top ten trimmers
Best Beard and Mustache Trimmers for Men – Top 10 Review for Mar. 2020 with Buying Guide
Please find our detailed analysis, buying guide and test results of all the models after the best beard trimmer comparison table.
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OUR #1 PICKWahl 9818 Stainless Steel Beard, Stubble & Detailing Trimmer
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Philips Norelco Beard & Hair Trimmer Series 5100
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Philips Norelco BT7215/49 Vacuum Beard Trimmer
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Remington MB4045B Mustache, Beard & Stubble Trimmer Kit
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Philips Norelco QP2520/70 OneBlade Hybrid Electric Trimmer & Shaver
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Philips Style Shaver QS6141/33 Dual Ended Shaver & Beard Trimmer
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Andis 4775 GTX T-Outliner Trimmer
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Philips Norelco MG3750 Multigroom Series 3000
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Wahl 9854-600 Stainless Steel Beard, Stubble & Detailing Trimmer
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Panasonic ER-GB370K Men's Electric Moustache & Beard Trimmer
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Introduction and Buying Guide
When you first decide to grow a beard and/or mustache, it’s understandable if you just use your regular razor or scissors to trim it.
After all, if you’re not even sure whether you’re going to like the facial hair (or whether the ladies will like it), it doesn’t make sense to spend money on a separate grooming tool for a beard which may be history after a few weeks.
Once the beard has become a permanent fixture, though, you’re going to want to keep it neat and tidy – and trying to tame it with your regular electric razor or its low-quality pop-up trimmer isn’t going to do the job.
That’s when it’s time to get a real beard trimmer. It may not be enough to make your facial hair look like as perfect as Bradley Cooper’s or Hugh Jackman’s, but it can definitely help you avoid looking like Tom Hanks in Castaway.
When scanning the racks of beard trimmers in your local department or drug store, they may all look alike, something like a row of electric shavers on a starvation diet. There’s a huge difference in performance, though.
We’ll take a look at Groom+Style’s choices for the top 10 best beard trimmers on the market, after going a little more in-depth into these essential appliances for modern, well-groomed men.
Stubble Trimmer vs. Beard Trimmer – Is there Much Difference?
It’s important to clear up one issue first: a beard trimmer is not necessary the same as a stubble trimmer.
Most beard trimmers can create great stubble, but not all stubble trimmers can trim longer beards effectively: and then some models are great all rounders.
So understanding your requirements will help. Do you want to look like Ryan Gosling (great stubble), tame a much longer beard, or do you want the option for both?
Stubble – It is all in the Length!
What makes a stubble trimmer different to a beard trimmer? Length settings. A stubble model should be able to trim your facial hair extremely short, as short as 0.3-0.5 mm (about 1/64 of an inch) for the 5 o’clock shadow look.
The longest setting you’ll need will depend on your preferences, but a maximum of 5 mm (about 1/5 of an inch) will give you plenty of flexibility for trimming and shaping terrific five – or ten-day stubble.
If you want really short stubble then you want to be sure that the trimmer can cut safely without a guard comb. This doesn’t deliver the same close shave you’d get with a razor, but it can leave a layer of fine stubble without having to deal with stubble attachments. This is a great option for men who have very sensitive skin or suffer from acne – the Philips OneBlade (listed below) works very well for sensitive skin.
Beards – Short and Long
Since we’ve already been discussing hair length, let’s continue. Shorter beards will require a trimmer that can adjust from 2-5 mm, you’ll want to be able to trim up to 10 mm for medium beards, and Lumberjacks will need to be able to hit 20 mm or more.
Interchangeable Guide Combs or Adjustable Zoom Wheel
Trimmers fall into 2 main categories: those with interchangeable guard combs, and those with fixed combs that you move with the help of an adjustable Zoom Wheel.
