These are the 7 best fabric shavers for keeping your wardrobe bobble-free, tested by a stylist
As a menswear stylist I’ve chosen the top fabric shavers to buy now, from small rechargeable designs to large debobblers for chunky sweaters
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Alongside a steamer and an iron, a fabric shaver is a key tool for clothing maintenance. Usually, it’s a small, electric device which removes bobbles using a rotating blade system and a built-in compartment where the lint collects.
“When used correctly, fabric shavers, or debobblers, can be a brilliant part of garment care,” says Layla Sargent, founder of clothing maintenance platform The Seam. “Pilling is a normal part of wear, especially on knitwear, and safely removing pills can extend the life of your favourite pieces. Debobbling is one of the most simple yet satisfying ways to restore garments.”
Many big electrical brands offer their own version, namely Philips, Russell Hobbs and Salter, starting at around £20. At the other end is premium clothing maintenance brand Steamery, with its Pilo 2 for £55.
You can find my full reviews below, along with answers to frequently asked questions. However, if you’re strapped for time, here’s a quick look at my top five:
The best fabric shavers: At a glance
- Best Buy fabric shaver: Russell Hobbs
- Best Value fabric shaver: Salter
- Best luxury fabric shaver: Steamery
- Best fabric shaver for delicates: Philips
- Best fabric shaver for travel: Fridja
How to choose the best fabric shavers
First, consider how you’ll use your fabric shaver. If you think you’ll shave your clothes in bulk (to get all your jumpers ready for autumn, for example), a larger design with a wide shaving surface area, long battery life and bigger lint tank would suit. They would be great for tending to home upholstery, too.
If you tend to be more last minute, a small, rechargeable shaver which is easily portable should suit you fine. Then you can throw it in your bag and use it when you’re travelling.
Then there’s ergonomics. Most are designed to fit fully in your hand, which can sometimes feel awkward, while others have a traditional handle that gives you more control. As with every product, some are more aesthetically pleasing, with luxurious design details and sleek packaging, but they’re usually more expensive.
Think about the fabrics you’re likely to be debobbling, too. While most are designed with heavier woollens in mind, some are also effective when used on delicates, like lightweight cashmere or a merino wool. Look out for a blade grate with smaller holes and multiple speed settings for maximum versatility.
How we test fabric shavers
As a menswear stylist, I have years of experience of handling fabrics and making them look pristine, whether it’s dressing a celebrity for a red carpet event or a model for an editorial photoshoot. With that in mind, I chose a selection of pieces from my wardrobe made using different textiles which had started to pill – light and heavy jumpers, tricot trackpants, jersey T-shirts, wool-blend blazers and cotton trousers – and tested each shaver on everything from delicate to chunky knits.
When testing I ranked each shaver against several key categories:
- Design: This covers whether it’s versatile for a range of fabrics as well as if it’s intuitive or noisy.
- Ease of use: I judge what it’s like to use, in particular relating to comfort and simplicity.
- Quality: Does it feel premium and well made?
- Performance: I look at its effectiveness throughout testing and across a range of textiles.
- Power: I measure and assess its charging and run time.
Going forwards, I will store the fabric shavers in my styling studio and will routinely test them over the next six months to update this guide with longevity and durability.
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The best fabric shavers of 2025
1. Best Buy Fabric Shaver: Russell Hobbs Revive Fabric Shaver
Score: 9/10
We like: The comfortable handle, magnetic lint tank and travel lock
We don’t like: It’s loud
Russell Hobbs’ Revive Fabric Shaver is easily one of the best performing machines in this edit. It worked on every fabric I tried it on, including heavy duty knitwear, smooth track pants and work pants. It also did the job more quickly because it picked up fluff the first time round with no need for a second pass or extra pressure.
The user-friendly handle and magnetic lint compartment win top marks for practicality and it even has a travel lock (just hold the power switch for three seconds), which means you can pack it in your suitcase without concern. The timeless navy colour also feels appropriate for the type of fashion-conscious individuals who are concerned with bobbles. And the charge-to-run-time is decent (three hours charge delivers one and a half hours run time).
