The 5 Best Beard Trimmers of 2024 (2024)

Best Overall Beard Trimmer

Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000

Power Source: Rechargeable Battery | Waterproof: Showerproof

SPECIFICATIONS

The Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000 continues to be a powerful, versatile, all-in-one trimmer. It includes twelve guards, two of which are easily adjusted to achieve any desired style and length of beard. Changing trimmer heads between the wide, normal, precision, and nose and ear trimmer requires gentle pressure to release and replace. The 7000 doesn't require oiling, but it will increase longevity, and as a showerproof model, it is one of the most maintenance-free models available. Exceptional all-around performance, a high-quality stainless steel body, a comfortable grip, and the satisfying heft of a high-quality tool combined with an incredible battery life make this model stand out from others.

While this is a great trimmer, it's not without some shortcomings. The absence of a foil shaver means you'll need a razor to get a stubble-free shave while grooming. While we think the lack of a foil shaver is a major miss for the Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000, after-market foil shavers do exist to fit this model. If a foil shaver and micro-level precision are of top importance to your beard grooming routine, you may want to take a look at the Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body, which packs a lot of performance and precision into a small package.

Best Bang for the Buck

Wahl Lithium Ion All-in-One Grooming Kit

Power Source: Rechargeable Battery | Waterproof: No

SPECIFICATIONS

The Wahl Lithium Ion All-in-One Grooming Kit is a solid beard trimmer with the strength to handle larger tasks and the size and versatility to handle precision work. It includes five trimmer guards, one of which is adjustable, a precision trimmer head, a standard trimmer head, and a nose and ear trimmer to offer enough versatility for most grooming tasks.

Our testers generally liked the feel of the trimmer's rubberized body, which proved easy to grip. However, the textured rubber is a magnet for hair and dust, making it a pain to clean, as the model is not waterproof, and you can't just rinse it off. Another issue with the trimmer was uncovered when we validated charging and run times, as we felt the battery charging indicator was less than helpful for determining a full charge. As a dedicated beard trimmer, it's hard to beat this model for the price. While other models were serious contenders that offered similar versatility at a comparable price, they could not compete with the strength of the cutting heads, the cutting power, or the battery life of the Wahl Lithium Ion All-in-One. If you are okay with sacrificing some performance and are looking for an even-less-expensive model, the Philips Norelco Multigroom 3000 still performed pretty well across most tests for around half the price.

The Best Choice for Precision

Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body

Power Source: Rechargeable Battery | Waterproof: Showerproof

SPECIFICATIONS

The seemingly dainty Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body will surprise you with its impressive ability to handle thick beards while offering one of the cleanest and smoothest shaves you can get without a disposable razor. Its small size and waterproofing mean it is handy in the shower or can be rinsed clean, reducing overall maintenance. The blade heads pivot and glide smoothly over the skin, with or without guards attached, and are simple to replace when worn.

With the exceptional performance and compactness of the Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body come a couple of drawbacks. Mainly, it does not give you the larger guard sizes for shearing a large, thick beard and is more geared toward precision work, close shaves, and shorter beards. The second major shortcoming is a double-edged sword. While the replaceable blades are easy to maintain, they add an ongoing maintenance cost that other trimmers do not have. While the OneBlade 360 is showerproof, we felt that it lacked some of the full grooming attachments and versatility present in the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer, which is a better choice for those who want a beard trimmer that can also be an effective full body groomer for use in the shower.

A Premium Trimmer for Serious Grooming

Wahl Cordless Magic Clip

Power Source: Rechargeable Battery | Waterproof: No

SPECIFICATIONS

The Wahl Cordless Magic Clip is a real workhorse geared toward those who do serious beard trimming and hair cutting. With professionals in mind, Wahl designed the Magic Clip to last and built it like a tank in the style of its corded clippers. While it is weighty and larger than most trimmers, this model preserves an ergonomic design that is easy and comfortable to grip. While it is a rechargeable option, it has the familiar cutting power of Wahl's corded models and operates for nearly 2.5 hours on a full charge. The downtime to recharge the battery is only an hour, but it can also run while powered by the charging cable, so you'll never be unable to finish grooming.

