In search of a good beard trimmer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Over the past year or so, some people have grown what’s known as a quarantine beard. No need to shave if you’re not leaving your house, right?

But as we inch back to normal, looking like an untamed beast may not work anymore. A solution (and possibly a great Father’s Day gift) could be a beard trimmer. And, with so many choices out there, Consumer Reports put them to the test.

“The most important part of a beard trimmer is the blades. So, look for a model with strong, sharp blades made of stainless steel or titanium, which you should be able to find on the packaging,” explained Consumer Reports’ Laura Murphy.

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Consumer Reports recently gave a couple of dozen people donning some scruffy facial hair a beard trimmer to use and share some very honest feedback about their experiences.

“Participants tended to not like trimmers with lots of small, flimsy parts, that were a pain to clean, or had short battery life,” said Murphy.

Beard trimmers the participants tended to like were fully washable, had a travel lock, and felt sturdy and durable.

Two stand-out favorites:

Consumer Reports says both trimmers scored high marks in operation, basic features, and usability. (Find out what the test participants thought of other beard trimmers.)

One other thing to note: While YouTube beard trimming video tutorials can be useful, most of Consumer Reports’ volunteers said they preferred clear, easy-to-follow instructions provided by the manufacturer.