Best beard trimmers to tame your mighty beard 2024 (2024)

There's a lot to take on when investigating a new beard trimmer, so if you're not sure where to begin, allow us to explain the key bits you need to focus on.

Trimming length: Whether you're blessed with the mighty beard of Thor or you've just got a bit of stubble poking out around your chin, you'll want to experiment with the lengths of your facial hair. Shaving your entire face all the same length can round off your jawline and reduce the sharpness of your face, which is not what we're aiming for here.

Instead, you should be shaving sections of your beard along the cheeks at steadily increasing lengths to stretch out the jaw to create an illusion of a blockier face. Therefore, you should hunt for a beard trimmer that can easily switch between cutting lengths for the desired effect, with blades that make it easier to mark out the layers as you go. Most models can do this with a scaling razor blade that chops hair at different lengths or will come with included guiding combs to raise the hairs for you.

Battery life: The last thing you need is your battery to die mid-shave. We've all suffered through the embarrassment, and it sucks, so make sure you check out the battery length of your trimmer to ensure it lasts as long as possible to reduce that risk. For most men, a 10-minute shave is enough to clear away the unwanted whiskers, so anything with an hour charge should be good to go. It's also worth checking how long it takes to top up, as you don't want to be forced to wait several hours before you can use it again.

Cordless or corded: Following that, some trimmers are corded, requiring a hard line to power via a wall socket. These will inevitably be more powerful and will remove the risk of running out of charge as you shave, but they won't be waterproof, which is a snag if you prefer to shave and shower at the same time.

Accessories: “Make sure the trimmer you choose also has an option for attachments, so you can use different grades to achieve a clean blend, ” says Armstrong. “If you like stubble, you will need to look for a trimmer with close trim attachments, whereas if you prefer a more short-to-medium beard, you will need slightly longer attachments (depending on the model of the trimmer, the grades may be measured in millimetres or with a number system). For a long beard, the same rules apply, but the difference is finding a quality trimmer that will cut through cleanly and won't pull on the hair, as freehand work is required. The good news is that most trimmers on the market come with a range of attachments to suit all lengths and needs.”

Some top-tier options arrive with electric shaver accessories, an additional wet razor or clipper heads specifically for shaving body hair.

Trusted brands: For Jordan, it’s all about sticking to the grooming brands you know and love. Armstrong told us, “If it’s just for home use and it's your first foray into beard trimmers, I would recommend investing in a trusted brand like Braun, Wahl, Philips, or Panasonic, as these will feel more powerful and cut the hair much more efficiently and effectively than a cheaper alternative, ultimately making your life easier.”

When considering the best trimmer in the UK, the Philips Series 9000 Prestige stands out as a British GQ favourite due to its precision, durability, and advanced features. It offers a range of cutting lengths and a powerful motor, making it one of the best options to tick every grooming box. Additionally, its ergonomic design and long battery life make it a top choice among consumers. For those seeking the best beard trimmers, this model consistently receives high ratings and positive reviews.

Looking to emulate the pros? Mills says, “Personally, I use the Babyliss Custom FXClipper. The reason is that they have a great battery life, are easy to handle and have a great blade and guard selection. I prefer a hair clipper as it has the power and battery life for what I need. It will get through a full beard or help maintain my stubble depending on which route I’m going down. Wahl also has a great selection as well but I prefer Babyliss.” Regardless of the brand you choose, you need to make sure your trimmer has a marathon-ready battery, exceptional guiding combs, and the versatility to cultivate your dream beard without difficulty.

In general, corded clippers are more powerful, which is why barbers still often use them for hair removal. The downside, of course, is that they take up more space and limit where you can comfortably groom yourself. Almost all beard trimmers these days are cordless lithium-ion rechargeable affairs, and with good reason — they’re far more practical and more than powerful enough to get the job done in between a full charge. If you're not fussed about waterproofing, charge times and wire-free use, though, then a powerful corded trimmer can be a joy to use.

In most cases, any beard trimmer you opt for above won't need to be sharpened, as the blades are built to last several years. If they aren't, the brand will instead offer replacement trimmer heads to save you the hassle of having to do any sharpening yourself. If your chosen trimmer doesn't offer either of these avenues, then it might instead come with some oil and a brush to help you keep them clean and sharp.

To do so, gently prize open the case and remove the blades. Then clean them under warm water and towel-dry before applying the oil. Lather it up with a healthy dollop and leave it to sit for a few minutes and then reassemble the trimmer and turn it on. Make sure to do this over a sink so that the excess oil shaken off won't cause a mess anywhere else.

Disassemble the trimmer again to dry it with a lint-free cloth or some kitchen roll and then put it all back together. Put a little bit more oil on the blades and then you're good to go and ready to trim. To make this easier, some trimmers will feature a tiny brush to help sweep away the hair you've eradicated in your last shave, but a quick blast in hot water should do the same job.

