Hey! Today's post is going to review the Wahl Five Star Finale.
I’m the son of a barber and a lifelong fan of American barbershops.
When Covid hit, I started giving my buddies tips on how to keep their hair looking fresh while locked down. ... Long story short, we are now doing this blog. Its become an obsession lol
The Wahl Five Star Finale is a professional-grade finishing tool that can deliver barber-quality results. It is Wahl's updated entry in the battle of micro foil shavers.
The Five Star Finale is the best micro foil shaver available to you in terms of sheer performance. But, you know what they say: the good things are never free. If you are thinking of picking up a Wahl Finale, you need to decide for yourself whether the improved performance justifies the higher price tag.
Of course, we are going to try to help you with your call on the Wahl Finale by going over every detail you could ever want to know.
Capiche? Scroll down NOW
When to Consider Getting a Micro Foil Shaver
Do you want your cheeks and neck to have that clean, fresh from the barber look?
Micro foil shavers are designed to provide a close shave faster and with less irritation. The blades are made of surgical-grade stainless steel, so they won’t rust or dull over time. Plus, the design makes it impossible to cut yourself no matter how close you get. You are gonna wanna use your micro foil shaver for cleaning up and keeping your lines looking sharp. There is a reason why
What are you waiting for, bro? Say goodbye to those days of fuzzy cheeks and the dreaded neck beard. Say hello again to feeling confident about your appearance every day without having any worries about nicks or cuts! Your skin will thank you too because micro foil shavers glide across the surface of your skin effortlessly without tugging at hair follicles like disposable razors do.
Scroll down to find out more about micro foil razors including the six secrets that you absolutely need to know when choosing between the various micro foil razors on the market.
What to Consider When Getting a Micro Foil Shaver
You deserve to look your best.
You know it may be time to ditch your rusty, gillete razor and upgrade to a micro foil shaver. (Especially if you have a heavy beard or goatee, there is no way around the need for a finishing tool.) But you are not sure about the best manufacturer for said micro foil shaver - I got you, bro.
The Andis ProFoil is frankly the leader in the micro foil category, which is why we reviewed it first. but Wahl is also a heavy hitter in the micro foil game. Wahl manufactures both the Five Star Shaver Shaper and the Five Star Finale. (There is also Babyliss who are coming straight out of the old country -- Italia, Viva Italia!)
All three of these manufacturers are putting out micro foil shavers that are succesful in the market and respected by real barbers. These are products that deliver both quality and value.
You have choices, bro.
Today's post is going to review the Wahl Five Star Finale, specifically. But here is the real question: how do you evaluate the various micro foil shavers that are available to help you take your facial hair game to the next level?
That is kinda like asking what makes you, YOU? You have your own preferences and priorities. But when it comes to micro foil shavers like the Wahl Five Star Finale, I am pretty sure that the following five points will be useful for you
Battery
Looking for portability. In that case, battery life is critical.
There are a couple points here.
First, how long does it take for the thing to charge up? Second, how long does it stay charged for?
Corded and Cordless
It is more and more difficult to find an electric shaver that can be used both corded and cordless.
A foil shaver that can be used both corded or cordless really is the second key aspect of portability.
Size
Let's get one thing straight up front: size matters, bro.
Yeah, I know what you are going to say: it is all just down to personal preference. Maybe.
But, size also has functional implications.
Some of the smaller foil shavers on the market are simply too small to be used on a daily basis.
A key consideration here is the number of 'shaving elements.' Scroll down to discover what we mean by a shaving element.
Power
My facial hair is relatively thick and coarse - what can I say. It must be the massive amounts of testosterone swirling around in our familial gene pool. Thanks, dad!
Some small foil shavers -- think 'travel shavers' often with a single shaving element -- cannot hack it. The result? They get caught in my beard and either stop working or jerk mercilessly on my growth.
I don't want this to happen to you. That is why it is so important to consider the overall power of any smaller foil shaver, such as the Wahl Five Star.
Made in America?
This one is a wild card.
Not everyone is going to really care about place of origin. For me it is important. As much as possible, I prefer to get my equipment made by skilled workers in factories that provide decent working conditions.
Introducing The Wahl Five Star Finale
Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to present the Wahl Five Star Finale.
The full name of this bad boy is the Wahl Five Star (5 Star) Cord/Cordless Finale. (Yeah, that is quite a mouthful.)
Most real, American barbershops will have one of these bad boys working so you may well have seen it already. The Wahl Five Star Finale looks like this: It is not going to be winning any awards for the design, but the industrial, appearance immediately conveys that this tool means business. It is also incredibly light But, don’t be fooled: the Finale delivers pro-level functionality, power, and closeness. It is most definitely not one of those ‘jack of all trades’ (master of none) gadgets. More and more guys are starting to use this micro foil shaver at home. Let’s look at the features and benefits in additional detail below. |
Discover the Wahl Finale’s Best and Worst Features
You already know that Wahl is a workhorse brand in the American barbershop game.
