Choosing one of the best beard trimmers can be tricky, as there are lots of things to consider. Are you going for style or maintenance? Do you have a short or long beard? Are you interested in accessories like self-sharpening blades or combs? It can be a mind field, but one brand that always excels is Panasonic.
Panasonic offers a full range of products, from electric shavers to electric toothbrushes. It's the beard trimmers I'm interested in here, though, and in this area, Panasonic stands out for a reason and that's the unusual Panasonic i-Shaper.
The Panasonic i-Shaper is unlike any other beard trimmer on the market, with its unusual shape which makes covering large areas quick and pain-free. But should you buy this unusual beard trimmer? Let's take a look at the specifics…
Panasonic i-Shaper: Specifications
The Panasonic i-Shaper features 20 different cutting lengths between 0.5mm and 10mm. That's not the biggest range out there, so it's more geared towards shorter beards and perma-stubble than longer beard maintenance.
The blades officially have a lifetime of three years, which is not ideal, especially as some more affordable trimmers offer 'lifetime sharp' blades. In my experience though, the blades are still going strong after four years (or more) of use. Panasonic suggests oiling after every trim, which is a bit of a hassle.
It has an acceptable battery life of 50 minutes. That should be more than long enough for a few trims, and, when it does finally die, it only takes one hour to charge back to full.
The trimmer comes with two guards, one adjustable guard for trimming large areas of hair and another more precise areas. It also comes with a little bottle of oil and a cleaning brush. Finally, the trimmer isn't waterproof, so you can't use it in the shower, but the blade is washable.
Panasonic I-Shaper: Design and Features
I was a bit skeptical of this Panasonic trimmer at first, as it's unlike any trimmer I've used before, but after getting used to it (that does take some time) it's quickly become one of our favourite grooming tools.
Why is it so difficult to get used to? As you can see from the image, you don't hold it like a traditional trimmer, as the cutting blades are in-line, rather than perpendicular, to the handle. This results in a lot more visibility while trimming, making it easier to create clean edges to your stubble. This is also aided by the long and sharp cutting blades.
If you're after more precision, the Panasonic comes with a detail attachment, which essentially covers 2/3s of the blade, and makes getting to those hard to reach places easier. As well as the detail attachment, you'll also get an adjustable comb with 20 cutting lengths from 0.5 - 10 mm. This makes getting your stubble the perfect length a breeze.
Unlike some other trimmers, however, you do need to oil and replace the blades. Panasonic suggests oiling after every use, which is a bit of a hassle. It also has quite a plasticky quality but then, to be fair, these things all do.
Panasonic I-Shaper: Should I buy it?
I'm surprised to say that I'm actually a big fan of the Panasonic i-Shaper beard trimmer. It's great for quickly removing large areas of hair on your face (or other areas of your body) and also features a precision guide for more accurate styling.
The only downside to the Panasonic i-Styler is that it requires regular oiling and replacement blades after three years. But what impressed me most is the ergonomic design that makes it difficult to go back to a traditional beard trimmer.
