The Best Toenail Clippers For Seniors of 2024 (2024)

The Best Toenail Clippers For Seniors of 2024 (1)

The Best Toenail Clippers For Seniors of 2024 (2)

Written by
Carley Thornell, an award-winning journalist with experience in caregiving and occupational therapy
Christopher Groux, senior editor and accessibility aficionado with cerebral palsy.

Updated May 23, 2024

As we age, our nails may become thicker or it may be a struggle to trim brittle nails, but toenails in particular also become harder to reach. Combined with a loss in dexterity and eyesight, regular drugstore clippers typically won’t cut it for many seniors.

Given so many factors at play, trimming nails can be one of the toughest routine grooming activities to complete as we age. Or, if you're like our Senior Accessibility Editor, you might be younger and have a disability that limits your capacity to reach.

Thankfully, not all toenail clippers take the tiny, silver form factor you may be picturing. The nine products listed below feature ergonomic handles, super-sharp cutting power for the thickest nails, and they can all be purchased at a value price.

Here are the best toenail clippers for seniors, accommodating for grip, grip size, jaw size, sharpness, and price.

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Best Toenail Clippers for Thick Nails

Vogarb Nail Clippers

There’s a catch-22 to these Vogarb nail clippers, which often receive high praise for their catch basin that reduces cleanup. Reviewers say they’re sharp enough to be among the best nail clippers for thick nails but require some practice to prevent nicks.

The wide mouth opening in particular (up to 0.47 inches) and wide blade (0.63 inches) do make these clippers ideal for toenails, but several users say they use the wider radian edge to cut rounded corners on fingernails, too. The lock mechanism not only adds an element of safety but means this device folds flat to fit into its included travel case (which also has a pocket for an included double-sided file).

Pros

  • Sharp enough for thick nails

  • Locking mechanism for safety

  • Travel friendly

Cons

  • Has a learning curve

Buy now at Amazon

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Best Heavy Duty Toenail Clippers

Azurro Clipperpro Omega Select Toenail Clippers

They may look futuristically sleek and simple, but the Clipperpro packs a punch. The surgical steel fingernail trimmer model was engineered with the input of orthopedic surgeons, while Clipperpro’s clippers for feet align with advice from podiatrists (who recommend a straight-edge trimmer to prevent ingrown toenails).

The ergonomic rounded handles are easy to grip for those with dexterity issues, especially since traditional clippers require more motor control with the pincer fingers. The spring mechanism—which Clipperpro calls its Double Action Force Multiplier—reduces the pressure required to operate the handles, even for thick toenails. And, the swivel head means it’s easier to use whether gripping with the right or left hand.

Pros

  • Ergonomic handles

  • Force-reduction technology

  • Swivel design

Cons

  • May swivel too easily

  • Not optimal for very large hands

Buy now at Amazon

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Best Toenail Clippers for Arthritis

Healthy Seniors Nail Clipper Set (3 Pieces)

Good things come in threes, especially when it comes to this multipurpose nail clipper set for hands and feet. Users praise the long, perforated handles on the hand clippers as easy to grasp for those with arthritis—plus, the rotating head makes trimming from multiple angles a cinch. The wide-jaw toenail trimmer is ideal for larger, thicker bottom digits. The clipper set comes with an included file, and all pieces are made from premium stainless steel.

Pros

  • Dedicated tools for hands and feet

  • Perforated handles

  • Rotating head for unique grips

Cons

  • Clippers may be too wide for smaller users

Buy now at Amazon

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Best Toenail Clippers With A Long Handle

Depsunny Foldable 32" Long Handle Toenail Clippers w/Magnifier

The magnifier near the toenail clippers is clutch on this nail clipper model, whose lightweight and foldable pole can be purchased in two different lengths depending on the user’s height. While the ergonomic handle works well for both right and left-handed users, it looks a bit like a bicycle pump with a center thumb press to operate.

Other Long-handled toenail clippers from Depsunny get two thumbs up from users for alternatives that, while not foldable, have a handle that looks more like a grip strengthener that’s easy to use and comes in multiple lengths.

