Electric Fabric Shaver vs Lint Roller: Which Is Actually Better?

Most people own a lint roller. Far fewer own a fabric shaver. But if your clothes are covered in bobbles and pilling — which is the most common fabric problem in the UK — a lint roller is completely useless for fixing it. Here's the honest comparison.

What a lint roller does

A lint roller uses sticky adhesive sheets to pick up loose surface debris — pet hair, dust, loose fluff, and surface fibres that haven't yet tangled into pills. It works quickly, needs no power, and is great for a fast fix before leaving the house.

What it cannot do: remove bobbles, pills, or pilling. These are fibres tangled and still attached to the weave — sticky tape cannot cut them free.

What an electric fabric shaver does

An electric fabric shaver uses rotating blades to shear pills and bobbles cleanly off the surface of fabric. It removes everything a lint roller does — plus all the pilling a lint roller can never touch. One pass and fabric looks like new.

Head to head

Do you need both?

Honestly, yes — they serve different purposes. A lint roller is great for a 10-second fix before leaving the house. A fabric shaver is what you use on laundry day to properly restore garments. Most people who own a LintGone Pro still keep a lint roller by the door for quick pre-exit checks.

The verdict

If you only have pilling and bobbles to deal with — buy the LintGone Pro. A lint roller will not fix it, no matter how many times you roll it. If you just want a quick fluff remover, a lint roller is fine — but you'll eventually hit the limit of what it can do.