The best beard trimmers we tested
Best beard trimmer: Remington Smart Beard Trimmer
Best beard trimmer runner-up: Braun Beard Trimmer
Our performance pick: Wahl Lithium Ion+ Stainless Steel Trimming Kit
Sporting a well-manicured beard can increase compliments from others and increase one’s self-esteem in the looks department — and this is where the best beard trimmer can help. Today’s beard trimmers run the gamut in terms of functions and abilities, and using the right one can turn even the most misshapen, wild beard into a thing of clean lines and manicured beauty.
We have years of experience writing up product reviews on all types of grooming products that can help you achieve the look you want, from nose hair trimmers that can prevent your date from staring at your unruly nostril hair throughout dinner to electric toothbrushes that help you keep your teeth pearly white and attractive. Our testing experts can help you achieve the closest, cleanest shaves by using the best aftershaves or help you follow the most effective daily shower routine to feel your cleanest.
For this guide, we tested eight of the most popular beard trimmers to compare their durability and battery life to how comfortable they felt in our hands and how well they trimmed our facial hair. After dozens of beard trims, we found three beard trimmers we consider the absolute best.
The Remington Smart Beard Trimmer impressed us the most, giving us consistent, close and accurate trims during testing. It offers various customizations with 175 length options to choose from. We also liked its smart wake-up function, which let us go right back to the last length setting we chose each time we picked it up.
This Braun Beard trimmer was a pleasure to use during testing, providing us with 39 different length options that consistently gave us accurate, close trims. It comes with a detailer that helped us perfect the lines we wanted. This trimmer is also easy to hold, thanks to its ergonomic shape.
The Wahl Lithium Ion+ Stainless Steel Grooming Kit was precise and efficient and we loved how it sheared our beard into a detailed, precise thing of art. We liked how the standard blade let us cut amazingly clean and sharp lines along our neckline as well.
Best beard trimmer: Remington Smart Beard Trimmer
Remington’s smart trimmer scored exceptionally well in all our tests, especially in crucial areas that affect your daily prune. What sets this trimmer apart from the rest we tested is its “smart” abilities. But this isn’t just the dream trimmer for tech nerds — there’s also real substance behind the flash.
The Remington trimmer provided a quick and easy clip, taking about seven passes to trim beard hair to the guide’s length. And since we’re talking about length, the customizability of this trimmer helped it rise to the top of our rankings. It has 175 length options thanks to a motorized comb controlled by a digital touch screen on the trimmer’s face. With a simple tap, you can move the guide up or down by 0.1 millimeters.
Though the difference between a 4.1-millimeter and a 4.2-millimeter trim doesn’t matter in the long run, the Remington ranges from 0.4 to 18 millimeters, providing a broad swath of options. This, paired with the incredible specificity of the tiny adjustments, makes it adaptable and easy to tailor exactly to your desires. Though with all these lengths, the trimmer didn’t come with any attachments such as a detailer, which could help clean up any lines.
The Remington also has a profile feature that stores your last four length settings. You can tap the profile button to select between the presets, and the guide will automatically go to that length setting. We thought this function was quite useful for instances where you want different lengths of hair. Normally you’d have to switch guide combs if you want your chin hair longer than the hair on your cheeks but with the Remington, it only takes one tap to jump over to another length.
Our winning trimmer also has a wake-up function that, when you pick it up, automatically turns it on and sets it to the last length setting used. Plus, it can sense the thickness of your beard and adapt the blade speed to compensate.
All these futuristic features are nice, but even without them this trimmer performed better than most other trimmers in plenty of our other tests. Most notably, the Remington ranked as our most durable trimmer, a bit surprising considering its smart functions and weight. But the Remington came out unscathed from our drop test, where we dropped each trimmer from a shaving position three times.
Cleanup was as simple as popping the blade off and rinsing everything in the sink. The entire trimmer is fully washable, which came as another surprise due to its digitization.
The only place the Remington stumbled was in battery and aesthetics. It isn’t the sexiest-looking trimmer but its shiny lights and touchscreen make up for that. In terms of battery, it lasted more than one hour and 20 minutes, which was below the one-hour-and-58-minute average runtime for the field. The charge time was also the second slowest, at one hour and 50 minutes, which can be somewhat expected from a trimmer with this many smart features.
This Remington trimmer makes the entire shaving experience simple and convenient. You won’t have to fumble around with dozens of attachments, run over your beard for what seems like hours to trim it down or spend longer cleaning up than you did shaving. It’s all made easy with the Remington Smart Beard Trimmer.
Best beard trimmer, runner-up: Braun Beard Trimmer BT7240
The Braun Beard Trimmer BT7240 is an excellent trimmer all around: It gave us an accurate and consistent trim, although it didn’t cut as much hair as quickly as the Remington or the Wahl Lithium Ion+. The lines it gave us weren’t the sharpest, but it comes with a detailer attachment that helps trim up any troublesome spots. Overall, the Braun provided an above-average trim, while other features like its versatility and battery pushed it beyond the rest of the pack.
