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How Do I Choose the Best Electric Beard Trimmer?

Amanda R. Bell
Amanda R. Bell

No matter what type of facial hairstyle you maintain, choosing the best electric beard trimmer to keep your facial hair looking neat and well-kept is essential. In general, it is best to choose a trimmer meant specifically for beards rather than haircutting clippers, as the latter are often too wide to perform detailed maintenance. Picking a beard trimmer with several different attachments can give you a multitude of styling options, especially if you keep certain parts of your beard longer than others. If you like to fade certain parts of your beard, or if you are looking to blend your facial hair with your sideburns, choosing a trimmer with angled attachments is often a good idea. For ease of use and portability, look for a trimmer that is rechargeable to avoid having to deal with cords while cutting your hair.

There are a variety of different trimmers on the market, some meant for beards and some meant for cutting hair. The latter often have a much wider blade than an electric beard trimmer, which can make them difficult to use in smaller areas, such as above the lip, chin, and certain parts of the neck. Wider trimmers can also be rather cumbersome to use, and may end up cutting more hair than you want. A small electric beard trimmer meant especially for facial hair often works best. The blade is skinnier, making them easier to use, and they tend to work best for detailed shaving and trimming.

A man growing a beard.
A man growing a beard.

The attachments that come with a beard trimmer are the difference between them and standard electric razors. Unlike razors, which are meant to cut the facial hair as close to the skin as possible, an electric beard trimmer can cut hair at several different lengths depending on how many attachments it has. Known as guards, each piece fits over the blade of the trimmer and can allow you to keep your beard at a uniform length. While having too many attachments can present storage problems, finding a trimmer that provides a guard that will cut your facial hair to your desired length is a large part of choosing the best electric beard trimmer.

Small trimmers intended for facial usually work best on beards.
Small trimmers intended for facial usually work best on beards.

If you keep different parts of your facial hair at different lengths, choosing an electric beard trimmer with angled attachments is a good idea. With these guards, one side of the trimmer is longer than the other, making it easier to fade or blend your facial hair together. While the same effect can be achieved with a straight guard, angled trimmers can prevent mistakes and may be easier to use.

Choosing an electric beard trimmer that is rechargeable can make it much more versatile. When trimming at home, you can either leave it plugged in or use it without the plug, which can often give you a better range of movement. A rechargeable electric beard trimmer also makes it possible for you to take your trimmer with you if necessary. As long as it is charged, you can trim your facial hair at work or in other places where an outlet may not be available.

Discussion Comments

mrwormy

I've tried using an electric shaver with a beard trimmer attachment, but I wasn't happy with the results. I like using an electric shaver to remove the unwanted hairs from my face and neck, but I need to use an electric beard trimmer to style my full beard and mustache.

The beard trimmer attachment was little more than a smaller trimmer with no blade guard.

In my opinion, the best electric beard trimmers are easy to clean and maintain. I tried one that used a small vacuum chamber to collect the clipped whiskers. It worked well for a little while, but for some reason the suction power got weaker and weaker. The whiskers wouldn't get pulled all the way into the vacuum chamber, but collect in the teeth and other places. I couldn't clean out those hairs very easily. I'd suggest looking for a beard trimmer system that included brushes for cleaning and oil for blade maintenance.

RocketLanch8

The beard trimmer I use now has an adjustable guard, which I can dial up or down depending on how close I need to get. The last trimmer I had used different guards for different lengths and I lost the one I used the most. I would say the best beard trimmers either have an adjustable guard or easy-to-find replacements for lost guards.

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    • A man growing a beard.
      By: dandesign86
      A man growing a beard.
    • Small trimmers intended for facial usually work best on beards.
      By: David Stuart
      Small trimmers intended for facial usually work best on beards.