Author: theladsroom

Looking for a precision beard styler, or just something to tame the stubble? Read our review of the year’s best beard trimmers first

Chas Newkey-Burden and Tomé Morrissy-Swan

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It’s never been more important to find the best beard trimmer. Like a lot of men, I became alarmingly obsessed with the quest for the perfect beard styler during lockdown. Unable to go and ask a Turkish barber to trim my facial hair into a perfectly contoured thing of beauty, I was forced to try and do that myself in my bathroom. Initially, the results were mixed, to put it politely.

Not that there are any lack of products for the man who wants to trim his beard at home – the market has become flooded with choices. “I think a great deal of it is down to the vogue for beards that began around 10-15 years ago with the hipster/lumbersexual trend and has stayed that way ever since,” said Stephen Doig, Telegraph men’s style editor. “And with it, a cottage industry devoted to making sure that men are appropriately kitted out for their beard maintenance.”

I’ve spent the last few months testing the latest trimmers from all the major manufacturers. You can read my findings below, followed by some more advice from Stephen. But if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick look at my top five:

Which are the best beard trimmers in 2023? At a glance

• Best overall Panasonic Multishape
• Best value Philips OneBlade 360
• Best men’s grooming kit Babyliss Men Ultimate Precision
• Best beard styler Remington T-series
• Best hair and beard trimmer King C Gillette Style Master

What should you look for in a beard trimmer? 

Doig says you should think about safety and flexibility first. “I think it’s important to get the basics right; a good grip on the handle because slip ups can cause cuts, a safe razor and the ability to switch between lengths,” he said. After that it’s a case of how much you want to spend on precision tools for styling your beard and trimming the hair on your head and body.

To understand how best to deploy trimmers, Doig suggests we speak to the most practised among us. “Whenever I speak to barbers, the key thing is to shave and trim in the direction the hair grows, so avoid going against the grain and meeting resistance which will irritate the skin,” he said.

How I tested the best beard trimmers

I tried them all at home and judged them by how easy they were to grip and how neatly and quickly they did the job. I also asked a friend with a long bushy beard to test them out on his more fulsome fuzz.

As well as general usability, I judged them by the number of accessories, price, their battery life/charge time and the amount of noise they made. Finally, although what they look like is less important than what they made me look like, their appearance was also a factor.

Best beard trimmers

1. Panasonic Multishape

Currently £79.99, Boots

Best overall, 10 out of 10

We like: the rotating dial system to adjust settings

We don’t like: the tiny, grey font used for length numbering, which was hard to read

• Accessories: 4 combs, with the option to add in more
• 60-minute charge for 70-minute battery life
• Waterproof
• 58 settings from 1mm to 30mm

I picked up this trimmer wondering if I should believe the hype. It has been described as “god tier” and “the best grooming kit money can buy” – and Panasonic is about as solid a brand as you can imagine in this realm. The fact it describes itself as not a beard trimmer, but a ‘modular personal care system’ only adds to the grandiosity, albeit with a slightly dehumanising and condescending turn of phrase. 

The unit itself is heavy-looking but actually quite light and it delivers a reliable, ultra-clean shave. I could feel the power emanating from the handle, with its anti-slip coating reassuring me that I wouldn’t deviate from my chosen targets. A rotary cuff on the handle offers a mind-boggling choice of 58 length settings, across four different combs. In the short term, this feels almost like too many options, but if you commit to the Multi Shape, you can learn to stop worrying and love the choices. 

This is particularly true if you have a longer beard, which this unit can tackle more happily than the others in this line-up. You can switch to an electric toothbrush head and nose/ear/facial trimmer head to the same unit, so this is a great solution for the travelling trimmer. 

Panasonic boasts that “sustainability is at the heart” of this product because you “only choose the attachments for your individual style”, meaning “there’s less waste created”. 10 out 10 for spin, guys. 

£80

Buy now

Price at

Boots

2. Philips OneBlade 360

Currently £39.99, Amazon

Best value beard trimmer, 9/10

We like: the associated Daily Care app, which you can use to raise your grooming game

We don’t like: the limited settings 

• Accessories: One 5-position guide comb with a click-on body comb and a click-on skin guard
• 60-minute charge for 90-minute battery life
• Waterproof
• 5 settings, from 1mm-5mm

This one is lightweight, easy to grip and, with its bright-light-green colouring, a breath of fresh air visually. The 360 blade travelled along with the shape of my face, which meant I could trim difficult-to-reach sections and didn’t miss any hairs. It also works more kindly with sensitive skin. 