Amazon reviewers’ main feedback around these models is about cleanup, and many suggest keeping a vacuum nearby since there’s no attached receptacle to contain nail trimmings.

Pros

  • Magnifier for low vision

  • Pole can be purchased at different lengths

Cons

  • Makes a mess

Buy now at Amazon

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Best Electric Toenail Clippers

Polamd Electric Manicure & Pedicure Kit

This product may not immediately look like it’s completely tailored to seniors or those with limited dexterity, but it’s a well-tested favorite of our Senior Accessibility Editor as well as dozens of Amazon reviewers who are elderly or taking care of aging people.

The set comes with five different drill bits for all manners of smoothing, trimming, and thinning, but we’ve had the best luck using the included Sapphire Disc drill bit. Just place the attachment on the head, turn it on, and touch the file to any fingernail or toenail you need to cut. As long as you can pull your foot close enough to reach, there’s essentially no dexterity required.

It’s also great that this electric file trims at a variety of different speeds, ranging from “baby” up to “adult” and even “fast.” All modes work as advertised, and they allow the user to scale to a speed that feels comfortable to them. Equally accessible is a small light that, while not overly bright, may help people with low vision get a better feel for how the nails are being trimmed.

It’s worth noting that file attachments should be replaced about once per year, and the set doesn’t come with a wall adapter for charging. Though, most USB AC adapters for a phone should work. For those used to the simplicity of electric shavers, this Polamd filer should be right in your wheelhouse.

Pros

  • Variable trimming speeds

  • Needs very little dexterity to use

  • Can be used for all ages

Cons

  • Doesn't come with a wall charger

  • Not quite as effective as traditional clippers

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Best One-Handed Toenail Clippers

Harac Nail Clippers

Not only is the design of these bubble-shaped clippers ideal for arthritic hands, but the Harac Nail Clippers come in a variety of can’t-lose bright colors. The blades are made of high-quality Japanese steel, renowned for its use in chefs’ knives, and these are manufactured and inspected in Seki City, the nation's leading cutlery destination.

This unique product can be used by placing one of the flat parts of the handle on a table and pushing downward with the palm, arm, or elbow—especially helpful for those with reduced grip strength. Nail trimmings are gathered in the body, and its blades are a bit bigger than standard clippers for those with sight limitations.

While our Senior Accessibility Editor prefers to use these for his fingernails and the Polamd set for toenails, users have found success using both clippers for both purposes.

Pros

  • Design compensates for weak grip

  • Can be placed on flat surfaces

  • Available in a variety of colors

  • File included

Cons

  • May be tough for some to use on toenails

Buy now at Amazon

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Best Ergonomic Toenail Clippers

SHZG Toenail Clippers

The unique “L” shape of these bent-head stainless steel clippers with a wide opening may look unconventional at first, but users love the orientation, so there’s less awkward maneuvering of feet to cut toenails. Reviewers say not only are these clippers light and their handles non-slip, but they’re also sold at a lower price than many other products tuned for thick nails (especially those intended for big toes).

Buy now at Amazon

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Best Toenail Clippers For Value

GlossyEnd EZ Grip 360 Degree Rotary Clippers

While the low price point compared to other accessible nail clippers makes the EZ Grip one of the top-searched models, it also gets positive reviews for its ergonomics and durability. Users praise the 4-inch width and larger handle, with indentations that make it less slippery and easier to handle (especially for larger hands).

There’s no awkward turning to get the proper angle for the stainless steel blade, which rotates 360 degrees (making this a great model for right and left-handed users). Several Amazon reviewers noted these were still going strong after at least one year of use.

Pros

  • Value priced

  • Large handle

  • Ergonomic indents

  • Swivel design

Cons

  • May be a little too bulky

  • Slight learning curve required

Buy now at Amazon


$12.99 from Walmart

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Best Toenail Clippers For Multiple Users

Swissklip 360

The podiatrist-recommended Swissklip fingernail trimmers tick all the right boxes for users. They have a long (4-inch) handle that opens wide and can fold flat, 360-degree swivel action for the head, and require a low pressure threshold to make precision cuts.

