Best Beard Trimmer of 2021
The Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000 trimmer is truly an all-in-one device. Equipped with 23 different attachments, it's capable of meeting all your grooming needs. This handy device can trim your facial and body hair as well as perform full-on haircuts. It was unquestionably the most versatile device we tested. With an incredibly long-lasting battery and high-quality blades, there isn't much to complain about with this trimmer. The stainless steel handle fits into your palm nicely and has a hefty weight that gives it the satisfying feel of a well-made tool.
The only real downside to this trimmer is that it isn't fully waterproof, which leaves folks who prefer to shave in the shower out of luck. All things considered, this the perfect device for people looking for one tool that can take care of all their grooming needs.
The Wahl Groomsman is an inexpensive battery-operated trimmer that is great for touch-ups and general grooming. The small size and reasonable price make it a perfect travel companion that you won't be too worried about beating up or losing. Despite the small size, it does come with eight blade guards that give you many opportunities to fine-tune your facial hair.
Our testers did experience the occasional bit of tugging when using this trimmer and the mostly plastic componentry felt of lesser quality than the more premium options from Wahl. In essence, this device is just for trimming medium to short-length beards and body hair. With eight beard guards and a separate device included for your ears and nose, this device isn't the most versatile. Overall this option is ideal for those looking for an inexpensive travel-ready beard trimmer.
The Braun 5544 is a versatile and rechargeable trimming device that is fully waterproof. For those who prefer taking care of your grooming in the shower, this device will likely be your top choice. Despite only coming with four blade guards, once installed, the two larger guards each offer five adjustable lengths, giving you an enormous level of control and refinement. This timer also comes complete with a nose and ear trimmer attachment, a reduced width detailing attachment, as well as a dedicated body hair trimmer. In addition, this kit provides a Gillette Fusion razor with two disposable blades.
The biggest flaw we found was how finicky locking in the blade guard micro-adjustments could be. We also didn't personally love the ergonomics of the handle, but it's certainly not a dealbreaker. This is an excellent device for those who prefer to shave in the shower or want a highly adjustable trimmer.
The Wahl Cordless Magic Clip is a serious beard and hair cutting machine. With a variable taper blade and eight included blade guards, it's easy to fine-tune the look of your beard and hair. Designed with professional barbers in mind, this trimmer is built to last. The ergonomics of the handle are well-designed and comfortable to hold onto. One of the most remarkable functions of this device is its ability to be used corded or cordless. The ability to plug it in and keep cutting will keep you from ending up with a half-done job waiting for your trimmer to charge, while the rechargeable battery makes it easy to trim the back of your head without getting tangled in a cord or to simply take the whole operation outside.
Using this device for small details might prove to be more challenging for less experienced users because it doesn't come with any blade guards that reduce the width of the blades. While this device is amazing at trimming and maintaining beards and haircuts, it's not ideal for removing small amounts of body hair and doesn't have any attachments to trim nose or ear hair. It's best suited for those serious about home grooming and who want to skip going to the barbershop.
The Wahl Peanut is a simple and bombproof device. Part of Wahl's professional line of products, this trimmer is built for heavy-duty use. Its corded power system is both a blessing and a curse. The lack of an internal battery means there is one less piece that can break but ultimately keeps you tethered close to a wall outlet. This compact trimmer sits comfortably in your palm and is easy to work with and especially easy to clean. True to the Wahl brand, this is a highly effective cutting tool.
The Peanut only comes with four blade guards, ranging from ⅛" up to ½", which seriously limits the out-of-box versatility. It's great for trimming down or maintaining big thick beards and for keeping your fade looking fresh between trips to the barber.
The Remington All-In-One is another good option for those who like to shave in the shower. The trimmer and all associated accessories pack into one of the smallest storage bags of any in our test group. The handle has decent ergonomics, and the adjustable blade guards give you the ability to make micro changes to your cutting lengths. The adjustability and variety of attachments make this trimmer excel at more complicated detail work.
