The best hair trimmer for men is the one you’ll actually use: at home, on the road, when you’re in dire need of a last-minute touch-up. Trimmers are designed for precise detailing, edging, and outlining—the type of professional-grade flourishes that call for a steady hand, practiced eye, and, above all else, a dependable grooming device. But wait a minute, you might be thinking to yourself in a huff. I already have a superlative hair clipper. Do I really need one of these too?
It depends. The fundamental difference between a trimmer and a clipper comes down to blade size. (The blades on the former are shorter and thinner, so they can cut much closer to the skin.) Think of it like this: Contemplating buzzing it all off this summer? A clipper is better suited to handling the bulk of the task, but a trimmer will help you tidy up the edges. And the best hair trimmer for men—heck, even the beard trimmer you use to neaten your stubble—is always going to service your dome, neck, ears, and sideburns more delicately than a pair of regular ol’ clippers.
Below you’ll find 7 ridiculously high-quality hair trimmers, each thoroughly vetted and rigorously tested by a cadre of skeptical, definitely-not-balding GQ editors. (The full-ish head of hair was a requirement; the skepticism not so much.) If you’re looking to maintain your newly-shorn ‘do—or merely clean up those inevitable awkward phases—they’ll help you and your unruly neckline stay barbershop-fresh no matter how long it’s been since your last appointment.
The Best Overall Trimmer
Bevel trimmer
Bevel's ergo-sleek trimmer took home a GQ Grooming Award a couple years back, and has yet to be replaced. It'll give you a crisp, barber-caliber line-up along the cheeks, burns, mustache, and neck. It's your go-to device for neckline cleanups too: Steady-handed significant other or best friend not included. It's also great if you want to maintain a short cut and are otherwise prone to ingrown hairs.
The Best Classic Trimmer
Andis Professional T-blade outliner
Andis' cordless T-blade trimmer is essential if the task at hand is a cleanup of your edges: from dome to sideburns to neck, it draws the crispest lines. It's best suited for periodically tidying up between visits to the barber, or trimming your hair to a uniform, low length at home while also minding the details. And it's Andis, which means top-tier barbershop quality.
The Best Barbershop-Approved Trimmer
Wahl Professional 5 star series cordless detailer
If you’re expressly on the hunt for a pro-level device, it’s hard to compete with Wahl’s pedigree. This is the cordless version of the trimmer your barber’s used to clean you up countless times before. (“Intended for professional use only,” the product description warns.) If that sounds less like a threat and more like a huge selling point, its powerful motor, extended blades, and nearly two hours of lithium ion battery life will help you finesse the most precise cut since you started going at it solo.
The Best Vacuum Trimmer
Remington vacuum-blade hair clipping kit
You can't overstate the magic of a vacuum-ized hair clipper. Remington's comes equipped with 11 different blade guards for fading and tapering, so it's particularly suited to cleaning up like an expert. The fixed combs cut between 1.5 and 25mm, and it'll run with or without its power cord charger. Plus, that vacuum head to keep things tidy.
The Best Trimmer for Precision
Philips Norelco Series 9000 beard and hair trimmer
Philips' latest trimmer took home top honors in our Grooming Awards this year, and for good reason. Even for the stubble-agnostic, its easy-to-use range of lengths makes a compelling argument in favor of sporting a little carefully-maintained growth—and might render all other plastic guards obsolete in the process. It won't rid your face of its scruff entirely (nor is it intended to), but if you're chasing leading man-level stubble—or a perfect taper—this is the device for you.
The Best Trimmer for Beginners
Wahl hair cutting kit
The clipper set you remember owning in college, or from when your mom shaved your head in high school, is also one of the web's best-selling. The self-sharpening steel blades on Wahl's professional model are as durable as any you'll find in the barbershop, but helpfully labeled for beginners (with 21 pieces for added customization).
The Best Trimmer for Travel
Andis Slimline Pro lithium ion T-blade trimmer
Nearly any Andis device is going to be aces when it comes to cleaning up between appointments, but the Slimline Pro is specifically designed to approximate a barber’s careful touch when you’re miles away from the salon chair. It’s slightly less powerful than the other Andis option above, but its lightweight build and two hours of run time mean you can toss it in a dopp and nix that errant chin hair the second you check into your hotel room. If your beard needs more than some light styling before the big ceremony/presentation/vow-swapping, it's ready and able for that too.