The Braun had the second-highest number of lengths behind the Remington, with 39 options ranging from 1 to 20 millimeters. This is a wider range than our winner’s but the Braun only notches up every 0.5 millimeters (in contrast to the Remington’s 0.1 millimeters). This range comes from two attachments that can be controlled by a dial on the trimmer’s face. The guides themselves are comfortable and allow the blades to carve through beards quickly while protecting against any slip-ups or uneven spots.
The cleanup was fast and easy with the Braun since both the blades and the body can be rinsed under water once they’re disconnected. The trimmer was easy to hold, winning points for its ergonomic shape and small grip, and if you do accidentally drop it, the BT7240 can take the hit. The blades popped off from the body during our drop tests but there was zero damage to any part of the trimmer.
One feature that impressed us was its battery life and Quick Charge feature. Our device lasted two hours and 16 minutes running on full blast with a fully charged battery. Once dead, we charged it for just five minutes to check how long it would last if you needed to shape your beard under a time crunch, and it buzzed for 23 minutes off that short charge.
If you’re looking for a consistent, reliable trimmer, the Braun BT7240 is a great pick. While it didn’t cut hairs as fast as the Remington and doesn’t have teeny tiny length increments, it went punch for punch with the Remington during our testing. It comes with a mini foil and detailer attachment, so for someone who doesn’t need all the fancy features of our number one pick and is willing to give up some shave quality for accessories and better battery life, this trimmer from Braun is the one for you.
Best high-performance beard trimmer: Wahl Lithium Ion+ Stainless Steel Trimming Kit
For those who need clean lines and can sacrifice versatility and extra features for the best pure shave, the Wahl Lithium Ion+ Trimming Kit is the way to go. This trimmer performed the best in our testing pool and had the second-highest marks for trimming ability. The Andis Slimline Pro Lithium Ion T-blade Trimmer scored the highest for trimming ability, but we ultimately decided to highlight the Wahl because the Andis broke after our drop test and wouldn’t charge.
The Wahl Lithium Ion+ offers a powerful, smooth trim that cuts precisely through beard hair. While the guides are a little flimsy, especially the larger ones, the Wahl gave us one of the best all-around trims with an outstanding ability to shape lines. With the standard blade, the lines we cut along our neckline were phenomenally clean and sharp. There were no stray hairs, and the line was completely uniform. The standard blade is a bit wide, so we had to be a little careful that we didn’t get overzealous and carve out a crooked line, but the trimmer comes with a small detailing attachment that helped with more precise cuts.
While we would recommend the Wahl given its trimming abilities alone, it also scored well overall, coming in third place in total points. Its battery life is stellar: The lithium-ion battery lasted nearly two hours more than the next best trimmer (again, the Andis Slimline Pro) with a whopping four hours and 48 minutes of runtime. While it came short of the advertised six hours, it’s still more than enough juice to last months between charges. And if the trimmer unexpectedly dies right before you run out the door, it has a killer Quick Charge function. Once it finally died, we recharged it for one minute and got an extra nine minutes of trimming.
This Wahl trimmer wasn’t perfect and fell short in other areas compared to the testing pool. The body can’t be rinsed, so you have to clean the inside with a brush, and it needs to be oiled regularly (the directions suggest once per month should suffice). It’s quite durable, too; the only thing that broke during our drops was the guide comb. It comes with 15 attachments, including 12 guide combs, so you’ll have a bag overflowing with accessories. The Wahl’s combs range between 1.5 and 25 millimeters in length, but the gaps are much bigger than the Braun or the Remington. Instead of increments of 0.1 millimeters, it jumps from 1.5 to 3 millimeters between lengths, so you might get stuck between 13 and 16 millimeters when you want something in between.
The Wahl Lithium Ion+ has a couple of shortfalls but if you’re willing to sacrifice convenience, it’s a solid all-around pick with great battery life. It’s the best option for someone whose top priority is a precise, high-level trim that keeps your beard looking sharp.
How we tested
When looking for the best beard trimmer, we wanted to test the devices’ every single feature, so we trimmed, timed, weighed and drop-tested them for over a week, taking meticulous notes the entire time. We broke the testing into four categories — performance, durability, versatility and design — we could look at the different pros and cons of each trimmer and compared them directly. Within each category, we had multiple tests to try out each of the trimmer’s functions. Here’s a full breakdown of our testing process.
Performance
- Trimming ability: We trimmed our beard with each trimmer, seeing how much hair it cut in one pass and how many passes it took to get down to the guide length. We also judged how consistent the trim was, looking for any long stray hairs or short spots.
- Precision: We cut lines into our beards at the neck and cheek, both with the standard blade and the detailer blade if the trimmer came with one. We looked at how clean and straight the line was and how easy it was to get that line.
- Hair catches: While testing and shaving, we noted if the trimmer caught or tugged on any hairs.
- Shaving ability: When cleaning up the cheeks and neckline, we attempted to get a close shave with the standard blade or the foil shaver attachment if it came with one. We looked at how long it took to shave down and how short any stubble was.
- Battery life: With an iPhone timer, we tracked how long it took each trimmer to die after a full charge, as well as how long it took to fully recharge. If the trimmer had a quick charge function, we tested those claims as well.