You may also be aware that not all Wahl-branded products deliver quality. Unfortunately, Wahl has slipped into licensing out their brand. But, Wahl does continue to put out serious ‘heavy hitters’ that are aimed at professional barbers and available to guys that want quality equipment. This is what the Five Star range is all about.
Wahl’s Five Star range invests in quality manufacturing and advanced technology to put out heavy hitters that will meet the expectations of pro. Now thanks to the internet these products are also available to guys that simply want quality equipment for home use.
Wahl’s Five Star Finale in particular came out a few years ago to do what the Shaver Shaper had failed to do, compete with Andis as the number one micro foil shaver.
Let’s dig in to why the Five Star Finale has won respect from barbers across America as the highest quality micro foil shaver in terms of sheer performance.
As you learn about these specific features that it could bring to your home shaving game.
Advantage 1: Unparalleled Closeness for an Electric Shaver
You want a close shave, but you don’t have time for a real deal, wet shave.
Wahl had tried to solve this problem with its Five Star Shaver Shaper but the results were inconsistent. The Finale is Wahl's most powerful, and closest shaving micro foil shaver yet.
The Wahl Finale delivers an extremely close shave. It can give you that clean-shaven look. Short of getting out your straight blade, you are not going to get a closer shaver.
How does the Finale achieve this feat of engineering genius? What you will find is that the Finale moves in an arc. This design allows the shaver to follow your face’s contours, which means you get the closest shave possible on your cheeks and jawline, but also under your nose and neck area.
Really, this is all about the Finale's excellent use of the two foil guards. Five design features are worth noting:
- First, the foil guards are thin. They are so thin that there is only a minimal gap between your skin and the Wahl Finale's internal razor blades.
- second, the blades are made of surgical steel and coated with platinum. This two-layer combination provides a long life span for the blade while also maximizing durability and sharpness. The result is that you get an extremely close shave every time without having to replace the blades as often.
- Third, the staggered arrangement of the foil guards is also noteworthy -- it keeps the razors at a sharp, 45° angle. And, it makes easy to use the correct a seesaw motion when shaving with the Wahl Finale.
- Fourth, the holes in the foil guards are also just the right size. This allows stubble to slip easily into the cutting chamber so that even very short hairs are cleaned away.
- Fifth, finally, the gold tint on the foil guards comes from a material known as gold titanium. This gold titanium foil is hypo-allergenic.
These design features deliver some major benefits. You are going to get an incredibly close shave, which is practically guaranteed to be closer than what you get with a normal electric shaver.
The only way to get a closer shave is to start sharpening your straight blade.
With a micro foil shaver you of course do not need to worry aobut cutting yourself. Thanks to the hypo-allergenic foil and assuming that you use the Wahl Finale correct, you also shouldn’t have to even worry about minor irritation or redness.
Trust me, you are going to really enjoy the way your skin feels fresh after shaving with the Wahl Finale. It's like going into the barbershop.
Advantage 2: Powerful motor
Not all micro foil shavers are created equal. Some can be too small or don't have enough power to cut through your facial hair. You don't want to deal with a shaver that pulls at your facial hair. That can be hard to avoid if your unit isn't powerful enough, especially when looking at small shavers.
The Wahl Finale is the best micro foil shaver for guys who have thick or coarse facial hair. It has a very powerful motor and delivers up to 9,000 SPM (strokes per minute).
If you are dealing with thick or coarse facial hair, then the Wahl Finale is worth checking out. Its motor delivers up to 9,000 strokes per minute which means it will cut through even the coarsest stubble in no time at all. You won't need multiple passes with this model either because its blades are packing that surgical sharpness.
Another issue that comes up with the motor on micro foil shavers is noise. The Andis ProFoil, in particular, gets some serious shade on Amazon for its noisy motor.
What can I say? The noise level on these machines was designed around being used in public spaces like barbershops. The original idea was not that you would be using this thing next to your sleeping baby.
The good news is that the motor on the Wahl Finale is relatively soft. Most people aren’t bothered by its sound. But, it is still an industrial appliance. You may find that there is a bit of an adjustment period while you get used to it. It really depends on how sensitive your ears are.
If you are bothered by the sound on the Andis ProFoil, you may find the Wahl Finale to be a minor improvement. If you are good with the sound level on the Andis, then you will definitely be good with the Wahl, too.
Advantage 3: Best-in-class battery combined with corded / cordless operation
You’re busy. You don’t have time to charge your shaver every night. Most guys get a micro foil shaver for home use, but still they don’t want to have to remember to charge it every night. Then there are guys who plan to use this thing on the go.