Because most trimmers above are waterproof, you can shave in the shower, which should go a long way to keeping unwanted hair out of the mechanism. However, not all trimmers are waterproof, so have a look at the specs and if you grab one that doesn't, try not to get the blades wet too frequently to stave off rust and blunting as long as possible. Again, you can often simply replace the blade heads every six months or so and never worry about it again.

Joe's guide to maintaining a long beard is simple. “Trimming and shaping a long beard is a different skill from trimming stubble,” he says. “If you want to try this at home, it's all visual. Take your time and remember less is more as once you cut it's done.”

“Use a comb or brush and work it through the beard after you have used a beard wash. This allows you to see what you have to work with. Then look at what areas you want to trim or shape. If it's on the lower neck then think about how much you want off. There will be a selection of clipper guards with your clippers so try them off the clipper almost as a comb to see how much length they will remove and leave and you may find you have a perfect guard. Take your time, using the mirror and comb to keep checking before you trim. Often using the clipper in a downward motion allows you more control as you are going with the hair growth.”

In addition, you'll want to make sure your trimmer can handle thicker facial hair without a snag. Something like the Philips Series 9000 Prestige, which has an integrated metal comb and sensor for checking hair density, is ideal.

“Using the guards that come with the trimmers, find your optimal length that suits your beard," says Mills. "Do this with the guard off of the trimmer so you can use it as a guide. If you are unsure, start longer and see how you go, as you can always go closer.”

As you'll be making larger, sweeping cuts into your facial hair, you want a trimmer that can move and flex along the contours of your face, as well as sharp blades to cut the shorter hair and stubble. Many options, like King C. Gillette, come with a wet razor to tidy up any leftover gristle once you've passed over with your trimmer, so we recommend one of these.

If you like to keep an eye on your budget before you pull the trigger on a purchase, you should be concerned with how much money you should be spending to get the quality you need. Down at the bottom of the pile, trimmers under £40 are decent for a trip abroad or for managing chin tufts if you're not so engaged with shaping, precision trimming or particularly long hair. Options like the Philips OneBlade are sensationally good at this price, offering decent cutting ability at affordable costs.

For those who can spend a little more – between £50 and £100 – there's another level of utility available. Options like the Philips Series 9000 Prestige are your best bets around this cost, with superb cutting capabilities, long-lasting batteries and weighty, ergonomic handles. At this price point models are also more likely to be waterproof, so you can trim and shave in the shower or bath.

At GQ, we're dedicated to ensuring you look and feel your absolute best, so we've gone to many lengths to test, assess and recommend only the best gadgets and products that will help you along that journey to grooming nirvana. To get your beard under control, we'll point you in the direction of our roundup of the best Philips beard trimmers, before guiding you to our many individual reviews of the top-end products we absolutely love, like the Philips Series 9000 Prestige, the Panasonic Multishape or the Philips OneBlade 360 Pro.

If it's a hair clipper or a spot of nose hair trimming you're after, we've also got you covered, as well as anyone looking to manage their teeth – those among you should head over to our electric toothbrush and water flosser guides.

Keeping the beard trimmed and tidy is only one part of the job. The rest of it is keeping it supple, clean and shaped in just the right way. Taking good care of your beard outside of trimming will ensure you don't need to keep cutting it down, helping you grow it longer, and faster, but it's also good for the skin underneath, eliminating the risk of spots or dry skin.

We'd recommend washing your beard before you give it a good trim, using a rich lather that suits your skin type. Similar to your head hair, it's worth holding out a few days between properly shampooing and conditioning your beard, as your face's natural oils won't have a chance to clear our the dead skin if you wash it too frequently. Depending on the length, once every few days should be good enough.

However, what you can do every day is add beard oil to your beard. This will encourage the facial pores to help out with the natural oils to stop it from becoming coarse and scratchy, while also making it easier to manipulate into shape. Simply add a small amount of scented oil (making sure it doesn't have any alcohol in it) and push it through your beard hair. A useful tool to help out with this is a proper beard comb, which helps to tease it through evenly.

So you're keen to start taking care of your beard… why stop there? There's a whole world of men's grooming and self-care to explore, and if you're the adventurous type, you may want to see what's out there. We're happy to be your guide throughout this journey to maintaining a proper beard and skincare routine, as we've got a complete range of dedicated roundups to help you figure out what you need.

Black Friday 2024 beard trimmers

Black Friday is here once again, which means plenty of amazing price cuts across all sorts of items, from kitchen deals and fragrance deals to Nike discounts, Shark bargains, and – you guessed it – beard trimmers. You may have even spotted some early beard trimmer deals above, like 24 per cent off the Philips Series 9000, or 50 per cent off the Panasonic Multishape.

Make sure to keep an eye on this page, too, as we'll be updating it with more deals as they materialise. Rest assured in the knowledge that we're also checking all major retailers including Amazon, John Lewis, Argos, Boots, and more, to keep on top of all the savings action.

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