Beards come in all different shapes and sizes.
The Jason Momoa is a unique grown-out, slightly unkempt goatee. The Drake, on the other hand, is thick, full and well-groomed. Then you’ve got Ben Affleck’s power stubble – tidy and well-manicured – which is the envy of most folks who can grow the stuff.
Meanwhile, taches, previously only popular to raise awareness of men’s health in Movember, are back in vogue year-round. The Tom Selleck broom style is a classic, but we’ve recently seen Normal People’s Paul Mescal with a modern take on lip fuzz.
What we’re getting at is that facial hair moves with the times, influenced by celebrity trends, societal changes and bone-idle laziness. All men, therefore, should know how to tend to their facial hair, not only to stop looking like Tom Hanks in the latter part of Castaway, but because, let’s be honest, beards and moustaches are cool.
The beard trimmer, then, is an essential grooming accessory. We’d even go as far as to say it’s on par with the toothbrush, well above the traditional hairbrush.
With that in mind, we’ve picked out the best men’s beard trimmers on the market. Taking into account various factors like precision, beard length, battery life, size, travelworthiness and performance. And of course, not forgetting style.
Best beard trimmers at a glance
- Best overall: Panasonic Wet & Dry Rechargeable Beard Trimmer ER-GB42 - £32.89, Amazon
- Best for no frills multi-groomer: Braun MGK7221 10-in-1 trimmer - £70.51, Amazon
- Best for beard restyling: Remington T Series all-in-one MB7050 - £44.99, Amazon
- Best for whole head restyling: Wahl Stainless Steel 11 in 1 Multigroomer - £87.99, Amazon
- Best for high-tech, sharp cuts: Philips Multigroom series 7000 14-in-1 - £61.99, Amazon
- Best for budget: Remington B3 Style Series Beard Trimmer - £27.29, Amazon
- Best for keeping it clean: Coopers of Stortford Vacuum Beard Trimmer - £15.99, Coopers of Stortford
- Best for speedy wet and dry styling: Braun Body Mini Trimmer BS1000 - £18, Argos
- Best for tricky bits: Remington Mens Battery Operated Nose, Ear and Eyebrow Hair Trimmer - £9.99, Amazon
There are classic options for the purists and multi-groomers with fancy nose-trimming accessories, and guards for body hair maintenance. All were tested on fuzzy faces and various body parts to ensure they didn’t nip, scratch or pull.
See our list of the best beard trimmers for men below
Panasonic Wet & Dry Rechargeable Beard Trimmer ER-GB42
Best: overall
This pick is one of the best men’s mid-range beard trimmers for thicker beards that need some taming. Panasonic’s rechargeable wet and dry cordless shaver looks smart and comes with various easy-to-use settings, accessible via a handy dial near the thumb.
This allows you to jump up and down the settings while you trim. It’s not a one-stroke shaver, so you’ll have to go over the same patch a few times, but it is durable – even on stubborn hairs. Plus, there’s a handy pop-out precision blade for getting rid of lip-tickling moustache hairs.
The best thing is, there aren’t loads of additional, unnecessary guards and combs, so it’s easy to take on weekend trips – it comes with a handy travel bag too. A one hour charge time gives you 50 minutes of trimming.
Buy now £32.89, Amazon
Braun MGK7221 10-in-1 trimmer
Best for: no frills multi-groomer
Braun’s MGK7221 sounds more like a flight number than a shaver, but is a solid option for fellas wanting more than a standard beard trimmer for a reasonable price. This nifty multi-groomer tackles beards of various lengths, all the way down to stubble. Partners will be pleased to know it comes with specific attachments to tackle stray nose and ear hairs. Productivity gurus and time-short parents can use it in the shower to save time.
It also does an excellent job at body grooming thanks to its easy-to-adjust four comb technology and various sensitive-part-protecting guards. Plus, it comes with a Gillette Fusion5 ProGlide razor for when you need to clean shave for an upcoming wedding/funeral/job interview or a first meeting with the in-laws.
Buy now £70.51, Amazon
Remington T Series all-in-one MB7050
Best for: beard restyling
We’ve gone high and low on Remington, which is purely because they have some of the best men’s beard trimmers on the market. This one is pricier because it’s fancy – look at that elegant black and gold livery – but it’s not all style over substance. It comes with nine hair and beard combs – ideal for experimenting with beard styles.
