Philips Norelco Beard & Head Trimmer Series 5100 Review
The research
- Why you lot should trust us
- Who this is for
- How nosotros picked
- How nosotros tested
- Our option: Philips Norelco Multigroom Serial 7000 MG7750
- Runner-upwardly: Wahl Aqua Blade 9899
- Also great: Wahl Peanut 8655
- Budget selection: Philips Norelco Multigroom Serial 3000 MG3750
- What to await forward to
- The competition
Why y'all should trust us
Since this guide was showtime published in 2013, nosotros've interviewed a number of experts—mostly professional barbers but also some product managers and everyday beard wearers. They include Jeff Bovee, manager of product marketing at Wahl; Brett Rappaport, who was the consumer marketing director of male grooming at Philips Norelco at the time of our interview; William Cabrera Jr., owner of Billy's Barber Shop in Lowell, Massachusetts; Joe and Anthony Berriola of Razor's Barbershop in Somerville, Massachusetts; and Jeremy Villao and Hung Nguyen, who at the time of our interview were with Fellow Hairdresser in SoHo and the West Village (respectively) in New York Metropolis.
For our 2020 round of testing—conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, when few barbershops were open—we relied by and large on opinions from 2 Wirecutter staffers: senior staff author Brent Butterworth and operations manager Carlos Hernandez. This gave us opposite perspectives, as Brent has a longish, light, and somewhat scraggly bristles, while Carlos has a thick but much more meticulously groomed beard.
Who this is for
There are enough of means to shave, trim, or cut a beard. This guide focuses on corded and battery-powered beard trimmers designed to shape, angle, cut, or trim facial hair. These tools are suitable for practically any length of beard, from stubble to vi inches or more than. If you're looking for an electric razor, we take a guide for that. If you're shopping for hair clippers, we have a guide for those, too. And if you're more former school and prefer a transmission razor, we've got you lot covered.
Yet, there'southward a confusing array of devices designed specifically for cutting and trimming beards: those with all-in-one, adjustable guide combs, and those with clip-on guide combs; those with rechargeable batteries, and those with power cords; those with T-shaped blades for shaping and grooming, and those with precision-length combs meant for cutting hair at a compatible length. Each of these styles has its pros and cons. Our intent was to find the trimmers that could handle as many of these tasks as possible, as deftly as possible, and at a reasonable toll.
How we picked
In searching for the best beard trimmers, we looked for devices with the following attributes:
- A powerful motor: We wanted a tool with enough oomph to cut through the coarsest hair, without pulling and without requiring multiple passes.
- A slim, robust design: We similar trimmers that are slender in shape but likewise durable enough to last years without breaking if dropped. A slim design offers more visibility in forepart of a mirror and allows you lot to better monitor where you're cutting, just a as well-slim pattern can be difficult to grip securely.
- Rigid, fixed-length guide combs: Earlier versions of this guide favored trimmers with multiple, fixed-length guide combs, which decide how much beard is left after a pass of the trimmer. Many trimmers, especially inexpensive models, have a single, adaptable-length guide rummage. This pattern is more convenient than having to alter combs all the fourth dimension, only many adaptable guides are flimsy, and nearly do not offering enough range for thick, long beards. Still, nosotros did try many trimmers with adaptable guides in our latest round of testing. We liked some, but none ended up being picks.
- Ability to shave: Any beard trimmer can be used as a shaver by simply removing the guide comb. None tin replace an electrical shaver or a razor blade for closeness, but some people like the stubble that bristles trimmers evangelize, and many trimmers do an adequate job of eliminating the stubble at the bottom of a beard, effectually the neck. We wanted a tool that could at least estimate a shave, cut the hair as close as possible without nicking or agitating the pare.
- A pliable, long wire (for a corded tool): Corded trimmers are much more than powerful and reliable than cordless models, although they're less convenient and less popular for beard trimming, specifically. We looked for cords that were both long (at least five feet) and flexible for like shooting fish in a barrel maneuvering and storage.
- Grooming accessories: The main trimmer is priority number 1, but guide combs, additional trimmer heads, shaver heads (which turn the bristles trimmer into a smaller version of an electric shaver), and nose hair trimmers can make a middling device look more attractive. We didn't dismiss any trimmer for non having these things, simply nosotros were definitely impressed with how thoroughly some trimmers complete the "haircutting kit."
For our latest round of testing, we compared our established picks with all of the new models we could get our beards on. We eliminated any trimmer with an aberrant number of user complaints (especially those about build quality, bombardment reliability, or blades that pulled hair or jammed). Nosotros then consulted with manufacturers to discover out which of their models would best conform this guide, making a particular effort to include trimmers with features that weren't available for our most recent update.
