Hair Clippers Review

Philips QC5570 DIY Easy Reach Review – Does It DIY Very Well?

As a bloke that’s receding and likes to keep his hair (what’s left) very short or bald, any type of product that gets the job done comfortably, efficiently, and in DIY style is well worth checking out.

Next on the DIY palm held hair clipper list to check out, test, and review is the Philips QC5570/13 Do-It-Yourself hair clippers. Also known as the Philips QC5570/13 HeadGroom and DIY Easy Reach; however, the QC5580/13 model is really the HeadGroom, and the QC5570/13 is the DIY Easy Reach.

It’s worth mentioning right from the start that these are best suited for getting a kind of buzz cut and using the clippers to get an all-around cut at the same length that the clipper combs (or no comb) will allow. They’re not best suited for variable lengths and fades.

Philips QC5570 vs QC5580 – These two models are the exact same hair clippers, also named Philips Headgroom or DIY Easy Reach, with the only difference being the QC5580 has an attachable foil head for close shaving. The issue when companies try to make one product do more than it should is that they rarely do and that shaving foil head will just shave okayish, not great.

In this Philips QC5570 review, I will run through the important features, provide the results after testing it out, and suggest who it is best suited for.

The Brand – Philips, the company and brand that was founded in 1891, is based in the Netherlands and is known worldwide for its electronic appliances. The first Philips shaver came on the market in the 1930s named Philishave, and in the US their shavers were named Norelco, and then Philishave was phased out during 2006 to Phillips, and now worldwide, the shavers are known as Philips or Philips Norelco (USA). Philips has a small range of hair clippers for home use.

Description & Features

Unboxed, a buyer gets the hair clippers, two comb attachments, power lead, oil, cleaning brush, and instructions. If you purchase the QC5580 model, it comes with the foil shaver head. Some may, and others may not have a travel bag.

• Handle/Body – The QC5570 is a palm-held device with a shorter but wider handle and body than standard hair clippers. The whole hand needs to hold onto the whole body when cutting.
• Blades – The stainless steel blades and their width are not as wide as standard hair clippers, with a width of 41 mm. Phillips states the blades are self-sharpening.
• Combs and settings– Two combs come with the Philips that can be adjusted with a dial. The precision comb cuts from 1 mm to 3 mm, and the larger comb cuts from 3 to 15mm. A total of 13 length settings.
• Cordless/Corded – Can be used with its cord or cordless. Not to be used corded near water for obvious safety reasons.
• 180° Rotating Head – The rotating head is one of the main features that makes this hair clipper different from others. Users can move the head around on four different settings to suit the angle they wish to cut at.
• Charging and Battery – It takes an hour to charge for a full charge, and an indicator that shows the battery light glowing white when it’s full and then it blinks orange when 10 minutes remain. Users get up to 60 minutes of runtime from a full charge.
• Washable – The blades are washable. Rinse under the tap after using the clippers.
• Warranty – Philips offers a 2-year warranty period. Register your hair clippers with the Philips website for your country to ensure everything is registered for the warranty.

More About The 180° Rotating Head

This is one feature of these hair clippers that makes them different from others and should enable them to help users to do it themselves easier.

The rotating head does, in fact help make cutting easier, in my experience. At first, I just used the clippers with the blades facing forward as I could not connect with rotating the head, but when I moved the angle for shaving the back of my head, I did find it helped make it a heck of a lot easier.

Why Are There Only Two Combs?

Usually, hair clippers come with a number of clipper combs that are suitable for cutting at various lengths. The Philips QC5570, however, only has two; one is a precision comb, and the other a hair comb.

The two combs which are interchangeable that come with this hair clipper are adjusted via the dial. The dial changes the distance of the comb from the blades to give a closer or longer cut.

As can be seen in the picture above, each size is shown on either of the clipper combs when adjusting the dial to get the desired length.

How well does the Philips Headgroom perform?

