How to pick a beard trimmer.

It’s beard season. The days get darker. The nights get colder. Having a nice, thick beard is warm and inviting.

Plus, people seem to appreciate a good facial mane these days.

If you’re enjoying the prospect of growing out your beard, we’re here for it, but we want to give you a little advice along the way, too.

You need a good beard trimmer. At some point, your facial hair will need the attention of sharp objects, so we want to help you find the right pointy tools that will help you trim things down as needed.

Here’s everything you need to know when you pick a beard trimmer.

Get a specialist

Here’s the first thing to think about when you get a beard trimmer. If you really want control over your beard and to have freedom with your facial hair, get a specialized tool.

Now, we have a history of making all-around trimmers that handle a lot of stuff, and when you’re short on money or other options, that’s fine. But, to really take your beard game to the next level, a trimmer that is made specifically for beard grooming is going to do you a lot of good, and there are a few reasons why.

First, the blade and head of the trimmer will be specially shaped to glide effortlessly around the contours of your handsome mug. That gives you more control when you groom so that you can really customize your beard to your liking and make it look good.

Second, beard hair is pretty intense on most guys. It can definitely prematurely wear out a lot of other trimmers. In terms of longevity, a body hair trimmer will hold up ok, but a specialized beard trimmer is designed for wiry beard hair, and it will cut cleanly and last a long time (assuming you get a good specialized beard trimmer).

The simple fact is that modern engineers are good at what they do, and a trimmer that is designed specifically for beards is going to outperform something that isn’t. (Again, not all brands are equal, but this is a fair generalization.)

Stick with a brand you trust

We foreshadowed this a bit, but you should stick with a brand you trust. If you’re going to invest in a trimmer that is only for beard hair and nothing else, then you shouldn’t be exploring names you can’t pronounce at the local swap meet.

The whole point here is that you’re trying to get a high-quality instrument that empowers your beard grooming.

Surely, you’ve used tools from companies at some point in your life. If you’ve come to trust any, then it’s ok to trust them with your beard trimmer, too.

Ok, that’s enough subtlety.

We’re MANSCAPED™. Grooming is what we do and what we’re all about. You already know about our products, and the fact that you're here suggests that you’ve already come to trust us at least a little. You can trust us with your beard trimmer too. We did all of the things that we’re recommending in this post.

Consider the features

We’ve covered the basics. You want a trimmer that really is engineered for your beard, and you want it made by a company you’ve come to trust. That’s great, but it’s not very specific.

What should your beard trimmer actually do? How should it be designed?

To answer those questions, we can turn to the features. If you think long and hard enough, you can certainly come up with features you’d like to add to this list, but we’re trying to hit the essentials here. These are the things you definitely want in a good beard trimmer.

Waterproof

You don’t exactly want to electrocute your face when you trim, right? Actually, there’s a lot more to waterproofing than electrical safety (although that’s extremely important). The reason to get a waterproof trimmer is that it opens up a bunch of options. Namely, you can trim in the shower.

That’s not ideal in every situation, but for some guys and styles, it’s invaluable.

Here’s the thing. You never want to trim a dirty beard. Things that collect in a beard (including your oils, dead skin cells, literal dirt, and even spiders) can really mess with the trimming experience. They can clog your trimmer, make the cutting tool tug your hair a bunch, wear out the tool, lead to an ugly trim, and create many other problems.

So, it’s best to wash your beard before you trim it.

Here’s the problem. If you have a full beard, you might not have a lot of time to dry it out in order to trim it after you shower. The only real solution is to consolidate the process and trim with the water running.

If you have a waterproof trimmer, that option stays alive. It’s super convenient, and when you need it, it’s invaluable.

Runtime

You can get either a corded or a cordless trimmer. If your trimmer has a cord, it’s not exactly waterproof. That means that in most cases, you’re going to be looking at trimmers with rechargeable batteries. That’s really the nature of the game these days.

That means you want to consider two things when it comes to this aspect of your beard trimmer.

First, how long does the battery last? In general, you want a minimum of 30 minutes of continuous runtime on a charge. 60 is even better. And 90 is even better than that. That should be more than enough for a good trim or two or three. If you can get more out of your battery, that’s great.

Second, how does the trimmer charge? Wireless charging is very convenient, but more important is charging time. A good trimmer should be able to fill the battery relatively quickly. It’s worth thinking about charge times — especially if you ever plan to take your trimmer on the road.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics refers to the shape and tactile feel of the trimmer. How does it fit in your hand? Is the grip sturdy?

This question is more important than you might think. Some types of beard trimming are super easy. When you’re going for a clean shave, you’re not worried about producing clean lines, so you might not consider ergonomics.

If you’re styling your beard, it’s a completely different story.

The physical design of the trimmer’s grip largely dictates how well you can control the thing when you groom. Obviously, you want something that is easy to hold and enables precise control, so think about the shape of the trimmer and the design of the grip.

Also, if it’s waterproof, it should probably have something in the design that helps you hold onto a wet trimmer. You don’t want to drop that thing on yourself in the shower, do you?

Style options

You might be in love with your current beard style, but are you absolutely sure that it’s how you want to wear your beard every day for the rest of your life?

You didn’t put a ring on that beard (or maybe you did; we don’t judge). It doesn’t have to be a lifelong commitment.

The point is, you want a beard trimmer that gives you freedom in how you style your facial hair.

To that end, variable cutting lengths matter the most. Some trimmers have adjustable clipper settings, but most use cutting guards. Either way, more options are better when it comes to cutting lengths.

Durability

This whole time, we’ve been talking about a beard trimmer as an investment. If you’re really thinking of it that way, then you don’t want to get something cheap and crappy.

By all means, save money where you can (we’ll circle back to this), but don’t get something that is “cheap.” What we mean is that it’s worth it to invest in a trimmer made with quality materials that last a long time.

Also, if you consider longevity in your purchase, you might find that it’s worth shelling out a few extra dollars today to get a trimmer that you don’t have to replace next week. It’s not the whole story, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.

Convenience

This is something that we think is woefully underrated by the rest of the so-called gurus in the industry. They always talk about techniques and tools, but we’re the only ones shouting from the rooftops about convenience.

The simple fact is that you’re not a lifestyle vlogger. You don’t make your living by being pretty. (If you’re reading this and you actually do make your living, good for you!)

Grooming takes time and energy, and it’s very easy to let things go. We make grooming products for a living, and you should see the haggard looks around the office whenever things get extra busy around here.

We really do get it.

You want a trimmer that is easy to use and easy to take with you. Look for something that presents absolutely no obstacles to staying groomed. If it’s hard to charge, needs a lot of maintenance, or is bulky and doesn’t fit in your travel kit, it’s probably not a good choice.

Lean into convenience. It’s actually the one factor that will really determine how much you like your trimmer.

Cost

We have to talk about money.

You can spend a ridiculous amount of money on a beard trimmer. On the other hand, you’re not grooming the faces of celebrities and politicians for a living. So, you don’t need a $10,000 gold-plated beard trimmer, or whatever is popular these days.

Honestly, modern technology is amazing. You can get everything you want and need for a reasonable price, and you should.

We talk about making an investment, and it’s ok to get a trimmer that isn’t the cheapest thing on the shelf. All of that said, look for the trimmer that has everything you want and doesn’t break your bank.