Monthly Archives: September 2013

Wahl 5537-1801 Review

Wahl 5537-1801 ReviewA quick review today of a really nifty little trimmer at a nifty little price. We all know that Wahl have an exceptional range of beard trimmers, some of which are available at a very affordable price, and this model certainly fits the bill. My Wahl 5537-1801 review will look into what makes this trimmer such a great choice.

Price of the Wahl 5537-1801

I don’t usually start my reviews looking at the price, but it is definitely apt here, with a $10 price tag at time of writing on amazon. Regular readers or those who have shopped around for the best beard trimmers before will know that this is exceptionally cheap. Personally, when I saw the price tag i did not expect a great deal from this trimmer, but imagine my surprise…

Features

For a cheap model the features are exceptional!

  • Eleven piece kit includes loads of extras such as oil, trimmer and more.
  • 2 year warranty from Wahl for any unexpected breaks.
  • Comes in a stylish and useful storage base.
  • Compact and battery operated which makes it a great choice for a travel beard trimmer.
  • Five position guides for trimming at a variety of different lengths.
  • High-Carbon steel blades for a close and simple trim.

And as if Wahl hadn’t done enough…

This beard trimmer also comes with a free personal trimmer, which is designed for things like trimming nasal hair or ear hair. They’ve really pushed the boat out for the price tag!

Conclusion

Is this the best beard trimmer in the world? Probably not, but at the price tag you really surely can’t argue! The level of features, build quality and ease of use is equal or in fact superior to many trimmers that are three times the price of this one, which is one of the many reasons that Wahl are such a great manufacturer, especially at the budget range.

Philips Norelco QT4014/42 Review

4014It’s time for another beard trimmer review, and yes, it’s another Norelco, this time we’re looking at the QT4014 model of the Philips Norelco series, and it’s another cracker from the manufacturer. Compared to some of the other models we’ve been discussing recently, this is jam packed with features and technology and suits the modern man looking to stay well groomed down to the ground. So without further ado, my Philips Norelco QT4014 review.

  • Titanium blades which serve to self sharpen, in the words of Philips they require no maintenance.
  • Unique design on the blades means rounded edges, still sharp but wont cause you any pain or irritation.
  • An extremely impressive 0.5mm to 10mm range of trimming lengths including 20 settings going up in 1/64th of an inch increments (wowsa).
  • An LCD display with a battery life indicator so you know when you’re getting low.
  • Locking feature to prevent comb movement.
  • Amazing battery life – just one hour on charge will give you a massive 50 minutes of cordless use.
  • Can be used corded or cordless.
  • Sleek and stylish design that will go in your bathroom.

Price

This is definitely a factor when it comes to buying a trimmer, and the Norelcos aren’t the cheapest compared to some other ranges out there. The 4070 model (which I really do rate) has a retail price of almost $60, which isn’t that much considering the features. Well this model, the QT4014 can be picked up for almost half of that, and it may not have a vacuum built in but its features are impressive.

What others have to say

Don’t take my word for it, check out some of the reviews other people have made (excuse the paraphrasing):

“I even prefer this to the more expensive models, easy to use and very reliable and I don’t care too much for the vacuums anyway”
“You won’t get much more for the price range, this has so much going for it”
“I bought it for my husband as a birthday gift and he loves it, plus the battery has never come close to running down”

Conclusion

I’ve said my piece when it comes to the Norelco range, I rate them highly and though there are competitors of similar standard, there’s a reason Philips sell so many. For the price this is a super beard trimmer and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Wahl Professional 8685 Peanut Review

wahlpeanutWahl are one of the most commonly mentioned names here on our beard trimmer website, they have such a huge range of grooming products spanning so many price ranges and offering a variety of features and functions, from hair clippers to beard trimmers, nose trimmers and more. The Wahl Peanut is what we’re going to be reviewing today, and is one of their more professional models, so is it any good?

Summary of the Peanut

Coming in a sleek white look with a cheeky design which funnily enough looks somewhat like a peanut, this trimmer is made for build quality, excellent blades and reliability. Does it have all of the features you can get in trimmers these days? Absolutely not, and if you want a built in vacuum or an LCD display then I would definitely start to look elsewhere, but if you want a great, strong reliable trimmer which is simple but really gets the job done, you need look no further!

Is it a beard trimmer? Aha, this is the question. Lots of people use this for their hair, and I’ve even seen professional barbers and hair stylists use it in their shops, but it does an equally good job on facial hair and is marketed as a beard trimmer as well as a clipper.

Features of the Wahl Peanut:

  • Small and portable, it’s just 4 inches long which is amazing for a professional trimmer.
  • 4 different cutting guides ranging from 1/8th to 1/2 inch (not the variation you get elsewhere but suitable for a load of our purposes.
  • Comes with a visible red blade guard to protect.
  • Light! This comes in at just 4 ounces, yep, you heard! This thing is nearly as light as a peanut.
  • Easy to clean and comes with oil and a brush.

So as you can see, it is relatively no frills, but some of us really don’t look for a trimmer that claims it can do our washing up and what this may lack in fancy technology it makes up for in sturdiness, quality and efficiency. The trimmer has that little added guarantee of being made by Wahl who are undeniably one of the best manufacturers out there.