The by few years have seen the introduction of innumerable new (and usually budget-priced) beard-trimmer brands. Nigh of these have generic designs and many take earned unenthusiastic reviews on Amazon, but we did find 1 (the Suprent BT315B) that got such good reviews, we figured we had to requite information technology a spin.
We concluded up choosing 13 additional models to exam, which we so evaluated confronting our picks from the previous version of this guide.
How nosotros tested
For previous versions of this guide, we solicited the help of professional person barbers to assistance exam out the contenders. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic made that impractical, then we express our testing panel to Carlos and Brent—Wirecutter staffers with different textures and styles of facial pilus, who minded the guidance we've received from the barbers cited higher up. We retested existing picks against 13 boosted trimmers, seeking answers to these questions:
- How much hair tin each trimmer remove in a single pass? How many passes does information technology take to remove all of the pilus in the test expanse?
- Is it easy to sculpt the bristles to the shape you lot want without worrying nigh taking too much off?
- Is the trimmer easy to use in hard-to-accomplish areas, similar under the nose and around the lips?
- Is it comfortable to use and hold?
- Do the trimmer'south blades pull on many hairs?
- Could you use the trimmer to approximate a shave in a pinch?
- How many attachments or beard guides does the trimmer come with, and are the attachments useful?
- Are whatever interchangeable heads piece of cake to bandy out?
- How well exercise the accessories, such as nose pilus trimmers and foil shaver heads, work?
We compared notes on their experience using the trimmers, and Brent spent a few days testing the battery life and evaluating the design and attachments of each of the top contenders. We'll continue to long-term test all of our picks.
Our pick: Philips Norelco Multigroom Series 7000 MG7750
Our pick
If you lot're looking for an accommodating trimmer powerful enough to cut chop-chop through a thick beard, but not so powerful that it places unreasonable demands on your morning attending, we recommend the Philips Norelco MG7750. It's a sturdy, well-fabricated trimmer that nosotros loved for many reasons, but mostly because its heft and trimming power make it such a pleasure to cut with. It comes with many useful accessories and also doubles equally a hair and torso trimmer, making it a solid, versatile choice.
Our testers establish that the MG7750's powerful motor makes it easy to get an overgrown beard looking sleek and stylish in just a couple of minutes. Information technology'southward powerful enough to remove lots of beard hair with a single stroke, and that actress power minimizes hairpulling, every bit well. Merely dissimilar the Wahl Aqua Blade 9899, the MG7750 isn't so powerful or ambitious that you need to worry almost a slight slip removing a large section of beard, then information technology's just as good for those times when y'all need to make simply a few little adjustments earlier a date or chore interview. Pop the guides off and it can deliver a reasonably shut shave around the bottom of a beard—it'southward no friction match for a razor, but it'll probably be fine unless you take a modeling gig coming upward.
The heavy, 7.5-ounce stainless steel trunk feels sturdy and secure in the hand, and crosshatched grooves around the summit should foreclose the rather slick body from slipping. The body flares into a apartment lesser that lets the MG7750 stand up up on a countertop or in a medicine chiffonier, saving space and keeping the trimmer head from getting tangled up in dental floss.
Because information technology's intended for hair and body trimming, as well, the MG7750 comes with numerous accessories. In addition to the 1 ane/16-inch beard-trimmer caput, it includes a i⅜-inch pilus trimmer—which likewise works well with very full beards—and a detail trimmer with a ¼-inch cutting surface area. Fourteen strong plastic combs are provided, enough to adjust any beard or hairstyle. At that place's also a very effective nose hair trimmer and a foil shaver head (a smaller version of an electric razor) that is only marginally useful. Irresolute the heads is piece of cake, and a material example is provided for carrying the accessories.
The cutter blades are made from stamped steel, but Philips Norelco says they're cocky-sharpening and will stay sharp for years. We confirmed the rated battery life of five hours—long enough to go a few months without recharging—in our testing, although the motor's speed started to fluctuate a petty after the v-hour mark. Charge fourth dimension is nearly 5 hours, and a five-infinitesimal charge will give yous enough power for a couple of minutes of trimming. An LED light near the bottom illuminates when the charger is continued and goes out when charging is complete. The MG7750 requires no oiling.