Interchangeable guard combs work well when there are lots of length options, and the guard combs are well made and stiff. Guard combs are designed to pull each beard hair tight as you trim, ensuring that the hairs are cut evenly. Combs with too much bend to them will leave you with an uneven and ragged trim – the look you’re trying to avoid by using a beard trimmer. You will need very stiff larger combs to handle long, thick beards.
Fixed guard combs with an adjustable zoom wheel are great for convenience, and if well made are also great for longer beards.
Intermediate Trimming Lengths
The number of intermediate settings on a trimmer might also be something you want to consider if you will not be growing your beard to exactly 5, 10 or 20 mm. This is where trimmer models with a fixed guard comb and an adjustable zoom wheel can shine – some will give you more than 20 plus settings to choose from.
Interchangeable Blades – Detail Trimmer, T Blade, and Shaving Heads
Some trimmers come with additional blades and detailing attachments, that you can swap out for outlining or detailing your beard or goatee. They add to the overall price, of course, but can make the difference if you want to give your beard that extra bit of attention.
Beast Beard Trimmer – Performance and Convenience
Durability, and Self-Sharpening Blades
Naturally, performance plays a major role in evaluating a beard trimmer, and blades are the key to performance. Carbon steel blades are sharper and will give you a cleaner shave but are prone to corrosion in moist environments, while stainless steel blades hold up better and are better choices for thick beards because they’re a bit stiffer. Carbon steel coated with titanium is the high-end choice for the best of both worlds.
The closeness and comfort of the shave is the most important factor, but some of the best models go further with patented or proprietary technologies to gently lift hair before trimming it, self-sharpening blades which ensure peak performance over time, and even vacuum systems to catch almost all of the stray hairs.
Corded, Cordless or Both
Convenience is almost as important as performance when you’re shaving, and the biggest decision you’ll have is between cordless and corded models. It’s certainly easier to trim a beard when you’re not tethered to the wall, but most battery-powered models aren’t as powerful as the best-corded trimmers. They’re more powerful than cheap plug-in trimmers, however.
A great compromise is to get a trimmer that is cordless but also works while plugged in – we have provided a few options like this below.
The majority of cordless beard trimmers get their power from rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which hold a charge for a longer period of time than the other popular choice, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH). You’ll get an average of about 50-60 minutes of run-time from a lithium-ion trimmer compared to about 30 minutes with a NiMH model. A welcome feature on some cordless trimmers is a “quick charge” function that gives you a few minutes of extra runtime to finish up.
If you want more information about the different types of rechargeable batteries available and how to care for them, then please read our detailed article linked below.
You may also want to award brownie points for models that are easy to clean, and also if a trimmer is a wet/dry model, if it has a low battery indicator (for cordless models), or if the trimmer/charger can operate on dual voltages for overseas travel.
Beard Trimmer vs. Hair Clipper
“I already have a hair clipper in the house – can’t I just use that?”
You can, sort of… hair clippers and beard trimmers are similar, but the specialist models are designed for two different purposes.
Beard trimmers have thinner blades and are designed to work with shorter hair and do the fine detail work necessary to shape the perfect beard. By comparison, clippers have thicker blades that are used to cut longer and thicker hair, usually in conjunction with attachments that are much larger than the ones that sometimes come with trimmers. Hair clippers simply can’t do the close-in trimming required for most beards. You need a beard trimmer for that.
Don’t throw out the hair clipper you already own, though. If you’ve let your beard grow out for a while and it’s time to prune the shrubbery, clippers are great for the preliminary work before you pull out your beard trimmer to get the details just right.
Let’s cut this discussion short, and get to the Groom+Style rankings of the top 10 best beard trimmers.
1. Wahl 9818 Lithium Ion Plus Stainless Steel Beard Trimmer
This Wahl model is the best of the best, a high-quality, stainless steel cordless trimmer with patented self-sharpening blades.
It’s powerful as well, thanks to lithium-ion technology that delivers twice the torque of most competitive models. The 9818 feels great in the hand (although it can be a little slippery if your hands are wet, moist or greasy), is well-balanced and rugged, and trims evenly without pulling hairs. In short, it’s an outstanding performer whether you need to beat a thick, unruly beard into submission or do some precise detailing work.
