Rounding up the best Philips beard trimmers, tested by our editors, to guide you to facial fuzz nirvana.
If you’re lucky enough to have grown and maintained a beard, it is now your duty to keep it looking tidy and sharp – seriously, Stig of the Dump is not known for his good looks, so don’t attempt to emulate him. Keeping facial fuzz in pristine condition can be a nightmare, but not if you use one of the best dedicated devices for the task. The best Philips beard trimmers, in our eyes, are the complete package for most of your grooming needs.
From sharp five o'clock shadows reminiscent of David Gandy's heyday to Viking-length wisdom beards that would make Big Daddy Kratos proud, there’s only one true way to tease out a God-tier beard and that’s with a quality device.
The frustration is that not all trimmers are made equally, and some brands have more prestigious pedigree when it comes to looking after your chin wisps. Philips has long been our favourite men's grooming brand for managing our various follicle-related issues, mostly because there's a huge family of great products designed to make your grooming routine as stress-free as possible.
We're sure you've followed our roundups of the best hair clippers, electric shavers and nose hair trimmers with great interest, but if you're looking to find a brand to stay loyal to and call home, then allow us to guide you on a journey through Philips top-tier beard trimmers and keep those trips to the barbershop to a minimum.
What are the best Philips beard trimmers in 2023?
- Best overall Philips beard trimmer: Philips 9000 Prestige Beard Trimmer,
£129£85. At amazon.co.uk - Best Philips multigrooming trimmer: Philips 7-in-1 All-In-One Trimmer Series 3000,
£31£19. At amazon.co.uk - Best Philips travel beard trimmer: Philips OneBlade Pro 360,
£99£64. At amazon.co.uk - Best Philips body hair trimmer: Philips Series 7000,
£91£66. At amazon.co.uk - Best Philips hair clipper: Philips 9000 Pro Precision Clipper,
£85£59. At amazon.co.uk - Best affordable Philips beard trimmer: Philips OneBlade,
£52£36. At amazon.co.uk
Skip to: How we test the best Philips beard trimmer? | What is the best brand of beard trimmer? | What's the difference between a beard trimmer and a hair clipper? | How do you clean a beard trimmer? | What features should I look out for in a beard trimmer? | What are the best grooming items in 2023?
How we test the best Philips beard trimmer?
Before we get going, you can be secure in the knowledge that we wouldn't recommend anything we wouldn't shave with ourselves, so we've meticulously tested every trimmer on this list. Throughout testing, we've assessed the quality of the shave, the ease of use and any additional features or extras that can make shaving easier, like guiding combs, cleaning brushes and travel pouches. Elsewhere, we've compared these factors against the total cost of the device versus its value to make sure we've pointed you in the direction of the best devices for their chosen task.
What is the best brand of beard trimmer?
A quick Google search of the best beard trimmers will throw up a range of brands promising to take good care of your precious beard, but as we've mentioned, some are more adept at this task than others. At GQ, we're big fans of top brands like Braun, BaByliss, Gillette, Wahl, Panasonic and Remington, and there are plenty of great gadgets to admire, but we've got a special spot in our beardy hearts for Philips.
Whether it's trimming your nostril hair, perfecting a skin fade or eradicating your body hair to become as slick as a seal in oil, Philips has you covered with a vast family of gear to cater to almost any grooming need you might have.
What's the difference between a beard trimmer and a hair clipper?
Beard trimmers are, as the name suggests, largely focused on maintaining a solid beard. In all cases, these devices will have sharp, fast-moving blades that sit beneath guiding teeth to coax your beard hair in the right direction to avoid tugging the hair. Beard trimmers often have a decent range of cutting lengths with beard combs and guides, with different lengths, but will stay below 3cm, because there aren't many of us who can grow a Gandalf-esque beard of glory.
On the other hand, hair clippers cater to longer head hair lengths and will usually have guiding combs that deal with anything beyond increments of a few mm. The motors will probably be a little more powerful to contend with thicker, longer hair and they might be corded to maintain that power over a longer trimming session.