While we didn't personally experience this, there were quite a few mentions of people experiencing total battery failure after a relatively short use period. While there is a haircutting attachment for this trimmer, some of the other tested trimmers will serve you better if you're looking for a device for at-home haircuts. This trimmer is excellent for detailing in or out of the shower.
The Wahl Lithium Ion is a step up in quality from the Wahl Groomsman. The primary difference is that this model has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, whereas the Groomsman requires the use of AAs. Our testers enjoyed the feel and ergonomics of the rubberized handle and found the blades to cut exceptionally well.
Designed with facial and body hair in mind, this trimmer doesn't come with longer blade attachments for anything but the shortest of haircuts. If you want a trimmer for your face and head, you might want to consider some of the other options, but as far as having a dedicated beard trimmer, this product is hard to beat.
The Philips Norelco Multigroom 3000 is a pared-down version of the Multigroom 7000. Slightly smaller and mostly made of plastic, this immediately feels and looks like a more budget version of the other Philips trimmer. That being said, it is still a very capable device but less all-encompassing than the 7000. With seven blade guards, a smaller width detail blade, and an ear/nose trimmer attachment, this device offers a decent range of options for short to medium-length beards and the ability to touch up hair cuts.
The provided carrying case is on the flimsy side, and the slide zip closure doesn't seem very durable. This wouldn't be our first choice of device to use for serious hair cutting but is great for keeping up with facial and body hair at a reduced price.
The Hatteker Beard Trimmer is a full-featured, comprehensive male grooming tool. We especially like that most of the attachments and accessories can be stored in the included charging stand. If you have the space and use your grooming tools regularly, the Hatteker stand will make that even easier. It includes trimming heads of a couple of different sizes, fixed and adjustable guards, an electric razor, and a rotary nose/ear hair trimmer attachment.
The battery life of the Hatteker is the least of any of the tested products, and it was the first to die in our comparative battery life test. If you can store it on the charging stand, this shouldn't be a problem. There is plenty of battery life to get through even the most involved single grooming session.
The Andis 32400 is a simple beard trimmer. It cuts well and can be equipped with one of a few different length guards. It comes with a stand-up charger for ready placement on a shelf or in a powered cabinet. This trimmer shines for precise detail work on facial hair.
There is no option for different attachment heads, and the battery life is lower than average. You can't remove the head for cleaning. The construction isn't waterproof, but our top award winners aren't either.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our lead tester, Buck Yedor, has an impeccable eye for detail and has tested a diverse offering of products ranging from electric egg cookers to iPhone charging cables. His experience in using and abusing electronic home goods can hopefully help you find the right beard trimmer without feeling like you're going to pull your hair out.
Our testing involved a combination of "real-world" use and objective tests. Real-world use meant trying the devices for various grooming tasks, regrowing the beards, and then testing again. We tested and compared cutting effectiveness, power systems, ergonomics, ease of cleaning, and versatility. Formalized tests included side-by-side comparisons of basic cutting tasks and a head-to-head battery life run-down for all those that run on batteries.
Analysis and Test Results
Most of our testing took place in "real-world" scenarios. We cut, let it grow, and cut it again. We complemented our anecdotal findings with thorough and objective examinations.
Cutting Effectiveness
Determining how well a product cuts is as simple as using it. Cutting effectiveness is also a product of well you maintain your trimmer. The easier it is to maintain, the more likely you are actually going to do regular upkeep. Parts that are user-serviceable and replaceable will keep your trimmer cutting better, longer. We know from years of using trimmers that all will wear at some rate. A product with multiple cutting heads included (usually of different sizes) will keep its cutting performance longer as you rotate through the different options.
The blades of the Wahl Peanut Corded sit tightly against one another and cut cleanly with no tug. We found that its pro-level construction cuts the best out of any product in this review. The Wahl Cordless Magic Clip and the Philips Norelco 7000 are also high performers in this metric.
Towards the lower end of the price spectrum, we found most of the blades to function at a similar level. While not as clean-cutting as the most premium options, the budget options like the Philips Norelco 3000 and the Remington still have more than adequate cutting effectiveness.
