We followed a two-step approach to select products for our beard trimmer tests. Step one: Look for trimmers with high levels of customer satisfaction in online reviews. Step two: Mix in a few lesser-known best-sellers to see if they can compete with mainstream brands. The result was a lineup of 11 beard trimmers from seven companies.
Blade testing
I tested each trimmer's blade on my face, neck and head -- growing my beard for about seven weeks before the first round of testing. Although this increased the total testing time and limited how often I could interact with a given product, there's no substitute for first-hand experience when evaluating personal care products like beard trimmers.
While hardly scientific, I immediately noticed that most of the trimmers with adjustable combs -- Braun, Manscaped, Remington and Wahl -- tended to hold onto longer hairs rather than them falling away. This is a result of the overhang on the front of each comb. Fortunately, a few shakes over the garbage or blowing into the comb was usually enough to clear the hair.
Adjustable combs without overhangs, like the short combs on Panasonic MultiShape and Philips Norelco OneBlade 360, rarely had this issue. Interchangeable fixed-length combs yielded similar performances: Philips Norelco Multigroom, Manspot, Panasonic Body Hair Trimmer, Remington and Wahl Aqua Blade. Regardless of the comb type, hair retention isn't an issue on shorter trims.
Thankfully, none of the trimmers were uncomfortable or pulled hairs in subsequent passes with shorter combs. When I got down to bare blades, my only issue was some minor razor burn from the OneBlade 360, which was pure user error. The manual is clear that the blade's edge should never contact the skin at an odd angle -- I quickly rectified it.
Every trimmer passed this vital test. You can easily pick your favorite, provided it has the comb lengths you want, and it will work well for everyday beard trimming. Likewise, the blades can all achieve excellent cuts with some patience, though the wide T-blades on the Wahl Aqua Blade, Braun Series 9, Braun Series 7 and Philips Norelco Multigroom produced the best results.
Motor performance and cutting power
My original plan was to test comb accuracy using paintbrushes. However, the brushes' natural fibers, which are stiffer and denser than hair, caused some trimmers to seize up mid-cut. I was ready to scrap everything after the combs on three Braun models and Manscaped produced increasingly mixed results. However, Manspot achieved a near-perfect result on its first pass (and subsequent passes) with no noticeable motor strain.
After some tinkering, I ditched the combs for bare blades. The updated test notes how quickly each trimmer powered through the brush, how often it damaged bristles, and any other issues that arose. Panasonic MultiShape, Manspot and Philips Norelco Multigroom produced the fastest, cleanest cuts. Manscaped, Braun Series 9 and Braun Series 7 made clean cuts but were slower overall.
The cuts from Braun Series 5, Wahl Aqua Blade, and Remington Beard Boss The Crafter were even slower and showed some bristle damage. Wahl and Remington required extra attention when cutting to keep the motors from seizing. Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 was fast and clean on its first few passes but struggled to keep up as the bristles got tighter. Its final cuts are clean, thanks to the blade's shaving surface, though I had to stop after failing to make much progress.
Battery life
Every preceding product earned passing grades in this category, meaning it will comfortably power through thick beards and stubble to reduce the effects of an unwanted five o'clock shadow. Unfortunately, the Panasonic Body Hair Trimmer's tiny teeth couldn't muster enough cutting power after its first two passes. It still works on longer facial hair but won't work as an emergency backup shaver like the competition.
Battery life compared
| Beard Trimmer | Battery life | Charge time |
|---|---|---|
| Remington Beard Boss The Crafter | 198 minutes | Over 2 hours |
| Philips Norelco Multigroom | 180 minutes | Over 2 hours |
| Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 | 182 minutes | Over 2 hours |
| Wahl Aqua Blade | 174 minutes | 1 to 2 hours |
| Manspot Manscape | 106 minutes | Over 2 hours |
| Braun Series 9 | 72 minutes | 1 to 2 hours |
| Braun Series 5 | 70 minutes | Under 1 hour |
| Panasonic MultiShape | 60 minutes | Under 1 hour |
| Manscaped Beard Hedger | 53 minutes | Under 1 hour |
| Panasonic Body Hair Trimmer | 50 minutes | Over 2 hours |
| Braun Series 7 | 49 minutes | Under 1 hour |
My final test looked at battery life and charging time. For most products, this involved watching their LEDs. One by one, the LEDs began flashing about 5 to 10 minutes before shutting off, which is usually more than enough time to finish a grooming session. Neither Panasonic model had a visible indicator light, and some glare hid Wahl's light, so I watched for the moment the teeth on the blade stopped moving. I rounded the results to the nearest minute.