When it comes to more serious clipping and hair removal tasks, the Wahl Cordless Magic Clip is exceptional. However, it does not offer interchangeable heads for smaller precision work, lacks a foil shaver, and doesn't include ear and nose hair trimming attachments, so using this beard trimmer for small details may be difficult. Drawbacks aside, the Wahl Cordless Magic Clip easily tackles big jobs and is best suited for those who want to skip out on going to the barber shop in favor of at-home hair maintenance. If you're shopping for a beard trimmer that offers more versatility, we recommend checking out the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer. Not only does it tackle nose and ear hair, but it also includes a precision trimmer head.

Best for Use in the Shower

Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer

Power Source: Rechargeable Battery | Waterproof: Yes

SPECIFICATIONS

For those who prefer to trim their beard and full body grooming in the shower, the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer is your best option. Four blade guards, including a # 1, a # 2, and two others with adjustable heights, are both easy to use and versatile. Unlike adjustable models from other brands, Braun's adjustable height system doesn't add bulkiness. This trimmer also comes with a nose and ear trimmer, precision trimmer head, and an innovative shaving attachment that trims and shaves, with two trimmer blades running the length of a large foil shaver. Braun has also included a razor with two disposable blade heads for those who are completely obsessed with baby-smooth skin after shaving.

Our testers liked the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer but felt some areas could use improvement. Most notably, the blade guard adjustment and the ergonomics. Blade guard adjustments are a challenging feature to integrate. Braun did a relatively good job, but the locking engagement of the blade guard height generally felt a bit insecure and should have a stronger, more tactile engagement of the height setting. Additionally, the ergonomics are strange, and individuals with larger hands may dislike the heavy taper of the body, but this criticism is minor. The Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer is an excellent option for those who prefer shaving in the shower and want a highly versatile face, head, and full-body grooming solution. If you want a more comfortable ergonomic grip, the Wahl Cordless Magic Clip is a great model to look at.

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How We Test Beard Trimmers

We singled out the most promising products and evaluated them side-by-side through a comprehensive set of tests to identify which ones are truly the best. Each metric consisted of a handful of tests, measurements, and evaluations, with the performance of each model ranked and scored against its peers. Our review details the results for each metric and highlights which products performed the best and which models came up just a bit short.

We used five test metrics to score each product:

• Cutting Power (30% of overall score weight)

• Cutting Precision (30% weighting)

• Ease of Operation (15% weighting)

• Power System (15% weighting)

• Maintenance (10% weighting)

Why Trust GearLab

Our tester Ben Hickok has spent hundreds of hours testing and reviewing a wide range of personal care products, home appliances, and office appliances. For this review, he brings decades of his own personal hair and beard grooming experience and a technical perspective to our product testing.

We thoroughly tested cutting power, precision, ease of operation, power systems, and maintenance to score each trimmer.

How to Choose The Best Beard Trimmer

We provided four key considerations, including your hair type, beard style, and lifestyle, to help simplify your next beard trimmer purchase.

Do You Have a Thick Beard

The output power of your beard trimmer can affect how easily your beard hair can be cut. Those with thick or unruly hair will want to make sure their trimmer is capable of cutting hair without excess pass overs and clogged guards. Look for trimmers with stronger power output, such as corded options, and trimmers with plenty of adjustability, including larger guards, to make sure your trimmer can handle thicker hair.

What About Beard Style?

If you prefer a clean, sharp shave with enough precision to maintain a goatee or boxed beard, you'll want to ensure your trimmer has a few key features. Trimmers with detachable attachments and varying-sized cutting heads offer more versatility, while a dedicated compact design will offer the best option for maintaining a clean trim. If you plan on maintaining a beard style, it's important to consider options that will offer the right type of blades, attachments, and trimmer size to keep your beard in tip-top shape.

Is Battery life a Concern?

For those who routinely use their trimmer or are frequent travelers, having a reliable beard trimmer is especially important. Identifying the run time and listed charge time are key considerations in finding a dependable trimmer. It's also worth considering trimmer options that can be used while plugged in, as this can save time and frustration when a low battery does occur.

How Much Time Do You Have for Cleaning?

For folks who find themselves on the go with little time to spare in the morning, having to clean your trimmer is probably the last thing you want to do. In that case, look for trimmer options with easy cleaning features, such as those that are waterproof and can be cleaned with a simple rinse. While all trimmers will require some form of maintenance, such as oiling or blade replacement, options that make cleaning and maintenance easier are appreciated by those with busy lives.

