Abstract: Hand-held apparatus for clipping hair including a self-contained vacuum source for collection of hair clippings. The apparatus comprises a housing. An airway extends within the housing from an inlet to an exhaust. A vacuum source is disposed in the airway intermediate the inlet and the exhaust and operates to draw air into the housing through said inlet. A cutting assembly comprising at least one cutting blade is disposed exterior of the airway in spaced relationship with the housing inlet such that hair clippings produced by the cutting assembly are drawn through the housing inlet into the airway. A filter member is disposed in the airway between the inlet and the vacuum source to inhibit hair clippings that have been drawn into the airway from flowing to the vacuum source. Various metrics are disclosed that can be used individually or in combination to improve performance of the apparatus.