The Best Sweater Shavers
Sweaters are the ultimate clothing piece when you're looking for a cross between comfort and style. However, they don't look as new and fresh when they begin to pill. But that's not the only thing these handy tools are used for. You can use them to shave the extra fuzz off of leggings for the gym to keep them looking new again, too. You can keep all your fabrics looking fresh with one of our favorite fabric shavers on the list below.
What to Look For
A good sweater shaver needs to be effective at de-pilling your clothes, of course, but it should also be easy to use and versatile enough to work on multiple kinds of fabric. Conair’s fabric shaver takes the cake in our book, thanks to an intuitive design that produces consistently clean results. But if a manual option is more your style, Gleener’s battery-free shaver is hard to beat. Read on to check out our reviews of the best sweater shavers on the market to spruce up your favorite duds.
Conair Fabric Defuzzer
Effective and reliable
This sweater shaver is easy to use and adjustable. It has three height settings, so you can get the best result possible even while working on different fabrics. Its large shaving surface is two inches, allowing you to clean up a sweater or other pilling fabric in no time.
This shaver can be used on a variety of surfaces, including sweaters, socks, couches, and more. It runs off of two AA batteries, features a protective guard to keep your fingers away from the blades so you won’t worry about knicking yourself, and has a detachable lint catcher for easy emptying when you’re finished.
Pros:
- This shaver is truly versatile. Thanks to the three fabric shaving settings, you can really dial in the settings you want.
- While other shavers in this price range usually have a pretty small shaving surface, this one is quite large, so the shaving process is quicker.
Cons:
- Unfortunately, this isn’t a rechargeable unit. You’ll have to supply your own batteries, which is an added cost — albeit a minor one.
Beautural Fabric Shaver and Lint Remover
Refresh your wardrobe
With Beautural, simplicity is the name of the game. Just pop in two AA batteries into the back, select one of the two speeds, and start shaving. Another fantastic overall option, this one works on a wide variety of fabrics, such as jerseys, blankets, cotton, and even wool. Even the reservoir is easy to clean out. If you want a quick-and-easy solution to pilling garments, check out Beautural.
Pros:
- The collection container is large and quite easy to remove when you need to empty it, so maintenance is pretty simple with this shaver.
- The reservoir is see-through, so it’s easy to gauge when it needs to be cleared.
Cons:
- Unlike other battery-powered shavers, this one tends to eat through batteries pretty quickly.
Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover and Lint Brush
No batteries needed
As this manual fabric shaver from Gleener proves, electric doesn’t always mean better. The wide head actually requires only a couple of passes to clear pilling and fuzz. Better yet, Gleener includes three interchangeable edges that expand the possibilities to just about any fabric type. Use the “big and bulky” edge for your couch, swap in the medium edge for your cotton clothing, and pop on the delicate edge for your vintage sweaters. As a bonus, the other side of the tool sports a lint brush.
Pros:
- If you’ve been struggling to find a shaver you can use on delicate fabrics, this is your pick. Because there are no blades, motors, or moving parts, it’s more gentle and precise than electric models.
- The built-in lint brush is also useful for households with pets, as it helps lift fur and stray hair off the fabric.
Cons:
- Shaving a sweater effectively with this pick requires more elbow grease than electronic models. It may take a few passes to achieve a satisfactory effect depending on the type of fabric.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Won’t a sweater shaver ruin my clothes?
Sweater shavers certainly are shaving something off your sweater, so it is easy to see why you’d wonder that. However, the pieces that are being cut off are pieces that are already pilling. These might eventually come off on their own, but until they do, they make the sweater look pretty crummy. Since you’re a lot less likely to wear a sweater that’s crummy-looking, using a sweater shaver can extend the life of your sweaters and other fabric materials. With that said, make sure you do not shave too closely to the fabric to avoid making new holes in the material.
Can sweater shavers clean more than just sweaters?
Sweater shavers can help clean just about any fabric material. If you have something that is starting to pill, one of these products is sure to help. Some commonly cleaned items include sweaters, other types of clothing, carpet and rugs, furniture, fabric car interiors, plush toys, blankets and sheets, and more. For really delicate fabrics, we recommend using a manual shaver.
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