Body groomers are an entirely different arm of the men’s grooming routine, but no less vital for it. Eliminating the hair across your body is a bit more of a perilous task, but there are dedicated shavers and trimmers that are purpose-built for this. If you’re after a tool that can do anything you ask of it, then many trimmers are complete grooming kit, with the capability to shave everywhere you need it to without any painful nicks and scratches. Some, like the Panasonic Multishape, can even double up as electric toothbrushes, nose and ear trimmers, or come with self-cleaning and sharpening chargers.
How do you clean a beard trimmer?
Keeping your beard-trimming blades clean and sharp is the key to guaranteeing consistent results, and it couldn't be a simpler task. Most washable beard and nose trimmers below have removable heads that need to be held under a warm tap to clear out gunk and debris from your shave and then pat-dried with a towel. We'd suggest you go through this process every few weeks or so, or at the very most after each shave.
To keep the blades sharp, you'll need to buy blade oil, which should be slathered on and left to work its magic every fortnight. Some devices have self-sharpening blades that don't require the rigamarole, but it's good practice to maintain to ensure you don't get dull blades that result in nicks and tugs in all the wrong places.
What features should I look for in a beard trimmer?
Design - We’re not necessarily concerned with the look of the trimmer here, but the overall design definitely factors in when choosing something new. The ergonomics are an obvious consideration, especially if you’re planning to use it as an intricate shaver to get at the edges of your beard or around your body. Durability should also be something to think about, as it’s going to be knocking around a packed bathroom cabinet and needs to be robust enough to stand up to scrutiny.
Many devices will have LED displays that show you how much battery you’ve got left or may come with detachable heads so you can go from beard trimming to body hair grooming in seconds, too.
Battery life - Depending on your budget, you’ll be presented with two different types of battery power and charging method. Cheaper options will need disposable batteries to be slotted in, which inevitably impacts the run time and has an impact on the environment, but doesn’t then need to be recharged at any point.
Invest a bit more and you’ll arrive at lithium-ion-powered devices that either come with a charging station or have a cable that will need plugging into the wall or a USB port. Going even more expensive, you’ll find models with quick charge features that get you back into the grooming routine faster, with many top-tier options boasting just an hour charge time.
Additional features - As we mentioned above, some of the best models will have multiple detachable heads that can be swapped in and out depending on what task you’re completing. If they aren’t that advanced, it could simply be that they have a few guiding combs to help you tackle longer hair, or a foil cover to double up as a stubble trimmer.
What are the best grooming items in 2023?
if we've inspired you to dive deeper into the world of men's grooming and keeping your unwanted hair under control, then you'll be happy to learn we have plenty of guides, tips and roundups to help you get to grips with clippers, trimmers and shapers.
Beards are one of the most sought-after men's grooming essentials, but if you struggle to keep yours from looking like a bird's nest, you'll need one of the best beard trimmers. Partner that up with some of our favourite nose hair trimmers and that's the bottom half of your head sorted. Next up, a set of the best hair clippers will keep your barnet in check away from your monthly trip to the barbers.
You might be keen to eradicate any unsightly hairs around the rest of your body for when you plan to get your kit off, so our selection of the best body hair trimmers will help you on your way to looking your best.
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Shop GQ’s edit of the best Philips beard trimmers…
1/9Best overall Philips beard trimmer: Philips 9000 Prestige Beard Trimmer
What we liked: Weighty, premium-feel handle | Supreme, alloy-steel blades | Decent battery | 30 cutting lengths
What we didn't like: Often hard to clean | PriceyKey specs
- Accessories: 1 x guiding comb, 1 x travel case
- Battery life: 2 hours
- Charge time: 1 hour
- Cutting length: 0.2-10mm
- Charging method: 3-pin UK plug
- Waterproof: Yes
We've been covering men's grooming tools for a while now, but nothing has garnered quite the same level of popularity as Philips' 9000 Prestige. The clue is in the name here: quality rarely comes from skimping on price, and if you're after a prestige shaving experience, it's the 9000 that will give it to you.
