Need a new trimmer!

December 5, 2010 8:51 AM

Hirsute man seeks quality beard trimmer to run across face sans guard.

I don't shave. I find it unpleasant and my skin gets angry if I do it more than once a week. I also don't like how I look shaved. During the warmer months, my standard shaving procedure involves running a beard trimmer over my (dry) face without the guard on. The result -- short yet visible stubble -- is exactly what I want, visually and tactile-y, but I figure I can't be doing anything pleasant to my skin. Is there a particular beard trimmer which is meant for this purpose? I've been doing this for years but, again, I'm afraid I'm doing something terrible to my skin.

The other thing that prompted this question is that I am growing a beard for the cold and my trimmer blows for actual trimming. The speed sucks, so hair keep getting caught and pulled. The guard needs to be kept on with a finger, otherwise it slides down and ruins the beard. The battery barely holds charge anymore. And, it seems that my beard is far too thick for this trimmer to do a decent job. So, I need a new, good trimmer that is hopefully under $50 and can satisfy the pleasant-no-guard-trimming requirement. Availability on the Internet (esp. Amazon) is a plus, but I live in NYC so I can pretty much get my hands on anything.

(Also, any beard-trimming tricks/tips would be appreciated. I'm pretty good at it, but not so great.)

posted by griphus to clothing, beauty, & fashion (10 answers total)

Andis outliner trimmers work very well. They cut close (leaving very short stubble), are powerful enough that they don't pull, and cut hair bluntly to avoid sharp or fragmented ends that will curl back and become ingrown. I have a heavy beard and I can chop it down to a five o'clock shadow look in 8-10 minutes.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 9:05 AM on December 5, 2010

I once received an excellent beard trim from a barber, to which I asked the same question as you.. He told me that he had been using the Andis T-Liners for years.

Amazon also has the spare combs to alter the length.
posted by Glendale at 9:14 AM on December 5, 2010

I haven't tried it, but this inexpensive trimmer is in the same family as what I use and is meant to give you the "stubble" look you're into.
posted by mikeh at 9:32 AM on December 5, 2010 [1 favorite]

Do you mean that particular T-Liner or the line in general, Glendale? I ask because the one you link to has a pivot motor, rather than the standard magnetic motor, and if that makes a big difference.
posted by griphus at 10:29 AM on December 5, 2010

I think mikeh's suggestion might be the way to go. An alternative: I have a Braun shaver and always shave in the evening, so I have some stubble the next day. My hair grows pretty quickly and this is more convenient than shaving in the morning when I am always in a rush.
posted by grouse at 10:42 AM on December 5, 2010

The AC powered Forfex trimmer is good - small and powerful with a long cord and plenty of depth attachments. Ebay (Cross-listed under pet grooming).
posted by acro at 11:26 AM on December 5, 2010

I use this Philips, which is actually marketed for trimming to stubble length without a guard (which is what I do, and which is why I bought it). It's a decent size so it doesn't take forever to do your face, and the simple guard it comes with works well for things that you do want a guard with.

It also runs off of rechargeable battery or mains, which is nice when you go to use it and find the battery dead -- plug it in and use it, and then leave it plugged in to recharge.
posted by mendel at 11:35 AM on December 5, 2010

... which is the same one mikeh recommended. The Philips/Norelco thing threw me.
posted by mendel at 11:37 AM on December 5, 2010

I bought a standard Phillips model, the precursor of ones already flagged in the post, ages ago and it's done a great job trimming my goatee
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:23 PM on December 5, 2010

Griphus, actually I would think the T-liner line in general.. The one that the barber had was actually a little different than the one in my link. He had owned his for years -- maybe this is a new model?

Either way, when I told him I was tired of buying 20 dollar pieces of junk, he told me that Andis was a good brand and I should switch to them..
posted by Glendale at 5:46 PM on December 5, 2010