Philips offers a v-yr warranty on the body (although not on the trimmer heads and accessories) and a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Flaws but non dealbreakers
The MG7750 is the heaviest cordless trimmer we tested, albeit by a margin of just 0.2 ounces. We liked the way it felt in our easily, just some might adopt a lighter, nimbler trimmer like the Philips Norelco MG3750, our budget pick. (At nearly half a pound, the MG7750 will add noticeable weight to an overnight bag, besides, so frequent travelers may besides favor the MG3750.) The MG7750 trimmer isn't as powerful as the Wahl Aqua Bract 9899, and while the lower power makes mistakes less probable, those with thick or fast-growing beards may prefer the Wahl's extra oomph.
Runner-upward: Wahl Aqua Blade 9899
Runner-upward
The Wahl Aqua Blade 9899, which debuted in 2019, improves on our previous runner-upward pick, the Wahl Lithium Ion+ Stainless Steel Trimmer 9818, thanks to a larger, more comfortable grip that makes the trimmer experience more secure in the hand (and thus less likely to accidentally take off also much of a beard or mustache). Information technology's an otherwise similar model, with comparable power and the aforementioned extensive selection of accessories for beard, hair, and body trimming. Both trimmers are the almost powerful cordless models we've constitute and the best choices for heavy beards. The but downside to the Aqua Blade is that, unlike the Lithium Ion+, it can't stand up by itself on a counter; Wahl provides a stand, but it's made of lightweight plastic and requires you to apply two hands to remove the trimmer.
All of our testers found that the Lithium Ion+'s powerful motor and fine-pitch, footing-steel blades easily removed hair on the showtime laissez passer, with only exceptional hairpulling and picayune need for multiple passes. The Aqua Blade seems to have the same mechanism in a different case. Despite the head's generous one⅜-inch cutting expanse, it as well does a precise chore of shaving hairs about the bottom of the neck. It doesn't match the closeness that a shaver can deliver, but information technology's as good equally nosotros've always gotten with a cordless beard trimmer.
Dissimilar the Lithium Ion+, which can exist a fleck glace to hold, the Aqua Blade's rubbery outside offers a secure grip that doesn't require a peculiarly steady paw. "The material makes it easier to grip, and the grip is thicker and fits more nicely in your palm," said tester Carlos. With the Lithium Ion+, we establish it too easy to swipe off almost one-half a mustache accidentally in a split 2nd.
While the included stand up that holds the Aqua Blade upright on a countertop can exist a little unwieldy, information technology does charge the trimmer when it's docked. With our other recommendations (likewise as with the Lithium Ion+ the Aqua Blade replaced every bit a choice), you lot have to plug the charging cable into the bottom of the trimmer, which means it has to remain horizontal during charging.
Like our summit pick, the Aqua Blade doubles as a hair and trunk trimmer. The package includes xi guide combs, a detail trimmer head with a ¼-inch cutting area, a nose hair trimmer that works effectively, and a shaver head that gave us a closer and faster shave than the ones included with other trimmers we tested. The guide combs are a little flimsier compared with those of the Philips models we picked, but they go the task done. The trimmer-head blades crave a couple of drops of oil every month (the Philips MG7750 and MG3750 do non), but it's easy to do, and Wahl conveniently supplies a small bottle of oil.
At 5.iv ounces, the Aqua Bract is 28% lighter than the Philips Norelco MG7750.
The Aqua Blade'south run fourth dimension is advertised at forty minutes, but we got most two½ hours out of it. Compare this with the MG7750, which runs for about five hours, or the Lithium Ion+, which was notwithstanding going stiff after its promised four-60 minutes bombardment life. However, the Aqua Blade should go at least a couple of weeks betwixt charges, even when trimming a heavy bristles daily. It likewise includes a charging LED to permit you know when information technology needs a charge and when the charge is consummate.
The Aqua Blade comes with a 5-year full warranty. Wahl trimmers accept a reputation for reliability through years of utilize, every bit Wirecutter staffers who've endemic the Lithium Ion+ tin can attest.
Also peachy: Wahl Peanut 8655
As well great
If y'all have a thick, fibroid beard and find bombardment-powered trimmers to be besides weak, you'll desire the Wahl Peanut 8655, which has been our favorite corded trimmer since we outset published this guide back in 2013. It's more powerful than any of the cordless trimmers nosotros tested, on a par with professional corded tools. Only unlike those typically tanklike trimmers, the Peanut 8655 has a slim design, making it more than practical for home use and precision grooming. Subsequently years of testing and living with this trimmer, we can also say with confidence that it's among the most durable nosotros've e'er institute. The main reason it isn't our pick is because most people adopt cordless bristles trimmers. Information technology also comes with fewer guide combs than our other picks.