We've tested it over several trimming sessions and we're constantly impressed with how sturdy and weighty the handle feels; like a proper bit of kit your local barber might use to finesse the mightiest of beards. Immediately obvious at an initial glance is the haptic dial wheel to help you select the right cutting length on the fly. You can choo and change as you shave for a textured shave, though you only get one guiding comb to help with longer beards, do keep that in mind.
We love the sense of power we get when trimming with the 9000, slicing through unwanted hair quicker than we can down a perfect pint of Guinness. It's got hours of battery, charges up quickly and will do you proud when it comes to slicing up the flyaways. If you're going to buy a premium trimmer, make it this one.
Read GQ's Philips 9000 Prestige Trimmer review
- 2/9
Best Philips multigrooming trimmer: Philips 7-in-1 All-In-One Trimmer Series 3000
What we liked: Affordably priced | 7 grooming tools including a nose hair trimmer | Skin-safe blades
What we didn't like: 10 hour recharge time | Low batteryKey specs
- Accessories: 1 x guiding comb, 1 x cleaning brush
- Battery life: 45 minutes
- Charge time: 10 hours
- Cutting length: 0.5-10mm
- Charging method: 3-pin UK plug
- Waterproof: Yes
Sometimes your beard-trimming routine incorporates more than just the growth on your chin. If your hair is getting a bit out of control elsewhere, like your nose, eyebrows, on top of your head or around your body, then the Philips Series 3000 has you completely covered.
You can basically complete seven different tasks from the same handle, with a wealth of additional combs and heads to slice through the difficulty of maintaining a proper beard. It's got 10 length settings that can be adjusted mid-shave with the dial wheel, and its low price point makes it an excellent stop-gap between trips to the barber.
If we had to gripe, it would be on the battery, which is frustratingly short for a full-body trim and takes a whopping 10 hours to get back up to full charge. This is definitely the sort of trimmer you want to keep plugged in when not in use.
- 3/9
Best Philips travel beard trimmer: Philips OneBlade Pro 360
What we liked: Great travel shaver | Cheap replacement heads | LED display
What we didn't like: Expensive | Doesn't excel at trimming longer beardsKey specs
- Accessories: 1 x blade replacement, 14-length comb, 1 x extra stainless steel Replacement Blade Head, 1 x skin guard, 1 x body comb, charging stand, travel case
- Battery life: 2 hours
- Charge time: 1 hour
- Cutting length: 0.4-10mm
- Charging method: 3-pin UK plug
- Waterproof: Yes
This is the most recent beard trimmer we've been testing and it's among our favourites already, largely because it's a quick and versatile trimmer for getting the job done in a pinch. The upgraded brushed-metal handle feels weighty and solid as we gracefully glide around our jaw, with the blade heads oscillating at over 1,200 motions a minute for a guaranteed smooth shave.
Got a planned trip coming up? Keep the beard tame throughout, as the Pro 360 is one of the best travel-friendly models around, with a travel lock to stop it suspiciously vibrating in transit, and a case to keep things safe and secure.
The heads are designed to last roughly four months, but replacements are affordable and quick to pop on and off, keeping ongoing costs down for this £130 trimmer. It's also not best suited to longer beards, as the guides only stretch to 10mm. However, if you're working with short stubble, thinner beards or after a close shave away from the wet razor, this is one of the best options around.
