It’s important as men to look sharp. It’s called the Halo effect. If you look good, people assume you are good, and naturally think you’re more charming, competent and likable than you might actually be!
That’s why it’s really important to make sure your hair and beard is on point. A huge part of looking good is being well groomed, and a huge part of being well groomed is having the right tools for the job. As we all know, having the right tools for the job at hand makes it so much easier to get a good result.
That’s why it’s important as a modern man to buy a high-quality grooming kit that will last for ages and make you look as handsome and manly as you deserve.
Things to consider before buying a groomer
When you’re buying a groomer, there’s four major things you want to look at. If you pay attention to these four things, then no matter what you buy, it’s guaranteed to be a good choice.
- The Blades
The blades are what’s in contact with your face. It’s what actually cuts the hair. Sounds obvious, but some people…
So it stands to reason the better quality the blades, the better quality trim or cut you’re going to get. You’re going to want to look for a groomer with high carbon steel or titanium edged blades.
These types of blade hold and edge far longer than conventional steel, and most of the time don’t even need sharpening.
- The Motor
The motor drives the blades. It’s what makes the whole thing work. Just as if you don’t have good blades, you don’t get a good cut, if you don’t have a decent motor driving the blades, you won’t get any sort of trim.
Generally, when it comes to the motor, the more powerful, the better. Bear in mind that the stronger the motor, the more power it’ll need, so a more powerful motor could put more strain on the battery.
- The Battery
The latest tech when it comes to batteries is lithium ion. More and more high-end trimmers and groomers are switching to lithium ion because the difference in performance is huge.
Firstly, you get more power out of it in general, which means you can run a more powerful motor.
Second, despite giving out more power, lithium ion batteries run for far longer than conventional batteries, up to twice as long in some cases.
Third, lithium ion batteries can be quick charged. In some groomers, as little as 5 minutes on charge can give enough usage time to get a quick shave in.
- The Accessories
Finally, you’re going to want to pay attention to what comes with the groomer you’re buying.
There’s a lot of options out there, from professional guard comb kits, barbers combs, professional level scissors, and even mini detailing trimmer sets.
Styles vary, and it’s important to know that you’re getting everything you need in your kit, whatever you end up buying. There’s nothing worse than buying a brand new toy, waiting excitedly by the door for it to arrive, then not having what you need to use it.
Wahl Stainless Steel Lithium Ion+ Beard and Nose Trimmer for Men, Hair Clippers, Detail Shaver, Rechargeable, All in One Men's Grooming Kit - Model 9818
Features
- All In One Beard Trimmer - Includes 3 multipurpose attachments that are perfect for all facial hair and beard styles: T-Blade, Rotary Personal Trimmer, and Detail Trimmer. Perfect for touching up haircuts, trimming ear & nose areas, and beard trimming for a complete grooming system
- Self-sharpening precision blades - Includes patented technology for superior cutting for all hair types & lengths. The blades are long lasting for outstanding performance in a hair and beard trimmer.
- Cordless Rechargeable - Beard trimmer for men is equipped with a long-running lithium-ion rechargeable battery that lasts up to 3.5 hours on a full 1-hour charge and has a 1-minute quick charge for 3 minutes of use.
- Interchangeable Trimmer Heads - T-Blade for beards and mustache trimming, haircut touchups, body grooming, and detailing. The precision detail trimmer head is for details, clean up, and complex designs. The rotary trimmer head is perfect for ear and nose hair trimming.
- 9 Individual Guide Combs –allows for a wide variety of cutting lengths with included guide combs. Featuring 8 T-blade guide combs for beard trimming from short (1/16”) to long (1/2”) and a 10-position adjustable guide comb ranging from 2mm-11mm
We’ve actually already reviewed the Wahl 9818 Lithium Ion Groomer. It came second in our list of top Wahl trimmers and groomers, and we liked it so much that we thought it deserved it’s own review.
The Wahl Lithium ion 9818 is the top of the range beard trimmer from Wahl. There’s only one trimmer that even matches up, and that’s the sister trimmer to this one. Wahl are known for their professional level products and hundred year long haircutting heritage, so when you’re buying their best, you know you’re going to be getting quality.
As it’s their flagship hair and beard trimmer, Wahl packed the 9818 full of features. It comes with enough that you shouldn’t ever need to buy anything else for it, and its strong battery and top quality motor deliver a powerful, consistent cut on a machine that will last you years.
Pros
Cons
- Patented Wahl blades, made of precision ground carbon steel
- Lithium ion + battery. Twice the torque of standard batteries
- Multiple attachments.
- 13 lengths of guide comb, for any style
- 4 hours, 240 minutes, of run time.
- American made.
- A nice zippered case to keep it all in
- This doesn’t come with a full-size shaving head like the 9864 trimmer. If you want a close shave with it, you’ll need to pick one of those up
- Occasional snarl when it comes to the power button or battery, but covered by Wahl’s 5-year warranty
Features and benefits
There’s a lot to love about this groomer, including
- The Blades
The blades are Wahl’s patented precision ground carbon steel professional blades. They should never need maintenance, as they’re self-sharpening, and some people who have owned this trimmer for several years report that it’s just kept on trucking.
The cut is also fantastic. The amount of power the battery delivers means it carves through even the thickest and most tangled hairs with no issues. I found that there was no pulling or snarling like I’d got with cheaper grooming kits.
It’s also got enough options and attachments for any style. No matter how crazy you go with your hair, this will deal with what you need.
