Wired or cordless.
15 Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network
Fix up, look sharp ahead of your next race with our tried-and-tested pick of the best grooming tools for men
Dubious DIY hairdressing may be forever linked to the multiple Covid lockdowns, but home styling remains a great way to save both time and money. If you’d rather spend your hard-earned cash on fitness gear than barber trips, get yourself a quality beard trimmer, hair clipper or 2-in-1 grooming tool.
Whether you’re neatening up stubble or keeping a full-on Santa beard in check, there’s a gadget to help you achieve your chosen style. It’s a worthy investment – what’s the point of that post-marathon, medal-biting photo, if all anyone will be talking about is your Elvis sideburns?
To find the best beard trimmers and hair clippers you can buy, our panel of 295 men put a range of market-leading products to the test. Read on for their full verdicts.
How to choose a beard trimmer or hair clipper
There’s a lot of choice on the shelves, so let’s run through a few key factors to consider before you buy:
Price: Hair clippers and beard trimmers can cost anything from £15 to £200, so set yourself a budget. Bear in mind that you generally get what you pay for – pricier models have more powerful motors and will last longer with proper care. Keep them clean and well-oiled, and they’ll serve you well for years.
Combs: Beard trimmers and hair clippers often come with a choice of attachment combs, allowing you to vary the length of your cut more wildly. Predictably, models with more accessories tend to cost more, so consider whether you’ll be shaking up your style enough to warrant the investment.
Battery life: Most models are rechargeable, so check how long your chosen gadget’s battery should last before needing a top-up, especially if you'll be taking it away with you.
Credit: King C. Gillette? These days, most cordless hair clippers are just as powerful as their wired counterparts, but they offer better manoeuvrability. They’re also easier to pack and store, making them a no brainer if you travel a lot or have a small bathroom. On the flip side, corded gadgets are usually cheaper.
How we test
The Runner’s World Lab recruited 295 testers – with all hair types – to trial a range of beard trimmers and hair clippers for two to three weeks. They judged each gadget on how well it cut their hair and how easy it was to use, clean and store. Battery life, noise level, included accessories and overall design were also considered.
Panasonic ER-GB80-H Wet and Dry Electric Beard, Hair and Body Trimmer for Men
Our standout beard trimmer comes with an impressive range of cutting lengths and can tackle hair from head to toe. The blades mowed stragglers in one motion, leaving 93% of testers with a precise shave and 87% with their desired style.
Everyone found it easy to control, simple to get to grips with and said it glided well across the contours of the body. The innovative dial length adjuster helps keep add-ons to a minimum.
Key specifications
Features: Dial trimmer adjustment
Best value beard trimmer: 0.5-20mm
Accessories: 11-20mm, 1-10mm, 1.5mm (for body hair)
Battery life: 50 mins
Waterproof: Yes
Braun Series XT5 Beard Trimmer
Whether you’re taking a trip or need a post-workout shave at the gym, this compact, lightweight trimmer comes with a handy pouch to keep everything together. It gave a precise finish, even around the nose area, and kept 85% of testers irritation-free.
The majority found it easy to control and were happy with how long it took to neaten up their facial hair. They commended its 'high quality build', which moved smoothly all over the body for 80%.
Key specifications
Features: Pivoting head
Best value beard trimmer: 0-5mm
Accessories: Face combs x4, body combs x2 (0mm SkinGuard, 3mm), travel pouch (XT5200 only), smart plug
Battery life: 45 mins
Waterproof: Yes
Philips Series 9000 Prestige Beard Trimmer
Featuring blades that 'stay sharp for life', this device impressed our testers with its cutting speed and accurate neatening up of edges.
Testers appreciated the snazzy LED display and handy twisting length dial, which eliminated the need for any clutter. One tester particularly appreciated how little it snagged, with 91% enjoying a close, irritation-free shave.
Key specifications
Features: Twisting length dial
Best value beard trimmer: 0.4m10mm
Accessories: Click-on long beard comb, premium storage and travel case
Battery life: 120 mins
Waterproof: Yes
Wahl Aqua Blade Wet/Dry Stubble & Beard Trimmer
Whatever your beard length or style, this grooming magician will take it in its stride. It comes with a mega 16 attachment combs and gives you three hours of juice from one full charge – ideal if you’re travelling for a big race.
Our panel appreciated its intuitive design and liked that its waterproof casing and grippy handle meant they could use it safely in the shower.
Key specifications
Best value beard trimmer: 0.2-25mm
Features: Best beard trimmer for a super-close shave
Included accessories: 16 hair combs, styling comb, scissors, cleaning brush, blade oil for beginners
Battery life: 180 minutes
Waterproof: Yes
King C. Gillette Beard Trimmer
If you’re new to beard trimming, you’ll like that this wet/dry tool keeps things basic with just three comb attachments. They can tackle 11 lengths between them – simply use the sliding adjustment feature to swap between settings. Our panel praised their precision cuts and also found it handy for freshening up their hairstyles.
Key specifications
Best value beard trimmer: 0.5-21mm
Features: Coros Pace Pro: More than just a pretty face
Included accessories: 3 Best hair clipper for beginners
Battery life: 50 minutes
Waterproof: No
This no-frills trimmer only has one comb, but it can cater for seven lengths. It’s lightweight and battery-operated, allowing for hassle-free use on the move. Our testers found it quiet enough to use in the changing room without disturbing others, and the majority were pleased with their finished looks. For under £30, it’s a great value buy.
