I'm on a long-term quest to make my wardrobe more sustainable. In the past year, I've cut back on buying new, found some excellent bargains on Vinted and even learned to darn. Yes, I have mended (walking) socks.
But when I took a look at some of my favourite knits recently, I was met with a sea of bobbles. I faced a real quandary. I didn’t want to replace them, but they were far too scruffy to wear into the office. It was time, I decided, to try out a product that's been haunting my TikTok 'For You' page for years: the Philips 1000 Series fabric shaver.
I’ve seen countless videos promising this gadget will transform my knits from drab to fab. The Good Housekeeping Institute has even crowned it the winner of our best fabric shavers tests, scoring it an impressive 92/100. But for some reason – probably laziness, if I'm honest – I've never used one myself.
With the cold season drawing in, I decided it was time to change that. Would this fabric shaver transform my knits so they'd see me through another winter? I got debobbling to find out.
My review of the Philips 1000 fabric shaver
When I first tried out my new Philips 1000 Series fabric shaver, I turned it on and moved it across my jumper while I was wearing it, which didn't work so well. But when I laid it out on a flat surface instead (like I should have from the start), I swiftly went from sceptical to blown-away. It looked a whole lot better.
The device was satisfying and simple to use – just charge it up and off you go. It keeps things neat and tidy too, as it collects all the lint as it goes in its pill container.
I’ll be honest, I was expecting a magical transformation – jumpers that looked like new again. I didn't quite get that. Sadly, one gadget can’t undo years of wear in an instant. It's not a miracle worker, and stubborn bobbles in particular took more passes than I was expecting before they disappeared.
That being said, my knits do look a whole lot better now. After refreshing one jumper, I was hooked, quickly revamping my other knits and even a beloved coat, which had seen better days (that's putting it nicely). It's safe to say this fabric shaver is my new wardrobe staple.
How to use the Philips 1000 fabric shaver
Fabric shavers are handy little gizmos that cut away bobbles and lint from your garments and upholstery. There are a few different kinds – the Philips I chose is a rechargeable, electric design, sort of like a razor for knitwear.
To use the Philips 1000, place your bobbly garment on a flat, well-lit surface. Hold the fabric taut with one hand while you glide the device over the fabric, working in small circles and gradually increasing the pressure until you get the result you want.
If you're debobbling delicate fabrics like cashmere, the Philips 1000 has a cap that you can pop on for an added layer of protection when needed. The instructions advise you to use this for garments with long lint (and remove it for short lint). As I was just sprucing up some old polyester jumpers, I didn't use the cap – but I still took care not to apply too much pressure and cut away too much.
If you’ve got lots of delicates wools in your wardrobe, you may want to opt for a manual fabric shaver instead, which can give you a higher degree of control and prevent you from chopping the fibres down too much. The Good Housekeeping Institute's top pick for less hardy fabrics is Gleener's £20 manual fabric shaver.
If you're using a fabric shaver for the first time, head our household advice editor's step-by-step guide for more on how to use fabric shavers.
The Good Housekeeping Institute verdict
Score: 92/100
Of course, you don’t just have to take my word for it. Our expert testers at the Good Housekeeping Institute have also put the Philips 1000 fabric shaver to work in the lab – on cashmere, lambswool and synthetics. Big bobbles were banished quickly, while smaller ones took a few passes (which is exactly what I found in my own tests).
Our testers praised the debobbler's practical design, which keeps things neat and mess-free. And once they got used to the initially fiddly-to-open collection bin, they had little to complain about. The battery lasted 90 minutes in the lab and there's even a low battery indicator so you know when it needs a recharge.
Trust us, much like a needle and thread, everyone needs a fabric shaver in their wardrobe – and the Philips 1000 Series is the one to beat.
Tried and Tested alternatives to the Philips 1000
We've tested a whole range of debobblers in the Good Housekeeping Institute lab – these are more top picks.
Score: 90/100
Needing just two passes to fully de-bobble our cashmere and merino wool jumpers, our runner-up excelled when it came to tackling more delicate fabrics. Some light fluff escaped its bin storage, but we love the travel lock which stops it from turning on in your bag.
Score: 83/100
Unlike the others in our list, this is a manual debobbler, so it requires more work but you have more control over how much lint you remove. It also has three different heads to suit different fabrics. It's comfortable to hold and did a good job of freshening up our knitwear.
Hannah is our homes editor, specialising in reviewing the latest kitchen appliances, cleaning products, mattresses and bedding, and crafting equipment. Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys.
Hannah is also interested in sustainability in the home and has completed a course with the University of the Arts London in sustainable textiles, so she can help cut through the noise on what’s green and what’s not. Hannah has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously worked as a freelance lifestyle and women’s sports journalist, working for Stylist, Sky Sports and more.
Hannah has also previously worked in a florist and can normally be found caring for her house plants or sewing something new for her home or wardrobe.