There are just a couple of minor downsides. First, it’s one of the loudest I tried and everyone else in a three bedroom house could hear it, including those in the garden, meaning it’s not great if you’re likely to be using it at night. Second, the lint tank’s a little small so the debris easily falls out when you remove it. But it’s clear the plus points far outweigh the negatives – and for £24.99 it’s a steal.
Key specifications
- Included in the box: Instruction leaflet, cleaning brush, USB-C charging cable
- Suitable fabrics: All (but test on delicate fabrics first)
- Dimensions: H 19.2cm, W 6.5cm, D 7.8cm
- Weight: 222g
- Power/Charge: USB C
- Charging time: Three hours
- Run time: 90 minutes
- Decibels: 63
- Blades: Six
- Warranty: Two years (three years when registered)
2. Best Value Fabric Shaver: Salter Cordless Lint Remover
Score: 8/10
We like: It’s quiet, feels premium and comes with a protective case
We don’t like: The awkward grip
Salter’s Cordless Lint Remover has a lot to offer. The colour is upmarket and the weight feels premium. It’s quiet and it costs less than £20. More importantly, though, it’s effective. The size of the shaving grate means you can debobble an entire garment without too much hassle and there are only three blades with small grate holes, so it’s unlikely to cause any accidental snags. It even worked on a fine vintage T-shirt without any mishaps. The flip side is that it needs a couple of goes or slow movements to fully remove all of the fuzz, especially on thick knitwear.
It’s also one of two in this list which have a protective cover over the shaver. That means if you pack it for a holiday or you throw it in your handbag, you don’t need to worry about damaging the device itself or anything in its way.
For this one, the main problem is ergonomics; there’s no handle. Instead it’s designed with a finger hole on top which seems useless and the base has a wide diameter, which makes it uncomfortable to hold for long periods. All things considered, though, it’s a great fabric shaver for an even better price.
Key specifications
- Included in the box: Instruction leaflet, cleaning brush, USB-C charging cable, protective case
- Suitable fabrics: All (but test on delicate fabrics first)
- Dimensions: H 12.5cm, W 8cm, D 8cm
- Weight: 290g
- Power/Charge: USB-C
- Charging time: Unspecified
- Run time: 0.75 hours
- Decibel: 54
- Blades: Three
- Warranty: No
3. Best Luxury Fabric Shaver: Steamery Pilo 2 Fabric Shaver Sage
Score 8/10
We like: The large shaving surface area, good for delicates
We don’t like: It’s expensive, tricky to empty the lint tank
Steamery is a proper home maintenance brand. Hailing from Stockholm, it offers a strong range of devices intended to make your clothes last longer, which are all designed with a minimal Scandi aesthetic. This fabric shaver is a prime example. It effectively debobbles everything from delicates to tougher fabrics, but since it’s a little gentler, I had to go twice over pieces heavy on the pills.
The best part about this shaver, though, is how it feels like pure luxury. From the understated colour to the minimal shape, large shaver surface area and comfortable hold, it’s a joy to use. The premium sleeve and box makes it feel more like the latest Apple device than it does a tool to give your clothes a refresh, making it the perfect gift for your fashiony friend who has everything.
One point of contention, though, is that when you empty the lint tank, which is housed behind the shaver itself, the blade falls out and reattaching it is a little fiddly. Once you’ve made sure it’s in the right place, screwing the shaver grate back on sometimes takes a couple of tries. It’s only a small negative but it’s worth noting seeing as it’s the most expensive of the lot at £55.