Compared with cordless trimmers, the Peanut, which is available in blackness or white, does a better job of removing a large amount of beard hair in one laissez passer; when used every bit a shaver, information technology likewise gets rid of more than stubble than the cordless models nosotros tested. Joe and Anthony Berriola of Razor's Barbershop in Somerville, Massachusetts, gave it the nod as their overall favorite corded trimmer. "Information technology's got a pocket-sized caput that makes it easy to become into modest areas," Anthony said.
Weighing 4 ounces (not counting the cord) and measuring only 4 inches in length, the Peanut is easy to hold and maneuver around your face, even with a seven-human foot-long cord attached. The four trimming guides simply pop on or off; some other corded tools require a screwdriver to brand these adjustments. The guides aren't the sturdiest we've tried, only they're at least stiffer than the ones included with the Aqua Bract. The Peanut'south trimmer requires oiling once a month, but it takes simply seconds, and Wahl provides a minor canteen of oil.
Wahl covers the Peanut with a 1-year warranty. Chances are, you won't need information technology—several Wirecutter staffers and many online reviewers have used the Peanut for years with no problems. If y'all suspension any of the accessories or require a new bract, replacement parts are readily available. The only consistent complaint virtually the Peanut is that it'south corded.
The Peanut is also available in a AA battery-powered cordless version, which we haven't tested. (Several customer reviewers who accept reported more than than a year of use cite eventual reductions in power not tied to replacement battery condition.)
Budget option: Philips Norelco Multigroom Serial 3000 MG3750
Budget pick
If you're in the market for something inexpensive notwithstanding effective, nosotros think the Philips Norelco MG3750 is the way to go. It clearly outperforms every other trimmer in its toll range ($20 to $35), with a surprisingly powerful motor that has proven more capable in all of our hair-trimming tests. This plastic-bodied trimmer has a slim, lightweight design that ensures plenty of dexterity for detailing and shaping, with a good grip that feels more secure than most trimmers its size. It also works equally a hair and body trimmer, although the relatively narrow caput may make cut hair a footling boring. Information technology's especially useful as a pubic pilus trimmer.
Both Carlos and Brent found the MG3750 quite similar to the larger, more expensive MG7750 in its ability to trim with but a single stroke and without grabbing beard hairs. Even the barbers who tested it gave it a slightly in a higher place-average score for how much hair it could remove in a unmarried pass, how close each trim could get to the pare, and how it pulled fewer hairs than other budget trimmers. It also delivers a reasonably close shave around the lesser of the bristles. Yet, those with thick beards would probably have a better experience with our costlier picks.
Although Philips bills the MG3750 as a multipurpose beard, hair, and trunk trimmer, the 1 one/xvi-inch-wide cutting surface of its main trimming head may make cutting hair more difficult compared with the 1⅜-inch heads on the MG7750 and the Wahl Aqua Blade. Information technology includes vii nicely sturdy trimmer combs, an constructive nose hair trimmer, and a detail trimmer with a ¼-inch cutting surface.
Judged by handfeel, trimming with the MG3750 is a very dissimilar feel than what you lot'd have with our other trimmers. At 3.vii ounces, it's well-nigh one-half the weight of our other cordless picks, so information technology doesn't feel every bit stable in the paw—but information technology's more nimble and thus a little easier to utilise for detail piece of work. That low-cal weight also makes the MG3750 the best travel companion of all our picks; yous tin toss it into an overnight bag and you'll never find the extra weight.
A clear downside of the MG3750 is its brusk, ane-hour battery life. While ours ran for near twenty minutes longer, the MG3750'southward stated eight-hour charge fourth dimension gives you lot no leeway if you forget to plug it in every week or two. And as the MG3750 ages, the run time volition decrease. You can go about 5 minutes of use with a 15-minute charge, though.
Philips offers a two-year warranty with the MG3750's torso (not on its trimmer heads and accessories), as well as a 45-twenty-four hours money-back guarantee. The shorter warranty suggests the MG3750 may not be equally reliable as the MG7750, which has a five-twelvemonth warranty. Given our long-term experience with less-expensive trimmers, we would expect to meet signs of power fade, slower motor speeds, or shorter battery life later a while.
What to look forward to
A few interesting new models have been introduced since the last major update of this guide, including the Male monarch C Gillette Mode Master and Beard Trimmer, and a new 3-in-ane trimming kit from Hatteker. We hope to exam these models, and any other new models we come across, for a full update later in 2022.
The contest
The stainless steel Andis 32400 Slimline is like in ways to the Philips Norelco MG7750 and Aqua Blade, but it'due south lighter and has a narrower trimmer head. It cuts well, merely the longest guide comb is only ⅜ of an inch, which isn't enough for fuller and/or longer beards.
