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The 5 Best Nose Hair Trimmers of 2024

We put nose hair trimmers from Conair, Wahl, Panasonic, and others to head to head tests
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Best Nose Hair Trimmer Review (Award winning nose and ear hair trimmers.)
Award winning nose and ear hair trimmers.
Credit: Rosie De Lise
By Jediah Porter ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jun 13, 2024

The Best Nose Hair Trimmers for 2024


Sick of long hairs tickling your nose? After researching the market's top options, we purchased 8 of the best nose hair trimmers available today. We went to work, letting all our hairs grow out before cutting them back again. Armed with all products in hand, we had the opportunity to actively compare performance across several metrics. Not only did we trim our nose, face, and ear hairs whenever we could, but we compared performance, trimming heads, battery, and other features that matter. After grooming for a few months, we offer you our recommendations, grounded in hands-on and unbiased research.

Check out our reviews on other essentials, from the best belts to the best razors, our favorite beard trimmers, and the best thermometers — we've even tested the top-rated toilet paper to find the strongest and softest. If you're looking to up your dental hygiene game, we've also tested the best electric toothbrushes and replacement toothbrush heads to keep your pearly whites clean.

Editor's Note: We updated this review on June 13, 2024, to ensure our lineup is current and to offer additional buying advice.

Top 8 Nose Hair Trimmers

Displaying 1 - 8 (scroll right)
 
Awards Top Pick Award
Best Hand-Powered Trimmer
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Nose Trimmer
 Top Pick Award
Solid Performance with a Built-in LED Light
 Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
 Top Pick Award
Great Vacuum Feature
Price $29 List
$28.94 at Amazon
$31 List
$19.99 at Amazon
$16.00 List
$15.99 at Amazon
$18.00 List
$17.95 at Amazon
$10.00 List$15.00 List
$11.94 at Amazon
$14.00 List
$13.99 at Amazon
$21 List
$23.46 at Amazon
Overall Score
53
88
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72
57
75
67
63
Star Rating
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Pros Compact, needs no battery to run, can fully submerse to cleanLong initial battery life, smooth trimmer headEasy to clean, good battery life, uncomplicatedLED light, safety lockSlide trimmer can be used for grooming other areas, respectable battery lifeMany attachments, decent battery lifeVariety of attachments, waterproofVacuum catches loose hair, affordable
Cons SlowRequires lithium battery, cleaning is complicatedGeneric partsShort battery lifeNo rotary trimmer, cannot disassemble for cleaningSome attachments are less useful and may be easy to loseTwist on/off switch isn't ergonomic, harder to cleanVacuum function consumes extra battery
Bottom Line A solid, simple, unpowered trimmer that requires two hands and some time, but will always get the job doneLong battery life, unique cutting head shape, and overall reliable construction make this our favorite modelHas long battery life, can be rinsed, and is an otherwise basic nose and ear hair trimmerA solid trimmer with a built-in LED light to help see those hard-to-reach spotsA slide style trimmer for facial hair and some use in ears and noseA versatile, interchangeable trimmer for all your facial manscaping needsA versatile, waterproof trimmer for noses, ears, brows and some other facial hairA standard cylinder cutting head affixed to a vacuum system, which captures some of the cut hairs
Rating Categories Groom Mate Platinum XL ConairMAN Lithium-P... Panasonic ER-GN30-K ToiletTree LED Trimmer Micro Touch MAX Tri... Wahl Trimmer 5545-400 Remington NE3845A Panasonic ER430K
Trimming Effectiveness (40%)
3.0
10.0
8.0
8.0
6.0
9.0
9.0
8.0
Power System (25%) Sort Icon
10.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
5.0
3.0
2.0
Ergonomics (20%)
1
10.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
Ease of Cleaning (15%)
9.0
5.0
8.0
7.0
4.0
7.0
5.0
8.0
Specs Groom Mate Platinum XL ConairMAN Lithium-P... Panasonic ER-GN30-K ToiletTree LED Trimmer Micro Touch MAX Tri... Wahl Trimmer 5545-400 Remington NE3845A Panasonic ER430K
Measured Battery Run Time N/A 7 hours Not Measured 2 hours Not Measured 3.75 hours Not Measured 0.75 hours
Rotary Cutter? Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Slide Cutter? No No No No Yes Yes Yes No
Dissassembly For Cleaning Completely washable Minimal Normal dissassembly, washable Minimal No dissassembly Average dissassembly, minimally washable Minimal dissassembly Good dissassembly, and a vacuum to suck up hairs
Power N/A 1x AA (Included lithium battery) 1x AA (Not Included) 1x AA (Not Included) 1x AA (Included) 1x AA (Included) 1x AA (Included) 1x AA (Not Included)


