Between the small tooth-like detail attachment and foil shaving head, the Multigroom 9000 makes it easy to style and sculpt with precision. One trimmer even adjusts by tenths of a millimeter to help you get the perfect designer stubble, if that’s your aim.
And that’s just its beard trimming bona fides. The Multigroom 9000 is also a solid hair trimmer (shout out to that brawny motor and battery again) and body hair trimmer as well. Covering off for three products, and doing it well, suddenly makes the $90 price tag look like a deal.
The Best Budget Beard Trimmer: Philips Norelco Multigroom 5000 Series
Number of tools and accessories: 18 including beard trimmer, nose and hair trimmer, detailer, body trimmer | Run time: 3 hours | Charge time: 70 minutes | Trimming lengths: 0.5-16mm | Warranty: 5 years
Given how much we love the Philips Norelco Multigroom 9000, it’s no surprise that the more affordable model, the Multigroom 5000, is our budget choice to keep things manscaped. It offers most of the same steel-bladed precision and customization benefits as its fancier family member, albeit in a less durable body (plastic instead of stainless steel) and half the battery life. Still, its three-hour runtime bests many beard trimmers twice the price. And the lighter plastic body is nice for travel. The Philips Norelco Multigroom 5000 is great for anyone on a budget, but it’s not “budget.”
Whereas other lower-priced beard trimmers can’t handle precise detailing, the Multigroom 5000 includes a detail trimmer and nose trimmer, not to mention hair clipper and body trimmer guards for versatility. It may be a little less perfect across the board compared to the 9000, but the price-to-precision ratio is hard to match.
The Best Upgrade Beard Trimmer: Wahl Pro Series High Visibility Cordless Trimmer
Number of tools and accessories: 13 including an exposed T-blade for error-proof cleanups, plus a swappable nose hair trimmer and dual foil shaver | Run time: Up to 2 hours | Charge time: 2 hour charge time | Trimming lengths: 1.5-13mm | Warranty: 5 years
Wahl is a pedigreed name in the professional and home grooming worlds, but that doesn’t mean it’s done innovating. Its new High Visibility trimmer has a killer app: the trimming attachment is angled so the teeth sit “above” the base, letting you get eyes on the action in the mirror as you mow through facial hair. It’s maybe not a priority if you’re just doing leisurely trims, but if you’re trying to get the perfect line at your cheek, sideburns, or neck, that little bit of offset is a godsend. Suddenly you can see very clearly exactly where the blade is hitting. If you’ve ever had to drop that cheek line too far down or do the back-and-forth thing with your burns, you’ll recognize what a game changer this is.
The Wahl High Visibility trimmer’s laser-pointer precision is boosted by some of the best ergonomics in the game. The body’s relatively thin with an excellent rubber grip, which lets you hit difficult angles like a professional pool player. The High Visibility trimmer is new to the market, but I’m betting it’ll become a barber favorite—and yours, too, if you’re doing daily touch-ups to keep those lines looking sharp.
The Best Waterproof Beard Trimmer: Braun All-in-One Trimmer Series 9 9440
Number of tools and accessories: 13 including a mini foil shaver, body trimmer, T-blade and adjustable beard comb | Run time: 3 hours | Charge time: 2.5 hours | Trimming lengths: 0.5-20mm | Warranty: 2 Years
