Recommendations for a cordless beard trimmer please.

November 26, 2008 7:55 AM

I need a cordless beard trimmer that has certain features.

I have a portable beard trimmer. You know the kind, small and cordless, needs to be plugged in regularly to recharge and takes a couple of hours to actually charge. Great, I plug it in regularly to recharge, it works, yay, there's one more handsome and neatly groomed guy in the world.

Sometime though, I forget to recharge it regularly and run out of power in the middle of trimming the beard. Naturally, this happens right before an important social or work function, so I'm left hacking away at the beard with hair trimmers and the results are never as good with a beard trimmer

So, what would you recommend as good, portable beard trimmer that can either A.)recharge insanely fast (say 15 minutes) or B) when plugged into an outlet to recharge will still work? It should also have attachments for different beard lengths and other facial grooming.

Summing it up, I need a beard trimmer that will:

1. Be cordless

2. Rechargeable

3. Work as normal when plugged in to be recharged, for emergency situations when the charge is too low.

4. Have attachments for different beard lengths, from 5'oclock shadow to thick, but not overly long.

5. Have attachments for other facial grooming.

6. I don't care what it costs

7. Shaving the beard off is not an option.

ADDED BONUS: It shaves really close on the part where you don't want hair.

posted by Brandon Blatcher to technology (13 answers total)

I just bought one today, so it ought to have a discharged battery. I can let you know tonight if it works via AC power, because I'm going to test it out.
posted by knave at 8:02 AM on November 26, 2008

We have a Wahl trimmer that works when plugged into the outlet and has a variety of attachments for different lengths of trimming. I don't know how long it takes to trim a beard, or how often you do it, but we've left it in the closet, uncharged, for weeks and it still holds a 15-20 minute charge.
posted by desjardins at 8:24 AM on November 26, 2008

Here's my low-tech simple answer: I use a Norelco that runs on AA batteries. I usually use rechargeables, but those times when I'm caught without, I just put in regular batteries. Recharge the batteries and put them back in; pull the non-rechargeables out and set them aside for the next time. If you have the presence of mind to keep a set of batteries handy, there's your solution. It's also inexpensive (I know you're less concerned about that).
posted by pmurray63 at 8:43 AM on November 26, 2008

I have this, or more precisely, the same model with less crap and different casing that was made two years ago. I use it in three modes - the first is to trim off neck beard. It doesn't go as close as an electric shaver, but it's not that far off. The second is with the shortest beard trimmer attachment on it to level nearly everything else out. The final way is to lightly trim/layer my mustache. It works admirably for all those things. The motor is strong, the blades are sharp. It leaves beard trimmed but not dinged up. Charge lasts for quite a while - I'm PRETTY sure it runs when plugged in, but I've never had an emergency.

I used to have a Norelco. I cannot say enough bad things about it. The blades aren't all that sharp. It clogs easily. The charge doesn't last. The nose hair trimmer is junk. The motor is weak. The button to release the head for switching them out is incredibly easy to hit by mistake. The wall wart died completely dead, dead, dead after half a year or so. It was totally NOT worth following through on warrantee. You can't polish a turd.
posted by plinth at 9:23 AM on November 26, 2008

I have a trimmer that is chargeable, but will also run (and at full power/speed) when plugged into the wall. Trims well, has good attachments. I think it's a Braun, but I'll check when I get home. (MefiMail me if I forget to post here later.)
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 9:32 AM on November 26, 2008

I have the same thing as plinth, I was just too lazy to hunt down a link to it.
posted by desjardins at 10:16 AM on November 26, 2008

My Wahl does this.
posted by Ironmouth at 10:16 AM on November 26, 2008

I, too, have the Wahl that plinth has. I usually only plug it in when I trim the beard; sometimes, I'll accidentally hit the "on" button before I plug it in, and it'll start whirring away, and I'll be all surprised, as I've forgotten that it also functions as a portable trimmer. The settings are easy to click between and have a variety of lengths (I actually use two different lengths for different parts of my face), and when the length-regulator is removed entirely, it gets reasonably close to the skin (not as close as a real razorblade, but good enough in a pinch). I mainly bought it just 'cause it was relatively cheap, but it's held up just fine for the last couple years with only a tiny bit of maintenance (a wee spritz of WD-40 on the blade and a quick wipedown every couple of months).
posted by Greg Nog at 10:33 AM on November 26, 2008

My Remington MB-300 fits the bill. Runs direct off A/C power, has decent bettery life. I've been using mine for 6 months and have been happy with it.
posted by chrisamiller at 11:30 AM on November 26, 2008

Followup to my earlier comment, I have this guy, and it works on AC power. Also, it did a pretty good job.
posted by knave at 2:55 PM on November 26, 2008

Boyzone!
posted by BeerFilter at 3:22 PM on November 26, 2008

Mine's a Conair. Don't know the model, but I believe I got it on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 3:41 PM on November 26, 2008

Final link - mine is a Wahl 9876. It does indeed run with the charger plugged in. As an added bonus, the battery is a 1.2V NiCd, removable and looks to be the standard C cell size, which means it should be easily replaceable when it dies.
posted by plinth at 4:41 PM on November 26, 2008