I used my Oster Golden A5 clippers on our Cavalier spaniel. I used a 1" comb on a size 10 blade (I think). They did a good job. She got very hot in summer, so I always clipped her then.
They are good clippers for equine tricky bits, too (and is initially why I bought them)!
Oster or andis make good clippers. I wouldn't get whal, a friend had a crufts voucher for them and decided against thir clippers as she felt they were not the best quality. Allie had won her class in YKC grooming which is why she had the voucher. Show bichons are scissored rather than clipped but I can understand why you would lip a pet