to 18mm – is an absolute cinch and, because there’s only one clip-on comb, there are no fiddly extra bits you will likely lose. I'd say it is suited to shorter trims on the whole – it's most ideal for those who favour neither beards nor a smooth visage: it does perma-stubble brilliantly. Here, we’ve put a selection of the very best beard trimmers to the test and picked our favourites to make it easier for you to choose the right one for you.

collection from Remington, this beard trimmer and styler makes an ideal Manchester United gift for the style-conscious Man Utd fan. Having used the trimmer for several months, what we were most impressed by is the closeness of its cut – it’s the closest you will get to shaving without using a foil or wet shaver.

Since most standard trimmers only trim, these two models from Braun provide a precise shaving feature. The BT5260 features a precision dial with 39 length settings and comes with Lifetime Sharp Blades and a detail trimmer head. In addition to the features of the BT3240 and the BT5240 mentioned in the previous section, The BT5260 comes with extra attachments that give you the ability to carry out precision trimming, making your neckline and other lines exactly as you wish them to be.

While a number of the models on our list are compact enough to fit in your travel wash bag, the Wahl Precision is a much cheaper yet still practical option for a travel trimmer. Ultimately, what mattered most was how well and how quickly each trimmer powered through facial hair, how well it navigated facial contours, and whether it could tackle tricky areas, like just under the nose. The problem I usually find is the head cutter slows down or isn’t powerful enough to give a consistent cut, but this seems as powerful in the cut as a corded one. Whichever you pick from these models, it’ll surely be an excellent investment that will last you for many years. Some also promise to be able to cut the hair on your head, although they will rarely compare with a dedicated hair clipper.The only caveat is that the G4 has a slow charge time compared to some pricier models on this roundup, and it’s not waterproof either (though the manual does say you can clean the various attachments by removing them and rinsing them under warm water). That steel cutting head is brilliantly contoured, thanks to “anti-friction skin follower” technology, and it manages to get into the awkward or hard-to-reach areas where many rivals fall down. Nice bit of kit I used this trimmer to help reduce a very long beard to a very short beard and it was brilliant. Braun is a German company, and its products are known for being well-engineered and carefully manufactured.

Versatile beard trimmer Having been given the opportunity to test the Braun BT5260 beard trimmer, I was excited to get to grips with its features and day to day function. When you have finished remove the combs and wash them separately to help get rid of all the hair you've trimmed away. However, not all models are waterproof so with these, you will likely need to remove the comb and then use the supplied brush to clean the trimmer. With an additional body groomer attachment, the MGK 5280 is a 9-in-1 trimmer with 7 included attachments. The improvement of the BT7240 over the BT5260 is that the BT7240 has an extra attachment which gives you the ability to do precision shaving.They are also fully washable, which makes them a good choice for an affordable and maintainable Braun beard trimmer. Its steel comb, which can be adjusted using the simple “zoom” wheel, doesn’t flex under pressure like some of its all-plastic rivals, and the trimmer’s chunky metallic design gives it a reassuringly weighty feel in the hand.

The dual-sided blade is designed to cut more precisely than a comb and we find they last about 6 weeks to 3 months before needing to be replaced. This didn’t necessarily speed up the trim by much, but it did make it feel a little more comfortable. Whether it be by offering an insane number of cutting lengths, allowing you to craft the perfect facial fuzz, or by being versatile enough to use on other parts of your body, a beard trimmer is nigh-on essential.

Most of Braun’s beard trimmers run for a good 100 minutes of trimming and take only 1 hour to charge fully. Some men like having beards, and they are comfortable with the way their beards feel, while some prefer a clean-shaven face. The Remington B5 borrows the rotary dial set-up of rivals, which makes adjusting the length of the built-in comb really easy.