The Andis T-Outliner is a professional-course corded trimmer that's built like a tank, but unlike our picks, it does not come with whatsoever guide combs (though yous tin can buy a prepare of 4 separately). It is preferred past barbers for shut-cutting and fine detail work. Information technology's also heavier than our corded pick, the Wahl Peanut. Both are covered by one-yr warranties.
Even at its lowest blade-height setting, the Beard Club PT45 can't trim shut enough to double every bit a razor.
If you want a trimmer with an adaptable guide comb, the Braun BT5265 is a solid selection. Information technology actually has two combs, each of which tin be set for 20 different lengths using a top-mounted knob that's easily flicked with the pollex. Carlos and Brent both found it powerful, but Carlos noticed that the combs didn't glide well through his thicker beard.
Brookstone's Bristles and Mustache Trimmer (at present unavailable) is somewhat similar to the Aqua Bract, but bulkier and a little heavier. The Brookstone cuts fine, but its guide design is fussy—five different guides, each of which has five different settings, and they're rather flimsy.
The unusual blueprint of the ConairMan i-Stubble features a floating trimmer head that moves equally y'all run it over the contours of your face. An interesting idea, but we adopt our picks.
The honey Oster Classic 76 Universal Motor Clipper is a corded "workhorse" available in 12 colors. However, information technology regularly costs more than double what our corded selection, the Wahl Peanut, costs; is significantly heavier; and doesn't come up with any guide combs (though y'all can buy a set of 10 separately). The Archetype 76'south cord (9 feet) is longer than the Peanut's (seven feet). Both models are covered by one-twelvemonth warranties.
Nosotros decided to try the Panasonic ER-2403K (now unavailable) because information technology's one of the few AAA-powered models available, only it's among the weakest trimmers we tested and requires several passes. In the cease, it gets the trimming washed, so it's a reasonable selection for those who frequent remote locales, but sadly that's non us.
A former runner-up pick, the Panasonic ER-GB60-G is a powerful, versatile beard trimmer with a whopping 39 length settings. But in our tests it seemed to pull too many hairs for comfort, and the list toll is rather high given the performance flaws.
The Panasonic ER-SB40, an adjustable guide trimmer, cuts well, but it'due south bulky in the mitt. 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.
We liked the Philips Norelco OneBlade Face up + Body QP2630, a unique shaver-trimmer combo that's calorie-free and comfortable to concur. It'south a decent shaver that makes for easy, precise trimming of mustaches and stray hairs. But the modest, pivoting head isn't suited for thick beards, and its cut head has to exist replaced every three months.
We considered the elementary, affordable Remington MB200 with an adjustable guide rummage as a possible budget option considering information technology cuts well, but we found likewise many complaints about battery life in online reviews.
The Remington MB4040 cuts well, but its adjustable guide is rather flimsy and uncomfortable to apply.
The Remington MB4700 Smart Beard Trimmer is a high-tech trimmer with a motorized, adjustable guide rummage and an "auto turbo" function that Remington says volition automatically adapt the motor speed for the thickness of the bristles. Information technology cuts well but is beefy in the hand, and you have to remember to turn the touchscreen off before you kickoff shaving, otherwise you might accidentally change a setting.
We chose to test the cheap Suprent BT315B (at present unavailable) because we saw its great reviews on Amazon. It gets the task done, but compared with our budget choice, it seemed to take a lot more strokes to remove the same amount of hair.
The Wahl Chrome Pro 79524-2501, a pro-style corded trimmer, has wide, precipitous blades that are as well large to trim facial hair effectively.
The Wahl Lithium Ion+ Stainless Steel Trimmer 9818 was once our runner-up choice, but the Aqua Blade 9899 is basically the same trimmer with a much more comfortable and secure grip. The Lithium Ion+ is a good choice if yous similar the look of the stainless steel torso, or if you actually want a trimmer that can stand upright on a countertop without needing a split up stand.
If yous're looking for a corded trimmer that'due south a bit cheaper than the Wahl Peanut 8655, the Wahl Power Pro 9686 is an fantabulous pick, though we prefer the one-time's slim, peanut-shaped over the Power Pro'southward candy-bar shape.
Wahl's corded T-Styler Pro 9686-300 is about identical to the Power Pro but comes with a wider, T-shaped blade. Information technology has all of the same pros and cons.
At around $220, the Walker & Company Bevel Trimmer is one of the well-nigh powerful cordless trimmers we've tested, with uncommonly abrupt blades. Just the design feels odd, and it doesn't come with an option to attach a guide comb, which is essential for many people.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-beard-trimmer/
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