Men's Topics

More manly topics. Beard (and other facial hair) grooming!

Beards have become a “thing” for men.

But beards bring a ton of added expenses – scissors, beard conditioner, mustache wax, etc.  In fact, I even attempted my own beard for a few weeks until I had to give a big customer presentation and it wasn’t quite ready for prime time. Luckily, my beard timing fell right in line with an opportunity to review the latest grooming product from Philips Norelco: Philips Norelco Vacuum Beard, Stubble and Mustache Trimmer Pro. NOTE: Philips Norelco provided me with a free trimmer (model 4070) to test and keep for this review.

This is now my 4^th Norelco product that I’ve reviewed, so you would think I’d be a hairless baby by now! How many different products does one man (or woman, as they can work for you too) need? I have the awesome electric shaver, the do-it-yourself haircut kit (I use monthly or more often), the men’s body grooming kit (which has 3 types of shavers/trimmers on 2 ends) and now the facial hair trimmer.

So, couldn’t I just get by with beard trimming with the electric razor and the body trimmer? Well, in a way, yes, but I don’t think I want to use the body trimmer on my face if its meant for my body.  And the electric shaver doesn’t have the ability to trim a beard to different lengths, even though it does include a little trimmer for sideburns and other “edging”.

Product Features

This section is copied from Amazon.com

The only stubble trimmer with a vacuum system, the Philips Norelco Vacuum Stubble and Beard Trimmer Pro makes it easy to trim your facial hair without leaving a mess in the sink. Equipped with multiple length settings, an adjustable comb, a turbo power button that boosts the cutting speed, and a multifunctional display, this trimmer offers everything you need for an even, precise cut. For convenience, the trimmer includes a lithium-ion battery for long-lasting cordless use and quick charges.

• Integrated vacuum system – vacuum system captures cut hairs for mess-free trimming
• 18 secured length settings from 1/32 inch up to 23/32 inch (1mm up to 18mm)
• 1/64 inch (.5mm) stubble setting
• Turbo power boost button – boosts cutting and fan speed
• Multifunctional display for battery status and hair length

Vacuum it up! Clean shaving…

But the beard trimmer has an awesome feature that I didn’t expect: a VACUUM! Yes, you turn on the trimmer, dial up the length, and, if you want, hit another button to turn on a mini-vacuum to suck up the hairs as you trim your beard. The hair goes into a little see-through containment area with an easy open door to empty and clean.

I didn’t let my beard get long enough to really see how well it trimmed, but I did evened out the length with good results. But the best showing of how good of a trimmer it is is when I trimmed off my entire beard down to a shave-able stubble. I used the vacuum, and it worked almost perfectly except for a few stray hairs I found around the sink. It was unbelievable how much facial hair collected in that vacuum area too! I also liked the slick “hidden” LED screen that shows the length of the trimmer when you twist the trimmer head extender.

So basically, if you have a beard and like to keep it trimmed, and also like to have a clean vanity area, I’d recommend this product. While I got rid of my beard and don’t expect to grow it back, I know someone in my family who would definitely get a lot of use out of it (Dad!).

More Reviews Here!

Okay, if you’re looking for more information about which shaver is best, the researchers at Groom+Style have tested a wide range of beard trimmers and created a detailed review which you can check out here.