Some men use a trimmer simply to maintain a short stubble look. For some men it is essential as it gives allows safe shaving for sensitive skin and ingrown hairs, while others use a trimmer to cut down a longer beard for efficient and easy shaving later. Trimmers and clippers are closely related. We would like to consider the difference between the two in terms of usage and functions.
Beard Trimmer and Hair Clipper- Differences in Usage
Beard trimmers and Hair clippers are closely related. The main difference is the guide or blade size and length. Clippers are used to cut longer hair and most come with attachments to adjust the length of the hair. Trimmers may or may not have attachments and have thinner blades to work with finer details and shorter hair. They are also used for areas around the neck, and chin.
Clippers are usually used for haircuts and don’t cut very closely, however they are also used for thinning the overgrowth of a beard to make way for the trimmer or shaver for easy shaves; this job however, can also be done with trimmer that comes with a bigger attachment. Clippers will make it easier to prepare for the final cut and an smooth finish.
Trimmers are not designed to work with thick hair but rather for finer details. Some trimmers have the ability to cut the hair very close. When my beard grows long enough, after a brief break from the shaving routine, I usually use a trimmer before I pick up my shaver. For maximum results, I simply remove the guard in order to get the hair length slashed to a 5 o’clock shadow. This makes it a lot easier for my shaver to clear the remaining area. (be careful, without it’s guard, a trimmer can be a little tricky around the Adam’s apple).
Trimmers can work efficiently, but not close enough to avoid using a shaver, if you want to look neatly shaved. Apart from trimming the moustache and edging the beard, you can also use your trimmer as an alternative to a shaver if you have sensitive skin, ingrown hairs or acne prone skin. Using a trimmer is the best way to overcome such issues, but the result will obviously not be as close as a shaver. Of course some men simply like the idea of having the short stubble look and simply use a trimmer instead of a shaver to achieve that result.
Checkout our list of Best beard trimmer and clipper for men based on consumer reports.
What to look for in a trimmer
- Look for a hypoallergenic blade. As mentioned earlier, many men would use a trimmer over shavers that shave very close due to sensitive skin, acne or ingrown hair. A Trimmer such as Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S trimmer comes with hypoallergenic blade to fight irritation. Look for a trimmer that will help reduce irritation and friction impact. Blades made of Titanium or stainless steel will give best results.
- Hassle free? You may want to consider buying a vacuum beard trimmer like the Phillips Norelco QT4070/41 beard trimmer 7300, one of the best selling trimmers in the market for a hassle free and brilliant finish.
- Freedom! Look for Wet and dry functionality with a single comb attachment. Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S has 19 length settings with a single comb attachment that will save you from the hassle of changing the attachment and allow you the freedom to go wet or dry.
- Get everything in one package. You may want to consider a Trimmer that comes with a Clipper for extra efficiency and accessories like a finger ring, blade guard etc. Check out the Wahl Peanut Professional Clipper & Trimmer.
- All in one. Some trimmers don’t have an adjustable comb. It is always better to have trimmer that allows you the control you want. Look for a trimmer with an adjustable comb so that you can efficiently design your beard, edge your moustache or keep short stubble all the time as per your needs.