What others have said about the Wahl Peanut:

The following quotes come from customer reviews of the peanut.

“I have been shaving my head for 4 years and have never found something that gives me such a close shave”
“Amazing for travel as it is so light and small, very portable and gets the job done”
“I use the peanut for both my beard and my hair and it does a great job on both”
“I have had mine for 2 years now and I don’t think the blades have perished at all since I bought it”

Price

The RRP of the Peanut is around $50 but it isn’t the newest model around so you can expect to pick it up nowadays at around $30. A great price for a trimmer that is not going to break quickly and will prove good value for money over the years of service it will give you!

Wahl Pocket Pro Review

wahlpocketproThe Pocket Pro is a great addition to their brilliant range of products. It is a pretty straight forward trimmer, which means it suits loads of different purposes, I’ve seen it described as suitable for everything from bikini line trimming to beard trimming to use as a hair clipper. There is also a separate model of pocket pro that is designed specifically for clipping the hair on your pets such as dogs and cats (not to be confused!)

The reason it is called the pocket pro (unsurprisingly) is its size. It will fit in your average sized pocket with ease. It is comfortable and light. Words like ‘pocket sized’ and ‘light’ usually mean one thing; it’s really flimsy! But that isn’t true with the Wahl pocket pro and it is impressively robust for such a little thing, with most buyers pleasantly surprised at the quality of what is a cheap little trimmer.

What to Expect from the Pocket Pro

Okay, I think it is important to work out your expectations before purchasing, and what you’re looking for. If you want the best beard trimmer in the world with huge amounts of features, look elsewhere, but if you’re looking for a great trimmer at a cheap price that is designed to work well whilst being highly portable, the Wahl is not going to let you down. If you have sculpted facial hair and spend a huge amount of time grooming and reshaping then the Pocket Pro might not make your life that easy, but for single length styles and those who want to stay tidy whilst traveling for example, I challenge you to find better value for money!

The Features of the Pocket Pro Include:

  • A perfect handy size for traveling, easily carried in pockets or shower bags.
  • Complete with guides in different lengths to trim to required length.
  • Brush and oil supplied in the packaging for an easy clean.
  • Great battery life making it great for travel.
  • Cordless use.
  • Sharp, stainless steel blades
  • Operates on a single AA battery (included in the packaging)

Price

In the UK where a lot of these trimmers are sold, the retail price is currently around £10 – an absolute snip (if you’ll pardon the pun) that you can even justify buying just as a travel beard trimmer as opposed to your multi use trimmer.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the trimmer does what it says on the tin, and for the price range you probably wont find better. Light yet robust, sharp blades and an easy trim, with great included accessories and an easy clean up operation afterwards. The Wahl gets the thumbs up from me.

Philips Norelco BG2040 BodyGroom Review

norelco bodygroomPhilips are one of the ultimate manufacturers of beard trimmers and their Norelco range is both vast and impressive. In this post, my Philips Norelco BG2040 review, I’ll be looking at a model that is designed to be more of an all in one solution to body hair grooming than some of the others, so does it live up to its name?

Well, the trimmer has been met with rave reviews on Amazon. As I write, well over 800 approved purchasers have given the BG2040 an average of 4 stars out of a maximum of 5, very good even by the high standards of Philips. Lets run down some of the features that have been mentioned and clearly make this a good choice for your shaving, trimming and other grooming needs.

  • This trimmer performs when it comes to every area of bodily hair, people have discussed its use on everything from their face to their back, and even…erm…downstairs, if you’re inclined to use it on more sensitive areas.
  • An extremely impressive battery life means that just an hour in its charging cradle will provide 50 minutes of use. You’ll certainly struggle to beat that elsewhere.
  • Pivoting head that is sure to reach all the contours of your head and body without any irritation.
  • Water resistant so you can even use this in the shower, a useful feature especially for trimming body hair. This feature also makes the clean up operation afterwards very straight forward.
  • Five different lengths for your selection.
  • Rounded blades to avoid scratching or other discomfort.

So what’s the verdict? Well, when it comes to trimming your beard, perhaps one of the other Norelco models might slightly outdo its sidekick here, but this isn’t designed purely for facial hair, it has so many other features that make it far more than that and for the hairier man out there I would strongly recommend this for getting rid of unwanted patches such as back hair, and the fact that you can give it a thorough clean by using wipes or water takes away some of the ‘yuck’ factor of removing hair from some of the more delicate areas and then using on your face. There’s no question that the majority of customers are happy with their purchase, and I can see why with the excellent features on offer, it really is an all-in-one solution.

Price of the BG2040 BodyGroom

Perhaps a slight sticking point for the Norelco is the price, at around $60 there is no denying that there are cheaper on the market, but lets face it, if you were going to be looking at other solutions for other areas such as waxing your back or chest hair then eliminating this expense will justify the initial outlay on the BG2040.

Conclusion

In a short and snappy conclusion I think it is safe to say that for the hairier men out there who would like to shave more than just their beard, this is one of the best options, and comes with the bestbeardtrimmerguide.org seal of approval.

Oh and P.S….

Check out this awesome video someone has created about the Norelco, summarizing its features nicely (helps if you know a little German).