- The Battery
Wahl’s Lithium ion 2.0 edition battery design is beyond par. It lasts forever, giving you around four hours of grooming time, and some users have said it took several weeks of use after it came out of the box for it to need a recharge.
Oh, yeah. It comes precharged in the box, which is handy.
The battery delivers twice the torque of a standard battery, which makes a big difference in the level of the trim you get. Just turning it on you can feel the power of it in your hand. It thrums along like an industrial engine, and using it is a dream. You get fantastic trimming time after time, and full power from the battery from full charge all the way down to the last little spurt of juice.
Handily, you can also get 3 minutes of power from just one minute of charging, so if you’ve forgotten to charge your trimmer and you’re panicking because you look like a hobo, you don’t need to worry.
The unit also accepts worldwide voltages, so no matter where you’re traveling to, it’s got you covered.
- Robust Design
The body of the groomer is stainless steel, and it’s reassuringly heavy. I got the feeling that I could drop this thing, watch it bounce off of the stone tiles of my bathroom floor and it’d still keep on chugging.
It’s reassuring to know that it’s a solid piece of kit, because as we all know, as much as we might try to keep our stuff protected, in a gym bag or when we’re traveling accidents happen. Even if it does break, the whole thing is covered by Wahl’s 5-year warranty, so you’ll always be able to send it back.
It’s made in America, too. So if you do have to send it back, no waiting 8 weeks for it to get to China. I’ve heard great things about Wahl’s customer service, too. Apparently, the phones are all answered by actual people. Not robots or caller systems. How ’bout that.
- Comprehensive Accessory Kit
The kit comes with four separate detachable heads to deal with every situation.
You get a T-blade, which is good for normal haircuts and trimming. A detail shaver, which is the shaving head attachment and also a dab hand at outlining. A tiny detail trimmer for precise control and detailing of your beard or sideburns, and an ear and nose trimmer.
You also get a charging cable, a bunch of guide combs, an actual comb, cleaning brush and blade oil, and a nice zippered carrying case to keep it all in.
Alternatives
While this is a great grooming and trimming kit, there are other options available that do as good a job.
Braun MG5090 Men's Electric Shaver / Styler / Trimmer, 3-in-1 Ultimate Hair Clipper, Wet & Dry
Features
- The extra wide shaver head is equipped with a flexible SmartFoil, for a smooth and clean shave in only few strokes
- Simply adjust the Click&Lock comb to trim hair to 4 exact lengths (1.2mm, 2.8mm, 4.4mm, 6mm). All you need, always precise. The 1.2mm comb is especially designed to give you this 3-day-beard look
- The twistable trimmer with a narrow and a wide side gives you precise control over your beard contours. Define lines and edges, no matter how detailed they are
- Use in the shower for convenience. Rinse with running water for easy cleaning (certified to IPX7 standard)
- A full charge takes only 1 hour and gives you 30 minutes of cordless performance. A 5 minutes quick charge is already enough for 1 trim.An LED light informs about charging status
The Braun is a much more self-contained unit. The extra wide shaver head has Braun’s smartfoil coating, which gives a closer, cleaning shave. It’s got a built-in detailing trimmer, which folds out from the unit itself, and the easy to snap on guide comb gives you four settings that give you exact lengths, time after time.
It’s also fully waterproof and adjusts itself to any worldwide voltage. 30 minutes of power and a 5-minute quick charge round out a solid package.
Philips Norelco BT7215/49, Vacuum Beard Trimmer Series 7200, Cordless Lithium-Ion Mustache and Beard Groomer for Men - NO BLADE OIL NEEDED
Features
- The integrated vacuum system catches up to 90% of cut hair for less mess. The high-velocity motor and fan system creates powerful suction to lift and capture hairs
- With innovative lift & trim technology, the trimmer effectively lifts and guides hairs for a more efficient cut
- The self-sharpening steel blades are designed to effectively cut each hair perfectly, preventing skin irritation, and are double sharpened to cut more hairs in every pass for faster trimming
- The trimmer offers 20 built-in length settings, so you can select your preferred trim length by simply turning the zoom wheel until the length you want is displayed from 0.5mm - 10mm
- Advanced lithium-ion battery delivers maximum power for high performance cutting. Charge your beard trimmer for 1 hour to get 80 minutes of cordless use. It can also be used while charging
If you’re tired of the cleanup after every trim, then this trimmer by Philips Norelco is ideal. It’s got a built-in hair vacuum that catches up to 90% of the hair it cuts off of your face, making cleanup so much easier.
It’s also got a huge 20 length settings, so no matter what your style, this has it covered. Regarding downsides, though, you only get the shaver and a couple of guides with this kit.
Then there’s this. The number one choice in our Wahl trimmers review.
The reason we picked the Wahl 9916 as the number one? It’s a consistently great little machine that gives excellent trims and shaves, at a really impressive price. It’s so much cheaper than the other systems we’ve reviewed here, so if price is a major issue for you, but you still want to get a decent little grooming set for your money, this is the best choice.
Conclusion
This trimmer deserves all the accolades and positive reviews it has. It’s a solid, receptive piece of kit that makes trimming easier than ever, never really has any problems, and dare I say it, even makes shaving fun.
It was so simple and quick to use that I found myself looking forward to my daily shave. If you’re in the market for a top class hair trimming/grooming kit that does everything you could ever want it to and does it well, this is the one.
Loved the article? Why not check out more of our beard articles or if you want, you can see more from beard trimmers