Best Overall Nose Trimmer


ConairMAN Lithium-Powered Cordless Trimmer


88
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Trimming Effectiveness 10.0
  • Power System 8.0
  • Ergonomics 10.0
  • Ease of Cleaning 5.0
REASONS TO BUY
Impressive initial battery life
Smooth and comfortable trimmer head
REASONS TO AVOID
Long run time requires a lithium battery
Limited cleaning opportunities
SPECIFICATIONS
Rotary Cutter? Yes
Measured Battery Run Time 7 hours
Slide Cutter? No
Dissassembly For Cleaning Minimal
Power 1x AA (Included lithium battery)

The ConairMan Lithium nose and ear hair trimmer earns the top spot in this review for its uniqueness and impressive performance. “Its cutting head features a mushroom shape that can comfortably reach more places than any other trimmer tested,” our lead tester notes, and it doesn't get too clogged up with trimmings. The included lithium AA battery has an impressive run time of seven hours.

We love the performance, but we wish it was a hair easier (pun intended) to disassemble this model for cleaning,” our tester quipped. Other products offer better serviceability in this regard. We should also note that the impressive seven-hour run time is only with the included lithium AA battery. Unfortunately, it is not rechargeable, and another type of battery may not offer the same performance. Minor setbacks aside, the ConairMan Lithium is our favorite trimmer for its long run time and wide range of coverage. For those who want to prioritize a trimmer with easy cleaning capabilities, another option is the Panasonic ER-GN30-K.

nose hair trimmer - we like that the conairman lithium comes with a bag and that its...
We like that the ConairMan Lithium comes with a bag and that its mushroom shaped cutting head works better than most.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Best Bang for the Buck


Wahl Trimmer 5545-400


75
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Trimming Effectiveness 9.0
  • Power System 5.0
  • Ergonomics 8.0
  • Ease of Cleaning 7.0
REASONS TO BUY
Variety of attachments
Acceptable battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
Some parts seem not to integrate well
SPECIFICATIONS
Rotary Cutter? Yes
Measured Battery Run Time 3.75 hours
Slide Cutter? Yes
Dissassembly For Cleaning Average dissassembly, minimally washable
Power 1x AA (Included)

The Wahl Ear, Nose, and Brow Trimmer is a comprehensive manscaping tool for many male facial needs and comes at a great price. It works like a standard nose hair trimmer and then some. The included slide cutter clicks into place and includes various guards for length adjustment. Three hours and 45 minutes is an acceptable battery life.

Keeping track of and using all the various add-on features requires some practice,” commented our tester. Also, the rotary trimmer seems almost like an afterthought. It doesn't fit flush with the main body of the trimmer, for instance. It works just fine and doesn't look as odd as you might think, but it feels like it could have used a little more consideration. If you prefer a rotary-style cutter, we highly suggest stepping up to the well-designed ConairMAN Cordless Trimmer.

nose hair trimmer - the wahl nose, ear, and brow trimmer. this is the most versatile...
The Wahl Nose, Ear, and Brow Trimmer. This is the most versatile trimmer in our test.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Solid Performance with a Built-in LED Light


ToiletTree LED Trimmer


72
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Trimming Effectiveness 8.0
  • Power System 6.0
  • Ergonomics 7.0
  • Ease of Cleaning 7.0
REASONS TO BUY
LED light
Safety lock
REASONS TO AVOID
Shorter battery life
SPECIFICATIONS
Rotary Cutter? Yes
Measured Battery Run Time 2 hours
Slide Cutter? No
Dissassembly For Cleaning Minimal
Power 1x AA (Not Included)

The ToiletTree LED Trimmer is a simple rotary trimmer with a few additional helpful features. “Our initial impressions were that the LED light was a little gimmicky,” our tester remarked, “but it proved to be somewhat helpful in seeing spots that still needed trimming.” We appreciate the quiet rotary motor, and the safety lock makes it less likely that the device will turn on inadvertently if it is packed away in a suitcase. The head is easy to remove for cleaning, and the hexagonal shape of the whole thing makes for a firmer grip.

