Flowbee Haircutting System
by FLOWBEE
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Our Price: $107.97 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $94.26 (click here) Category: Home See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Flowbee Haircutting System
Customer Review: I should've gotten one a long time ago...
Summary: 4 Stars
I've always liked the concept behind the Flowbee. I just didn't think it'd really work. Then one day I just snapped and succumbed to actually buying one. I hate going to salons as they never really get what I want done to my hair. Now I have full control over how my hair is cut. I've never been happier with my hair after owning the Flowbee. My wife ridiculed me when she found out I bought one, but we both just laughed so hard in amazement after seeing my new "great-looking" self-cut hair. I think I read another reviewer here who had the same experience of laughing in disbelief.
Anyway, my first attempt at cutting my own hair with the Flowbee went pretty well, at the same time amazing myself too. I just took my time and cut in lengths of half inch intervals. I was also very careful in using the tapered spacer/guide as you can easily taper the wrong way when shifting from one side of your head to the other. As mentioned by others here, you'd need scissors/clippers if you want clean sideburns and edges. Just remember to practice first and run through your hair with the "vacuum on and Flowbee off" before actually cutting your hair. It just takes some common sense and a lot of creativity to get the haircut you want.
PROS:
- literally clean cuts - no more itchy hairs all over you or messy clothes, floors and furniture.
- you have full control and you're able to cut your hair ALONE without ever depending and spending on hairdressers/salons (you have no one else to blame though).
- fast and accurate haircuts (you get faster as you become more comfortable and confident using the Flowbee).
CONS:
- the head unit is big and feels a bit heavy - you'll get tired after holding it for long durations. would've been perfect if this was lighter and more portable.
- the transparent plastic spacers/guides look flimsy and cheap (like they'll break/crack/snap anytime soon) but they work as advertised.
- the electric cord just runs inside the vacuum tube extension where all the hair, oil and moisture pass through going into the vacuum cleaner. Although this doesn't affect the functionality of the Flowbee, this just feels like a last minute solution to keeping the cord out of the way. The cord should have been integrated/fastened alongside the tube externally.
- the internal cutting blades/mechanism are a bit noisy and depending on the type of vacuum cleaner you're using, your ears may get strained and people in (or around) your house will know you're playing with your Flowbee again.
Overall, the PROS overcome the CONS. Quality-wise: there's quite some room for improvement. Functionality and usability-wise: I think the concept is just brilliant. This is one of the most useful and practical products I've ever owned. I highly recommend it. Simply an indispensable personal grooming tool for me.
Customer Review: Truly blown away!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the flowbee because every time I went to a hair salon to get a haircut and style, they could never get it the exact way I wanted. I wear my hair in a fohawk style and for some reason, hair stylists that have cut my hair could not get it the way I wanted. I went to 4 different salons before buying the flowbee. The hair stylists would do a decent job, but never exact. So I came to Amazon and kept wondering if I should purchase the flowbee. I read many reviews (Amazon and others), watched videos, and finally decided to give it a shot.
My package arrived quickly and I was eager to test it out. Protective package was nice and all of the contents you see in the pictures of the product were included. I read over the instructions but unfortunately, I was not in need of a haircut yet, so I waited a few days. A few more days past and I was ready to give the flowbee a shot. I followed the recommendations that the manual suggests so as not to cut too much too quickly. I took my time and experimented and about an hour after starting my haircut, I was complete. To me, it was the perfect haircut and style(I trimmed the sides and along the neck/ear with clippers at the end). The flowbee got my hair exactly the way I wanted it. It's actually "fun" and a refreshing way to get a haircut. There was no mess to clean up and I came away with what I regarded as a perfect haircut. I think I read a review that said to be careful to not go too fast or not toss back a few before using the flowbee. However, I could not see how you could mess up a haircut with this system. It's practically impossible to not cut your hair correctly.
All I have to say is that this thing is AMAZING!! I can't believe I waited so long to purchase this. I am completely sold on this Flowbee. No more making appts, no more getting mediocre haircuts, won't have to worry about driving to the salon, smelling all the chemicals used in salons, or paying 25+ dollars for a haircut that takes them 10 min to do. Now I have the Flowbee and can get a perfect haircut whenever my schedule permits!! I think once you've done your a hair a few times, you can easily do a complete haircut within 15 to 30 minutes.
Also, I did my haircut and style completely by myself. However I could easily see a Mom/Dad using this on their kids or a buddy using this on their friends with perfect results. If you are even semi-good with your hands and are semi-creative, you should have no problem cutting your own hair with the Flowbee.
I would recommend this product to any guy/girl out there that has a short to medium hairstyle. I don't think that this would be good for really long hair but I believe it covers this in the manual. If you are contemplating getting one, DO IT! It really does work!! If my Flowbee ever breaks for whatever reason, I will order one the very next day.
Customer Review: Glad I purchased
Summary: 5 Stars
I remember seeing infomercials back in the late 80's on the flowbee vacuum haircutting system and laughing extremely hard at just the idea of cutting ones hair in this manner. Of course I was a lot younger and did not see the need. Fast forward, and now 48 I am looking for a better way to get a haircut than 1) handing 12 dollars over to a barber each month 2) waiting for an hour for a chair 3) hairs down the back of my neck 4) showers AFTER the haircut.
Haircuts have been a big and time consuming event in my life each and every month. While wondering about a better way, I remembered the flowbee. Investigated, and realized they still made flowbees after 20 years (must be doing something right) I swallowed hard and purchased one. It arrived last night and I gave myself my first flowbee haircut. Quite frankly I am totally amazed at my results. I actually can not tell the difference between my flowbee cut and my barber's cut...well, actually the flowbee may be just a bit better.