It was not so long ago that I used, tested, and reviewed a similar type of DIY hair clipper, the Remington HC4250 Quickcut, which went very well. The Philips QC5570 was a good choice for reviewing and comparing with the Quickcut.

It took a few haircuts to get used to using these clippers, and I only really use the lowest level of cut without a comb attached. I did test out the precision comb at first, and it worked well.

Turning the blade 90 degrees to cut the back on the head and up from the back to the sides is a clever feature that makes head shaving much easier. The size of the clippers and how they fit in the hand also make hair cutting DIY style much easier.

One thing I found which may have stood out for me more after using the Remington Quickcut (which has a very large blade area) is the blade width is pretty small. It’s not really a deal-breaker; however, it was noticeable!

I was able to cut evenly around my head and ended up with a good close cut, problem-free.

Bottom Line – The Philips DIY Clipper makes cutting hair at one length for an individual –DIY style quite easy. The blade-turning ability, size, and build make this possible.

Build quality and ergonomics – 8/10

The Philips QC5570 is an all-plastic unit that looks and feels like it will last, although I don’t expect more than a few years from it.

It’s a hand-held clipper that aims to fit within the palm of the hand or rather the whole hand. The rubberized sides provide grip and because the head can be moved 180 degrees, it makes the ergonomics work very well.

Holding & Grip – 9/10

I think we’ve covered handle and grip pretty well. Being large in size and having a rubberized section covering the top and side makes holding these clippers while in use easy enough. There are grooves all around the sides that also help with grip.

Ease of Use – 9/10

Nothing seems difficult to operate. The clipper combs attach and detach easily enough, the blade can be attached and detached easily, and of course, as mentioned, the primary features enable these clippers to make a DIY buzz cut easy enough for anyone to do.

Cleaning and Maintenance – 9/10

The Philips Headgroom can be cleaned with the small brush provided, and because it is washable, a user can run warm (not hot) tap water over the head while it is switched on to clean out the debris. This all works very well.

It will help maintain the blades and keep the clippers running smoothly if a user also regularly oils the blades. A small bottle of oil is provided; adding drops in about three areas of the blade head will suffice, then switch it on. You can see the three spots advised by Philips to add the oil in the small manual provided.

Replacement parts, including the cutter and shaving foils when required can be purchased separately when needed. Parts are all quite affordable.

Charging and battery life – 8/10

Being able to use these clippers corded or cordless is useful when a user might forget to recharge its batteries. The clippers come fully charged and can be recharged once the orange indicator lights up.

Because my hair remains short I only spend about 3 minutes trimming it down to the minimum again. I get a lot of shaves before I have to recharge again, and too many to count.

Value for money – 7/10

In the US (approx $109) and other non Europe and UK countries, these QC5570 clippers are a bit pricey for what a buyer gets. In the UK and Europe they are much better priced and affordable (approx £70 UK and EU 80€).

Recently I am finding the QC5570 model without the shaving foil is becoming unavailable, and it seems Philips is pushing the QC5580, which is a bit more expensive. I shall keep watch to see if they phase out the QC5570 model.

Any Common Consumer Issues, Complaints, or Positive Reports?

Most consumers are really happy with this product and mention that it’s easy to use and gets the job done at the rear of the head easily.

Quite a few consumers have reported that the clippers just stopped working within the first year and much less. However, not enough bad reviews to warrant not purchasing one, and if this fault happens within the first two years, a buyer may get a replacement under warranty.

Final Thoughts – Who is the Philips QC5570 best suited for?

Guys that are balding like me or cut their hair very short frequently will get along very well with the Philips Headgroom clippers, and they are easier than using standard types, even if they are not as high quality as some.

The best things about this product are how easily it cuts the hair at the back of the head and coming up from the back to the side. Also, how it holds in the hand easily –its ergonomics and body design!

A nice hair clipping tool and the future of men’s grooming DIY style.

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