If you want a nice alternative to the Bravura, check out the Artero Spektra it offers 5 speeds, has a 4 in 1 blade, can be used cordless or with cord, has a charger base and if the internal battery ever wears out they sell replacement battery for $20. They also have optional blades available in 7F, 5F, 4F and 3F sizes. Between the Opals and the Spektra I'm pretty well equipped and very pleased with both.
You can plug in the saphir as well, there is a corded version that you can buy the electric cord to use on the cordless versions. Also, what you mentionned about the OPAL when you turn it on it is called slow start technology to product the internal components.
Thank you for this review. I would like to go with the Heineger Opal when funds allow. I was planning to purchase someday before watching this video. This video helps confirm my decision.
Thank you for the review! I was especially interested in the two German models of Heiniger Saphir and Opal. Nice to know the differences in recharging and noise, and that they are both not prone to heating. I have an Andis AGC2 and I love it, but it overheats a lot esp with #30 blade. I also have an Andis Vida which is like the Wahl Bravura but costs a lot less. It has an adjustable blade and it is a robust smaller clipper, love it. The one I also use a lot is a very tiny clipper called the Wahl Bravmini. It has one blade sized #30. It is cordless, and almost a toy, not a lot of power, but so very good for doing small dog delicate parts like genitals, ears, eyes, paws. Probably good for a cat bum and paws too. Cuts fine, quiet, and gets into the paws. I'm not a big fan of the quality - the blades dull fast, but its the only clipper available that does small paws well. Open to any other suggestions. I desperately need a paw clipper for mini poodles. I love the Andis AGC2. It has lots of power, and very robust. Mine is over 5 yrs old and still going strong. You have to buy some spare drive shaft spares and change them out periodically if clipper overheats quickly. Its the drive shaft. On the Saphir it may be loud but it does not have the issue the Opal has. The Opal cuts out immediately if the blade feels resistance. This issue comes up if the blade is sprayed but not oiled, as per Jeff at Northern Tails Sharpening. Apparently, to protect the motor or something, the engineers designed it this way. If you use a blade spray instead of oiling it, the Opal may stop running. You need to use a blade cleaner first, such as H-42 Cleaner, then oil blades before/during/after use. This makes the Opal run smoothly. I bought some H-42 cleaner off Ebay for $9 for 8 oz. Pricier on Amazon. I think the Heiniger is the clipper I am going to buy next. It is the most robust clipper and does not heat up. Saphir Pros: costs $315 for blue, has 2 charging stations, optional cord, Saphir Cons: is louder, has one speed, and does not have battery life indicator light. Opal Pros: has optional cord, much quieter, has 2 speeds, has battery life indicator light. Opal Cons: Costs more at $425, has 1 charging station only, slow to start, may cut out if blade not oiled well. I think the Opal has more features on the whole. Hard to pay $100 more than the Saphir but it is a better model.
One side note, if you get the blue saphir, you can spend $25 for the purple case and change it yourself, that is what I did! I wanted the purple so bad but it was sold out/cost more. It wasn't too hard to change it. You will NOT be upset with the Heiniger, if you do go with the opals, blade care is very important. I swap between my two all the time though, I really love both.
@@cleanclipcolor Thank you! I find the plain blue color on Saphir to be soothing, and the purple one is a bit busy and also looks more slippery on finish. Which one do you reach for most often: Saphir or Opal? I cannot decide easily.
@@mjremy2605 Hm, at the moment I've been grabbing my Saphir more, my blade lever is pretty due to be changed in my Opal but I keep forgetting to order a new one, since it needs changed it vibrates a little more. I don't find either to be too slippery but they do make little sleeves you can put on them. I really love both clippers a lot, I NEVER have needed the high speed on the Opals which is probably why I don't mind using either one.
@@cleanclipcolor Happy to hear that two speeds don't matter much. Now I am leaning more toward the Saphir. It is available for $270 at Ryans currently while Opal is priced at $425 everywhere. Way too high for clippers. Thank you very much for your feedback!
Hello! Wahl Bravura is VERY quiet and works great with cats, especially just for paws and bums. It has the adjustable blade, you'd want to set it to a 10 setting.
You will want the Wahl Bravmini. Very quiet and does fine detail work. Its almost a toy size. Not much power but it is excellent for delicate areas. Blade is #30 only. A robust clipper for the body work on a cat is the Andis Vida. Adjustable blade and very quiet.
I have the Heiniger Saphir for my 8 dog pet family. They are workhorse clippers recommended to me by a groomer friend. My blades don't get heated up by them either and we are used to the noise now and don't notice it. I have the Bravura 5:1 too which I can use with the slide on combs for my lighter coated dogs when I don't want to use blades.
I agree completely! Thats why I always laugh when people say the 5 speed clippers are the best, speed isn't everything. I just listed speeds because that is what was easy to find under the specs.
