Thicker beards generally require a more powerful beard trimmer, preferably one with a selection of cutting lengths and plastic guards to ensure you don’t nick yourself. With that in mind, both the Remington B5 and the Braun Beard Trimmer 7 have been our top picks in our best beard trimmers rundown for a while now, but which one is best?
Braun offers a fantastic cutting length of up to 20mm, while the Remington comes in at 18mm. Both feature a handy rotating dial at the front for adjusting the length, albeit with a slightly different execution, while both pack sharp blades and an easy cleaning method (you rinse it under a tap... simples).
I’ve spent time with both beard trimmers, trying everything from a close clean shave to longer trims in order to work out which one is worth your attention and money, and this is my verdict.
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Remington B5 vs Braun Beard Trimmer 7: build quality
Although both trimmers are predominantly fashioned from plastic, the Remington B5 just pips the Braun Beard Trimmer 7 in terms of overall build quality. This is down to the fact that it features an oversized rubber grip that makes it easy to use the trimmer with wet hands.
I found the Beard Trimmer 7 to be slightly less grippy and its smooth plastic shell made it easy to drop and fumble. This is despite the presence of a slightly mottled grip at the rear. That said, its two-tone grey and black paint job looks a little more inviting than Remington’s flashes of yellows.
In both cases, the blades are sharp and feel like they will survive a good deal of trimming before blunting, while a lack of oil in the Braun box suggests you don’t have to oil them after cleaning. In fact, the box says “lifetime sharp metal blade” and the box never lies... does it?
Both trimmers feature a rotating dial that takes care of trim lengths and in Remington’s case, this feels nice and sturdy thanks to its recessed position and rubberised coating. Braun opts for a plastic dial mounted to the front of the Beard Trimmer 7, which feels like it could snap off if dropped.
Overall, the Remington B5 feels like the more robust unit and it is built to take a fair amount of abuse. That said, neither claims to be fully waterproof, so if you like to tame your facial hair in the shower, it might be worth spending a bit extra and opting for the Philips BT9000 Prestige, which not only looks like a robot's freshly polished appendage, it also performs brilliantly.
Remington B5 vs Braun Beard Trimmer 7: battery and running time
Do you like spending hours on end perfecting your chin foliage? If you answered ‘yes’, it’s probably a good idea to drift towards the Braun Beard Trimmer 7, which offers an impressive 100 minutes of running time, with just 60 minutes required for a full charge.
On top of this, it’s possible to plug a completely flat trimmer and get enough charge for a quick shave in just five minutes. However, you’ll need a good shaving socket in the bathroom or a two-pin plug adaptor, because two pins is all you’re getting here.
The Remington B5 runs for around 60 minutes before giving up and takes the same amount of time to charge. There’s no rapid charge function advertised but Remington has fitted a micro-USB charging input, making it much easier to hunt down a cable and charge it anywhere.
Remington B5 vs Braun Beard Trimmer 7: performance
Let’s start with the Remington B5, because when placed on its shortest setting, it does a good job of slicing whiskers down to a fairly even and trendy perma-stubble, but the large comb does make it difficult to reach tricky spots, like those on the neck or just underneath the jaw.
That said, the adjustable blades work well and the decent 18mm comb is great for keeping really long beards in check. It has a good heft to it, meaning you don’t accidentally miss hairs with every pass and the motor is powerful enough to mow through some pretty thick hair.
I tested this one out on my head and the adjustable blades were good for getting that nice easy ‘fade’ look on the back and sides (although you should really use a hair clipper for this). In the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, it’s possible to get a half-decent hair cut with the Remington B5.
The Braun Beard Trimmer 7 comes with more interchangeable accessories, so it is possible to create neat stubble, trim ear hair and craft ultra-sharp beard lines, making this arguably the better all-rounder. Although the cutting power isn’t quite as good as the Remington number and the largest 20mm comb felt a little vague.
However, the guards on both models are stable and don't have the irritating habit of popping off like some cheaper rivals, while the adjuster wheel on both is easy to use. The Remington takes it for usability here though, as the wheel is really easy to adjust with the thumb, even when the trimmer is held up to the face. Braun’s wheel is a little skimpy and makes on-the-fly adjustments more difficult.
Remington B5 vs Braun Beard Trimmer 7: which one should you buy?
If wild, thick beard trimming is top of the priority list, I definitely urge you to look towards the Remington B5, as it feels more powerful and has an overall build quality that makes it look like it will withstand lots of beard-based abuse. It's also cheaper.
The Braun Beard Trimmer 7 is arguably the more versatile unit and its bundled accessories make it good for getting a more precise shave or for crafting the razor-sharp lines that many gents today like to feature in their stubble.
That said, I found that simply whipping the guard off Remington B5 and adjusting it down to its lowest setting achieves very similar results… and you don’t have to bother changing accessory heads.
Both, however, have earned a place in T3's best beard trimmer guide for good reason.
