A question often asked by users is what they should look for in a Professional Beard Trimmer and if they should give preference to such trimmers over normal domestic use trimmers.
A professional trimmer is the one you will see your barber using. During the last 30 years, I have used many different kinds of trimmers. Some have been the same used by barbers and others have been more suitable for occasional home use.
First of all, if you look around you will find that there is very little price difference between the two and it only makes sense to go for something which the professionals will choose and gets used all day long without giving any problems.
Now the question is…what differentiates a professional beard trimmer from a domestic one. Here are some simple tips to look for before buying.
Corded or Cordless- Some prefer to have a corded beard trimmer. But I think if it´s corded as well as cordless, then it´s even better. Any regular user would tell you that corded beard trimmers last a lot longer. You can also feel much more power in a corded trimmer than their counterparts which only run on batteries.
Ergonomic Design- It should have an easy to use design which is comfortable to hold. The weight of the device is also important since it should not be too heavy, making it difficult to maneuver.
Guides / Combs Attachments- Depending on the style of your beard, your trimming tool should have sufficient guides in the sizes that you require. You must also bear in mind that the professional trimmers are meant to last you for years and during this period, we all tend to change our style and length of beards. So make sure it comes with a good variety to maintain different styles of beards.
Other Attachements- If the trimmer you choose has a wider head, it should also have a narrow head attachment, often known as detailed trimmer attachment. This is a great tool to reach some difficult areas on the face like under the nose.
Easy to Maintain- Most trimmers would require a few drops of oil and that is fine as long as you don´t have to unscrew the device to clean it. You can easily find the owner’s manual online before buying the trimmer and it´s always worth reading through the maintenance instructions.
So, here I have selected 5 trimmers which are considered to be the top professional beard trimmers.
Wahl Professional 8081 5-star Series Detailer Powerful Rotary Motor Trimmer
Wahl is a well known reputable company and among other products, it is particularly known for producing professional beard trimmers which are used worldwide. Wahl Professional 8081 Detailer Powerful Rotary Motor Trimmer is one of their best products.
Features At A Glance
Powerfull rotay machine.
Two blades of 11/2 and 2 inches.
Very quiet operation.
3 trimming guides.
Light weight.
Initial Impressions
It is certainly a good quality multi purpose trimmer which can be used to trim beards, give yourself a haircut, head balding, cleaning up the neck area and much more.
The guides available are in three sizes 0.5, 1 and 1.5. So, if you are looking for a beard trimmer to maintain a beard longer than 1.5 inches, then this is not the right tool for you.
What The Reviews Say
The reviews of Wahl Professional 8081 5-star Series Detailer Powerful Rotary Motor Trimmer are very good.
However, some users did say that the blades are so sharp that using it at a wrong angle can irritate your skin. So, beware to use it gently until you get the hang of keeping it at the correct angle.
The other area of concern is that a few people reported that when they opened the box, they found hair on the machine. But they all admired the quality of Amazon after sale service and got this sorted out quite quickly. In one case, the machine was replaced even after the guarantee period had lapsed.
A great majority of users were very satisfied with the device, giving it very high ratings and reported that:
The trimmer is very quiet.
It does not heat up.
The blades cut very well.
It’s lightweight.
Easy to hold.
Comes with a long cord.
Click Here To Check More Reviews And Price
Andis Professional 04603 Outliner II Personal Trimmer
Andis Professional 04603 Outliner II Personal Trimmer has been used by professional barbers for years and it is most certainly one of their favorite trimmers. The company Andis is known to be one of the best manufacturers of beard trimmers.
Features At A Glance
Perfect for all-around outlining and fading.
Equipped with extremely close-cutting blades for trimming necks, beards, mustaches as well as edging around ears.
Contoured housing with high-speed motor.
Ideal for dry shaving.
Initial Impressions
Undoubtedly, this trimmer will stand the test of time. It certainly has in my case, as I have been a user of it for many years. The quality is superb in every possible way.
In my so many years of using various trimmers, I have not come across so many trimmers which live up to their claims but this one definitely does.
If you buy this to trim your beard, then the only downside is that it does not come with guide combs. However, these can be bought at a very reasonable price. For approximately $3.00 you can buy four guide combs which will give you four sizes 1/16″, 1/8″, 1/4″ and 3/8″.
What The Reviews Say
Andis professional outliner gets very good reviews from the users. The majority of them are very satisfied with its performance.
Apart from beard trimming, people have also used it for head shaving as well as body grooming and reported that it gives a very close shave. Understandably, the shave would not be as close as you will get from a razor.
One of the cons to point out is that the trimmer gets a little warm after about 15 minutes of use.
Following are some of the pros that the users highlighted in their reviews.
Good for all edging work.
Works very well for manscaping.
It is fairly quiet.
Can be used for dry shaving, too.
Great for head shaving.
Very little maintenance required.