One notable shortcoming of this trimmer is the average battery life. Additionally, we think its primary performance as a nose hair trimmer doesn't quite match the rest of the product's heft. “It gets the job done, but it's not super powerful,” our tester said. Still, this one could be worth considering for folks who want a basic trimmer with a couple of extra features. If you prefer to use a trimmer with more versatility for other areas, such as facial hair or ears, the Micro Touch MAX Trimmer is a worthwhile option.

nose hair trimmer - this is a basic product with a somewhat useful led light and safety...
This is a basic product with a somewhat useful LED light and safety lock.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch

Great Vacuum Feature


Panasonic ER430K


63
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Trimming Effectiveness 8.0
  • Power System 2.0
  • Ergonomics 7.0
  • Ease of Cleaning 8.0
REASONS TO BUY
Vacuum function saves some mess
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Vacuum consumes much more battery than cutter alone
SPECIFICATIONS
Rotary Cutter? Yes
Measured Battery Run Time 0.75 hours
Slide Cutter? No
Dissassembly For Cleaning Good dissassembly, and a vacuum to suck up hairs
Power 1x AA (Not Included)

The Panasonic ER430K groomer is very similar to other models we tested, but what sets it apart is the inclusion of a fan-powered vacuum function that captures and contains stubble as it's created. “We found the vacuum wasn't perfect, as it didn't catch every stray hair,” our tester observed, “but it does serve its purpose.” Far fewer hairs go on the loose with this nose hair trimmer than with any of the non-vacuum-equipped models.

On the downside, the addition of the fan motor significantly decreases the battery life. When you turn on this device, you inevitably engage all the features. “As a result, its battery life lasts only a fraction of the time of other high performers,” our tester noted. Use the Panasonic ER430K regularly, and you can expect to replace the batteries more frequently than you would with many other models. For folks who travel more frequently or just want to avoid dealing with battery replacements, a battery-free option worth considering is the Groom Mate Platinum XL Hair Trimmer.

nose hair trimmer - the panasonic 430 showing its vacuum mechanism vents. the oval...
The Panasonic 430 showing its vacuum mechanism vents. The oval handle shape feels good in our hand.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Best Hand-Powered Trimmer


Groom Mate Platinum XL Hair Trimmer


53
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Trimming Effectiveness 3.0
  • Power System 10.0
  • Ergonomics 1.0
  • Ease of Cleaning 9.0
REASONS TO BUY
Small
Theoretically infinite life
REASONS TO AVOID
Slow
SPECIFICATIONS
Rotary Cutter? Yes
Measured Battery Run Time N/A
Slide Cutter? No
Dissassembly For Cleaning Completely washable
Power N/A

The Groom Mate Platinum XL Hair Trimmer is entirely manual. You use two hands to turn the cutter yourself. It works like any powered version, but our lead tester commented that “it takes quite a bit longer to do any given trimming job.” For those who travel a lot, live simply, or can't be bothered to maintain a battery-powered device, this is the best choice. The construction is robust and simple; with no electric motor or circuits, the Platinum is fully submersible. We expect this product to last — speculation we aren't necessarily comfortable making about the electronic versions.

The speed of operation is its primary drawback,” our tester said. Getting an effective and complete trim with this product is more of a meditation than an efficient process. What takes under a minute with a powered version might take 10-15 minutes with the Groom Mate. If you need a trimmer with more efficiency and power, the battery-operated Remington NE3845A makes for quick, effective trimming.

nose hair trimmer - the groom mate requires two hands to operate. it is the only product...
The Groom Mate requires two hands to operate. It is the only product that requires that, but it also the only product that doesn't require batteries or tens of minutes to do the job.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Compare Products

select up to 5 products to compare
Score Product Price
88
ConairMAN Lithium-Powered Cordless Trimmer
Best Overall Nose Trimmer
$31
Editors' Choice Award
75
Wahl Trimmer 5545-400
Best Bang for the Buck
$15
Best Buy Award
73
Panasonic ER-GN30-K
$16
72
ToiletTree LED Trimmer
Solid Performance with a Built-in LED Light
$18
Top Pick Award
67
Remington NE3845A
$14
63
Panasonic ER430K
Great Vacuum Feature
$21
Top Pick Award
57
Micro Touch MAX Trimmer
$10
53
Groom Mate Platinum XL Hair Trimmer
Best Hand-Powered Trimmer
$29
Top Pick Award

How We Tested Nose Hair Trimmers


Our initial testing of these products was during quarantine, and we used that time to get wild and wooly. We tested most products in an early round of trimming, let it all grow back, and went at it again with the other portion. In the second round, we also took the opportunity to compare the first round's top performers to those only tested later.

