If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best stubble trimmer is, then we recommend the Philips Norelco All-In-One as the best one.
As men mature, we tend to take a lot of pride in looking our best. When it comes to making that first impression, a man’s beard is at the forefront. Many women find themselves attracted to guys who have a bit of scruff, which is why we’re here to help you find the best stubble trimmer.
In this article, we’re going to review the following stubble trimmers:
- Philips Norelco All-In-One
- Philips OneBlade
- Wahl Stainless Steel
- Philips Series 7200
- ConairMAN Super Stubble
Stubble Trimmer Guidelines
Before Making a Purchase, Think About your Schedule and Lifestyle
While a good stubble trimmer is perfect for those that want to maintain a constant 5 o’clock shadow, consider the fact that you will need to maintain its length every 3 days or so. If you are a busy person who does not care too much for appearance or personal upkeep, then the stubble trimmer is not for you.
Making a Selection
Before we get into the nuts and bolt of choosing the best pruner for your bristles, remember that you are not in the market for a beard trimmer or hair clipper. These devices are meant to remove large amounts of hair, and do not have precision settings. The electric shaver might also be a tempting, quick solution on the go, but remember that electric shavers act like the classic razor and shave cream: they are meant for a clean shave and a clean shave only! With that in mind, you should be after a trimmer that offers versatility through variable settings and attachments.
Advantages and Benefits
One of the greatest benefits of the stubble trimmer is that you’re going to have easy access to a constant 5 o’clock shadow! You’ll keep your coworkers, friends, and significant other wondering how you maintained that precise look. This means that you are probably going to seem like a more attractive man than those who keep a disheveled beard or those that are always clean shaven.
Other advantages of this type of trimmer are attributed to comfort and cleanliness. We all know that when you are not up to date on a clean shave, your whiskers can grow back and become an itching terror. Maintaining one’s facial hair using a stubble trimmer is the next best thing to having a close shave as your facial features are not hidden, but actually become accentuated with your natural hair colour. What’s more is that the stubble trimmer keeps your face cleaner as longer beards tend to attract food scents and dead skin flakes – yuck!
Beginner Usage
It may be difficult to incorporate a newly acquired stubble trimmer into your pre-existing grooming routine. As such, we recommend taking an expert’s point of view regarding usage. Always start at a longer setting (3-4mm) and work your way down to 1mm/0.5mm or whatever desired hair length you choose.
Starting out at longer lengths and then gradually going shorter is beneficial because you’re not going to risk your desired look by cutting certain areas too short. You might also find out that a higher mm setting is your style and is more suitable for your face. Razor guards, or combs, are also good when starting out with your new trimmer because they not only ensure that every hair is being cut at the same length, they also tend to keep stubborn hairs in unison.
Precision Usage
Remember to trim against the grain for the closest, most precise cut. Don’t forget to keep a stable hand when closing in on those detailed areas around the mouth, nose, sideburns, cheeks, and neck. If your hands are shaky (like mine tend to be) you can use your other hand to support and steady the trimming hand.
Also, pulling your skin to one side well help promote even contact between the trimmer head and your skin in the desired trimming area. This technique is perfect for pruning those tricky hairs that might conflict with your facial symmetry. At this point, you might want to introduce a straight razor if you’re after that clean-shaven look on certain areas of your face. Many men tend to use this technique to clean up the neck and cheeks to make things proportional.
Maintenance
Like anything you just purchased, it’s imperative that you read the instructions manual prior to usage. Every product is different, so following their specific guidelines is crucial for getting the right shave and making sure the equipment is properly maintained. Again, it all depends on the trimmer as some are washable and can be rinsed under water, while others are not.
Some brands might come with cleaning oil and a brush, so make sure you read the manual, consider each attachment, and look into cleaning and or maintaining your specific trimmer on the regular. If your trimmer needs to be plugged into a mounted charge, remember to plug it in hours before you need to trim in order to get the most powerful and precise prune. Rattling, buzzing, and or inconsistent motor whirring sounds could be the result of a low battery or a dirty/clogged up attachment.
The 5 Best Stubble Trimmers
Philips Norelco All-in-One
Pros:
- Rounded blade tips make for a smooth gliding trim that’s ideal for those with sensitive skin.
- Philips’ “lift-and-trim” system is great because it helps bring hair towards the blades which is super helpful for those stubborn curly bristles.
- This product is 100% waterproof! This is perfect for clumsy people like me that don’t have to worry about water damage. What’s more is that a waterproof trimmer makes cleaning quicker. Mind you that the cleaning brush is important for those hard to reach areas in the comb and blade attachments. The trimmer itself is 100% waterproof, not the charging stand.
- 17 dial-controlled length settings cut at a 0.2mm precision rate, trimming between 0.4mm and 7mm.
Cons:
- It’s really intended for trimming stubble. This means that you must keep using it every 3 days or else you run the risk of your hair growing from stubble to beard, something the Philips Norelco All-In-One just isn’t suited for. Stubble and stubble only, folks!