Key specifications
- Included in the box: Instruction leaflet, cleaning brush, USB-C charging cable
- Suitable fabrics: All (but particularly good for delicates)
- Dimensions H 6.7cm, W 6.7cm, D 9.3cm
- Weight: 152g
- Power/Charge: USB-C
- Charging time: 2.5 hours
- Run time: Two hours
- Decibels: 64
- Blades: Six
- Warranty: Two years
4. Best Fabric Shaver for Delicates: Philips GCA2100 Fabric Shaver
Score: 7/10
We like: Extra attachment for different textiles, it’s quick
We don’t like: Feels insubstantial, has a long charge time
Philips’ GCA2100 Fabric Shaver is one of two on this list designed with a detachable shaving buffer. Screw it on and it creates a 1mm space between the garment and the shaving grate, a little like using an attachment on an electric face razor. That means if you have any delicate pieces which are in need of debobbling, this is the best shaver to choose.
In my case, I tried it on a thin vintage Ralph Lauren T-shirt and a cream merino wool John Smedley knit. The former didn’t lend itself to the buffer because the bobbles were so small it couldn’t catch them – it actually was more effective without. For the latter, though, it worked a treat. It managed to successfully remove the lint and bobbles in the first instance with no damage whatsoever.
It’s also one of the most sustainably packaged of all, arriving in a small cardboard box with a QR code leaflet. What lets it down is the power and the feel. It takes a long six hours to charge for just 90 minutes run time, so it’s not ideal if you need it in a hurry. The empty plastic lint tank on top feels a little flimsy and all of the device’s weight is in the shaving section which, overall, makes it feel cheap when you’re using it. In contrast, the colour and the ribbed finish look more expensive than its RRP of £21.99.
Key specifications
- Included in the box: Instruction leaflet (via QR code), cleaning brush, USB-C charging cable, shaving buffer
- Suitable fabrics: All (but particularly good for delicates)
- Dimensions: H 7.3cm, W 9.5cm, D 7.5cm
- Weight: 212g
- Power/Charge: USB-C
- Charging time: Six hours
- Run time: 90 minutes
- Decibels: 61
- Blades: Six
- Warranty: Two years (with John Lewis)
5. Best Fabric Shaver for Travel: Fridja f40 Fabric Shaver
Score: 7/10
We like: It’s quiet, lightweight and compact
We don’t like: It’s not that ergonomic to hold
What I loved most about Fridja’s f40 is the compactness. It’s small and light, so it’s by far the best option for travelling whether you’re planning on taking it in your suitcase for touch ups on holiday or you’d prefer to keep it in your bag for any last minute lint removal emergencies.
What you save in space, you lose in time so if you’re likely to be shaving lots of big jumpers, it’s something to consider. When compared with the Steamery Pilo 2 on two sleeves on the same jumper, for example, it took just over double the time to achieve the same outcome. That’s in part down to the shaver surface area, but also partly because of the shape. Where the Pilo 2 fits perfectly in your hand and feels easy to glide over a garment quickly, it’s hard to get a comfortable hold on the f40.
It’s the quietest of all, however. When I tested, the noise didn’t go beyond the room I was shaving in, so it’s perfect if you’re worried about waking your kids or housemate. And it’s also efficient; for every minute you charge you’ll get 30 seconds of usage. Though there’s no warranty, it comes with a replacement blade, so it will likely last longer overall than those without.
Key specifications
- Included in the box: Instruction leaflet, cleaning brush, USB-C charging cable, spare blade
- Suitable fabrics: All, but test on delicate fabrics first
- Dimensions: H 12cm, W 7.5cm, D 5cm
- Weight: 200g
- Power/Charge: USB-C
- Charging time: 90 minutes
- Run time: 45 minutes
- Decibels: 52
- Blades: Three
- Warranty: No
6. Best Heavy Jumper Shaver: Beautural Sweater Fabric Shaver Home-Edition
Score: 7/10
We like: Large size is ideal for big knits and upholstery
We don’t like: It can thin more delicate fabrics
Beautural’s fabric shaver is the opposite end of the spectrum to Fridja’s f40 – it’s the largest of all. It has an extra large shaving grate and lint tank and you can plug it into the mains (or use AA batteries if you’re caught in a pinch) which means you’ll never run out of charge. So, if you’re someone who’s likely to shave a few pieces at once, you have a lot of chunky knits or want to tend to upholstery, it will save you time and effort.
