Oster Fast Feed Review – A Great Performing, All-Round Hair Clipper

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Rating: 8/10

OSTER Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper 76023-510

View the Oster Fast Feed on Amazon

Summary:

The Oster Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper is a mid-range, corded hair clipper that produces a professional finish at a very reasonable price.

With its uniquely quiet motor, it is used extensively by barbers and stylists and has become a firm favorite in the industry.

However, this solid all-rounder is equally suitable for home use.

Good for fading and detailing, as well as cutting all types of hair – even thick, wet, and coarse hair.

Pros

  • Lightweight – easy to handle
  • Performs well on all hair types
  • Ergonomic design for greater comfort
  • Powerful and quiet, pivot motor
  • For professional or home use

Cons

  • Only corded model available
  • Limited guard sizes
  • No storage case or stand

View the Oster Fast Feed on Amazon

Features

12 Amp Pivot Motor

The Oster Fast Feed has a good, mid-range, 12 amp pivot motor which is more powerful than the majority of clippers on the market, that generally run on an 8 amp motor.

The difference in performance is significant.

The Whisper Quiet™ motor retains a reassuring ‘hum’ that is loud enough to know you have the backing of a decent engine, but quiet enough to hear yourself think!

Cryogen BladeOSTER Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper 76023-510

The clipper comes with a handy, adjustable Cryogen-x blade that is easily altered using the blade lever.

Simply choose the length you require. From a very close 000 shave to a medium length trim (size 1).

The benefit of not having to change blades makes for a simpler, quicker cut.  

I don’t like shaving my hair when it’s wet but these clippers can easily handle all types of hair; wet or dry, Afro or thin.

A replacement blade doesn’t cost the earth and will last years if looked after.

I recommend you buy a spare one when purchasing the Fast Feed. It’s one of those things you can’t do without or fudge!

Alternative Ceramic Blade

If you want an alternative to the stock blade that is supplied, go for a ceramic blade.

The Fast Feed Ceramic Blade is good on 2 accounts:

  1. The ceramic blade does not heat up as the steel blade will. Apparently ceramic will stay 75% cooler.
  2. You can zero-gap your Fast Feed with the ceramic blade.

If you intend to use your Fast Feed often and/or for prolonged use, I would suggest the ceramic blade is a good addition.

Adjustable Lever

The Fast Feed has a robust, smooth action, adjustable lever, enabling you to move the blade from its shortest to the highest setting.

This is particularly useful for very tight hair cuts, i.e. fading and blending, as you can be more precise with your cutting lengths.

By sliding one of the blades under the other, you can adjust the length for a closer or longer trim. Move the lever up for a shorter (closer) cut, and down for a longer cut.

If you’re using guide combs, you can usually go up midway between lengths. The length of the guide combs is usually expressed in a measurement that assumes the guard is closed.

Although it’s a useful feature, if you’re new to cutting hair, you may find it simpler to just use guide combs, with the lever fully closed (down), to get the exact lengths you need.

The sliding blades are very useful if you get hair jammed in between the blades. Just rock the lever back and forth to release the stuck hair.

It also leaves a nice gap for you to apply a couple of drops of oil before/after you use them.

Specifications

Model Number76023-510

Color – Burgundy

Weight – It is a very lightweight clipper at just 1.16lbs in weight ( less than 1/2 kg).

Dimensions – 6″ long, 2.1″ wide, 1.6″ deep

Voltage – 120volts

What Is In The Box?

OSTER Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper 76023-510

The Oster Fast Feed comes with the usual complement of accessories, including:

  • An industrial, 8 ft power cord.
  • 1 x small bottle of lubricating oil
  • Cleaning brush
  • Blade guard
  • 4 guide combs – blending (which is actually 1/16″), 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″
  • User manual

Accessories

Oster Fast Feed Guide Combs

Oster have 11 sizes of comb guides that fit their clipper range:

Clipper Guide Number Size in Inches (“) Size in Millimeters (mm)
#0 1/16″ 1.5mm
#1 1/8″ 3mm
#2 1/4″ 6mm
#3 3/8″ 10mm
#4 1/2″ 13mm
#5 5/8″ 16mm
#6 3/4″ 19mm
#7 7/8″ 22mm
#8 1″ 25mm
#10 1 1/4″ 32mm

Each manufacturer will number them differently, so check the sizes, as well as the guide numbers.

The guide combs that come supplied with your Fast Feed clipper are crap adequate (at best).

They are not the strongest and are liable to break if you drop them.

I’ve also read reports of these combs slipping and detaching from the clipper, mid-cut.

It’s a shame Oster doesn’t up their game with their guide combs because they’re an essential accessory that most people rely on.

Fortunately, they don’t detract from the great performance of the clipper itself, but after hearing and reading so many negative comments, I suggest you purchase a separate, quality set of guide combs to go with your new Fast Feed.

Andis Master Dual Magnetic Comb Set

By far the leading brand of guide combs is the Andis Master Dual Magnetic Guide Comb.