Analysis and Test Results

Value

Value is a subjective topic, but you'll generally find the best value in a tool that you'll use because it works for your specific needs. If you are looking for a clipper more than a trimmer, you'll find more value in the Wahl Cordless Magic Clip, Wahl Color Pro Plus, or the Wahl Professional Peanut Classic 8685. Or perhaps you'll get more value out of the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer because it better suits your in-shower and full body grooming needs, better than a model that is specifically tailored toward beard trimmer and shaving, like the Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000, Philips OneBlade, or the Wahl Lithium Ion All-in-One Grooming Kit. We've highlighted the strong and weak points of each model tested to help you choose the best model for your budget and intended use.

Cutting Power

The effectiveness of a trimmer is heavily dependent on its power. A good product must be able to cut quickly and cleanly while moving trimmed hair away from the cutting blades or foil to continue cutting effectively. Underpowered trimmers and clippers clog and bind, creating an annoying or painful pinch and irritation. Another symptom of underpowered trimmers is that they will displace hair instead of cutting it, requiring multiple passes from different angles, potentially resulting in an inconsistent trim.

In our testing, we cut through thick beards and various lengths of head hair to see which models bogged down, pushed the hair out of the way, or made clean cuts. We found that the majority of trimmers did a sufficient job. However, a few models could perform better than others, while a few seemed underpowered.

At the top of the pack, nothing removed volumes of hair with the comparable power and speed of the larger and corded Wahl trimmers. The Wahl Cordless Magic Clip's wide trimmer head, with a cutting head width of 1 ⅝ inches, mows beards and long hair down with ease. With the simple change of a different length guard, it only takes minutes to go from long hair and an overgrown beard to a trimmed beard with a buzz cut. The Wahl Color Pro Plus offers the same incredible power as the Cordless Magic Clip but is a corded model, while the smaller Wahl Classic Peanut also packs a punch for its size due to its corded power source.

Among the different brands and models we tested, the Philips Norelco 9000, the Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000, and the Wahl Lithium Ion All-in-One powered through all types of hair more quickly and efficiently than the rest of their peers. That's not to say the performance was leaps and bounds better; the Panasonic GB80S did nearly as well as the best rechargeable models, as did the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmerand Philips Norelco Multigroom 3000. The Philips OneBlade also surprised our team with the strength of full-size trimmers that, while smaller in size, are styled after a razor blade.

At the tail end of the group, the Remington All-in-One felt a little frail and was one of the only models we tested where we occasionally experienced a painful pinch instead of a clean cut, especially near the end of its battery life. Unfortunately, the Remington Vacuum 6000 also lacked sufficient power to cleanly cut hair while using the longer length settings of the overly flexible trimmer guard and required many passes. Additionally, we had to detangle beard hair from the trimmer guard, which had been painfully pinched by the combination of the guard and trimmer blades.

Cutting Precision

Cutting precision with a beard trimmer means how well a product can adjust and cleanly cut hair at a specific height, trim sharp lines and contoured edges, and closely shave skin for a smooth, stubble-free finish.

Many factors can affect the trimming precision you can achieve with any given model. Trimmer guards can displace hair, overly narrowing the cutting teeth of the reciprocating blade design. Different cutting head widths make a big difference in navigating ears, jawlines, lips, and other tight or sensitive areas. Another major factor is the overall size of the trimmer.

Different widths of cutting heads can improve precision trimming around ears, sideburns, or the corners of one's mouth, as long as the trimmer's bulk or design doesn't limit maneuverability. The most common head widths are large trimmers with a cutting width of 1.25 inches or greater, standard sizes at around 1 inch and precision cutting heads that range from about a half inch down to a quarter inch in width.

While different cutting head widths allow for sharper edges and cleaner contours, they cannot cut stubble the way a shaving attachment can. Many models include multiple cutting heads and shaving attachments as a standard (for example, the Wahl Groomsman and Wahl Cordless Magic Clip comes with a whopping 8 guards, while still others like the Wahl Color Pro Plus and the Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000 have 14 and 12, respectively). Yet, a few models surprised us by omitting such accessory attachments altogether, thereby seriously limiting their abilities to provide a clean trim and stubble-free shave.

The Philips OneBlade 360 became a clear leader in precision cutting. Its compact design emulates a razor blade, pivoting and following contours with ease while the foil delivers a clean, stubble-free shave, and the trimming edge easily knocks down longer hair to achieve sharply defined lines. Its small size also makes it easy to trim mustache lengths and thicknesses, more so than any other trimmer we tested.

