If culture wars were to ever erupt in the beard-trimming sphere, the sharpness of beard lines would be one of the key debates. Some like them blended and subtle, some like them so sharp and neat you could get a paper cut from them. Wherever you stand on this crucial battleground, the King C Gillette Style Master will deliver it. I have to say, it was perfection itself for detailing and sharpening up the edges. I felt confident to attempt the exact beard lines I wanted, using different blades and positions. Some clearance product and price points may not be available at all locations.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help philips body groomer you get it right (the first time). The Panasonic ER-SB40, an adjustable guide trimmer, cuts well, but it’s bulky in the hand. And its guide-adjustment knob has to be spun with your thumb and forefinger, rather than just flicked with the thumb, which is uncomfortable and inconvenient.
The price is pretty reasonable, but when you compare it to the cost of the entire shaver and all the goodies you’re getting, it suddenly seems a bit pricey. I only use it like twice a month, always on a perfectly dry blade. I then turn the trimmer on for a few seconds, wipe off any excess and let the lubricant dry before using the trimmer.
It’s very effective, has a pleasant smell and comes in a huge can that lasts forever and the price is fair too. I’m referring to the inner plastic part of the blade attachments and the hair chamber. Hairs tend to stick to them and every once in a while you may want to use the cleaning brush and get rid of (most of) them. The motor is rotary, so it’s not as strong as the magnetic/pivot type you’ll find on higher-end clippers. So do not under any circumstances try to shave your armpits or genitals without a guard with this groomer. First of all, you’ll probably want the hair as short as possible there.
It isn’t the quietest though — it received an average score in QuietMark testing — and has a bulky cleaning center. If you’re looking for a smaller investment, then this Philips Norelco is a great entry point. Does it hold a candle to Philips’ sturdiest, most muscled all-in-one Multigroom (our top pick in this race)? But for just $22, this is a solid baseline pick for somebody looking to try out a trimmer, who plans to use the tool infrequently. It has seven guard heads, and can even swap in a nose/ear hair trimmer and a tiny eyebrow/mustache detailer.
Unlike many of the other razors shown, this one from Olov is not designed for the contours of men’s faces; it is specifically for the body, pubic area and back, with a nose hair trimmer included as well. While we haven’t tested it in the Lab, we love that it comes with two adjustable trimming guards for different hair lengths and has soft ceramic blades to prevent pulling or cutting skin. Most users raved about its performance, although a few felt it was weaker than expected and needed to go over certain philips trimmer blade areas multiple times. It also has the shortest charging time and is one of the quietest models, according to the QuietMark testing, especially when in shaving mode as compared to the beard trimming mode. It does have a bulky cleaning station so a decent amount of counter space is required. All of our testers found that the Lithium Ion+’s powerful motor and fine-pitch, ground-steel blades easily removed hair on the first pass, with only infrequent hairpulling and little need for multiple passes.