The icing on the 9818’s cake is an included detail trimmer blade for shaping beards and goatees. The Wahl is one of the only models the Groom+Style team has reviewed with that great feature, which gives you more control over the look of your beard than any other trimmer.
Three more stainless steel detachable blades (stainless lasts longer than carbon steel and is ideal for thick beards) come with this beard trimmer: the standard, precision T-Blade used for most tasks, the detail shaver used for outlining, and an ear/nose/ eyebrow trimmer.
This Wahl kit also includes 12 guide combs, letting you select from 13 cutting lengths ranging from 0 (1/16”) to 8 (1”). The one main disappointment of this outstanding trimmer is that the guide combs are not as stiff as we would have liked. This fact seems to be more apparent as you move to the larger guide combs (3/8″, No 3, 10mm onwards). Interestingly, however, due to the high quality of the motor and the sharpness of the blades, the Wahl 9819 still powers through longer hair and beards. (If you do have a long beard and want to see what your other options are, then please look at our #3 choice the Remington Beard Boss.)
The battery runs for at least four hours on a one-hour charge, and there’s a nice one-minute charge feature that gives you an extra three minutes of trimming time if needed.
Oh, and there is a 5-year warranty!
The Wahl 9818 is everything you’d want in a beard trimmer (beard trimming, stubble or detailing, to head hair or body grooming): solid, powerful, versatile and reasonably priced for a product with a 5-year warranty.
Facts and figures for the Wahl 9818 Lithium Ion Plus Stainless Steel Beard Trimmer:
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2. Philips Norelco Beard & Hair Trimmer Series 5100 – BT5210
The Philips Norelco BT5210 is another brilliant beard/hair trimmer, especially for those people who like the convenience of the limited attachments and zoom wheel.
Like the Wahl, it’s a cordless model, with a powerful motor, self-sharpening stamped steel blades and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
And it can handle more lengths and shorter lengths than the Wahl (1/64 inch to ½ inch), thanks to a built-in zoom wheel which is used to adjust trimming lengths instead of a collection of guide combs.
Two hair combs and a body comb are included for those who want their trimmer to double as a hair clipper or to trim their body hair.
One other nice feature of this Philips Norelco is that it’s waterproof, making it very easy to clean (to avoid confusion this is waterproof for cleaning, but the trimmer cannot be used in the shower or bath).
This beard trimmer runs for 70 minutes on a one-hour charge, can cut without a guard, and unlike the Wahl, it can run while plugged in. Most importantly, it delivers great performance without tugging at beard hairs.
The BT5210 isn’t quite as impressive compared to the Wahls motor power and rechargeable battery life, but it’s convenient and slightly less expensive and does a great job trimming beards and body hair.
More details on the Philips Norelco Beard & Hair Trimmer Series 5100 – BT5210:
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Another product from Philips Norelco worth mentioning is the Philips Norelco QT4070 Vacuum Beard. The specifications are explained in detail just below.
2a. Philips Norelco BT7215/49 Vacuum Beard (replaces older model QT4070)
Here’s another maintenance-free choice from Philips Norelco that’s quite similar to the BT5210 in most respects, with a zoom wheel that has 20 built-in length settings from as low as 0.5 to 10 mm.
But what makes this a particularly interesting beard trimmer, is its built-in vacuum. It’s the only beard and mustache trimmer here that has one, and it’s a life-saver for those who are worried about leaving behind a hairy mess.
The vacuum does an admirable job in collecting cut hairs – as much as 90 percent of all hair that is cut ends up in the integrated storage bin for later emptying and cleaning. With this trimmer, you won’t have to dread the time-consuming task of cleaning cut hairs out of the sink or off the floor.
From Groom+Style’s experience, to ensure that most hairs are captured, ensure you hold the trimmer parallel to your face as much as possible i.e. try to avoid angling it to the left and right.