As breeders of giant schnauzers and mini schnauzers we groom our own. The Andis seem to heat up much. Looking for specific clipper that would be great for specifically the schnauzers. Before puppies go to homes we do a clan trim and of course we groom about * adults all the time. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Hello I was wondering if you knew if you could use the charger base from the saphir on the opals or if it won’t fit in it. I want the saphir just for the charging base and I love the 2 speeds for the opal
Hey! So I have messed around with that and if I'm remembering right my Saphir batteries could fit in the opal charging base but the Opal batteries couldn't fit in the Saphir base. I can try and remember to double check for you tomorrow though!
I honestly have never needed the higher speed on my Opals and I do all kinds of coats. I just posted a video yesterday actually of my Opals vs a ton of different coats and in every clip I'm using them on the 1st speed with wide blades. ua-cam.com/video/h2mVFbVXoGs/v-deo.html
Hey again! I remembered to check! The saphirs can fit in the opal base but only if the battery is in the clipper, the opal does not fit in the saphir base.
@@stephanieschoenrock6638 I just got my new pair back actually! They had a manufacture defect, sent them back under warranty and have my new pair now. They seem great!
@@stephanieschoenrock6638 Excitingggg! Be sure they're fully charged before first use and OIL YOUR BLADES!! Oiling blades is always important but with the Opals I do need to oil a little more frequently. I do every morning then sometimes between some dogs.
The strokes per minute are much higher on the KM and Excel so they heat up faster.
If you want a nice alternative to the Bravura, check out the Artero Spektra it offers 5 speeds, has a 4 in 1 blade, can be used cordless or with cord, has a charger base and if the internal battery ever wears out they sell replacement battery for $20. They also have optional blades available in 7F, 5F, 4F and 3F sizes. Between the Opals and the Spektra I'm pretty well equipped and very pleased with both.
Great input! Artero makes great products too. Thank you!
You can plug in the saphir as well, there is a corded version that you can buy the electric cord to use on the cordless versions. Also, what you mentionned about the OPAL when you turn it on it is called slow start technology to product the internal components.
What breed of dog is that?
Shes a poodle mix
Can u use Andis blades on both of the Heinwhatevers ? I really like them , and want to order a pair soon
You can! I already ordered a pair. They are the Best clippers ever!
Thank you for this review. I would like to go with the Heineger Opal when funds allow. I was planning to purchase someday before watching this video. This video helps confirm my decision.
Thank you for the review! I was especially interested in the two German models of Heiniger Saphir and Opal. Nice to know the differences in recharging and noise, and that they are both not prone to heating. I have an Andis AGC2 and I love it, but it overheats a lot esp with #30 blade.
I also have an Andis Vida which is like the Wahl Bravura but costs a lot less. It has an adjustable blade and it is a robust smaller clipper, love it.
The one I also use a lot is a very tiny clipper called the Wahl Bravmini. It has one blade sized #30. It is cordless, and almost a toy, not a lot of power, but so very good for doing small dog delicate parts like genitals, ears, eyes, paws. Probably good for a cat bum and paws too. Cuts fine, quiet, and gets into the paws. I'm not a big fan of the quality - the blades dull fast, but its the only clipper available that does small paws well. Open to any other suggestions. I desperately need a paw clipper for mini poodles.
I love the Andis AGC2. It has lots of power, and very robust. Mine is over 5 yrs old and still going strong. You have to buy some spare drive shaft spares and change them out periodically if clipper overheats quickly. Its the drive shaft.
On the Saphir it may be loud but it does not have the issue the Opal has. The Opal cuts out immediately if the blade feels resistance. This issue comes up if the blade is sprayed but not oiled, as per Jeff at Northern Tails Sharpening. Apparently, to protect the motor or something, the engineers designed it this way. If you use a blade spray instead of oiling it, the Opal may stop running. You need to use a blade cleaner first, such as H-42 Cleaner, then oil blades before/during/after use. This makes the Opal run smoothly. I bought some H-42 cleaner off Ebay for $9 for 8 oz. Pricier on Amazon.
I think the Heiniger is the clipper I am going to buy next. It is the most robust clipper and does not heat up.
Saphir Pros: costs $315 for blue, has 2 charging stations, optional cord,
Saphir Cons: is louder, has one speed, and does not have battery life indicator light.
Opal Pros: has optional cord, much quieter, has 2 speeds, has battery life indicator light.
Opal Cons: Costs more at $425, has 1 charging station only, slow to start, may cut out if blade not oiled well.
I think the Opal has more features on the whole. Hard to pay $100 more than the Saphir but it is a better model.
One side note, if you get the blue saphir, you can spend $25 for the purple case and change it yourself, that is what I did! I wanted the purple so bad but it was sold out/cost more. It wasn't too hard to change it.
You will NOT be upset with the Heiniger, if you do go with the opals, blade care is very important. I swap between my two all the time though, I really love both.
@@cleanclipcolor Thank you! I find the plain blue color on Saphir to be soothing, and the purple one is a bit busy and also looks more slippery on finish. Which one do you reach for most often: Saphir or Opal? I cannot decide easily.
@@mjremy2605 Hm, at the moment I've been grabbing my Saphir more, my blade lever is pretty due to be changed in my Opal but I keep forgetting to order a new one, since it needs changed it vibrates a little more. I don't find either to be too slippery but they do make little sleeves you can put on them. I really love both clippers a lot, I NEVER have needed the high speed on the Opals which is probably why I don't mind using either one.