The biggest thing that jumped out for me was the speed of the operation. It took at least a quarter less time to do my regular weekly shave, thanks to the fast-moving cutter (12,000rpm). It also does the beard lines very well. So well, in fact, in the days after using this one I found myself checking myself out in shop windows, admiring my handiwork. 

Ideal for travel, since it fits in a pocket and plugs into any USB port for a long-lasting charge, this sub-£50 unit is well worth investing in.

£40

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Price at

Philips

3. Braun Beard Trimmer Series 9

£79.99, Braun

Best razor and trimmer for men, 9/10

We like: the solid professional vibe 

We don’t like: the loud buzzing

• Accessories: 10 barbering tools including three heads and six combs
• 60-minute charge for 180-minute battery life
• Fully washable
• 40 settings from 0.5mm to 20mm

“Look barber fresh everyday” boasts the packaging, and it’s true, you will. You’ll also feel like a barber as you use it. This solid trimmer, on its neat charging stand, feels like a weapon only they use. It feels like the real deal.

When I reviewed Braun’s previous Series 7 trimmer, one of my complaints about it was that the plastic body “wasn’t that pleasant” and that it was “the least easy to grip of the range”. No such worries with this one, the Series 9 feels expensive and is the perfect shape to get a good grip on.

It comes with a beard stencil, which allows you to measure up your edges, sharpen your sideburns, dominate your detail and put some maths into your fading. It might look like something you got in your geometry set in school, but it leaves you looking like you’ve just been to the barbers.

It’s not the quietest of buzzers, but I didn’t mind that. The loud noise tallies with its powerful structure to give the vibe that this is a very serious tool, setting about some very serious business. The Pro Beard technology meant it gave me an even trim and I loved how sharp it made me look. 

The Series 9 allows you to get a professional look at home. It should keep barbers up at night.

£79.99

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Price at

Braun

4. Babyliss Men: Ultimate Precision Style Super–X Metal Series

£119.99, Boots

Best men’s grooming kit, 8/10

We like: how easy it was to remove the ‘MagFix’ attachments by squeezing the sides

We don’t like: some will find the number of comb guards overwhelming  

• Accessories: 4 set-length beard combs, 5 set-length body combs, 6-position stubble comb, 2-position eyebrow comb, nose and ear trimmer, 4 cutting heads including wide power trimmer, 0.2mm precision trimmer and foil shaver
• 3 hour charge for 5 hour battery life
• Waterproof
• 15 settings from 0.2mm to 8mm

With more than a dozen different options across a range of beard, head and body lengths, plus a nose and ear trimmer and detail foil shaver, this 15-in-one trimmer covered all my follicle needs, producing an even finish. 

Outlining was done with the precision trimmer, which tidied up the edges, giving a surprisingly professional looking finish. By the time I’d topped off the process with the eyebrow comb guide, and given the nose and ear trimmer a quick whizz around, I was half expecting this wonderful appliance to turn to me with a glint in its eye and ask: ‘Something for the weekend, sir?’ 

The USB charging stand also brings a touch of the barber shop atmosphere to your bathroom, which really gave me cheer. It might not be the cheapest unit on the market but the number of uses make it good value for money. 

Babyliss are perhaps more readily associated with women’s beauty (they make some of our favourite hair dryers and hair straighteners) but I’d recommend the Ultimate Precision to any man wanting to upgrade his current clippers to something modern and slick. Lovely stuff.

£120

Buy now

Price at

Boots

5. Remington T-Series Ultimate Precision Trimmer

£74.99, Boots

Best beard styler, 8/10

We like: the golden, reversible blades which smack of quality 

We don’t like: tricky to remove the combs without them flying across the room 

• Accessories: 6 fixed combs, 30mm T-blade, 7mm micro detail blade and precision dial comb
• 4 hour charge for 60 minute battery life
• Waterproof
• 9 settings from 1.5mm to 15mm

This is one of the slimmer, sleeker beard trimmers, which immediately appear more modern than the more familiar, fat ones of old. The gold-coloured blades also set it aside visually from those old-school boys with their silver fangs. But what would it be like to use? 

I have to say, it was perfection itself for detailing and sharpening up the edges. I felt confident to attempt the exact beard lines I wanted, using different blades and positions.

I couldn’t quite get my head around using such a precise beard trimmer for the bulk of my beard itself – but it’s a powerful gadget and those with long and thick beards could be confident it could sort them right out. The Precision Dial Comb can be set to specific lengths and the angle of the blades can be tweaked, allowing you to use different settings to achieve the holy grail of that lovely faded look. All in all, this is a fascinating unit. 