Most cordless shavers, like the Wahl Shaver/Shaper, last about 60 minutes before they need recharging. That means you need to consistently recharge the battery and that can be annoying if you just want a quick trim or touch up. This was one of the major knocks on the Wahl Shaver Shaper
Solution: The Wahl Finale lasts 90 minutes on one charge which means you only have to plug it in once every two months!
The Wahl Finale’s battery is a definite advantage. This kind of superior battery life is an especially big source of convenience if you like to take your shaver with you while traveling or when going to the gym
Why does the battery last so long? Simple answer: lithium ion is a superior technology. As a result, the battery will stay charged, i.e. without use, for several years. You also don’t need to worry about the battery ‘refusing to take a charge’. While that may happen with a cheaper, nickel-based battery, it is unlikely with lithium ion batteries.
Not only does the battery last a long time, but the Wahl Finale was designed to be used either corded or cordless. This means that if, for example, the battery dies and the shaver powers off while in use, you can simply attach the power cord and BOOOM continued shaving.
(Do be aware that the shaver’s battery will not charge while it is in use. )
External Design: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?
Just like the Andis Profoil, the Wahl Finale’s body -- its ‘shell’ or ‘case’ -- is made out of polymer (plastic). Neither of these tools are going to be winning any beauty contests.
What I will say is that the Wahl Finale looks hard and masculine. While the Andis ProFoil looks like it is coming straight out of a NASA control room, complete with pocket protector, the Wahl Finale is a different kind of nostalgia. The Wahl Finale looks like the pocket protecter that would be word by John Travolta's character in Grease. What does that mean? It means that this is not a pocket protecter, it is a black leather jacket.
Like they say in Silicon Valley:
Not only that, what the Finale lacks in appearance it makes up for in functionality.
Does Size Really Matter?
When it comes to electric shavers, size has functional consequences.
You need to understand the number of ‘shaving elements’ that your unit is packing
A traditional electric shaver that you would use to shave your entire face, should have at least three shaving elements. In case, you don’t know: the number of shaving element is determined by the number of foil guards. In turn, a given foil guard will have a particular function, i.e. some provide a true shave by getting down to the root while others just offer a trim and hover above your skin.
Precisely because the Wahl Finale is designed specifically for helping barbers finish off their clients quickly, it does not have or need a third trimming foil. (if you need that kind of functionality, i.e., to shave your entire face, the Wahl Finale is not the right machine for you.)
Major Drawback: Price
Considering the quality that Wahl has packed in to this little puppy, the price is understandable.
Wahl has invested in quality manufacturing and advanced technology to produce a shaver that is relied on by many barbers. It is a clear step up from the earlier Shaver Shaper.
Wahl calls this machine "The Ultimate Finishing Tool." That is an impressive claim.
But ... you are going to need to ask yourself: do you feel comfortable dropping more than a hundred bucks on a Finishing Tool?
Maybe because its never been marketed to consumers and maybe because it is not branded in a stylish way, the Andis ProFoil is an incredible value. In this respect, it impossible not to compare the Wahl Finale to the Andis ProFoil.
Unless you get exceedingly lucky, the Wahl Finale is going to be more expensive. For my Money - I am going to stick with Andis. (We are going to get more into the weeds of this comparison and the link will eventually be posted here.)
Street Cred
While researching this post, I scoured the internet to see what regular guys and pro barbers have to say about the Wahl Finale.
Just about everything is very positive. From barbers posting videos and tutorials about how these use this little bad boy to ordinary Joes who are now using the Andis ProFoil at home.
For example,
Some people report that the and the performance will also be quite similar.
Alternatives
Just in case, here are a couple other small shavers for styling a masculine beard with sharp and clean lines.
- Andis ProFoil
- Wahl’s Five Star Shaver Shaper
- Braun ProSkin Series 3
The classic competitor is the Andis ProFoil, and the two tools are very similar. Both use two staggered foil guards, both have similar aesthetics and use cases, both work corded and cordless. Some guys do report that the Wahl Finale is more powerful than the ProFoil while other guys find that the Andis is a little more forgiving on sensitive skin. The big difference really is going to be price.
Another competitor is Wahl’s own 5 Star Shaver Shaper. The Shaver Shaper is cheaper. But, it has a number of significant drawbacks. These drawbacks include a less powerful motor and an inferior battery.
If what you want is a three element shaver then I would point you in the direction of the Braun Series 3 ProSkin. The third shaving element will be a trimmer that will make it more practical to shave your whole face.
The Final Call
I recommend the Wahl 5-Star Finale Shaver for guys who are confident that they need a finishing tool and are not overly price sensitive.
Wahl has invested in quality manufacturing and advanced technology to produce a shaver that is relied on by many barbers. The Five Star Finale is the highest quality micro foil shaver on the market right now in terms of sheer performance.