Barbershop Equipment List: What You Need to Open and What to Buy First

Most first-time barbershop owners either underbudget for equipment or overspend on things they do not need at opening. This is a direct breakdown of what is essential, what can wait, and what the realistic numbers look like.

Per-Station Equipment (Multiply by Number of Chairs)

Every cutting station needs:

• Barber chair: $800 to $3,000 new, $300 to $1,200 used. Electric chairs cost more but require less physical effort for the barber. Hydraulic chairs are standard at most price points. Do not buy residential-grade salon chairs for a working barbershop.
• Mirror: full-length, wall-mounted, with good lighting. Budget $200 to $600 per station depending on size and frame.
• Backbar / station cabinet: holds tools, product, and supplies. Can be custom millwork ($500 to $2,000+ per station) or freestanding units ($100 to $400).
• Styling mat / barber mat: rubber-backed, easy to sanitize. $20 to $60 each.

Tool Kit Per Barber

Each barber working your station needs a complete tool kit. If you are providing tools rather than requiring barbers to bring their own, budget per kit:

• Clippers (x2 minimum per station): two clipper units per station allows one to charge while the other is in use and provides backup during blade changes. Professional-grade cordless clippers: $150 to $350 each. Budget $300 to $700 per station for clippers alone.
• Trimmers / T-outliner: $100 to $200 each. Used for edges, necklines, beard work. One standard trimmer and one zero-gap or detail trimmer per station is a common setup.
• Foil shaver: $60 to $150. Used for neckline finishing and skin fade close-work. Not all shops use foil shavers but useful for skin fade quality.
• Scissors / shears (x2 minimum): professional barber shears $80 to $300+ per pair. Minimum two pair per station: one for bulk cutting, one for point/detail work.
• Cutting combs, taper combs, picks: $5 to $15 each. Budget $50 per station for a full comb set.
• Brush (neck brush, cleaning brush): $10 to $30 total.
• Clipper guards (complete set): $15 to $40. Replace regularly.
• Clipper oil, clipper spray, blade wash: $50 to $80 initial stock per station. Ongoing consumable.

Shop-Level Equipment (One Per Location)

• Waiting area seating: $200 to $800 depending on number of seats and style. Industrial benches and chairs are more durable than residential furniture in a high-traffic shop.
• Reception desk or counter (if using): $300 to $2,000 depending on size and custom vs. off-the-shelf.
• Shampoo bowl / backwash unit (if offering shampoo services): $300 to $2,000. Required plumbing if not in a former salon space.
• Point-of-sale terminal: $50 to $300 hardware cost plus software subscription. Most booking platforms include POS functionality.
• Product display shelving: $100 to $500. Used for retail product display, which adds revenue per visit.
• Sanitation station: barbicide jars, UV sterilizer box, disinfectant spray, covered waste bin. $100 to $300 total. Required by health regulations.
• Cape/apron supply: 10 to 20 barber capes for a 2 to 3 chair shop. $10 to $30 each. Budget $150 to $400 initial stock.
• Towels (if doing hot towel shaves): industrial supply for a working shop. $2 to $5 per towel, order 30+ for one station. A towel warmer runs $80 to $200.

Opening Product Inventory

Consumables needed at opening:

• Cutting products (pomades, clays, creams for client styling after cuts)
• Shaving products (pre-shave oil, shaving cream, aftershave) if offering beard services
• Cleaning products (barbicide concentrate, blade wash, surface disinfectant)
• Paper towel, neck strips, disposable razor blades

Opening product inventory for a 2 to 3 chair shop runs $600 to $2,000 depending on product brands and service menu. Order from a professional beauty supply distributor, not retail.

Total Equipment Budget: What the Numbers Add Up To

For a 2-chair shop, realistic opening equipment budget:

• 2 barber chairs: $2,000 to $6,000
• 2 stations (mirror, cabinet, mat): $1,200 to $5,000
• 2 tool kits: $1,400 to $3,000
• Shop-level equipment: $800 to $3,000
• Opening product inventory: $600 to $2,000
• Total: $6,000 to $19,000

This is equipment only, not buildout, signage, or technology. A shop that needs significant plumbing or electrical work should budget an additional $5,000 to $40,000 depending on the state of the space.

What to Buy First vs. What Can Wait

Buy at opening: everything per station, sanitation equipment, working POS, and enough capes and supplies to run a full day.

What can wait: retail product display, custom millwork backbars, premium waiting area seating, secondary equipment beyond what is needed for active stations. Every dollar spent on aesthetics before the shop is profitable is a dollar that could have been used for marketing or staffing.

For Barbershop Owners Building Their First Shop

Equipment is only one part of opening a barbershop correctly. Pricing, staffing model, booking systems, client acquisition, and operational structure are the areas where most first-time owners make expensive mistakes that equipment decisions cannot fix.

CADMEN's barbershop owner coaching program covers the operational and business side of opening and running a barbershop from the experience of multi-location GTA ownership. $4,000 USD. Apply at academy.cadmen.ca/business-coaching.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to equip a barbershop?

A 2-chair shop typically costs $6,000 to $19,000 to equip from scratch (chairs, stations, tools, shop equipment, and opening inventory). This does not include buildout, signage, or technology. A larger shop or a space that requires significant plumbing or electrical work will cost more.

What clippers do barbershops use?

Professional barbers typically use cordless clipper models from brands like Wahl, Andis, BaByliss PRO, and Oster. Most professionals own multiple units: a workhorse model for bulk cutting and a lighter or zero-gap unit for detailed fade work. Budget $150 to $350 per professional-grade cordless clipper.

Do I need to provide tools for barbers at my shop?

It depends on your staffing model. Under a booth rental model, barbers typically own and bring their own tools. Under a commission model, many shops provide tools or a tool budget as part of the compensation structure. Decide this before hiring and include it explicitly in your agreements.

What is the most important piece of equipment for a barbershop?

The barber chair is the single most-used piece of equipment in the shop and the one that most affects the client experience. A chair that reclines fully, is comfortable for long cuts, and is easy to clean and maintain is worth investing in from day one.

Do I need a shampoo bowl in my barbershop?

Not necessarily. Many barbershops do not offer shampoo services and do not need a shampoo bowl. If you plan to offer hot towel shaves, beard treatments, or style services that require wetting the hair, a backwash unit or shampoo bowl adds service capability. It requires plumbing, which adds cost if the space is not already equipped for it.