Good performance, well-built – and a cool vacuum feature – all make the 7100 an interesting choice. More than a novelty feature and certainly a trimmer worth considering.
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3. Remington MB4040/MB4045B Mustache Beard and Stubble Trimmer
When you want a versatile trimmer for a very reasonable price, we’d suggest taking a look at the Remington MB4045B. And if you want a trimmer for a long, flowing beard but don’t want to pay the higher price the Wahl commands, it’s definitely your #1 choice.
It’s a cool-looking unit which is comfortable in the hand and can take care of any man’s beard without a hiccup.
The MB4045B comes with a single blade that has 18 length settings, plus three combs – a stubble comb (which can trim from 1mm to 5mm in 0.5mm increments), a medium comb (1.5mm to 18mm) and an XL comb (20mm to 35mm), ideal for working on long beards. Like the Wahl, this beard trimmer has a detail trimmer which easily allows you to do close-in shaping work.
The older model MB4040 has fewer length settings.
It’s become almost unfathomable not to have a Remington product in the men’s grooming range – not just trimmers for men. Diving into the product, the Remington MB4045B Mustache, and Beard Trimmer deserves plenty of praise for its simplistic design – it’s sleek, easy to hold and makes little if any compromises in regards to either form or function. The titanium blades are self-sharpening.
It also features a long-lasting battery that gives you two hours of cutting time to achieve the perfect look. Another bonus on the functionality front is the zoom wheel that gives you impressive control over mustache and beard hair length. With the cutting attachment fitted flush with the design, this beard trimmer also offers an impressive measure of durability.
Note – if you are a man who loves beards then check out our list of the best beard grooming kits.
Remington is known for producing quality personal grooming products at friendly prices, and this beard trimmer fits squarely into that mold. It’s a good choice in the lower-cost category, especially for those men with long beards.
Checking the specs of the Remington MB4045B Mustache Beard and Stubble Trimmer:
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4. Philips Norelco OneBlade Hybrid Electric Trimmer And Shaver
As you might guess from its name, this is an unusual beard trimmer. The “OneBlade” dual-edge construction means that you can use the same unit for trimming, edging and shaving – although that claim is a little misleading since this Philips Norelco model isn’t designed to replace the close shave you can get with a normal razor.
It leaves a bit of length when it cuts giving the user a “five o’clock shadow” look (it isn’t effective trimming the scalp) so it delivers a very comfortable shave since it doesn’t scrape the skin.
The shape and feel of this trimmer is more like a wet/dry shaver than a trimmer, with a narrow body and a single blade that’s built somewhat like a foil shaver.
The blades of the OneBlade do have to be replaced every four months – if you trim or shave twice a week – see link below.
Let’s get to the trimming aspect of the OneBlade. There are three trimming combs: 1mm, 3mm, and 5mm; that choice makes this more for stubble than taming long beards.
If you like the product but have a long beard, the OnePladePro has a trimmer wheel that handles hair from 0.4 to 10mm. Edging and detailing is easy because the slim design makes the trimmer easy to maneuver.
This Philips Norelco’s battery is nickel-metal hydride instead of lithium-ion so it’s not as powerful as other trimmers on our list, and the construction is rather flimsy. You might find the low price to be enough compensation for those drawbacks, though.
Note: there are about 12 different model numbers for the OneBlade. The main number differences are explained below, and within those ranges you have options like extra blades and a travel pouch.
Philips OneBlade QP252(X) – face shaving and trimming with 3 or 4 click on combs to adjust the length.
Philips OneBlade QP26(XX) – face and body shaving and trimming with 3 or 4 click on combs to adjust the length.
Philips OneBlade QP65(XX) – face shaving/trimming with a single adjustable comb for the length.
The Philips OneBlade is a good unit for very specific purposes. If you have sensitive skin and can’t tolerate a close shave, or if you’re primarily focused on stubble and edging, it’s a great option.
Specs for the Philips Norelco QP2630 OneBlade Hybrid Electric Trimmer And Shaver:
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