I’d only recommend this to those who have prior experience using debobblers, though. It’s powerful, meaning it easily removes lint and bobbles. But it could cause damage when used incorrectly; it thinned the fabric on an older cotton T-shirts but made quick work of one of my jumpers covered in bobbles.
It has multiple settings – two speeds and a (fairly confusing) adjustable buffer which screws on above the shaver – so it’s intended for use on a variety of fabrics, but I’d avoid anything delicate and use it as a sweater shaver. Also, it feels insubstantial. It’s light for its size, the materials could break easily and the link tank isn’t fixed that securely. It’s the second cheapest in this list though, so this is understandable.
Key specifications
- Included in the box: Instruction leaflet, cleaning brush, USB-C charging cable, spare blade
- Suitable fabrics: Tougher fabrics like upholstery and man-made fibres, avoid delicates
- Dimensions: H 13.49cm, W 7.9cm, D 18.49cm
- Weight: 460g
- Power/Charge: AA Batteries or AC adaptor
- Charging time: N/A
- Run time: Unlimited when plugged in
- Decibels: 65
- Blades: Six
- Warranty: Two years
7. Best Fabric Shaver for Touch-Ups: Dunelm Mini Fabric Shaver Home-Edition
Score: 7/10
We like: The budget price and portable design
We don’t like: It’s battery operated and slow
If you want a debobbler on hand for last minute touch ups, go for Dunelm’s Mini Fabric Shaver. It’s tiny, measuring 5cm x 7cm, weighs just 100g and is battery powered, so you can use it on the go with no pre-charging needed. For me, this is going in my styling kit for photoshoots to take care of small patches of lint at a moment’s notice, but it’s just as easy to carry in a handbag and will take up minimal space in a carry-on suitcase.
Though the size makes it useful in some ways, in others, it’s a negative. You wouldn’t be able to debobble an entire garment. Not only would it take too long – a jumper sleeve alone took upwards of three minutes – but the lint compartment fills quickly and would require regular emptying. Of all the options, it feels the least well designed from an aesthetics and materials perspective.
The price is definitely worth it, though. For just £5, you get an effective debobbler that you can easily take wherever you want.
Key specifications
- Included in the box: No extras (batteries not included)
- Suitable fabrics: All (but test on delicate fabrics first)
- Dimensions: H 9.5cm, W 7cm, D 5cm
- Weight: 100g
- Power/Charge: AA Batteries
- Charging time: N/A
- Run time: N/A
- Decibels: 62
- Blades: Three
- Warranty: No
Fabric shaver FAQs
A fabric shaver is designed to remove stubborn pills and fuzz from fabric using a rotating blade, whereas a lint remover will tackle loose material on the surface – generally, they’re sticky manual rollers.
It’s simple – you glide a fabric shaver over your chosen garment to collect bobbles, fuzz and lint. Circular motions tend to work best. For areas of heavy build up, make a second pass.
Many shavers can be used on delicates. Look for models that offer different blade or power settings for finer fabrics. For real delicates, a cashmere comb could be more effective. “For delicate fibres like cashmere, it could be best to use a manual comb or a soft, low-blade setting if your shaver has one,” says The Seam’s Sargent.
Both electric and manual shavers use a blade to remove fuzz. A manual shaver is usually a straight blade which you pull across a fabric, whereas an electric shaver will do the heavy lifting with a rotating disc of three to six blades which works through a shaving grate.
“Work on a flat surface and go slowly, using gentle, circular motions,” says Sargent. “Never press too hard and let the tool do the work – if you’re unsure, start by testing a small, hidden area. And never debobble a damp or freshly washed garment – always wait until it’s fully dry.”
Fabric shavers should also be cleaned following the manufacturers instructions – usually that means using a soft bristled brush to remove any build up from the blades and the lint collection unit. If it’s an electric design, avoid soap and water.