£75

Buy now

Price at

Boots

6. King C. Gillette Style Master

Currently £20, Gillette

Best hair and beard trimmer, 7/10

We like: the rubber handle offered a confident grip

We don’t like: the small cutting head clogged quickly 

• Accessories: 3 combs
• 10-hour charge for 45 minute run time
• Waterproof
• 3 settings, from 1mm to 5mm

If culture wars were to ever erupt in the beard-trimming sphere, the sharpness of beard lines would be one of the key debates. Some like them blended and subtle, some like them so sharp and neat you could get a paper cut from them. Wherever you stand on this crucial battleground, the King C Gillette Style Master will deliver it.

It’s a slim and simple unit with a reassuringly steady 360° rubber handle and three interchangeable combs. The head pivoted and adjusted well to my face’s contours and I felt confident sharpening up the lines, thanks to the 4D blade design that means it can cut your hair speedily from four different angles. Not a single visible straggler was left behind by this unit. 

It doubles up as a hair trimmer, allowing you to give yourself a buzz cut or trim without having to hang around at the barber’s. Though unsophisticated compared to some others, the Gillette looks good and won’t break the bank. 

£20

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Price at

Gillette

7. Wahl Aqua Blade 

£104.99, Wahl

Best waterproof men’s trimmer, 7/10

We like: the quick-charge feature

We don’t like: the shrink wrapping, which took some weaponry to remove

• Accessories: 4 heads and 16 guide combs
• 60-minute charge for 180 minute run time, plus quick-charge option
• Waterproof
• 17 settings, from 0.2mm to 25mm

The packaging for this unit boasts that its Extreme Precision Blade cuts 60 per cent closer than Wahl’s standard blade. I certainly found that to be true when I used the #3 guide comb on my beard and found that rather than trimming it, it effectively removed it altogether. (Goodness, so that’s the mess of a face I’ve been hiding under a beard?)

The Aqua Blade has some nice features, including a scalloped grip for non-slip use in the shower and a quick-charge feature that gets you three minutes’ shave time out of a 60-second plug-in. The shaving experience itself was a tad clunky, though: where I wanted it to glide over my face like a world-class footballer, this unpretentious unit chugged along more like a journeyman battling relegation. Admirable, but not a name you’re going to get printed on the back of your replica shirt. 

On the plus side, this unit tackled the moustache area with more ease and accuracy than any beard trimmer I’ve ever used. I find the area above the lip hellishly difficult to get right and that Wahl Aqua Blade made it so much easier. I felt like hugging it out of gratitude. Shaping the beard lines was also particularly easy. 

This one looks and feels light. We increasingly want our gadgets to be lightweight but with a beard trimmer, a bit of timber can be very reassuring. Overall, it missed the mark in some ways, but hits the bullseye in others.

£105

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Price at

Wahl

8. Remington Vacuum

£37.99, Boots 

Best vacuum beard trimmer, 8/10

We like: ingenious feature keeps the clippings off your clothes

We don’t like: it sacrifices some power and precision

• Accessories: adjustable comb, travel pouch
• 2 hour charge for 60 minute battery charge
• Not waterproof
• 11 settings from 2mm to 18mm

Reviewed by Tomé Morrissy-Swan

What’s this? A vacuum? On a shaver? Well, yes, and frankly it’s a genius solution for any man that has to shave in bed or in a chair. In that situation, most trimmers will cover you with itchy, scratchy clippings. Here, all (well, most of) the hair ends up in a container just beneath the razor, which you empty when full. There’s no hoovering sound, either. 

It’s got a good weight to it, neither too heavy nor too light, lending it a sturdy feel. It’s also cheap, and often available at a considerable discount online. However, I didn’t find it quite as impressive as other trimmers. The suction itself works well, with most hairs ending up inside. But it was rather loud, and blew a slightly annoying plume of air onto my face. 

It also didn’t feel quite as potent. I’d have to repeat shave over thicker patches of beard quite a few times to get down to the desired length, whereas some trimmers do it on first go. Getting to trickier parts, like under the chin, was a bit clunky. When using the precision trimmer, it worked well, but it was a bit of a faff to switch between the main function and the precision attachment. 

There are better trimmers out there, but if you’re someone that needs to shave outside of the bathroom, this cheap and effective marvel of ingenuity is definitely the one to go for. 

£38

Buy now

Price at

Boots

9. Remington Barba

£32.99, Boots

Best budget beard trimmer, 8/10

We like: so simple it’s practically bombproof

We don’t like: not much to offer in the way of styling tools

• Accessories: one guide comb, pop-up detailer
• 14 hour charge for 40 minute battery charge
• Not waterproof
• 9 settings from 1.5mm to 18mm

Reviewed by Tomé Morrissy-Swan

I’ve had this Remington option for a while now and, while it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some pricier models, for its price, there’s nothing better out there. It’s light, which I like. The contoured shape (most handles are fairly straight), is comfortable to hold. And it looks nice.