Andis 01410 Master Dual Magnet Small 5-Comb Set Designed for MBA, MC-2, ML, PM- And PM-4, Purple

Although made by Andis, these guide combs fit absolutely perfectly onto the Fast Feed and are far more robust.

They snap into place and are held firm by 2 very powerful magnets.

The screws securing the blade on the Fast Feed are not flush or counter-sunk, so make sure you get the dual magnetic version of these guards, and you’ll get a very secure fit.

Once you use these Andis guide combs, you’ll never use anything else!

Travel / Storage Case


Unfortunately, the Fast Feed doesn’t come supplied with a storage or travel case to keep it in.

This Aproca Hard Carry Travel Case is compatible with the Fast Feed and will nicely store your expensive clippers, blades and guide combs.

It’s a good investment that will help protect your clippers.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Easy to use and control. The Fast Feed is very robust and has an ergonomic design.
  • Performs well on all hair types.
  • Powerful and quiet, pivot motor for regular use.
  • Just 1 Adjustable blade. You don’t have to worry about changing blades.
  • Excellent value for money.
  • Made in the USA.
  • Backed by Oster 12 month warranty.

Cons

Who Is The Oster Fast Feed Suitable For?

  • Professional barbers and hairstylists – will cope with all hair types and styles
  • Home use – being lightweight with a quiet motor makes it ideal for cutting hair at home
  • If you have thick or coarse hair
  • Anyone looking for an affordable, reliable clipper that is built to last.

Alternative Clippers To Consider

The Fast Feed is a great choice for a mid-range/mid-budget hair clipper.

Here are some alternatives you could consider that are in the same category:

Wahl Elite Pro

The Wahl Elite Pro is designed more for home use rather than professional use.

Its all-around features and high-quality accessories make this clipper a great choice.

Wahl Peanut Clipper/Trimmer

The Peanut Clipper/Trimmer is a versatile machine that performs even better than it looks.

Cutting, fading, tidying up fine neck hairs, the Peanut does it all.

For professionals and beginners alike.

Wahl Magic Clip

The Wahl Magic Clip is a little heavier than the Fast Feed but delivers more power.

A top choice mid-range corded clipper.

Videos

How To Maintain Your Oster Fast Feed:

How To Create a Bald Fade Using a #1 Guide Comb:

How To Zero Gap Your Oster Fast Feed

If you want an even closer cut, you can zero-gap your Fast Feed clippers.

This means you align the moving blade (the cutting blade) directly behind the stationary blade.

More hair can be cut this way as there is no guard between the blade and the hair.

Top Tip: Use the Oster Classic 76 #1 Blade to zero gap your Fast Feed.

This is a great video that shows you how to do it, and how it sits absolutely perfectly using the Oster Classic 76 No.1 blade.

Reviews

The incredible number of positive reviews from satisfied customers, and a near 5-star rating, tells you all you need to know about these clippers.

FAQs

Q. Does the blend adjustment lever click into place, or do you have to hold it steady like some of the cheaper brands?

A. No, the lever on the Fast Feed is a smooth action – it doesn’t ‘click’ into place. However, it is very sturdy and will hold in place without any issues of slipping.

Q. Can you use these clippers to trim beards just using the blade? I keep mine cut short.

A. Yes you can use it to trim your beard. Just be careful around your neck area if not using a guard, as it could snag or nick the skin.

However, if you’ve got a beard that is short enough to trim yourself, you should buy a dedicated beard trimmer.

Beard trimmers don’t require the same torque as a hair clipper. They employ super-fast cutting blades that work great on softer beard hair rather than thicker, more coarse facial hair.

Check out my article on Best Beard Trimmers that covers all lengths of beards.

Q. Will the Oster Fast Feed work on 220 volts?

A. The Fast Feed is designed for use on 110 volts, which is what the US and Canada use. If you try to use it at 220 volts it will damage the clipper.

You could use a step-down transformer which converts the 220 volts down to 110 volts in order to use appliances worldwide.

Q. How loud are these clippers? I had a pair of Wahl clippers that hurt my ears it was so loud.

A. The Oster Fast Feed clippers are probably one of the quietest hair clippers on the market as it uses a “whisper quiet” pivot motor.

Q. When the clippers are turned on, how long before they get so hot that you can’t finish your cut?

A. The Fast Feed clippers don’t become hot for at least 40-45 mins of use. They also cool down quite quickly.

Q. Are these clippers good for edging?

A. They aren’t specifically designed for detailing or edging. If that’s your thing, I recommend the Andis T-Outliner.

Final Thoughts

The Oster Fast Feed is a professional-use, quality clipper from a highly trusted manufacturer.

These clippers have a strong pivot motor and a blade that won’t cut or snag your skin, or tug/pull your hair.

Ideal for any hair type.

Its big advantage is the adjustable blade, giving you that ease of use and a greater range of cutting lengths.

It’s perfect for pro-barbers or the average user who likes to keep their hair trim at all times.

If Oster could produce a cordless version of these clippers, I would be a very happy boy!

However, the corded version is still right up there as one of the best in its class.

Peter

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