If not, you’ll probably only use one or two. Two other big bonuses are that you can use it in the shower and charge it in five minutes for a quick trim – a full charge takes four hours. There’s also a clever safety lock, so it doesn’t accidentally start up in your luggage and drain the battery before you’ve arrived on your holidays. The hum is quiet, too, which your neighbours will be thankful for.
Buy now £44.99, Amazon
Wahl Stainless Steel 11 in 1 Multigroomer
Best for: whole head restyling
If you’ve got a couple of quid in the bank and you’re in the market for the best men’s beard trimmer that can also tend to your hair, you’re in luck. This all-singing, all-dancing shaver comes with 12 combs. Although it’s on the smaller side, which won’t appeal to the head shavers, but will still glides through all kinds of hair. It has a clever travel lock, which will stop it going off in the overhead locker and prevent strange looks from fellow plane passengers.
The nose and hair trimming add-on is a bonus, and the precision blade is ideal for tight spots around the moustache or beard borders. There’s a one-minute quick charge setting, which gives you three vital minutes to tidy up your facial hair before going out. Plus, it’s fully waterproof and charges in an hour: win-win.
Buy now £87.99, Amazon
Philips Multigroom series 7000 14-in-1
Best for: high-tech, sharp cuts
Philips has designed a properly slick-looking men’s beard trimmer here. The tech backs up the design, too, thanks to clever dual cut technology and self-sharpening blades that cut even the toughest hair. Men who want the best beard trimmer for all-around use, including the body, won’t be disappointed.
This multi-groomer comes with 14, yes 14, attachments for all kinds of functions – including hair, nose and ear and precision blades. Some have skin-protection systems that stop unwanted body parts from getting nipped. Like other higher-priced trimmers, a quick charge function takes five minutes and gives you a full shave (or thereabouts) unless you’re a woolly mammoth. It’s also easy to clean and works well in the shower.
Buy now £61.99, Amazon
Remington B3 Style Series Beard Trimmer
Best for: budget
If you’re the kind of bloke that looks at an article on the best beard trimmers for men simply for the budget option, let us save you some time. This is the budget option. That’s not to say it isn’t any good, it just doesn’t have all the fancy add-ons you get from those with a higher price tag.
Remington’s cheap, straightforward, battery-powered trimmer has 17 cutting lengths that are easy to navigate, thanks to a clever zoom wheel (ideal for those not into gadgets). One bugbear with trimmers is that hairs clog up the blades; thankfully, these ones are removable and easy to rinse. It also comes with a handy travel bag – not bad for under £20.
Buy now £27.29, Amazon
Coopers of Stortford Vacuum Beard Trimmer
Best for: keeping it clean
Beard trimming can be messy business: think clogged sinks, drains, and stubbly hairs in unwanted places. Thankfully, this men’s beard trimmer comes with smart vacuum technology to stop those stray hairs littering carpets and bathrooms.
Remarkable, really, given the price. It’s pretty clunky and not fancy - there aren’t any swish Japanese blades or loads of add-ons - but if you want something cheap and cheerful, it’ll do the job. It works better on medium to long beards than it does on stubble. And also doubles as a simple hair trimmer if you fancy yourself as a bit of a Nicky Clarke.
Buy now £15.99, Coopers of Stortford
Braun Body Mini Trimmer BS1000
Best for: speedy wet and dry styling
Small but mighty, the Braun Body mini trimmer is the perfect summertime companion. Designed for speedy hair removal in a pinch, the trimmer can be used from head to toe in both wet and dry conditions.
Though cordless, the mini trimmer is battery-operated (1x AA battery included) so we wouldn’t recommend submerging it in the bath. Offering a close, controlled shave thanks to the additional 4mm trimming comb, this pocket defuzzer is set to be your new favourite grooming accessory.
Buy now £18.00, Argos
Remington Mens Battery Operated Nose, Ear and Eyebrow Hair Trimmer
Best for: tricky bits
Available in black or silver (for those who care about the aesthetics of the job), this Remington gadget has a dual-sided vertical trimmer and a rotary trimmer head that can reach difficult areas and cut hair with precision. It also has an active blade clean system with a wash-out port that allows you to rinse the blades under running water and keep them hygienic, with comfort tip blades that are coated with antimicrobial nanosilver to prevent irritation and infection.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Verdict
The Panasonic Wet & Dry Rechargeable Beard Trimmer came out on top for its simplicity, adaptability and aesthetic appeal.
Braun’s MGK7221 came a close second for similar reasons and perhaps offers the best bang for your buck.