Read GQ's OneBlade Pro 360 review
- 4/9
Best Philips hair clipper: Philips 9000 Pro Precision Clipper
What we liked: Huge cutting length range | Precision trimming | Self-sharpening blades | Can be used cordless | LED display
What we didn't like: Better suited to hair clipping than beard trimming | Bulky designKey specs
- Accessories: 1 x 1-7mm comb attachment, 1 x 7, 24mm comb attachment, 1 x 24-42mm comb attachment
- Battery life: 2 hours
- Charge time: 1 hour
- Cutting length: 1-42mm
- Charging method: 3-pin UK plug
- Waterproof: No
Not to be confused with the Philips 9000 Prestige beard trimmer further up, the 9000 Precision clipper is the sort of device you'd find in a top barber's must-have kit. It's easily one of the best hair clippers around for chopping your mop at home, but it's also pretty swish at dealing with longer beards to secure that perfectly faded, textured facial hair of your dreams.
There's plenty of tech built-in to make your shaving experience as smooth as possible, with a turbo boost that doubles the cutting speed to slice through your follicles like a ninja on steroids, though do be careful with this setting if you're tidying your beard, as it has a tendency to snag if you're too cavalier. You get a staggering 400 lengths to choose from that can be set as you shave for greater customisation, and the battery charge time is wonderfully rapid.
- 5/9
Best Philips body hair trimmer: Philips Series 7000
What we liked: Capable of handling a full-body shave | Plenty of cutting length options | Sturdy handle
What we didn't like: Short-ish battery life | Motor is not as powerful as we'd likeKey specs
- Accessories: 1 x cleaning brush, 1 x storage pouch
- Battery life: 80 minutes
- Charge time: 1 hour
- Cutting length: 3-11mm
- Charging method: 3-pin UK plug
- Waterproof: Yes
Chances are, if you're concerned about keeping your beard in check, you'll likely want to manage hair across the rest of your body as well. Thankfully, Philips is aware of the issues that arise from using a traditional beard trimmer on your chest or legs, so it made the Series 7000, a multi-grooming dream that can handle two different tasks from the same device.
We loved using the dual head design, which has a foil head on one side for a close shave and a typical blade trimmer on the other to cut down on the longer parts of your body. It offers the perfect balance between cutting down your beard length along your cheeks and then eradicating stubble on your neck or cheeks in one go, and results for us were always top tier. You can adjust the length of your trim as you shave, and it's waterproof for a total shower shave across all the areas of your body that might concern you.
The battery is firmly mid in our opinion, and the motor isn't quite as impressive to keep you going through thicker hair across both shaving heads, but those with thinner beards or if you're keeping on top of a few hairy areas, you should be good to go.
- 6/9
Best Philips beard trimmer for stubble and short beards: Philips OneBlade Hybrid
What we liked: Super affordable | Replacement heads are cheap | Great for detailing and short stubble
What we didn't like: Won't deal with longer beards | Really long rechargeKey specs
- Accessories: 3 x skin-safe guiding combs, 1 x replacement head, 1 x travel case
- Battery life: 45 minutes
- Charge time: 8 hours
- Cutting length: 1, 3, 5mm
- Charging method: 2-pin plug
- Waterproof: Yes
A body-trimming upgrade to the original OneBlade, the Hybrid offers more versatility to your grooming arsenal for only a few more quid, turning it into a properly good trimmer for short hair and stubble. The trimmer heads are flat, with oscillating blades on the top and bottom that slice through the hair quickly for an incredibly close and precise shave. Each head pops off quickly with a pop clutch, though we'd argue it's not a solid option if your beard is longer than 5mm, as you'll be flying solo with no guide to help you.
However, away from its length limitations, it's a great buy for the price, excelling at detailing styled stubble and close shaves, as well as handily dealing with chest and body hair if that's your bag. We'd suggest keeping this fairly close to a two-pin plug, as the battery leaves a lot to be desired and it's an eight-hour wait to top it back up.