- Sometimes you might have to go over an area several times to get those stubborn hairs cut down to your desired length. However, everyone’s hair grows differently, so you may not have the same experience.
- The blades have been known to prick skin and or pluck at hairs.
- It’s a bit clunky and lacks the maneuverability of slenderer beard and stubble trimmers.
Philips OneBlade
Pros:
- This all-in-one shaver/trimmer is perfect for shaving almost any length of hair.
- What I like most about this product is that its blades mimic the design of a straight razor’s blades – they’re slender but still have a large surface cutting area, something fairly unprecedented!
- Each replaceable blade lasts up to 4 months. This product comes equipped with 2 blades and 3 combs. The snap on combs come at lengths of 1, 3, and 5mm.
- Shower use! That’s right, this shaver can be used in the shower, with or without foam. Perfect for those on the run.
Cons:
- This shaver/trimmer is not meant to be used for a clean shave. It’s an ideal trimmer for stubble, but not a clean shave.
- May take repeated strokes to get some of the hair down to the desired length – this is something that I see way too often, which already makes me think that this product isn’t good for a clean shave or precision stubble detailing!
- Plucking of hair and nicking of skin is all-too-common.
- Combs are kind of flimsy and might break after repeated use.
Wahl Stainless Steel
Pros:
- Lithium-ion battery core gives this product a lot of life. Not only does it come with 240 minutes of cordless run time, it also has a “quick charge function” whereby 1 minute of charge can give you 3 minutes of continuous use! The battery power is the true selling point of this trimmer.
- Ideal for trimming outlines, necklines, and sideburns. The Wahl Stainless Steel is good for making precision details and also for trimming down to the stubble level.
- The detachable blades can be washed or rinsed underwater.
- The trimmer is solid. It has a perfect weight to it which makes it easy to use.
Cons:
- Too many combs! Am I really going to use all of the 20 combs that this trimmer comes with? Probably not. What’s more, is that the combs seem fragile, they might be aftermarket.
- While the trimmer itself is sturdy and has a nice weight to it, the mechanism that attaches to the blade isn’t as good quality and seems like it could break easily.
- The blades are sharp but should be oiled before each use to maintain effectiveness. This constant maintenance just isn’t realistic for most groomers, myself included!
Philips Series 7200
Pros:
- The innovative vacuum technology is the real take away here. The Philips Series 7200 comes equipped with a built-in vacuum that collects hairs for an easy cleanup. This is a huge win for me because I often tend to get hair on the floor, sink, and t-shirt, which means I have to clean up in 3 places. This product does all of the cleaning for you which is a real advantage.
- The double sharpened stainless-steel blades are top quality. That’s right, the Philips Series 7200 can deliver a close shave. This is perfect as an all-in-one device because you can just change the blade or setting and detail your stubble, or, get rid of certain stubbly areas all together!
- The battery is incredible. 1 hour of charge = 75 minutes of cordless use. There’s also a quick charge function that can give you one trimming session with just 5 minutes of charge time.
Cons:
- While the vacuum does collect a lot of hair, it doesn’t gather up everything. This leaves the groomer with a bit of clean up to do afterward.
- Poor quality attachment mechanism. This is something that many beards and stubble trimmer manufacturers just can’t seem to get right. The mechanism that attaches blades to the trimmer is usually made of cheap plastic, the Philips Series 7200 is no exception here. Heavy-handed people should use caution when attaching and removing the blades.
- 0.5mm-10mm cutting length capabilities make this product ideal for beards, but not necessarily stubble.
ConairMAN Super Stubble
Pros:
- XTP technology offers a lightning Lithium-Ion charge for cordless use. Charge for 80 minutes and then use it for 70 minutes.
- The quick-charge function gives 5 minutes of use with 5 minutes of charge.
- Precision edging and shaping blades are perfect to get into those tricky spots. The blades also come with a comb that flips back instead of detaches, this feature makes for rapid adjustments where need be.
- The flexing head allows for easier maneuverability with its motorized control.
Cons:
- Cuts, nicks, and plucks may occur.
- This product is also known to leave patches which means that you might have to run over the same spot several times, something that many groomers will find annoying.
- Although the attached comb is novel, it doesn’t do justice. The best use of this product is for direct skin-to-blade contact, which means that it isn’t great for longer stubble lengths and short beard trimming.
My Choice
Honestly, it was a real toss up between the Philips Norelco All-In-One and the ConairMAN Super Stubble
The Conair model’s digital length feature was a real selling point for me because I can be sure of what setting I’m on while also being able to tell how much charge is left. Additionally, the Conair offers the same precision measurements as does the Philips All-In-One, but the amount of features and capabilities that the latter offers sets it above the former. Yep, for me the Philips All-In-One is the obvious winner here.
Sure, the Philips Series 7200 has the novel vacuum feature that cleans up hairs, but you want this trimmer for stubble, which means that hair clean up shouldn’t really be on the agenda. The Wahl Stainless Steel and the Philips OneBlade are just too flimsy and come with fragile parts and shouldn’t be considered.