Nearly all of the other models we tested offered adequate precision performances, but larger and bulkier models like the Wahl Color Pro Plus, Wahl Cordless Magic Clip, and the Panasonic GB80S Body Hair Groomer made precision tasks more difficult. Unfortunately, those models also do not include a foil shaver attachment for a smoother shave.

The Philips Norelco 9000, Wahl Professional Peanut Classic 8685, Remington Vacuum 6000, and Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000 also lack foil shavers, making a super close, stubble-free shave nearly impossible to achieve. However, the 7000 was able to get close without over irritating or cutting skin.

Across our precision clipping, trimming, and shaving tests, three models performed behind the Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body but ahead of the rest, with all the necessary attachments and performance to achieve high-quality, clean results. They were the aforementioned Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000, Wahl Lithium Ion All-in-One Grooming Kit, and the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer. All offered similar, great performance, but while the Braun offered a bulkier foil shaver, its innovative design integrates leading and trailing edge trimmers, in addition to the large foil shaver — which offers users a close shave, sharp trim, and versatility for full body grooming.

The Ufree Beard Trimmer includes similar precision attachments to the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer, but we experienced some hair pinching and painful skin irritation while using the shaving foil in particular. As such, while this is a waterproof model, we wouldn't recommend it for precision work or sensitive parts if full-body grooming in the shower is part of your routine.

Once you reach the lower end of the price spectrum, we found that most models function similarly. While some models did not cut as cleanly as the most premium options or required more passes to achieve the same results, more budget options like the Philips Norelco 3000 and the Remington offer adequate cutting performance. However, we experienced a little burn with the Remmington shaving attachment, which we didn't experience with other, more affordable models.

Ease of Operation

Our trimmer lineup focuses on products that use an integrated adjustable height guard, various sizes of trimmer guards, or a combination of the two. Overall, adjustable height guards were similarly simple enough to adjust. In the case of interchangeable cutting heads, shavers, nose and ear hair trimmer attachments, and guards, we experienced no strange or overly finicky latching or snapping in and out of place. All the models we tested were on par or just as easy to operate as one another, but some took the ease of operation to a slightly higher level.

The Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000 offers a classic design, with many guards, cutting heads, and attachments that are familiar to most. The updated model also introduced two new adjustable guards that improve ease of use, in addition to creating more levels of precision. They are easy to change and snap securely, making this model one of our favorite, easy-to-use, tried-and-true designs. The updated model is also showerproof, meaning it is now even easier to clean than previous iterations that could be rinsed but didn't offer true protection against water ingress.

The Wahl Color Pro Plus and the Wahl Cordless Magic Clip were also some of the most straightforward models due to incredible simplicity. The Magic Clip model includes eight traditional-style cutting guards to achieve cutting heights of 1/16 of an inch to one inch, while the ColorPro Plus offers guards that are color-coded to an index on the clipper itself. Both models seem geared toward being a professional-style barber's clipper and do not include any additional shaver or precision attachments to deal with, thereby improving simplicity and operation but negatively affecting the precision you can achieve with either model.

Of the models that incorporate a height adjustment that does not rely purely on different guard sizes, the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmer was one of the easier models to use. Cutting heads are easy to remove, bordering on too easy or even insecure. A single number 1 guard, a number 2 guard, 2 sliding trimmer guards with tactile increments, and a simple-to-use locking button allows you to achieve cutting heights from a number 2 up to a 21 quickly and easily.

A precision trimmer head, nose and ear trimmer, and body grooming head all extend the versatility of the Braun. It is also completely waterproof, making it one of the most versatile and easy-to-operate models we tested. We found that the three other models were equal and nearly as easy to operate as the top three. They were the Wahl Lithium Ion All-in-One Grooming Kit, Wahl Professional Peanut Classic 8685, and Remington All-in-One Grooming Kit. The Peanut, like the Magic Clip, is easy to use due to a lack of attachments, although a power cable can get in the way of operation, as this is not a battery-operated model.

