Heiniger Xpert or Lister Fusion Electric Mains Operated Shear - which is best - ideal for small flocks and cattle

Which Electric Shear is Best 2024 and what brand - Heiniger or Lister?

If you have a smaller flock of sheep and do not want to invest in the full machine and handpiece set up (that can run to over £1000), a good option to consider are the handheld electric machines that plug into your mains.  These are good for smaller jobs and for those with a small flock.  They are light, easy to use and have enough power for most jobs.

The two best brands are Heiniger and Lister.  Heiniger machines are made in Switzerland and Lister are made here in the UK.  They have the same comb and cutter fittings so you can put any standard brand on these shears.  For most jobs, a comb with a 5mm bevel is a good safe choice and easy to use for those with less experience.  If you go for something like a 7mm bevel, you may nick the animal around awkward spots and you just shouldn't need that type of bevel here in the UK.  The Countryman Pack from Lister or the Standard Wide Farmer pack from Heiniger are good 'all round' basic options.

Now to the heart of the matter.  What handheld shear is best?

Currently the best-selling option is the Heiniger Xpert.  This has 2 speeds, a 3 year warranty and good power.   It has an extremely efficient 200 watt permanent magnet motor, which can manage even thick fleeces.  It has an ergonomically designed handle, that makes shearing more comfortable and less tiring.  The unique and innovative robust connection between the shearing head and the glass-fibre reinforced housing reduces the vibrations during shearing - again making it slightly less tiring. The Xpert's shearing head is based on a patented suspended pressure-fork system. This is technology at its highest level.

The Xpert is quiet to use and has low vibrations, which is helpful if you have nervous animals.  It is great for small flocks, and for dagging and lambs' bellies.  It is also great for dirty cattle.

With a maxiumum speed of 2,800 double strokes per minute, you can shear animals quickly and with little effort.  It is very lightweight for its power, at only 1180gms.  The Xpert is also ergonomically designed, with a slim grip and soft feel handle, so you should find it very comfortable to use when compared to other handpieces.

The Heiniger Xpert is ideal for cattle, sheep, alpaca, llama and goats and can be used for crutching, dagging-wigging & shearing small flocks of sheep.  These cattle clippers are compatible with all modern sheep shearing combs and cutters.  

The handpiece includes an Ovina comb & jet cutter and it comes in a hard carry case.

Heiniger also has the Heiniger Xtra 320w Sheep Shear. This has a 3 year warranty.  It has a more powerful 320 watt motor making it perfect for dagging and small flock shearing.  It has an interchangeable cattle head, available separately, for clipping cattle or horses. The patented floating fork assembly increases cutter and comb life by up to 50% and reduces cutter tension and gives cooler cutting.  It has 1 speed setting.  It comes with 1 set of comb and cutter.  This is the machine to go for if you want maximum power or a Heiniger machine that will do sheep and horses (additional head required for horse clipping).

The Lister Fusion is another good choice, again with 2 speeds like the Xpert.  The advantage of this shear is, if you have horses, you can purchase the horse head (at additional cost) and use one machine for both clipping and shearing.  Some people also prefer the 'horse head' for cattle!  It has a 2 year warranty and is made here in the UK.  It is ideal for small flocks of sheep, dagging and belly clipping.  It is also fantastic for cattle. It has a slim barrel and weighs only 1300g, making it an easy shear to operate.  It has a powerful 360 watt motor and 2 operation speeds - 2500rpm and 2900rpm and is engineered to cut through dense coats effortlessly. 

Lister holds the Royal Warrant and all their shears are manufactured in Devon, here in the UK.

• 2 operations speeds; 2500rpm and 2900rpm
• 360 watt motor
• Slim barrel
• Lightweight; only 1300g
• Ergonomically designed, with multi grip positions for different shearing jobs
• 5 metre cable

Heiniger also offer a 12 Volt Shear, that runs from a 12 Volt Leisure Battery, with a 12 volt motor (equivalent to a 220 Watt mains motor) - giving you flexibility to shear in the field or wherever you want.  Running time is 4-5 hours from a 65aH battery.  A cattle / horse clipping head can be purchased separately to give the ultimate flexibility.  It gives 2300 double strokes per minute and weighs 1.2kg. 

In summary of the handheld electric shears, they all have good power.  The Heiniger Xpert is probably the most comfortable to use, being slightly lighter and with a nice slim barrel and it is the best selling shear of this type. However, it doesn't have a horse head and the Fusion is a great option if you want one machine for sheep and horses.  The Heiniger Xtra has the most power.  And the Heiniger 12 Volt is good for those who need flexibility on where they shear.  You can't actuallt go wrong woth any of the shears from Heiniger or Lister (but beware other brands that are often cheap imports).
 

Finally, we have the full range of Lister and Heiniger shears, including helpful 'all in one kits' for those setting up for the first time, with the popular Heiniger Evo shearing machine, Heiniger One shearing machine, Heiniger Cyclone Icon handpiece, Heiniger Icon FX handpiece, Lister Nexus shearing machine, Lister Nova shearing machine, Lister Outback handpiece and Lister Skorpion handpiece.  These kits make sure everything goes well together and are usually a better deal than buying everything separately.

To see all of our shears and the latest offers, or to order PLEASE CLICK HERE

If you have any questions, please email sales@farmcareuk.com.  We are a family run business and are happy to help, with sheep shearing champs ready to help answer questions.  And, if you see Heiniger or Lister products in stock and cheaper anywhere else, let us know and we will try to beat the price. We want our customers to get the best deals and we always try to be competitive!