Our 10 thinning and texturising picks: a Mina Umi blender to start, the Ergo for apprentices, Ichiro 16T for texture and Kamisori Revolver III for lefties.
By SalonScissors editorial team Updated
Quick answer
Short on time? These four cover most jobs.
Best for apprentices
Ichiro Ergo Apprentice thinner · 30 teeth
How we chose: Ten thinners and texturisers from our range, picked from maker specs and our listings. We sell them and haven’t run cutting tests. Prices checked 15 October 2026.
The cards run from lowest price to highest. Joewell’s roles for its thinners come from its own spec pages, linked on each card.
Five are right-handed and the Revolver III is left-handed. The four Joewell listings don’t state a hand, so ask us before you order one. Tap a name to jump to its card.
| Thinner | Best for | Hand and size | Teeth | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Mina Umi thinner | everyday blending on a budget | Right 6.0" | A$114.95 | |
| 2. Ichiro Ergo Apprentice thinner | apprentices learning to blend | Right 6.0" | 30 | A$199.95 |
| 3. Ichiro 16T texturiser | visible texture and movement on a budget | Right 6.0" | 16 | A$229.95 |
| 4. Ichiro Kawa chunker | chunky, visible texture | Right | 14 | A$244.95 |
| 5. Ichiro Taiyo texturiser | stronger texture to match a Taiyo cutter | Right 6.0" | 15 | A$299.95 |
| 6. Joewell E40 | everyday blending with a classic symmetric handle | 40 | A$599 | |
| 7. Kamisori Revolver III | left-handers who want a double-swivel thinner | Left 6.0" | 30 | A$699 |
| 8. Joewell HXG-20 | measured texture work with open, flat teeth | 20 | A$769 | |
| 9. Joewell SNT-40 | volume control with fine 40-tooth tips | 40 | A$899 | |
| 10. Joewell JGC-12 | bold, broken texture in one move | 12 | A$899 |
Catalogue photos show each model. The size or hand pictured can differ from the option named. No hand or size chip? The listing doesn’t state it, so ask us before you order.
Best for: everyday blending on a budget
A$114.95
A 6.0" thinner with V-shaped teeth and an offset handle, at a budget price.
Keep in mind: Blend a small section first, then build up. It’s one thinner, not a set.
View this option: Mina Umi thinnerOn the product page, choose Right.
Best for: apprentices learning to blend
A$199.95
Ichiro’s apprentice thinner: 30 teeth, 6.0" and an offset handle, to go with the Ergo cutter.
Keep in mind: It’s a blender for finishing, not an open-tooth texturiser for heavy removal.
View this option: Ichiro Ergo Apprentice thinnerBest for: visible texture and movement on a budget
A$229.95
Sixteen V-shaped teeth on a 6.0" frame, made for a visible change, not fine blending.
Keep in mind: It’s not a fine blender. Work a small section, comb out and check.
View this option: Ichiro 16T texturiserBest for: chunky, visible texture
A$244.95
The 14-tooth chunker option, on Kawa’s Z-Balance offset handle with a satin finish.
Keep in mind: The same listing has a 30-tooth blender. Choose the chunker only for visible texture.
View this option: Ichiro Kawa chunkerOn the product page, choose 14-Teeth Chunker.
Best for: stronger texture to match a Taiyo cutter
A$299.95
A 15-tooth VG-10 texturiser at 6.0", with the same offset handle as the Taiyo cutter.
Keep in mind: Need both Taiyo pieces? The Taiyo set includes this same texturiser.
View this option: Ichiro Taiyo texturiserBest for: everyday blending with a classic symmetric handle
A$599
Joewell lists the E-40 as its basic 40-tooth thinner, with a symmetric handle.
Keep in mind: Forty teeth isn’t a removal percentage. Start with one light pass and check.
View this option: Joewell E40Maker specs: Joewell E-series specifications
Best for: left-handers who want a double-swivel thinner
A$699
A left-handed 6.0", 30-tooth thinner with a double-swivel grip and a fixed finger rest.