Power System
First, we have to distinguish between corded and battery-powered trimmers. We tested one corded version (the Wahl Peanut) and nine battery-powered cutters. The corded one is the most powerful and is intended for professional barbershop/salon use. You can simply get more power into a compact package if the electricity comes from a cord. However, that cord gets in the way and complicates use a little bit. If you like to trim your hair outside, for instance (for easier clean-up), a battery-powered trimmer is best. Battery-powered options are more common for home use, largely because they are used continuously through the same day. Most of the rechargeable battery options are able to be used while plugged in, so even if power starts running low, you won't be left in the lurch.
Among the battery-powered options, we found a range of performance. To test, we simply charged them all and then let them run out altogether. The buzzing drove us nuts, but we gathered valuable data. The Philips Norelco 7000 motored on for a remarkable six hours and 15 minutes. The middle of the pack was between two and four hours. Two lasted less than two hours.
The Hatteker Beard Trimmer faded out at 1:15 but includes the test's only charging/organizational stand. If your bathroom has shelf space for it, you can set up the Hatteker to always be charged up and organized amongst its attachments and guards.
We have to give a nod to corded options as well. When fresh out of the box, a battery-powered trimmer will stay fresh and charged. Over time virtually all batteries will degrade and eventually forcing you to buy a new trimmer. Corded options might be the best best for pure longevity.
Ergonomics
Precise and comfortable use of your beard trimmer requires easy manipulation. Size is the primary factor. There is a sweet spot of control and maneuverability. Shape and texture also matter. The *Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000 was one of our favorites to hold and use. It has just the right combination of length, weight, and handle feel.
The Wahl Peanut is small, but the cord serves to help you stabilize it in hand. The Remington and Hatteker trimmers are a little bigger than ideal, while the Andis is similar in size to the Wahl All-in-One but is smoother and more slippery. The waterproof Braun is a good size but smooth and slippery on the outside.
Ease of Cleaning
There are two primary determinants of ease of cleaning. Most obvious is the ability to rinse the entire device. This is appealing and seems like it should make a big difference. We don't find rinsing to address clogging, though. It is the hairs inside the blade mechanism that gum things up. Real cleaning requires removing the head from the tool to dislodge clumps of cut hair.
We mainly scored the "cleanability" of beard trimmers by how easy it was to get the cutting head on and off. If it goes on and off easier, your job of cleaning will go more smoothly. The Hatteker head goes on and off very easily. The Braun head comes on and off easily, and the whole thing is waterproof. Most trimmers have heads that are removed and then replaced with at least some amount of fiddling. This is what we might call average ease of cleaning. Both the Phillips Norelco 3000 and 7000, Wahl All-in-One, and Wahl Peanut fall into this average category, among others. The head of the Andis 32400 does not come off at all, making it very hard to remove clumps.
Versatility
Versatility refers to how many different tasks each trimmer is capable of performing. Does it cut your beard off entirely, and that's it? Or can the blade be "guarded" to leave some hair length? Are there other attachments like an electric razor or nose hair trimmer? Some even have interchangeable blades with different widths to give you more precision with detailed work. Some are even capable of full-blown haircuts.
The most versatile "beard trimmers" are comprehensive all-body "manscaping" tools. You can do full hair cuts and grooming with the Hatteker Beard Trimmer, Philips Norelco 7000, almost all of the Wahl options, and the Braun. All four of these include many different guard options, multiple head widths, electric razors, and rotary nose/ear hair trimmers. Their versatility dramatically exceeds that of the remaining options.
With a few minor exceptions, the remaining products are essentially cutting heads with a few guards (or a range of adjustments in one or two guards).
Conclusion
What qualifies as a "beard trimmer" is varied. Some of the products we reviewed are all-encompassing grooming and haircutting tools, while others are optimized for just trimming an actual beard. We hope our comprehensive look at the cutting effectiveness, power systems, ergonomics, ease of cleaning, and versatility of these beard trimmers will help you make an informed choice during your next purchase.
— Jediah Porter & Buck Yedor