One model we wanted to like but found to be a little clunky and cumbersome, in addition to over-engineering otherwise simple features, was the Panasonic GB80S. While called a body groomer, the integrated extendable precision trimming blade, while interesting from a design perspective, misses the mark. When extended, the precision trimmer was one of the largest trimmer heads we tested, even with the bulky trimmer guard removed, making it difficult to navigate tight corners. We also found all three trimmer guards of different sizes and styles to be oversized in comparison to the width of the cutting head, adding to the trimmer's overall bulkiness. The adjustment dial is fairly straightforward otherwise, but the Panasonic has a few too many moving parts, and its hefty size makes it less easy to operate than more compact and ergonomic models.

Power System

The best trimmers held a charge, charged quickly, had a clear indication when fully charged, and operated for long durations. To measure and evaluate the power systems of each model, we fully discharged each model and then timed how long it took to achieve a full charge. Once fully charged, we timed how long each unit could operate until the battery was depleted. This task was time-consuming, as many models reach a full charge at about an hour and forty minutes and run on average for more than 2 hours.

The Philips Norelco 7000 exhibited remarkable performance, running for about five hours after a one-hour and forty-minute charge time.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rechargeable cord-free models, making part of this test a little preferential and subjective. They were the Wahl Color Pro Plus and the Wahl Peanut. While it is an excellent trimmer in its own right, it's inferior to the flexibility and versatility of rechargeable battery systems and trimmers that operate on or off a charging cord. So, while the corded Peanut is one of the most powerful models, its power system is not well suited for beard trimming operations that are unobstructed by a cord or quick touch-ups while traveling, even if it is well suited to the professional barber or salon.

Most rechargeable models operate while plugged in, so even if power starts running low, you won't be left with a half-finished, uneven trim. Unfortunately, a few models, like the Remmington All in One, do not function while charging. Waterproof models prevent this function to protect against electrical shock.

The tested models exhibited a wide range of battery life and charging times. While you can expect around five hours of operation from the Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000and over three hours from the Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body, you can generally expect more than two hours of run time from the models we tested, with the exceptions of the Braun 9-in-1 Trimmerand Remington All-in-One Grooming Kit, which offer less than two hours of run time and also don't operate while charging.

Maintenance

The easier it is to maintain a trimmer, the more likely you will do regular upkeep and get the performance you expect. Parts that are easily user-serviceable will keep your trimmer sharper, lubricated, cutting better, and lasting longer.

We mainly scored the “cleanability” of the models we tested, but other factors we considered were lubrication and how easy it was to access the areas that needed cleaning. In general, we expect most models to require either a rinse, a brushing, occasional oiling, or some combination of the three. We were excited by the Remmington 6000 Vacuum during the selection process, hoping it would make cleaning up after a shave a little easier and the shaving process just a little bit cleaner. Unfortunately, this model was more of a novelty, as it failed to collect anywhere near as much hair as it advertised. Emptying hair from a collection bin, in addition to cleaning up around a sink, ended up adding more maintenance to shaving routines overall.

The Braun 9-in-1, Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000, Philips OneBlade, and Ufree Beard Trimmer all take an efficient approach to cleaning. These models are fully showerproof as opposed to trimmers that are not washable but include attachments that can be rinsed.

Nearly all models include self-sharpening, non-corrosive blades but should be oiled regularly to achieve maximum longevity. The Philips OneBlade is an exception to the paradigm, and when the blades dull, they need to be replaced. Philips recommends replacing blades every twelve months if shaving twice a week. A three-pack of genuine Philips replacement blades costs about half the price of the trimmer itself. A wear indicator on the blades will become more apparent as the blades dull, indicating it is time to change blades. Your mileage will vary based on your beard maintenance routines.

Of the models we tested, nothing stood out as any ground-breaking advance in maintenance. You can almost always expect to dump stubble from foil shavers, brush the hair off cutting heads, and knock or rinse the hair off guards, although some manufacturers do not recommend tapping or knocking trimmers or attachments. While a few models we mentioned make cleaning easier with washable parts, nothing will change the fact that your daily or weekly routine will require a little cleaning and maintenance when you are done.

Conclusion

While all of the products in this review qualify as or fulfill the role of beard trimmers, some proved better suited for full-body grooming or more serious haircutting and styling. Only a few are strictly focused on beard trimming. Our extensive testing shows that a few of the beard trimmers we tested were a cut above the others, and a few trimmers stood out for other tasks. We hope we've highlighted enough features and options for you to choose the best model, regardless of your exact needs, and achieve the results you expect.