We swear by this gadget to make knitwear look new – the before and after photos are remarkable, and it's now cheaper than we've ever seen it
Our editors swear by this clever little device for making bobbly jumpers look like new, and it's currently half price at Amazon
We're obsessed with this clever Philips fabric shaver to revive our best wool jumpers, and it's currently just £7.99 – the lowest price we've ever seen.
There are few things more frustrating than taking out a favourite jumper only to discover it's covered in bobbles. But before you consign it to the back of the wardrobe, there's a surprisingly simple fix – and one we've been recommending for years.
The Philips Fabric Shaver is one of those unassuming little gadgets that can make a surprisingly big difference. We've used it on knitwear that had become so badly bobbled it was barely being worn, and the before-and-after photos really do speak for themselves.
Even better, it's currently £7.99 in the Amazon Big Deal Days sale, reduced from £15.99. That's the cheapest price we've ever seen it, making this a particularly good time to pick one up if you've been meaning to give your favourite winter woollies a new lease of life. Oh, and as well as gently shaving off excess fabric to make your knitwear look brand new, it's also incredibly satisfying and therapeutic to use. Believe us when we say this is one gadget that has been passed around the office endlessly!
Multiple members of the woman&home team have used the Philips Fabric Shaver on their own clothes, and we've been consistently impressed by what a difference it can make.
Digital Editor Kerrie Hughes previously used hers on an M&S jumper that had become so badly bobbled she had stopped wearing it. After spending around an hour going over it thoroughly, she found the results made the jumper look like new again.
Managing Editor Ella Taylor was similarly impressed after buying her own fabric shaver, telling us that it had revived several jumpers – and even a T-shirt – that she'd previously have hidden away or thrown out because they looked so scruffy.
"I loved the cosiness and style of that jumper so much that I came close to living in it, but I stopped wearing it much sooner than I would have liked due to excessive bobbling," Kerrie explains.
"It went from being a super chic, gorgeous knit that made me stand just that little bit taller when wearing it, to making me feel really self-conscious about just how bad it looked. I was a little apprehensive about using the fabric shaver in case it ripped or pulled the pile if I pressed too hard. But the more I used it, the more confident I became that it wouldn't happen, and actually found applying a bit more pressure helped pick up the smaller bits of fabric."
It took longer than expected to deliver the required results, but Kerrie says it was time well spent. "I wouldn't say I often have an hour spare to debobble a jumper, but I would actually happily do it again for the pure satisfaction and for how therapeutic I found the whole experience!"
Managing Editor Ella Taylor adds: "I bought my Philips Fabric Shaver after it became the talk of the office, and I can’t deny that I, too, am addicted to this nifty debobbler!
"It's amazing, it’s revived so many jumpers – and even one T-shirt – that before I would have just hidden in my drawer or thrown out for looking too scruffy. It's more than paid for itself.
"I’ve used it most recently on a lightweight knit that I wanted to layer on in this changeable weather. This felt a little scarier to attempt – I wondered if it would pull the fabric, but I needn’t have worried, all was fine. The results were gentle but effective, giving yet another favourite jumper a fresh lease of life.”
One of the things we love about the Philips Fabric Shaver is how unobtrusive it is to use. The gentle hum is more like white noise than an irritating appliance buzz, which makes the otherwise rather mundane task of debobbling surprisingly relaxing.
It runs on two AA batteries, and in our experience, they last impressively well. I've had mine for well over a year without needing to replace them, so it's not another gadget you'll constantly have to remember to charge.
You'll know when the fabric collection compartment needs emptying because the shaver starts to slow down. Fortunately, it's an easy fix: slide the compartment out, empty the fluff and click it back into place.
For such a simple and affordable gadget, it's made a surprisingly big difference to our wardrobes – which is why we've recommended it to friends, family and colleagues alike.
Other handy tools
Word of warning: a fabric shaver can leave a sprinkling of fluff behind, but a lint roller is an easy way to tidy everything up. This pack includes five rollers, making it a useful little addition to your laundry cupboard – particularly if you're regularly dealing with pet hair, lint or loose fibres.
If you'd prefer an all-in-one option, the Gleener combines a fabric shaver with a lint brush and comes with additional attachments designed for different fabrics. It's a handy alternative if you want one compact tool that can tackle a few different wardrobe-care jobs.
With the best cashmere jumpers being so delicate (and expensive), you might want to go over it gently with a brush before going at it with a fabric shaver. A cashmere comb can help remove small amounts of fuzz and loose fibres without reaching for an electric fabric shaver, making it a useful tool to have alongside your Philips. This Lona Scott version also comes with a small storage bag to keep the comb protected between uses.