We used four performance metrics to test and score these nose hair trimmers:
  • Trimming effectiveness (40% of overall score weighting)
  • Power system (25% weighting)
  • Ergonomics (20% weighting)
  • Ease of cleaning (15% weighting)

Why Trust GearLab


Our nose and ear hair expert, Jed Porter, admits his mom bought him a nose hair trimmer when he entered high school. Embarrassing? Yes, but we'll go to great lengths to test and demonstrate our authority. Jed isn't afraid of revealing intimate details if it demonstrates his decades of experience with a particular type of product. On top of a lifetime of orifice hair grooming, our test team conducted more than a month of side-by-side testing with these trimmers.

nose hair trimmer - we tested in "real world" conditions, including cleaning each in the...
We tested in “real world” conditions, including cleaning each in the manner specified by the manufacturer. In most cases that means removing the cutting head and rinsing it.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

How to Pick the Best Nose Hair Trimmer


While it might not be the most glamorous piece of gear you own, a quality hair trimmer ensures you leave the house fit and trim. After testing all of these trimmers side-by-side, even we admit that it can be difficult to tell them apart. Before we get into the nuanced differences between these products, you can ask yourself a few key questions to guide your purchase decision.

How Often Do You Need a Trim?


Our hair grows at different rates, and depending on your needs, you may need a trim every day or only every once in a while. Our Trimming Effectiveness metric not only accounts for how well a trimmer gets the job done but also how quickly. If you're trimming every day, you should also consider how easy it is to clean the trimmer, which we discuss in our Ease of Cleaning metric. Under the specs listed in our comparison chart, we also assess the average disassembly required for each trimmer.

Do You Need to Trim More Than One Orifice?


We consider these both nose and ear hair trimmers — depending on the design, they're quite effective at maintaining a trim appearance in both orifices. Rotary cutters are useful for nose and ear hair, while a slide cutter — imagine a miniature electric razor — is really only useful for the lower reaches of your nose. We list the type of cutter under the specs in our comparison chart, and some models we tested feature swappable heads to include both. We also noticed that the design of the trimmer can play an important role, especially for trimming ear hair. We discuss these nuanced differences in our Ergonomics metric.

nose hair trimmer - cleaning is easier with a cutting head that can be removed and...
Cleaning is easier with a cutting head that can be removed and disassembled.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Analysis and Test Results


Nose or ear hair can make a person feel self-conscious, and you may want a tool to manage said hair. We've done the work for you, identifying which tool does the job the best. We've tested each top contender and summarized our findings for clear examination.


What's the Best Value?


Though we don't score the products we test based on their pricing, we understand that price is definitely a major factor in purchase decisions. None of these options are exorbitantly expensive, but some present a better deal than others. Our favorite value option of the group is the Wahl Trimmer, which includes various attachments and has a decent battery life, too. Our favorite option, the ConairMAN Cordless Trimmer, retails for a bit more but can often be found online for less than its list price. If you can find a deal on it, this is a great value for a top-of-the-line product.

nose hair trimmer - three different shapes of cutting heads. left to right, "slide...
Three different shapes of cutting heads. Left to right, “slide style”, mushroom-shaped cylinder, and simple cylinder.
Credit: Jediah Porter

Trimming Effectiveness


We assessed how thoroughly and quickly each device removed hair. A tool like this is supposed to cut hair, but does it do that efficiently and effectively? There is a remarkably wide spectrum of performance in this category. Because we tested both powered and unpowered options, this scoring metric is the most wide-ranging of all the metrics. Powered ones are faster than non-powered ones. Rotary trimmers are faster than slide style, and bulbous, “mushroom” rotary-style cuts more thoroughly than cylindrical ones.


The ConairMan Lithium has the test's only bulbous “mushroom” shaped cutting head, and we found it to cut more effectively than the others. Among the powered options, at the other end of the spectrum, is the slide-style cutter of the Micro Touch Max. It does a good job of trimming/sculpting beard and other facial/surface hair but is clumsy in your ears and nose. The Remington NE3845 and Wahl each come with a cylindrical cutting head and a slide-style cutter head. The inexpensive Panasonic ER430 and Panasonic ERGN30 both have cylindrical cutting heads.