Keep in mind: Kamisori’s site now shows later Revolver models. This listing is the III.
View this option: Kamisori Revolver IIIOn the product page, choose Left.
Best for: measured texture work with open, flat teeth
A$769
Joewell describes HXG as a texture-adjustment thinner with flat teeth and wider gaps between them.
Keep in mind: The 17-tooth option gives a stronger effect. Pick the count for the job.
View this option: Joewell HXG-20On the product page, choose 20 Teeth.
Maker specs: Joewell’s HXG specs
Best for: volume control with fine 40-tooth tips
A$899
Joewell describes the SNT-40 as a volume-control thinner that cuts at the tips of its fine teeth.
Keep in mind: It cuts at the tooth tips, so it behaves differently from a general blender.
View this option: Joewell SNT-40Maker specs: Joewell SNT-40 specifications
Best for: bold, broken texture in one move
A$899
Joewell puts the JGC-12 in its cut-thinning range: 12 teeth for cutting and texture at once.
Keep in mind: It leaves a visible result, so work slowly and check after each pass.
View this option: Joewell JGC-12Maker specs: Joewell JGC-12 specifications
Start with the job, then pick the tool. Here’s how they line up:
| Tool | What it’s for | Picks here |
|---|---|---|
| Blender | Softening lines and taking out a little weight | Mina Umi, Ichiro Ergo, Joewell E40 |
| Volume control | Taking out bulk with the tooth tips | Joewell SNT-40 |
| Texturiser | Visible texture and movement | Ichiro 16T, Ichiro Taiyo, Joewell HXG-20 |
| Chunker | Bold, broken pieces | Ichiro Kawa chunker, Joewell JGC-12 |
Our pick: a blender first. It’s the one you’ll reach for most, and the Mina Umi keeps it cheap.
No. The Joewell E40 and SNT-40 both have 40 teeth, but Joewell makes one its basic thinner and the other a volume-control tool. The spacing and the shape of each tooth matter too.
Close-set teeth spread the cut for a soft blend. Wide-set teeth take out separate pieces you can see, which is texture.
The shape of each tip changes how hair is caught. Joewell’s SNT-40, for one, cuts single hairs at its tooth tips.
Where the maker gives a cut ratio, use that. Our cut-ratio guide explains what the numbers mean.
The Ichiro Ergo thinner is a 30-tooth, 6.0” blender with an offset handle, made to go with the Ergo cutter. Buying both? The Ergo set has the pair.
Our pick: the Ergo thinner, once your course asks for one.
The Kamisori Revolver III is the left-handed pick: 30 teeth, 6.0” and a double-swivel grip. On a budget, the Mina Umi thinner also comes in Left.
Our pick: the Umi Left for a first thinner, the Revolver III if you like a swivel. The left-handed thinning plan has more.
Thinners, or blenders, have more teeth set close together and soften weight. Texturisers have fewer, wider-set teeth and leave visible texture.
For everyday blending, look at 30 to 40 teeth. For visible texture, fewer and wider. Tooth count isn’t a removal percentage, so check the maker’s cut ratio where there is one.
A blender, to soften the line between clipper and scissor work. The Joewell E40, Joewell’s basic 40-tooth thinner, is a good place to start. Our barber scissors guide covers the full kit.
You have 14 days to change your mind, as set out on our returns page. Standard delivery is free on orders over A$89, which covers every thinner here.
Need a cutter to go with it? Our 10 best scissor sets pair a cutter with a thinner. Or browse every thinning scissor we stock.
Own a thinner already? The top 10 tips for thinning and texturising scissors shows how to use it.
Tell us what you cut and which scissors you are comparing.
Cutters, thinners, texturisers and long barber scissors: what each type does, when you need it, and one real pick with its price for every type.
Our 10 cutter and thinner sets: the Mina Umi for a first kit, the Ichiro Ergo for apprentices, the Rose Lefty for left-handers and Yasaka's for barbers.
