Is BaByliss Taking Over Andis? A Barber’s Take After 20+ Years Behind the Chair
If you’ve been cutting hair for a long time, you already know what Andis means to the barber industry.
When I started cutting hair in 2005, my setup was simple: an Andis Master and a corded Andis T-Outliner.
Back then, Oster was another major name you saw everywhere, but Andis was one of those brands almost every barber knew and wanted. For years, if you walked into a barbershop and looked around at the stations, seeing Andis tools was normal.
I still use my Andis Master today.
But lately, I’ve been looking around and asking myself a question I never thought I’d be asking:
Is BaByliss taking over Andis?
I wouldn’t say they’ve taken over yet. But I do think the competition is getting a lot closer.
When Andis Was the Standard
When I started cutting, cordless tools weren’t running the barber world like they do today. We used cords. My Master was corded. My T-Outliner was corded. And we worked around them because that was just part of barbering.
The Andis Master was one of those clippers you could depend on, and I still have respect for it today.
Check out the Andis Master on Amazon (paid link)
The same thing goes for the Andis T-Outliner. That machine has been part of barber culture for years.
Check out the Andis Corded T-Outliner on Amazon (paid link)
I currently use the Andis Cordless T-Outliner too.
Check out the Andis Cordless T-Outliner on Amazon (paid link)
That’s important because I’m not writing this from the perspective of somebody who suddenly stopped liking Andis. I still use their tools.
Why I Started Paying Attention to BaByliss
I didn’t wake up one day and decide I was switching brands. It happened slowly.
I started seeing BaByliss more often. More stores had their tools. More barbers had them sitting at their stations. More people were talking about them.
Then I started using some of the tools myself.
One of the BaByliss machines I use is the BaBylissPRO FXONE trimmer.
Check out the BaBylissPRO FXONE trimmer on Amazon (paid link)
I also use a BaBylissPRO FX+ clipper.
Check out the BaBylissPRO FX+ clipper on Amazon (paid link)
And I use a BaBylissPRO METALFX double foil shaver.
Check out the BaBylissPRO METALFX foil shaver on Amazon (paid link)
The more I used BaByliss equipment, the more I realized they weren’t just making tools that looked good. They were making professional equipment that could actually compete in a working barber station.
That’s when I started looking at the company differently.
Andis Still Has an Edge for Me
If you ask me which brand still feels stronger in my hand, I’d probably still say Andis.
A lot of that comes from familiarity. I’ve been using Andis since the beginning of my career.
When you’ve used a machine for that many years, you know exactly how it feels. You know how much pressure to use. You know how it moves through hair. You know how it reacts when you’re blending.
That muscle memory matters.
That’s why I’m not getting rid of my Andis tools. Even if I continue buying more BaByliss equipment, I’ll still keep the machines I’ve trusted for years.
BaByliss Is Getting Harder to Ignore
This is where the conversation gets interesting.
BaByliss seems to understand what modern barbers want.
Barbers care about performance. But we also care about cordless convenience, battery life, design, ergonomics, how the machine feels in the hand and how the entire setup looks at the station.
BaByliss has done a good job making their tools feel like part of a complete barber setup.
And I’m seeing more of them. Not just online. At actual barber stations.
That matters more to me than advertising. Barbers can hype up anything online. But when you repeatedly start seeing the same tools being used behind the chair, that gets my attention.
The Cordless Era Changed the Game
One of the biggest changes I’ve watched since I started barbering is the move from corded to cordless tools.
When I started cutting in 2005, cords were normal.
Today, a new barber entering the industry might expect almost their entire station to be cordless.
That completely changed the competition.
Andis moved into cordless equipment. But companies like BaByliss came into the cordless era aggressively.
Their tools look modern. They market heavily toward barbers. They show up everywhere.
And younger barbers are growing up in an industry where Andis isn’t the only obvious choice anymore.
What I’m Seeing From Younger Barbers
This is probably one of the biggest reasons I started thinking about whether BaByliss could eventually take over.
I’m seeing more BaByliss. I’m seeing more StyleCraft. I’m seeing other newer brands starting to show up too.
The barber station is becoming more competitive.
Years ago, Andis had something most brands would love to have: everybody knew them. They had history, trust, and machines that barbers already believed in.
But the younger generation has more options.
They’re not automatically going to buy something just because older barbers used it. They’re going to buy what performs well, looks good, fits their budget and gets talked about by the barbers they follow.
That changes everything.
Would I Tell a New Barber to Buy Andis or BaByliss?
If someone came to me today and said they wanted to become a barber, I’d still be comfortable telling them to buy Andis.
That’s what I know. I’ve made money with Andis equipment for years. I know what those machines can do.
But I also wouldn’t tell a beginner they absolutely have to buy Andis.
If someone is just getting started and isn’t even sure barbering is going to be for them, spending a ton of money on equipment might not make sense.
If BaByliss gives them a good beginner setup at a price they’re comfortable with, I wouldn’t have a problem with that.
The machine isn’t going to make somebody a good barber anyway. The skill still has to come from the person holding it.
So Is BaByliss Taking Over Andis?
Not yet.
Andis still has something BaByliss can’t manufacture overnight: history.
Barbers have trusted Andis tools for decades. Machines like the Master and T-Outliner helped shape barber culture. That means something.
But history alone doesn’t guarantee the future.
BaByliss is showing up in more stores. It’s showing up in more barber stations. I’m personally using more of their tools. And younger barbers are choosing from more brands than ever before.
That’s where I think Andis needs to pay attention.
The championship rounds are getting closer.
BaByliss and other brands aren’t just watching from outside the ring anymore. They’re in the fight.
Andis still has the name and the legacy. But if they don’t keep connecting with younger barbers and pushing their tools forward, that gap could keep closing.
The knockout hasn’t happened.
But the fight is getting interesting.
Tools Mentioned in This Article
- Andis Master (paid link)
- Andis Corded T-Outliner (paid link)
- Andis Cordless T-Outliner (paid link)
- BaBylissPRO FXONE Trimmer (paid link)
- BaBylissPRO FX+ Clipper (paid link)
- BaBylissPRO METALFX Double Foil Shaver (paid link)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This article is based on my personal experience cutting hair since 2005. It is not sponsored by Andis or BaBylissPRO.
Keep Reading or Book Your Next Cut
Want to compare more professional barber tools? Read 5 Best Hair Clippers for Fades on Amazon in 2026.
Need a fresh cut in Oakhurst or anywhere in Monmouth County, New Jersey? Book your next cut with GOT BARBER?