The good news is there are a lot of good beard trimmers out there. Around half of the 12 products we tested do a very decent job of keeping your face neat and tidy with minimal fuss but there are some, in particular, that stand out. Finding your perfect beard trimmer depends very much on the look you’re trying to maintain but the number one requirement, no matter what style you’re going for, is that it can cut consistently to the same length without thinning the hair out or pulling at it. The last thing you want is to come away with a patchy beard. At the other end of the scale is Panasonic’s ER-GB96, which not only comes with three separate adjustable comb attachments (plus one for more intricate detailing) but each one can be adjusted in half-millimetre increments using its heavy duty barrel-style control. If you can’t find your ideal length with that level of adjustment there’s no helping you. The Remington MB4045 beard trimmer is a versatile grooming tool designed to maintain different facial hair styles with ease. With a minimum hair length of 1 mm and a maximum hair length of 35 mm, this trimmer allows for precise trimming to achieve a desired look. It offers three trimming styles, including long beard, short beard, and stubble look, catering to various preferences. For longer beards, trimmers with comb-style attachments that have discrete pointed teeth (such as the Panasonic ER-GB96 or Remington MB4045) tend to be better suited to drawing out the longer hair as they cut

Finally, we considered what accessories come with the trimmers. Some are very basic. The Remington Endurance Groomer, for example, doesn’t even come with a proper charger, just a USB adaptor that allows you to plug it into a compatible plug or port. It does, however, come with a carry case, which a lot of the others don’t. We settled on 7mm (or the closest each trimmer could get to it) and tested each one for effectiveness and efficiency. Does it consistently cut to the correct length? And how many times do you need to run it over your beard before it’s done a satisfactory job? Beard trimmers differ from electric shavers in one main way: rather than a foil that you press right up against your skin to cut the hair at the very base, a beard trimmer has a row of exposed cutting teeth. This can be covered with a protective guard attachment and adjusted to increase the distance between the blades and your skin, allowing you to trim your beard to the desired length. Cultivating a beard is a bit like looking after your garden; neglect it and things will soon start to get out of hand. But tending to it isn’t just about attention, it also requires the right tools.

BEARD GROOMING KIT

While they’ve all been put through the same rigorous tests as usual, the difference is that we’ve compared and contrasted each model, listing the ones you should buy and the ones you shouldn’t.

Oh, and it buzzes like a swarm of angry hornets, so you might want to buy your family some earplugs. The ones to avoid Designed for strength and superior cutting performance, the Remington MB4045 Trim, Shape, Style Beard Kit with beard trimmer includes Titanium coated, self-sharpening blades and high quality for long lasting results. The first time you open the box of the Wahl 4-in-1 Multigroomer can be a bit daunting. Not only does it come with 12 comb attachments, there are also four different blade heads, so just working out what you need to fit to it before you can start trimming your beard takes a while. Remington’s MB4045 Beard Kit is designed for maintaining a beard your most tattooed local barista would be proud of.

QUICK-RELEASE BLADE

Could they adequately accommodate moustaches and sideburns? Or would you end up having to buy something else to deal with the details? And when you take the attachment off, could the unguarded blades cope with tidying up the edges? Because every beard is different, this advanced piece of kit includes a selection of 3 combs to ensure complete versatility when grooming and shaping your facial hair. The XL Beard Comb is the master of taming longer length beards with length ranging from 20mm & 35mm, also included is an adjustable Beard Comb with lengths ranging from 1.5mm & 18mm. As well as this, there is a Stubble Comb with lengths ranging from 1mm & 5mm, so you can select just the right setting to complete your look.