Many users agree these Swisskips can be used for nails on both the hands and feet (depending on thickness) and are great for spouses who share clippers despite different dominant hands.

Pros

  • Long, wide and foldable handle

  • Swivel design

  • Versatile for multiple users

Cons

  • Some users found these clippers a little too bulky

Buy now at Amazon

What You Need to Know About Toenail Clippers for Seniors

What Kind of Toenail Clippers Do Podiatrists Recommend?

When selecting the right toenail clippers for you, there are lots of factors a specialist or podiatrist might consider. Many of the best toenail clippers for seniors listed above adhere to these standards.

  • High-grade materials: When it comes to nail clippers, having surgical-grade stainless steel is often an ideal choice. The Vogarb, Clipperpro, and Swissklip products listed above all advertise surgical-grade strength, which makes them a great choice for thicker nails.
  • Ergonomic construction: Especially if thick nails are your central concern, toenail clippers with an ergonomic construction can solve many of your issues. With the proper leverage, you can maintain the desired strength behind each cut. While each of our best nail clippers for seniors achieves ergonomic success differently, they’re on this list primarily for accomplishing this goal. Hand issues plague many folks of an advanced age, but these products have larger handles to assist.

What is the Easiest Way for Seniors to Cut Toenails?

No matter which of these pairs of toenail clippers you choose to buy, there are some basic tips seniors, and people of all ages, should follow when cutting their nails. First, make sure the surfaces of your feet are as clean as possible. If you just got out of the shower, that might be a good time to cut.

When it comes to cutting, use your chosen toenail clipper to cut in a straight line in the shape of the nail. You want it to be as straight as possible to avoid any sharp edges. To ensure those edges are completely gone, feel the nail with your fingers.

If you touch anything sharp, do your best to brush over it with a traditional nail file in a vertical fashion. Some of the clippers listed here have filers included, so you can try using one of those as well if you want.

How to Sterilize Toenail Clippers

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Simply place your nail clippers in rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to clean them. For safety, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend cleaning your clippers before each use. This tip may be especially important to seniors and people with disabilities who are more susceptible to illness, or those acting as a caretaker for these populations.

How We Evaluated the Best Toenail Clippers for Seniors

The selection of toenail clippers featured in this article is based on thorough market research by our experts. From reading product reviews on retail sites, we assessed each clipper based on factors such as grip, grip size, jaw size, sharpness, and price.

We did get our hands on the Harac and Polamd nail trimmers specifically, which have been a staple in our Senior Accessibility Editor’s home for years and are routinely used to test their effectiveness over time. In the future, we plan to test more adaptive toenail clippers and assess them in accord with Reviewed standards.

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

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Meet the writers

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Carley Thornell

Contributor

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Carley Thornell is an award-winning journalist and health-tech writer whose first job was in an occupational therapy office. Her father was a disabled Army veteran, which made her passionate about all things healthcare and accessibility. Carley also covers DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) topics for many other publications, including Skift.

See all of Carley Thornell's reviews

The Best Toenail Clippers For Seniors of 2024 (14)

Christopher Groux

Senior Editor, Accessibility

@cmgroux

Christopher Groux is the Senior Editor, Accessibility at Reviewed. Having persevered through a life with cerebral palsy, he's a specialist in mobility and dexterity aids for the disability community, including everything from crutches to adaptive shoes. He's been a fixture in the accessibility space for the past several years, leveraging that knowledge to lead day-to-day coverage and plans for major trade shows like E3 and CES. Before completing his Communication Arts & Sciences Bachelor's Degree at Bridgewater State University, Christopher composed a thesis on disability culture based on his personal experience.

Over more than a decade focused entirely on web and print journalism, Christopher also covered the games industry at storied outlets like Newsweek, Inverse, International Business Times, and more.

See all of Christopher Groux's reviews

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The Best Toenail Clippers For Seniors of 2024 (2024)

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