We also reviewed unpowered options, which, as we expected, are considerably slower than powered versions. Luddites and those “off the grid” might appreciate an unpowered option, but we expect most folks won't be able to justify the time and energy required of an unpowered orifice groomer. The Groom Mate Platinum XL is faster than we expected and our top choice for a manual trimmer, but still significantly slower than any electric model we tested.

nose hair trimmer - all your nose and ear hair trimmer has to do is get the blades in...
All your nose and ear hair trimmer has to do is get the blades in the right position. An elongated, round handle works great. Even better is a handle with some texturing, contouring, or oval shape to it.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Power System


First, we divide all trimmers into powered or unpowered. The unpowered ones have a virtually infinite function. That's cool. The Groom Mate Platinum XL is built such that it will likely never need any sort of service or maintenance. It is super simple and sure to be reliable in the long term.


Next, we looked at battery life. All the battery-powered trimmers used AA batteries. Most included them; only a couple did not. To test, we started with fresh batteries and let them run out. The vacuum-equipped Panasonic ER430K only lasted 45 minutes. This isn't surprising, as it has significantly more going on than the others.

nose hair trimmer - this is as glamorous as gear testing and modeling gets.
This is as glamorous as gear testing and modeling gets.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Among the others, the battery life ranged from 1.75 hours to seven hours. This is a broad range of numbers. First, we have to look at the seven-hour number. The top-scoring ConairMan Lithium achieved that performance. This ConairMan product is great and cuts better than most. The battery performance (and its very model name) is defined by the inclusion of a disposable lithium AA battery. You can run the ConairMan on a nonlithium battery and get different results, just like you can run any of the other battery-powered options on a lithium battery and have them function longer.

The ConairMan's battery performance is impressive, but it put it in perspective. Throwing out the outliers (the vacuum product at 0:45 and the ConairMan at seven hours), we get a scattering of more consistent results. In practice, you likely won't notice a massive difference between battery-powered trimmers. The batteries last long enough that replacement isn't a frequent and onerous task.

nose hair trimmer - all the powered products we assessed are driven by a single aa...
All the powered products we assessed are driven by a single AA battery. Choose a better battery and you get better battery life, all else equal. Here, the ConairMan with its included Lithium battery.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Ergonomics


How is it to use and hold the device? The biggest differentiator is whether you need one hand or two. Only the Groom Mate Platinum XL requires two hands. The rest can be operated with one. The one-handed products are differentiated by subtle and subjective differences like rubberized texture, ribbed surfaces, and shape. An oval shape is easier to work with than a round one; rubbery is nicer than smooth. Switches that click on and off are easier to work with than switches that turn to engage.


The slide cutters of the Micro Touch Max are harder to navigate in ears and noses. The Remington and ConairMan trimmers both have twist-activated switches, which is somewhat annoying. On the other hand, their shape and texture are nice to work with. The ConairMan Lithium is narrower than we think is ideal but didn't hamper function.

nose hair trimmer - the conairman trimmer is great, but its narrow and perfectly...
The ConairMAN trimmer is great, but its narrow and perfectly cylindrical shape isn't as easy to manipulate around your ear as some others.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Ease of Cleaning


Your nose and ear hair trimmer will collect trimmings in one way or another, and you need to be able to get those out. The easiest to clean are the unpowered models, which are fully washable. The Groom Mate Platinum XL fits this description — it can be washed in soap and water without any concern about disrupting electronics.


Next are those that can be disassembled at home. Your hair plugs up the system; you know this from your shower drain. The compact moving parts of a trimmer are even more prone to clogging. If all the parts can be disassembled, you can best remove the clogging hair. Beware that these products that can be taken apart involve small, delicate parts; make sure that the cleaning you're doing is gentle and careful. The ConairMan and Remington trimmers offer minimal disassembly but can be rinsed in one way or another. Finally, the Micro Touch Max slide cutter cannot be taken apart at all.

nose hair trimmer - whether cleaning your tool while dry or wet, a small brush is nice...
Whether cleaning your tool while dry or wet, a small brush is nice to help get hairs out. Some come with a brush, but most do not.
Credit: Rosie De Lise

Conclusion


You will likely benefit from a new trimming tool. We've devised a series of metrics, which we used for each contender. We tested in real life and in our lab, performing objective tests and creating assessments. We've also highlighted our award winners and the metrics they will excel in. You want to look good and forego thinking about the performance of grooming tools — we've done the research and testing so that you don't have to. Any of the options we test are serviceable, but some do certain things better than others.

Jediah Porter