Up until today, I thought I had "problem" hair. Three cow licks up front, some barbers haircuts were just plain bad....I tried to excuse them by stating that its my hair.....but after this..I do not know. Cutting my hair with flowbee was amazingly simple, fun, and all I can say is "why did I wait all of these years". So far, I am happy with my flowbee and look forward to many years of use from this product. I purchased mine from the manufacturer "flowbee dot com" .
Update:
I have now given myself three haircuts with the flowbee and am still pleased with the way my hair looks. Perhaps a haircut a week is a bit excessive (sorry I like to play with new gadgets) but it is all done in the experimental vein AND to give this product an honest evaluation. Three haircuts and still looks like the barber cut my hair. The ONLY thing the flowbee cannot do is trim around the ears and neckline, but it does not take an imagination or talent to freehand that job.
Update Two: I have now been cutting my hair with the Flowbee for 1 year and 3 months. I could not be more pleased with the results. Frankly, the Flowbee has NEVER 1) failed to achieve great results 2) I have never "messed" my hair up and been embarrased with the job it has performed on my hair. I truly see no reason to go back to a barber. My flowbee has paid for itself so its now a no brainer.
You do need to get used to the concept of using different size spacers to "personalize" the cut to your own personal tastes; for instance it is not logical to use one length spacer all over your head, so you use shorter ones for back and sides. Conclusion. LOVE IT, RECOMMED IT and personally have purchased a "spare" just in case mine ever brakes and the company is not in business anymore.
Customer Review: As good as advertised
Summary: 4 Stars
We live in a culture were the creative geniuses in advertising make product appear better than they really are. This is NOT the case with the Flowbee. I'd give this product 4.5 stars if I could.
I purchased the Flowbee for a special reason. While most folks are looking to save cash, my primary motivation is to cut the hair of my developmentally disabled brother. (For those curious, he's autistic and mentally retarded.) Though he's much older, his mental age is only about 24 months. As anybody with a child in the 'terrible twos' can attest to, he doesn't sit still.
I've taken him to the barbershop in the past but it's too much to ask to cut his top hair with any length - he won't sit still while they wet, then trim his hair with a comb and scissors - so they end up giving him buzz cuts that my mother hates. So she started cutting his hair and, while she tries hard, the evenness of her trims left much to be desired. Complicating matters is, unlike the rest of our family, his hair is extremely thick and wavy. Also, because his haircuts are done at home, it creates a mess that I have to clean up.
Enter the Flowbee. As advertised, it cuts without creating a mess (thank you!). And, because it 'lifts' the hair off the scalp, the hair on the top of his head is beautifully even. Using the provided tapered attachments, it creates absolutely PROFESSIONAL sides (something we've never been able to do so easily). My brother now has a very crisp Caesar and all the staff at his school, upon learning that I now cut his hair, ask me where I went to haircutting school. :)
I'd recommend the Flowbee in a heartbeat, But there are some things to keep in mind:
- While the sides are excellent, if you're going for the 'fresh from the barbershop look,' you'll still need clippers (or a trimmer) to clean up stray hairs around the ears and the back of the neck.
- If hair is dense and/or you have thick follicles, you'll need to use several passes. Everyone else in our family has very thin, fine hair taking only one pass but my brother needs a second one. (This is only a matter of a few minutes though)
- Wavy or slightly curly hair really should be wetted down first. I can't imagine it working well on very curly hair. And the manual says it won't work on Afro-type hair.
- You might want to buy earplugs. Since both the clippers and the vacuum must be on, it's a noisy endeavor.
Overall, the Flowbee is great for people who want comb-able hair that they can style, especially on top (you can cut hairs to be as long as about 5 inches). It is not a direct substitute for those folks who get clipper cuts (fuzz or buzz cuts). But since mom wants my brother's hair to be no shorter than one-inch on top, the Flowbee is perfect for us.
Customer Review: Great Product - But Don't Order It Through Discount Jungle
Summary: 5 Stars
This really is a great product. I've used the Flowbee (it's worked with every vacuum I've ever had) for approximately twenty years. They seem to last about 7-8 years before they stop working. And I've never had to replace any blades or any parts, but I'm now on my third Flowbee.
The only problem is that new / novice users may be initially tempted to cut off too much hair. It's sometimes hard to estimate when you're done (this is also true at the hair stylist / barber). The first few haircuts, I used to cut off too much hair until I learned not to overcut ..... that I could always cut more hair the next day if I needed to.
And if you take care of this product, it will last a good decent long time. Oil the blades after every use (as the manufacturer suggests). Store the Flowbee in its box with some moisture absorbent pouches (not necessary, but it does absorb humidity / moisture that can rust metal).
Finally, try not to cut wet hair. For the reason just mentioned, the blades are metal and are more inclined to rust if any moisture remains.
Just for the record, I've had nice even-sided and consistent haircuts with my Flowbee for almost 20 years. How many of you can say that about your stylist? And sometimes you can try something new like growing your hair a little longer in the back and short up front, etc. without taking a chance that your barber will screw it up.
Not to mention how much I've saved by not going to a hair stylist.
Anyway, buy it from "As Seen On TV" here at Amazon or go to Flowbee.com. Just stay away from Discount Jungle. People have apparently had problems with them. And Flowbee.com only charges $69.95. They are also the manufacturer of this product so their reputation rides on every Flowbee they sell. In short, Flowbee.cim has a vested interest in keeping their customers satisfied. I also don't see them advertising on TV anymore, so it seems that a lot of their business is by word of mouth from satisfied customers like me.
Once again, great product -- but stay away from Discount Jungle.