Click Here To Check More Reviews And Price
Philips Norelco QT4070/41 Vacuum Beard Trimmer
Philips Norelco QT4070 is one of the few trimmers which comes with a vacuum function. Philips Norelco are well known for giving quality and style to their products.
The tool comes with a number of settings to trim any size of beard but it is particularly famous for stubble look.
Features At A Glance
18 length settings in a variety of sizes.
Vacuum system included, leaving no mess to clean up.
Both corded and cordless.
Turbo boost button.
No maintenance required.
Safety lock.
What The Reviews Say
Overall reviews are above average and many users are more than happy with the various features of QT4070. However, there are also some not so satisfied users commenting on its vacuum function. It has been reported that the vacuum does not work 100% and it leaves some hair.
The company does state in its manual about not letting the vacuum chamber get too full. So, it is hard to know whether these complaints were due to that reason or if the trimmer actually does not perform perfectly to remove all the cut hair ends.
Some of the older reviews reported people having problems with the guide comb but this issue was taken care of by the company and the newer reviews do not state anymore of such problem.
The things that users liked about this trimmer are:
It´s corded and cordless.
Battery lasts for a very long time.
Vacuum works well for some of the users.
Completely maintenance free.
Click Here To Check More Reviews And Price
Wahl Professional 8685 Peanut Classic Clipper/Trimmer
Wahl Professional Peanut Classic Trimmer is a cute little thing but don´t let the size of the trimmer mislead you since it has the power of a full size trimmer if not more.
The Wahl company is known to produce quality products and those have always been the favorites of professional barbers.
Features At A Glance
Only 4 inches long.
Comes with 4 guide combs.
Weight is only 4 ounces, making it very easy to handle.
Very powerful.
Initial Impressions
One can’t find a more suitable saying in this case than “the size doesn´t matter! ”
The first time I saw it was at my barber’s. At first, I thought it was a toy but I soon realized its potential as soon as he started using it. I was totally amazed by its performance.
It´s certainly not a low priced item but well worth its price.
What The Reviews Say
This little thing gets great reviews from both professionals as well as home users. Some have reported to have been using it for up to 5 or 6 years and it´s still going strong.
No wonder why the professionals find it so useful.
With all its great features, some users experienced that couple of extra sizes of guide combs would have been very useful.
A small number of users had a problem with its cutting performance. They stated that it pulls hair. However, a great majority of users had no problem and on the contrary appreciated its cutting power.
So, what have users liked about Wahl Professional 8685 Peanut trimmer?
Gives a close shave.
Lot of power.
Comes with useful sizes of guide combs.
Works great for shaving head.
Easy to handle.
Click Here To Check More Reviews And Price
Wahl 9854-600 Lithium Ion All In One Trimmer
Wahl 9854-600 Lithium Ion All In One Trimmer is the last but not the least of my selection of best professional beard trimmers. There are literally thousands of reviews spread across the internet about this trimmer. A great majority of these reviews are way above average.
It´s another great tool for professional barbers and widely used by them.
When I see the name “Wahl”, it immediately gives an impression of quality, good value for money and a great after sale service. I should point out that I have arrived at that conclusion after many years of trying a number of different trimmers.
Features At A Glance
Powerful Lithium Ion battery.
5 minute quick charge.
Comes with 3 beard guide combs.
Ears, nose and eyebrow trimming attachment.
Dual foil shaver.
Small detailer.
Initial Impressions
Seeing so many reviews everywhere made me even more keen on taking an in depth look at the product.
So, I like the fact that one trimmer with all these attachments can take care of all my grooming needs.
A Lithium Ion battery is always a big plus for a beard trimmer. Nothing more annoying than having to constantly charge the device or running out of juice half way during the trimming session.
What The Reviews Say
As mentioned earlier, so many satisfied customers giving above average ratings to any product is the best indication of its performance.
The users have reported to have used this device for a wide variety of grooming jobs like trimming, head shaving, body grooming and more.
Where this tool lacks is not being able to give you a haircut. Whilst it does a great job of shaving the head, the head is not wide enough to get a good cut.
It also depends on the size of your hair. I believe people with shorter hair should not have problem cutting head hair with it or it can also serve very well to tidy up the hair in between hair cuts. This will of course cut down your visits to the barber and also save you some money.
There were a few complaints about the holding tray that it´s made of a very low quality plastic.
Also, a handful of users reported that the trimmer stopped working but with a 5 year guarantee they had no problem having it replaced with a new one.
What the users like about the Wahl 9854-600 Lithium Ion All In One Trimmer
Lightweight and easy to use.
The battery lasts for a long time.
Good cutting performance.
A wide choice of accessories.
Excellent customer service.
Click Here To Check More Reviews And Price
In conclusion, the above selection of professional beard trimmers was based on my personal choice and experience but I am sure there are many other models which can fall under the same category.
.