- Irritability: When trimming and shaving, we noted if the blades started to get hot or felt especially rough on our skin. We also took note if the trimmer got hot during the battery test.
Durability
- Cleaning: We cleaned each trimmer by following its directions, judging how easy it was to clean by the time it took and the effort required. If we could simply rinse it under the sink, we deemed it easy to clean, whereas if we had to oil the blades or if brushing the trimmer was difficult or awkward, we docked points.
- Oil: We read the instructions to see if the trimmer required oil and if so, how often it was recommended to apply the oil.
- Waterproofness: We read the directions to see if the trimmer was waterproof or washable. If it was, we tested it by putting it under running water from our sink.
- Drop test: We dropped each trimmer three times from a shaving position into our sink. We took note of any broken pieces (including guides) or if the blades popped off, and checked to see if the trimmers continued to work afterward.
- Warranty: We looked at the length of the warranty for each device.
Versatility
- Adjustability: We counted each device’s trimming length options and if they included any additional attachments.
- Attachments: We looked at any included attachments and judged how useful and effective they were.
- Portability: We weighed each trimmer on a food scale and also considered if the trimmer came with a carrying case, which we threw in a backpack to see how much room it took up.
Design
- Aesthetic: We judged each device on its overall aesthetic appeal.
- Comfort: We held each trimmer and noted how comfortable it felt to use each, taking into account shape and grip.
Other beard trimmers we tested
The Andis Professional Cord/Cordless T-Outliner Li Trimmer 74000 was great at trimming our beard, but it was heavy in our hands and felt bulkier than other trimmers we tested.
Similar to its smaller brother the Andis Slimline Pro, the Andis Professional Cord/Cordless T-Outliner Li Trimmer 74000 was fantastic at trimming hair. But the Andis Professional fell flat in other areas. It’s heavier and bulkier than the Andis Slimline Pro, and unfortunately, bits of the blade chipped off in our drop tests. If you’re looking for a high-caliber trim, go with the Andis Slimline Pro or our performance pick, the Wahl Lithium Ion+ Stainless Steel Trimming Kit.
The Andis Slimline Pro Lithium Ion T-Blade Trimmer 32400 didn't survive our drop test, shutting down on impact. Its blades were also rough on our skin even before the drop test, and cleaning it wasn't easy.
This trimmer from Andis gave us a remarkably consistent, smooth and precise clip. It would have been our performance pick if it hadn’t shut down after the drop test. The blades are a little rough on the skin, and cleaning it is a pain since the blades can’t be easily removed and the trimmer can’t be rinsed in water. It requires a lot of maintenance and care since it should be oiled before, during and after each use. But if you, ultimately, want the absolute best trim and don’t care about anything else (like durability), this trimmer should be in the conversation with the Wahl Lithium Ion+.
The Braun All-in-One Trimmer MGK5245 performed well enough during testing but was less versatile and precise than some of the other trimmers we tested.
The Braun All-in-One Trimmer MGK5245 did fairly well during testing — it just cut a tad slower than its beard-oriented counterpart. It’s durable, has a great battery and can do almost everything the Braun Beard Trimmer BT7240 — our runner-up for best beard trimmer — does, but with less precision and versatility. Though at a lower price point, it’s worth consideration.
The Hatteker Hair Clipper Beard Trimmer Kit 598005DJ proved completely waterproof during testing, which we loved. But its battery life was extremely short, lasting approximately one hour before needing to be recharged.
The Hatteker Hair Clipper Beard Trimmer Kit 598005DJ provided a decent trim. It has a bulky guide that we didn’t love but still trimmed down to the desired length quickly. It’s completely waterproof, which is a big plus, and it comes with tons of blades, attachments and combs. Our biggest issues with the Hatteker were its battery life (it turned in the worst performance with a run time of just over one hour) and its durability. In the drop test, the key attachment that adjusts to 10 different lengths exploded on the first drop.
The Philips Norelco MG3750 Multigroom All-in-One Series 3000 didn't provide the best trim, so it didn't end up in our winners' circle. Its guide also didn't protect our skin from the blade, so we had to be extra careful while using it.
Though this budget-friendly beard trimmer had some nice qualities, ultimately the Philips Norelco Multigroom Series 3000 All-in-One Trimmer MG3750 wasn’t up to par when it came to trimming. The trim was quick but not very consistent. It had a guide that didn’t completely protect our hair from the blade, so we couldn’t buzz around willy-nilly if we wanted to avoid spots that turned out shorter than others. However, it is super compact, handles easily and didn’t take any damage during our drop tests. Plus, it has 13 attachments, including two trimmer heads and a nose hair trimmer.
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Why trust CNN Underscored
CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team of writers and editors with many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when it makes sense to ensure we are testing each product accurately and speaking about the pros and cons of each item.
For this review, our editor Kai Burkhardt put each beard trimmer through various tests to assess their performance and design. He trimmed his beard multiple times for over a week, timing each trim, weighing each trimmer and assessing how comfortable it was in his hand. He even drop-tested each trimmer, taking meticulous notes about which ones were sturdy and provided the best, most accurate trims time and again.