- 7/9
Best Philips nose hair trimmer: Philips Series NT5000
What we liked: Precision trimmer for nose and ear hair and detailing | Battery-operated | Waterproof
What we didn't like: Won't handle proper beard trimming | Cheap-ish materialKey specs
- Accessories: 1 x Detail trimmer attachment, 1 x Eyebrow comb, 1 x 3mm precision comb, 1 x 5mm precision comb, 1 x Travel pouch
- Battery life: Up to 1 hour
- Charge time: N/A
- Cutting length: N/A
- Charging method: Battery powered
- Waterproof: Yes
The oft-forgotten aspect of beard trimming is tidying up edges, sideburns and those little whiskers that protrude from your nostrils that are simply unsightly. Philips has you covered in this regard with the NT5000, a nose hair trimmer with the chops to keep your nose squeaky clean and feeling fine.
The NT5000 is a battery-operated shaver with guiding teeth to lift the unwanted hair and slice it off without pulling or nicking your skin. We found it surprisingly comfortable to stick a blade up your nose, who knew? There are various heads to tackle other follicle issues, like trimming your eyebrows, ear hair and detailing your sideburns and other short stubble with confidence, though we'd suggest you don't tackle longer beards with it if you can help it.
Given its affordable price tag, slimline design and use of AA batteries, it's a solid travel companion if maintaining short stubble and nose hair is your game, and it comes with its own dinky storage pouch to protect your luggage from runaway hair debris.
Read GQ's Philips NT500 nose hair trimmer review
- 8/9
Best affordable Philips beard trimmer: Philips OneBlade
What we liked: Affordably priced | Great travel option | Solid trimmer for stubble
What we didn't like: Not great for longer beards | DisposableKey specs
- Accessories: 3 x guiding combs
- Battery life: 45 minutes
- Charge time: 8 hours
- Cutting length: 1-5mm
- Charging method: 2-pin plug
- Waterproof: Yes
More than a few Philips trimmers cost significantly more than a few trips to the barber, so if it's budget-friendly options you're after, you won't find many better than the original OneBlade. Where it lacks in specs, it more than makes up for in sheer value for money and no-frills performance where stubble is concerned.
There's almost no versatility when it comes to features, it's ostensibly a motor with a blade on the end, so it does the basics with confidence and not much more, which is fine if you've only got £30 to spend on a trimmer.
So what do you get? Three guiding combs to contend with 1-5mm of length and a 2-pin plug to top up the battery within eight hours. The actual blade is the same flat plate on all other OneBlade models, so it is well suited for close shaves and detailing. It's waterproof and semi-adept at dealing with longer hair if you've got a steady hand and an eye for straight lines without guidance, but through our testing, this does require a fair amount of practice.
- 9/9
Most basic Philips beard trimmer: Philips Series 1000
What we liked: Affordable price | Small form factor makes it easy to use | Easy to clean
What we didn't like: Not the most powerful device | Can't cope with longer beardsKey specs
- Accessories: 1 x Foil shaver attachment, 1 x 1mm comb, 1 x 3mm comb, 1 x 5mm comb, 1 x Cleaning brush, 1 x AA battery
- Battery life: 1 hour
- Charge time: N/A
- Cutting length: Up to 21mm
- Charging method: N/A
- Waterproof: Yes
Not all beard trimmers cost as much as an economy flight to Paris, some are affordable and do a perfectly good job of maintaining shorter beards without the glam and pizzazz of pricier models, thank you very much.
Philips' affordable sets don't come more basic than the Series 1000, but there's nothing wrong with basic when the device does what it needs to this well. We love how thin and small the handle is, making it a surprisingly nimble tool for getting under the chin, inside the nostril or around your edges with agility. The head can be removed quickly to clip on different heads for your various tasks – beard trimming, nose hair clipping or with an additional guidance comb – which also makes it a dream to clean. Our bathroom rarely resembles a graveyard for hair when we use this one.
It's reasonably cheap to run, thanks to the required AA battery power source, and it can deal with up to 21mm of length so short beards are open for trimming here. Sure, it's cheap and it doesn't have too many features to write home about, but a cheap and cheerful trimmer to keep the wisps at bay is nothing to sniff at.
