Remington B5 Style Series Cordless Beard and Stubble Trimmer

I’ve been using beard trimmers exclusively for the last 25 years, as I often develop razor bumps from wet shaving. Having the hair follicles trimmed to just above the pores has made a significant improvement on my skin.

My first one was a Philips QG3030 4-in-1 Multigroom. Cutting performance was reasonably good and with plenty of switchable blade attachments. The only downside was that it was a rechargeable and would fail to hold its charge after a few years (yes, years not months). By the end of its life, a ‘full charge’ would only last half a shave! After going through a couple of these units, I firmly decided to purchase only battery operated beard trimmers in future.

I then moved onto the Wahl 9906-2017 Groomsman, as there weren’t many battery operated options around. While the cutting performance was a little better, the beard trimmer’s motor was loud, I’d have to go over some areas more than once, and removing the blades for cleaning required a screwdriver. The downsides didn’t bother me too much and I was prepared to tolerate them until, one day, a piece of plastic beneath the blades suddenly snapped-off, rendering the beard trimmer completely useless. It lasted me a little over five years (but, due to the lockdowns, let’s say three).

Although I had a back-up Wahl, I decided to seek out something new, as I had lost confidence in its build quality. After all, both Philips units lasted me far longer and they were rechargeables! So, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Remington offers the best of both worlds at a very decent price.

The Remington is even more precise and powerful than the Wahl, and is just as well-constructed and quiet as the Philips (also with an easily detachable blade for cleaning). It effortlessly cuts through my stubble or beard, and provides a closer shave than any beard trimmer I’ve used before. I was so impressed with it that, after a month of further testing, I bought a back-up and have stored it away,

The only reservation I have is a minor quibble: unlike the other beard trimmers I’ve used in the past, the on/off switch and controls are on the other side of the unit. I have no idea why such a strange ergonomic decision was made, but it sometimes feels weird that the controls are ‘back-to-front’.

With that said, if half stars were possible, I would award it 4.5. But seeing as it’s the best trimmer I’ve used to date, it deserves the maximum rating possible.