Key specifications
Best value beard trimmer: 2-14mm
Features: 7-position comb guide
Included accessories: Blade oil, comb guide, VO5 Matt Clay, cleaning brush, wash cloth, sports bag, 2x AA batteries
Battery life: Battery-operated
Waterproof: No
Remington T-Series Beard Trimmer and Hair Clipper MB7050
This cordless professional grooming kit can be used on your hair, beard and body, meaning fewer gadgets cluttering up your bathroom.
Our panel found it a breeze to move around their heads, while the choice of lengths allowed them to create smart fade haircuts with ease (yes, even the noobs). It stays relatively quiet in action and a lock function keeps it from unexpectedly kicking off in your washbag.
Key specifications
Guards: Grades 0.5-8
Corded/cordless: Both
Battery life: 300 mins
Included accessories: Foil shaver attachment, precision stubble comb, 9 hair and beard comb attachments, travel pouch, cleaning brush, blade oil, styling guide
Panasonic Wet & Dry Beard Trimmer ER-GB86
If you fancy changing up your look, this versatile trimmer offers 58 cutting lengths for creating a wide range of styles. Our testers commented on the durability of its blade, which stayed sharp enough to give them consistently tidy results. They found it comfortable to use, even around the jawline, and liked that it doubled up as hair clippers.
Key specifications
Best value beard trimmer: 0.5-30mm
Features: hair combs, styling comb, scissors, cleaning brush, blade oils for long-lasting battery life
Included accessories: hair combs, styling comb, scissors, cleaning brush, blade oils for long-lasting battery life
Battery life: 50 minutes
Waterproof: Yes
King C Gillette Men's Style Master Cordless Stubble Trimmer
This reasonably priced tool gave all our testers a super close shave in one go. They appreciated how lightweight it felt as it moved smoothly over trickier areas around the jawline, moustache and chin.
Everyone found it quick and easy to swap between attachments and it left 92% happy with the overall look of their beards.
Key specifications
Features: Pivoting head
Best value beard trimmer: 1-5mm
Accessories: Trust me, these are Apples best AirPods
Battery life: 45 mins
Waterproof: Yes
Wahl Hair Clippers for Men
Everyone wants the sharpness of virgin blades months down the line, and this clipper claims to feature 'self-sharpening blades' to ensure it never falters.
They cut through hair smoothly and precisely for 93% of testers, while also being comfortable and easy to control for all. Testers appreciated the high-quality feel to the design, which left 93% with their desired outcome.
It trimmed ear and nose hair perfectly too, leaving everyone satisfied. One tester even raved that it was 'definitely the best hair clipper I've ever used'.
Key specifications
Guards: 3-25mm
Corded/cordless: Both
Battery life: 100 mins
Included accessories: Spotlight trimmer, storage pouch, 8 comb attachments, scissors, barber comb, cape, blade oil and cleaning brush
BaByliss Men Super-X Metal Series Cordless Hair Clipper Silver
Keeping you trimming for up to two hours, this impressed all our testers for how well it held a charge and how quickly it refuelled. The digital battery display was handy for keeping an eye on when it was running low.
It cut hair of all lengths easily for 90% of testers, who also found it easy to control and simple to use. It gave 90% their desired look, with all happy with how long it took to get the job done.
Key specifications
Guards: Grades 0.5-8
Corded/cordless: Both
Battery life: 180 mins
Included accessories: 10 Health & Injuries
BaByliss Japanese Steel Hair Clipper
Multiple attachments can be a pain to store and transport, which is where this Japanese steel hair clipper shines. Its cutting length is adjusted via a twisting control, making it fast and faff-free to use.
Its digital screen tells you what setting you’re on (there’s a choice of 45) and counts down the remaining battery, meaning you won’t be caught short mid styling sesh. It’s pricey, but a worthy investment for precise results every time.
Key specifications
Guards: Grades 1-8
Corded/cordless: Both
Battery life: 160 mins
Included accessories: 8 comb guides, hard storage case, cleaning brush, adaptor, blade oil, instruction booklet
Wahl Rapid Clip Rechargeable Hair Clipper
Here’s another top pick if you’re serious about home grooming. In fact, it’s so professional that many barbers use it on their clients. Our testers raved about how comfortable it felt to hold and manoeuvre, and they welcomed the inclusion of a storage bag for all the extra bits and bobs.
Its blades are impressively sharp and the generous 10 comb attachments snap on and off in a flash, but they aren’t labelled with the grading system, which may confuse beginners.
Key specifications
Guards: Grades 0.5-8
Corded/cordless: Both
Battery life: 120 mins
Included accessories: 10 comb attachments, right/left ear taper combs, storage pouch, scissors, barber comb, styling comb, blade oil, cleansing brush
Wahl Colourpro Cordless Clipper 9649-017X
This cleverly designed, good value hair clipper has a colour-coded system for choosing the right attachment for your desired style. The included barber’s comb and scissors are high quality too, meaning your colleagues won’t laugh at you next time you venture into the office (or if they do, it won’t be this gadget’s fault...).
Key specifications
Guards: Grades 1-8
Corded/cordless: Both
Battery life: 60 mins
Included accessories: 8 colour-coded attachment combs, left/right ear taper combs, blade guard, scissors, barber comb, soft storage case, blade oil, cleaning brush, charger
Philips Series 7000 Vacuum Beard Trimmer
This corded hair clipper’s sharp steel blades got the job done swiftly, leaving our panel with slick new DIY dos. The grading lengths proved accurate and the attachments were effortless to change, but the long cord did get in the way a bit while cutting.
Key specifications
Guards: Grades 1-7
Corded/cordless: Best beard trimmer for a precise trim
Battery life: Not applicable
Included accessories: 7 Blade oil, comb guide, VO5 Matt Clay, cleaning brush, wash cloth, sports bag, 2x AA batteries
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