
Some trimmers scored higher on individual metrics than others, but all earned their honorifics as the best beard trimmers on the market, through mountain-man winters and close-stubble summers. Then we considered a whole host of secondary factors-price, precision, travel and/or gym friendliness, the occasional vacuum function-analyzed the feedback from our colleagues, and condensed it all into the easily-digestible list you’ll find below. What We Looked Forīefore we settled on our winners, we established a few key metrics of quality: battery life (is it better suited to long, leisurely styling or quick touch-ups), versatility (is it appropriate for head-to-toe use and can it double as an electric shaver in a pinch), cutting power (is it more useful for detailing or hacking its way through Neanderthal-esque whiskers), and design (is it ergonomic enough to hug the hard-to-reach areas of your face, but sleek enough to warrant prime of place on your bathroom counter). And despite all that, they performed exponentially better than any of the others we tried. They’ve had beard oil accidentally dribbled over their blades, they’ve been tossed carelessly into dopp kits (and the occasional Ziploc bag), they’ve been dropped one too many times on the shower floor.

Which is to say, the trimmers we landed on here have been put through the wringer. The only real stipulation we established was that each tester treat their trimmer of choice exactly the way they would under normal circumstances: with an utter disregard for its well-being. OK: how would you test a beard trimmer? We used them, of course, over the span of several months, enlisting a roster of hirsute GQ staffers-with beards of various shapes, lengths, and textures-to lend their expertise. If you don't know what differentiates a “just ok” trimmer from one that is top-shelf, don't worry we've got you covered. That means shaving the neck and cleaning up the sides with a stellar trimmer. While it's blossoming into a, dare we say, even better version of the beard you envisioned when you embarked on this journey, you'll want to keep it defined and trim along that way. A beard isn't one size fits all, so you've got to embrace what makes you unique along with trusting the process (read: be patient). Even when you're in that weird in-between growth phase that looks more scraggly than suave, or you've discovered your growth pattern is patchy and realistically won't fully connected. The first step in growing a beard is to not cut it. Growing a Beard for the First Time? Here's What You Need to Know And for all of those situations-for basically anything besides a close shave-you need a good beard trimmer.
#Electric trimmer how to
But even if you opt to grow a long beard, you will still need to know how to trim it as it grows.

Figuring out the best beard trimmer for your particular facial hair situation is a personal journey, because great beards come in many shapes and sizes: there’s the perfect stubble, of course, or a beard that’s artfully shaped and styled.
