This sweater shaver refreshed all my knits—and it’s less than $30

I’ve been on a mending kick since the new year started, and I’ve become an unabashed convert. No, I haven’t yet tried my hand at darning socks, but I have discovered sheer joy in de-pilling my sweaters, replacing lost buttons and patching up small rips and tears. It’s so satisfying! And it all started with this handheld sweater shaver. 

I live in New England, and once December hits, every day is pretty much a sweater day—which means those dreaded sweater pills can pop up quickly thanks to weeks of wear. But using this shaver during sweater season has become a sustainability hack that also keeps my hands busy (and helps me avoid the late-night scroll cycle). Yep, this under-$30 investment (that’s currently on sale!) has become my new hobby—one that’s saved me literal hundreds I probably would have otherwise spent on new, fuzz-free sweaters.

If you’re just starting out on your sweater shaving journey, know that there are two routes you can take: an electric sweater shaver or a battery-free, analog version. I’ve used both, and have to say the satisfaction level (and speed) of using an electric version is… high. Of course, this is a results-driven endeavor, and with an electric model you’ll cover more ground, shave off more pills and get to really visualize the fruits of your labor a lot sooner. I can typically shave two sweaters in about 15 minutes and I’m pretty pleased with the results. The sweater coat I’ve had forever definitely took a bit longer—but it was so worth the extra time.

In general, I’m trying to buy less stuff, and ascribing to the “fewer, better” philosophy has really helped me stick to that goal. But having less stuff means you’ll need to actually take care of the stuff you own to ensure it lasts. Refreshing your sweaters helps breathe new life into them and can re-excite you about your wardrobe—and the process itself is actually quite soothing. 

Is it the wind-down activity you need to pry your hands off of your phone? Absolutely. Will it save your sweaters and save you from spending tons on new ones? You bet. The downsides are that you’ll need to be careful with shaving delicate knits like cashmere and probably avoid alpaca altogether, and it’s not an activity you can easily do while watching TV (but it is brilliant if you’re on an audiobook kick). But if you need a cozy winter evening activity that feels a little like spring cleaning? This is it.

Here’s my top pick for an electric sweater shaver under $25

iRUNTEK

Rechargeable Fabric Shaver

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$20.79 on sale

The LED display on this rechargeable fabric shaver shows you the battery level and speed, and I love that the lint remover has three settings so you can use it on both lighter knits and heavier sweaters. Emptying that waste bin from all your sweater fuzz? SO satisfying.

SHOP Amazon