this review.
No matter how diligently you oil the blades, steel will heat under constant friction. It’s physics.
It’s a small issue, and only worth mentioning for those that are cutting a lot of hair with one blade. If this sounds like a problem you’ll encounter, I have a solution.
Andis blades cost about the same as Oster. And for my money I’d prefer to use the Octane over an Andis clipper. So, buy some Andis blades and attach them to the Octane. Problem solved.
Easy Cleaning and Maintenance
You should maintain your clipper every day you use it. Thankfully, the Oster makes this daily task as painless as possible.
The Octane cordless clipper ships with a larger than average tube of lubricating oil and an applicator brush. But you need not use the brush for oiling the blade. Instead, use it to sweep away the accumulated hairs that build up under the blade.
The clipper blade oil should last you years. I’m not joking. Three small drops of oil are all you need for regular maintenance.
As the clipper runs, place two drops on the blade and one on the side. Let it continue to run for another minute. Then turn off the clipper and wipe off the extra oil.
The smudge-free front plate doesn’t scuff or carry finger prints, so you save time on your clean up. I think black products stay clean longer, too. They hide any dirt and polish up nicely.
What Makes the Oster Octane a Great Clipper
- When I hold the Octane in my hand, I can tell it’s well-balanced. You arm won’t tire after using this clipper all day.
- The Lithium Ion battery lasts for two hours. That’s top in class for a cordless clipper.
- I love the assurance I get from its carbon fiber front plate and break resistant body.
- The cutting performance of the incredibly powerful rotary motor surprised me—it doesn’t miss hairs.
- I like that Oster includes two Titan blades, so you can clip right away.
- The smart grip placement means I can hold the clipper in many positions, depending on what I’m doing.
- If you do a lot of clipping, the charger features a port for a second battery.
What Could be Better About the Oster Octane
- The power button location could be tricky to reach for consumers with smaller hands.
- Although it impressed me, the clipper’s sound could scare young children in the barber chair.
- Not to knock Oster blades, but the trend is heading towards ceramic blades as they stay cooler longer.
Is the Oster Octane Your Next Clipper?
With professional quality clippers, you want the best product for your money. But a hefty price tag doesn’t always mean a great product. Sometimes you buy a name brand and all you get is the name.
Thankfully, the Oster Octane excels as a high-performance clipper. It’s a well build, stylish tool. Not only that, but its high-powered rotary motor is one of the best I’ve used.
With above average battery life, fantastic ergonomics, and a break resistant shell, this sleek clipper will last you years.
My issues with the clipper hardly compare to the positives. I nearly broke a sweat searching for stuff to complain about. It’s that good.
Remember, your clipper is the workhorse of your tools. You will grab it every time you cut hair. You want reliable. And with the Octane, you’ll get reliable. Trust me, this clipper won’t let you down.