Quite a few people would probably laugh at the Flowbee – and its gimmicky infomercials.

They won’t laugh once they see what a great job it actually does, though.

Because the short answer is that yes, the Flowbee (Amazon.com) really works. With quite the spectacular results, even!

My father used to cut our hair with an older gen Flowbee that lasted us 9 whole years. And that was despite me and my brother being little brats and doing our best to break it down…

Don’t let appearances fool you: the Flowbee rocks. It’s convenient, saves quite a bit of money and should last you for years to come.

Sure, it might not have the most cutting edge design. Everybody can see that. But aren’t we looking for something practical anyways?

In this Flowbee haircutting system review I want to expand on a few things:

• What exactly is the Flowbee hair cutter?

• What can you use it for?

• Who is it suitable for?

• A Flowbee vs Robocut comparison

1. What exactly is the Flowbee haircutting system?

The Flowbee is a pretty basic concept: a hair cutter that relies on suction to collect your trimmer hair while cutting it at the same time. The benefit is that you don’t have any hair clutter around when you’re done.

How does it work?

Pretty simple – you just connect the cutter to your vacuum cleaner via a simple hose attachment. Flowbee is compatible with the majority of vacuum brands and models. Keep in mind the power output needs to be 3 hp or 8 amps.

Note: Your vacuum’s power also contributes to how well the Flowbee performs. Vacuums with better suction power will lead to quicker haircuts.

You control the cut’s length by using so called “spacers”. They allow for hair lengths from 1/2″ to 6″ at increments of 1/4″.

If you feel a little confused, here’s a short demonstration video:

2. What can you use a Flowbee haircutter for?

I won’t lie: this system isn’t as versatile as a good pair of clippers. It’s primary purpose is to help you achieve simple home haircuts in the 1/2″ to 6″ hair length range.

If you value simplicity and want presentable, but easy hairstyling, you’ll like it.

If you want detailed work like fades or tapering work, you won’t get these done that well. I recommend you look at adjustable blade vacuum clippers instead.

Also, keep in mind that it works better on fine/straight hair. Thicker hair or extremely curly hair might take some time and prove to be harder to style with the Flowbee.

Note: whatever you decide to do, don’t try to cut more than 1/2″ worth of hair length at a time. The manufacturer recommends sticking to the fixed increments.

3. Who is it suitable for?

Practically, anyone can use a Flowbee (yes, even kids, if they’re supervised by an adult.) I especially recommend it for families who want to save money and do proper home haircuts.

Especially if you have a few kids, the hairdresser bills can pile up tremendously. I’m saying that as a former barber myself, I’ve seen it.

With the Flowbee you only have the initial investment and it’ll pay for itself in just a few months. Furthermore, the vacuum function means no post-haircut clutter.

This was my father’s primary reason for using it. Haircuts on four family members would guarantee a few hours of cleaning up! Our family skipped on this by using a Flowbee when I was a kid.

Of course, it makes sense to use the hair cutting system for personal use too. You can use a Flowbee alone, without the need of another person helping you either. Very easy to work with and no unneeded complications.

4. Flowbee vs Robocut: which should you choose?

Now, as you can guess, the Flowbee isn’t the only system of this kind around.

There’s also the Robocut from Amazon.com – a more portable, lightweight take on home haircuts. There’s a few differences between both models you should keep in mind:

• The Robocut has extended cutting length control: 1/4″ to 24″ (compared to Flowbee’s 1/2″ to 6″). This means you can get quite the neat buzzcuts with the shorter adjustment.

• It can connect to any vacuum (no 3hp/8amp+ limitations)

• It runs a tad quieter than the rather noisy Flowbee

In addition, the Robocut haircutting system has a dial-like length controller. You can adjust the cuts on the go. A bit more convenient than changing the spacers as you need to do with the Flowbee.

Another benefit is that Robocut is more suitable if you want to trim your pets’ fur. If it’s about dogs, however, I recommend you read our guest author Giorgio’s list of best dog clippers. They’re a better choice.

Anyway! Here’s how the Robocut vacuum hair cutter looks in action:

That said, a few people point out that a Flowbee feels sturdier and delivers sharper haircuts. My observations are 50/50 here.

On one hand, I have a friend who swears by the Robocut. On the other, an acquaintance complained about the model pulling on his hair annoyingly.

The Flowbee is the pioneer in this market and my father used it when I was a kid, so I’m partial to it. However, the Robocut vacuum cutter is also worth looking into.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. These were my personal thoughts — I advise you to read a few reviews from people who’ve used them and make your decision!