I tend to shy away from absolutist post titles. That I didn’t this time should be telling. Who gets excited about nail clippers? I do, when they’re this good. Hell, my husband evangelizes them.
I had never found a pair of nail clippers I liked. At most, a pair achieved the stunning heights of acceptable. In fact, I went for years never cutting them and only filing to remove length. But that takes a while, burns through files, and creates excess dust.
I have since found that Japanese brand Takuminozawa makes the BEST nail clippers. This brand is also sometimes known as Green Bell. Like a few of my favorite things these days, are imports. They have several varieties, but I am using these fingernail clippers ($12) and these toenail ones ($14).
What makes a good pair of nail clippers?
When looking for nail clippers, people should consider the following qualities. In my experience with them, Takuminozawa makes the best nail clippers because they check every box.
- Sharpness: The blades should be sharp and able to cut nails cleanly and smoothly without tearing or crushing them.
- Durability: They should be made from high-quality materials that can withstand frequent use without breaking or rusting.
- Precision: The blades should be aligned properly and close tightly to ensure a precise cut.
- Ergonomics: They should be comfortable to hold and easy to use, with a design that allows for good control and maneuverability.
- Size: The size of the clippers should be appropriate for the user’s hand and nails, and should fit comfortably in the hand.
- Ease of cleaning: They should be easy to clean and maintain to ensure hygienic use.
- Price: They should be reasonably priced and offer good value for the money.
Overall, finding a pair of nail clippers that combine all these qualities will help ensure that you have a high-quality, long-lasting, and effective tool for maintaining your nails.
Where Previous Pairs Fell Short
If you’ve been buying your nail clippers from drugstores or Wal-Mart, like I have, you’re probably missing a few of those above areas. For me, the most common themes were sharpness and precision. Not so with Takuminozawa clippers.
Although many are a good price, they aren’t always a good value. Think about it – if a $3 pair needs to be replaced every couple years, is it a value? Also, I’ve tried, “nicer,” pairs from the likes to Tweezerman and guess what? They weren’t much better.
Even if American drugstore clippers cut well at first, they’d be garbage in just a couple months. You’d face a struggle trying to cut, and your cuts wouldn’t be clean. Is it the metal used – like is it not hard and durable enough? Is it just that they aren’t actually that sharp to begin with? (Likely yes on both counts).
I think the values that lie behind the craftsmanship here are key factors in why they’re so damn good. When you consider that there’s less space to be brazenly wasteful, quality craftsmanship is not really optional. Things need to be build to last – and that is why Takuminozawa makes the best nail clippers.
Salon Options vs Takuminozawa
There may well be badass salon professional clippers out there that don’t suck – but us mere mortals can’t very well shop at Cosmo Prof, and if I’m gambling on authenticity via Amazon, I’d rather go with something less prone to being faked – like these excellent Takuminozawa clippers. Or, you know, buy them directly from a reputable importer (like Japanese Taste – I’ve had great experiences with them & am not affiliated) if you don’t want to risk that or don’t do business with Amazon.
The Bottom Line
Yes, they’re more expensive. But I also fully expect to have them until I retire, at least.
I love these damn things so much that I gave pairs of fingernail and toenail clippers as gifts this Christmas. Is it weird? Maybe. But everyone acknowledged that their existing clippers sucked, so even if I’m not winning any, “best/most exciting gift,” accolades, I know these will have a long service life and make a mundane grooming task suck a little less.
Editor’s Note
I have not cut any sort of nail enhancement with my beloved Takuminozawa clippers. I suspect they’ll do great, but I recommend using a separate tool for that – whether another pair of these or a better-suited tool. Think along the lines of not using fabric or hair shears to cut paper.