@@cleanclipcolor Happy to hear that two speeds don't matter much. Now I am leaning more toward the Saphir. It is available for $270 at Ryans currently while Opal is priced at $425 everywhere. Way too high for clippers. Thank you very much for your feedback!
Can you clip matted hair off a cat with it?
Yes! All clippers in this video can work for cats, just be sure to use a sharp 10 blade to make sure you get under the matting.
Thanks so much for the video! My opal makes squeak noise when I turn it on and I was concerned😢
What attachment do I use for a full body cut if i am doing a 4fc blade and 7fc
Looking for the quietest cat hair trimmer for long hair. For paws and bum
Hello! Wahl Bravura is VERY quiet and works great with cats, especially just for paws and bums. It has the adjustable blade, you'd want to set it to a 10 setting.
Thank you!!!
You will want the Wahl Bravmini. Very quiet and does fine detail work. Its almost a toy size. Not much power but it is excellent for delicate areas. Blade is #30 only. A robust clipper for the body work on a cat is the Andis Vida. Adjustable blade and very quiet.
Why do my 5 in 1 blades stop cutting right away? The hair gets stuck between the blades and it won't cut the hair any longer
Are you using it on CLEAN dried hair?
Extremely helpful review thank you
I have the Heiniger Saphir for my 8 dog pet family. They are workhorse clippers recommended to me by a groomer friend. My blades don't get heated up by them either and we are used to the noise now and don't notice it. I have the Bravura 5:1 too which I can use with the slide on combs for my lighter coated dogs when I don't want to use blades.
I actually just had to contact Andi’s about my excel cordless and they stopped manufacturing them (can’t even repair them/replace the battery)
Yes I put in the review they are recalled :)
The Heiniger Opal is the BEST by far plus you can't beat the 3 year warranty!!
I am thinking about buying a Opal. The cord on my Andis Clippers annoy me and they get really hot fast.
was the squeak actually normal after you had them go in for repairs? I just got my Opals and they squeak and are very loud?
Yes the little squeak mine do is normal, if its LOUD, I would check with Heiniger and possibly send them in while they're under warranty.
Torq, or speed under use pressure, is more important that bare speed and they only tell us speed on clipper specs
I agree completely! Thats why I always laugh when people say the 5 speed clippers are the best, speed isn't everything. I just listed speeds because that is what was easy to find under the specs.
As breeders of giant schnauzers and mini schnauzers we groom our own. The Andis seem to heat up much. Looking for specific clipper that would be great for specifically the schnauzers. Before puppies go to homes we do a clan trim and of course we groom about * adults all the time. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Either Heiniger
Very helpful reviews. Thank you! :)
Hello I was wondering if you knew if you could use the charger base from the saphir on the opals or if it won’t fit in it. I want the saphir just for the charging base and I love the 2 speeds for the opal
Hey! So I have messed around with that and if I'm remembering right my Saphir batteries could fit in the opal charging base but the Opal batteries couldn't fit in the Saphir base. I can try and remember to double check for you tomorrow though!
I honestly have never needed the higher speed on my Opals and I do all kinds of coats. I just posted a video yesterday actually of my Opals vs a ton of different coats and in every clip I'm using them on the 1st speed with wide blades.
ua-cam.com/video/h2mVFbVXoGs/v-deo.html
Hey again! I remembered to check! The saphirs can fit in the opal base but only if the battery is in the clipper, the opal does not fit in the saphir base.
So which one is your go to, cant decide which pair to get.
I think my Saphir is my favorite over all. I had to send my Opal in for warranty repair :( Hopefully I'll have it back soon though.
@@cleanclipcolor what happened with your Opals? I just received my Opals so I just want to be prepared!
@@stephanieschoenrock6638 I just got my new pair back actually! They had a manufacture defect, sent them back under warranty and have my new pair now. They seem great!
@@cleanclipcolor awesome!! I’m so excited to start using mine on Tuesday when I get back to work! I was so excited to get them yesterday!
@@stephanieschoenrock6638 Excitingggg! Be sure they're fully charged before first use and OIL YOUR BLADES!! Oiling blades is always important but with the Opals I do need to oil a little more frequently. I do every morning then sometimes between some dogs.
What clipper guides do you use with the opal??
Yes I am clean and de matted I just don't get it
Sounds like your blade may be dull or possibly the blade drive is damaged on the clippers, wahl has a great service department, I'd send them in.
i have parts
Most awesome review 👏😊
Would the Wahl Bravura work on a moderately severe matted cat? Looking for home use. Thank you so much for these reviews!!
They CAN, they're nice and quiet which cats like, really just depends how bad the matting is.
Depends on the matting but I will say, I've never had a matted cat that I couldn't shave with my Bravura. It's my go to clipper for cats.
@@xtri0xinx yeah, cats have different hair so they really do usually work great on them. As long as you're using good sharp blades.
@@cleanclipcolor agree! My new sharpener gives me spare cutters and the plastic housing-thingie ... its a life changer!
Great review, thanks 👌
Great review
Hmmm.... I think I like the smaller base on the opal. Thanks for highlighting the differences for us!