But, most importantly, how does it shave? Very well is the answer. It’s powerful (a little loud, to be honest), meaning you can wipe off a thick beard in just a couple of minutes. Without the pre-set length clip-on, the shave is tight, if not quite as tight as others, but there’s a flick-out mini razor which allows you to get into the awkward spots for accurate, targeted shaving. 

There are only six length settings, so it’s not quite as versatile as some more expensive beard trimmers, it takes a long time to charge and you don’t get as much trimming time – just 40 minutes. But that’s sufficient unless you sport an enormous beard. It isn’t showy or flash, but it does the basics right, and, at this price, that’s all you can ask.

£33

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Price at

Boots

10. Gillette All-Purpose Styler

Currently £14.99, Gillette

Best men’s trimmer for the shower, 7/10

We like: totally waterproof, no wires involved

We don’t like: too small to use for big beard-trimming jobs

• Accessories: 3 combs, trimmer head, Pro Glide shave head
• Battery powered, not rechargable
• Waterproof
• 3 settings from 2mm to 6mm, plus shave option

Reviewed by Tomé Morrissy-Swan

This shaver is pretty versatile, with a bunch of different settings depending on your needs. You can use the electric beard-trimming setting if you merely want to shorten your facial hair; there are three possible lengths. 

You can also attach a shaving setting for a proper, old-fashioned wet shave. I find that Gillette’s razors tend to offer some of the closest shaves around, and this is no different. 

The Fusion Proglide is very small, it almost feels like you’re holding a pen. While this works well for shaving, I found it a little disconcerting come electric beard trimming. As it’s so small, it also means it works rather better as a shaper (or styler, as in the name), than for removing vasts swathes of hair.

If you’re someone who likes to shape their beard regularly, weather on the cheek or around the Adam’s apple, this beard trimmer is well worth considering. If, however, you’re constantly removing full beards, it’s probably better to look elsewhere. 

£15

Buy now

Price at

Gillette

11. Wahl Charge Pro

£37.19, Amazon

Best men’s clipper, 7/10

We like: the classic option – your barber probably uses one of these

We don’t like: charge time and run time are not exactly stellar

• Accessories: 10 attachment combs, a barber comb and scissors
• 12-hour charge for 45 minute battery charge
• Not waterproof
• 9 settings from 0.8mm to25mm

Reviewed by Tomé Morrissy-Swan

An affordable option, I’ve used this for a few years now. It’s about as basic as they get. The design is utilitarian, looking every bit the barbershop trimmer. It’s comfortable to hold with an ergonomic handle, and it’s not too heavy or light. 

While it works fine, it’s not quite up to some of the better models. Firstly, I found shaving to take a little longer than with others, possibly because the blades weren’t sharp enough, or because it was less powerful. I also found battery times to diminish significantly after a few months of use. 

It does have 10 attachment combs, so whether you’re shaving your hair or beard, you’ll have plenty of options. But, if you’re looking for a cheaper option, I’d suggest the Remington Barba above.

£37

Buy now

Price at

Amazon

Beard trimmer FAQ

How should you clean a beard trimmer?

“With warm water”, says Telegraph men’s style editor Stephen Doig, “and you should do so regularly. There’s nothing worse than clogged trimmers with dead skin and the like. It’ll make the process entirely unappealing.”

Immersing the trimmer’s teeth (or the whole unit, if it’s waterproof) in warm water mixed with disinfectant for 10 minutes will kill any bacteria. You can use an old toothbrush to remove any stubble and dander from between the blades.

Lubricating the trimmer with blade oil once a month can prevent debris accumulating and extend its life. Even a drop of vegetable or olive oil will do the trick. Work it into the blades with an old toothbrush and make sure any excess is removed.

What’s the difference between hair clippers and beard trimmers?

A hair clipper will have a wider cutting surface and won’t cut as close to the skin. The classic clipper lengths, as used by barbers, are grade one (3.4mm), grade two (6.4mm), grade three (9.5mm) and grade four (12.7mm), but they go all the way up to grade eight (25.4mm).

Although many grooming kits can trim both hair and beard (as well as body hair), it’s crucial to use the right attachments. “Having experimented with hair clippers during lockdown and various disastrous at-home haircuts,” Stephen says, “it’s clear that beard trimmers are far more adept at gliding around difficult areas of the face and jaw.”

Courtesy of The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/recommended/home/best-beard-trimmers/