8 best beard trimmers to keep your facial hair under control

Maintaining your look is important, so we tried and tested the top tools for the job from the likes of Philips and Braun

Paddy Maddison
Monday 12 April 2021 15:22
<p>Make a virtue of being too lazy to shave with a trimmer to manicure that stubble&nbsp;</p>

Make a virtue of being too lazy to shave with a trimmer to manicure that stubble 

(The Independent)

There’s never been a more tempting time to leave the fate of your follicles in the hands of the facial-hair gods. After all, there’s no point in routine pruning if the only other sentient being that’ll see you is your cat, right?

Wrong. Lockdown is no excuse for poor personal hygiene. Keep yourself nicely preened and you’ll feel much better for it. 

Plus, even your cat has the common decency to groom itself – the least you could do is pick up a beard trimmer from time to time.

Not only is lockdown a great opportunity to refine your grooming routine, but it also gives you carte blanche to experiment with new looks.

That said, you’ll need a good machine if you want to get the job done properly. In fact, choose well and your beard trimmer can facilitate the sculpting of all manner of facial hair styles.

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With that in mind, we went in search of the best beard trimmers on the market and put them to the test. They had to be versatile, easy to operate and offer good value for money. Below, you’ll find a list of our favourites.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Philips oneblade trimmer

Best for: All-in-one beard trimmer

The oneblade from Philips may look simple, but don’t be fooled, there’s more to this trimmer than meets the eye. This bitesize beard and body groomer is an all-in-one, head-to-toe grooming solution in a very affordable package. The replaceable blade is smooth against the skin but cuts almost as close as a clean shave with a razor. 

If you want to leave some hair behind, the various attachments will enable you to cut to your desired length, and the body grooming guide comb allows you to, ahem, venture south, without the risk of bloodshed from any delicate parts.

Braun series 7 electric shaver

Best for: Clean, precise shave

This all-singing, all-dancing trimmer and groomer from Braun does everything you want it to and more. The cleverly designed pivoting head has 360 degrees of movement, which allows it to move with the contours of your face. It also comes with a cleaning station, complete with cleaning fluid that leaves it feeling like new for every shave. 

You’ll also get a foil shaver and a precision trimmer included, but guide combs for achieving different lengths have to be purchased separately. Our favourite part was the easy-to-read display that tells you when the battery is low, that the blade needs changing or that it’s in need of a clean.

Remington barba beard trimmer

Best for: Portability

If you’re left feeling confused by all the different attachments that come with your average beard trimmer, this self-contained unit from Remington might be the answer. It has one cutting guard that can be adjusted via a control on the handle to cut from 0.4 to 14mm. Either that or you can remove it completely for a grade zero. What’s really cool, though, is the concealed miniature precision trimmer which can be deployed at the push of a button to target those areas that require a touch of technical finesse.

Philips series 7000 vacuum beard and stubble trimmer

Best for: Clean sink

Nothing winds cohabitants up quite like a sink dusted with thousands of tiny post-trim beard cuttings. Preempt an early divorce by investing in a trimmer with a built-in vacuum, like this one from Philips. The vacuum delivers constant airflow while you work, sucking up 94 per cent of the trimmings and thus leaving the bathroom sink 94 per cent cleaner than it would otherwise be. Aside from that, it does everything you’d expect: different cutting lengths, precision trimming and, if you buy it from John Lewis & Partners, you’ll get a two-year guarantee.

Wahl 9818-803 stainless steel beard trimmer

Best for: Long beards

In a sea of plastic beard trimmers, this weighty stainless steel option from Wahl really stood out to us. We loved the clean, simple design and thought it felt good in hand. The power is also great – most trimmers will only deliver around an hour or so of run time and can take a while to get back up to full power, but this one will cut for a solid 240 minutes on just an hour of charge. 

It has all the usual attachments for achieving all sorts of beard styles and it even has a one-minute quick charge feature which will give you three minutes of power, should you happen to run out mid-trim.

BaByliss pro beard trimmer

Best for: Ease of use and simplicity

If you’re looking for a beard trimmer that puts ease of use and simplicity to the fore, this one from BaByliss is a great option. It has 12 different cutting lengths which can be dialled in by using a large control just next to the cutting head. A full charge will take three hours and it comes with a fabric carry case included to keep your other belongings stubble free on a weekend away.

Panasonic er-gb62 beard trimmer

Best for: Thick beards

With a whopping 39 potential cutting lengths, this all-in-one trimmer from Panasonic has your grooming requirements covered. It comes with three attachments to deal with everything from unruly facial fuzz to delicate body grooming and is water washable, so it’s a breeze to clean up once you’re done. It’ll run for 50 minutes off a one-hour charge, giving you plenty of time to trim, and there’s a handy pouch included for mess-free transport.

Gillette all-purpose styler

Best for: Budget-friendly option

Beard trimmers can be expensive, but they don’t have to be. This one from Gillette trims, shaves and edges surprisingly well and is only a smidge more than £20. It’s battery-powered and comes with a choice of three cutting guards for different lengths of hair. There’s also a proglide blade for close shaves, or you can simply use the trimmer unguarded to clean up your neckline, sideburns or even hairline. 

The verdict: Beard trimmers

Philips’s oneblade delivers plenty of bang for a relatively small amount of buck. Granted, it offers fewer cutting lengths than some of the top-tier options, but it still has everything the average guy needs to keep his facial hair in check.

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.