Trimmers for Stubble Beard

As trying to get the best stubble beard and then getting for a longer beard (see my other post), I bought and tried out various beard trimmers, 5 different ones of which I sold again 4.

Why? Because of many reasons, and will explain below. But first, let me show which ones I bought:

1. Philips QT4015
2. Panasonic Er Gb40 
3. Philips BT9280 with laser
4. Philips MG3730
5. Braun BT5542

What matters?

You might think that just buying the best recommended beard trimmer would work and takes out all the worries about deciding and reviewing the different models. You can find many reviews and probably many more recommendations, but to be honest, they do not work. Why? Because it depends on the curves of the face, beard and moustache growth, its density, and last but not least the type of beard you want. 

I started of with a 5mm stubble beard, but over time I realized i wanted something longer, and ended up with short medium sized beard instead of the 3-day stubble. And while one trimmer may be the best for the 3 day beard cut, it may not serve a longer beard type. 

So after various try outs, I ended up with my favourite beard trimmer. But again, it is a process and probably when trying to grow a beard, you will buy several trimmers as well.

When I started, I went for the 3 day stubble beard. Something light to try out during the holiday and bought a Philips QT4015 trimmer. Was quite cheap and thought that if it did not work out, it was not that much money spent. 

Philips QT4015

The machine is quite light in weight, slim and very easy to use. It has one wheel which adjusts the height of the razor slide. Without the slide, you can trim more carefully directly your beard. 

One good thing is that the blades sharpen themselves automatically. 

I love the machine, simple and efficient. I did not see any disadvantages other than the maximum lenght it would cut is 10 mm, which I needed when I wanted to grow my beard longer than the usual stubble. But also as I could not believe that this machine could do anything I needed, I bought a few other models.

Panasonic ER GB40 

The next model that attracted my attention was the Panasonic ER GB40. It looked attractive and has good rating on the web. It is a great shaver, with with rubber grip and cuts quite well. 

It can be easily regulated from 0 to 10 mm with the wheel. But I sold this one after a few uses, not because I did not like it, but it was not that practical for me as I was travelling a lot. Because  the only way to charge was with the cradle that is provided and it is quite heavy and big base. It would be better that it could be charged with just the cable, so it is easier to put it in your luggage. Another thing was the model was a bit heavier in the hand, so less versatile than the Philips to move around the curves, and it only came in the 220V version, so I needed to find an adaptor when I wanted to plug it to 110 in the hotel. And the blades need to be oiled, a minor item, but still compared to the auto sharpening blades of the other trimmers, it became a disadvantage. 

Philips BT9280 with laser

Then I saw the advertisement of the laser and came across the Philips BT9280. This shaver looks like a Ferrari compared with the other trimmers. It is larger, and has the heavy feel like the Panasonic. It has chrome and Led lights on its display. The depth of the shave can be regulated with the wheel from 0 to 10 mm. 

 

But obviously it differs with the Laser guide that is attached to the back  of the trimmer. It is taken out by pushing it in and projects a red laser line. You use this line to make a line on your cheek and shave sidewards to keep the same sharp line. 

Does the laser work? Yes, it does, but I wish they made this device lighter, because it was too heavy to balance it well and also the head is a lot wider than the other machines. Even though you have a smaller head that can be rotated for usage, that one does not trim with the variable length, so you can only use the larger head. 

Overall, I believe the Philips QT4015 is still the best compared to the rest, not just because of price and value, but it is lighter, more versatile, smaller and less maintenance. 

That was till I decided to go for a little beyond a stubble beard and needed a trimmer to do more than 10 mm. Those trimmers I will review in another post.