Some of us keep going to the barber and we are wondering if it’s really worth all the wait and the extra money to do all that. We may be wondering if we can just bone up on our trimming techniques and get our own tools and DIY. This is a distinct possibility, but several things do have to be kept in mind.
1) Power
Absolutely, positively, and without a doubt, power is king here. King. No ifs ands or buts about it. Power is what allows a trimmer to make short work of tangled and garbled or super-thick hair. Power is what allows for a clean job with no patches. Also, power saves you time; since the motor works faster you work faster. Do not buy an underpowered beard care product. This means anything that comes for $20-30 with all the bells and whistles. Sorry if that blows your fantasy, but good quality produces start at about three times that amount.
2) Weight
Lighter is better here. You don’t want a good heft to your trimmer, because this can tire you out. Of course, this is a lesser factor if you are only going to take care of your own hair/beard. If this product is for the whole family, this is a big issue, however. Also, heavy and powerful is better than light and not powerful. But fortunately there are very many models out there.
3) Attachments
Once again, a powerful model lacking attachments (you can always buy them separately in almost every single case anyway), will win vs a not so powerful model with every conceivable attachment. But you do want to make sure it will do what you want it to, so if a particular model lacks a particular attachment that will turn out of be of great use to you, be sure to budget for it. Also, don’t forget the oil and brush to maintain your product and ensure a long life span for it.
4) Durability
Many who have owned their own trimmers have stories about the trimmed that lasted exactly two or three uses and then just totally died, often the day after the warranty expired. Check consumer reports and other related website info before making your purchase. Don’t be afraid to spend an extra $20 or so for something you are reasonably sure isn’t going to start giving you grief right away.
5) Price
The only thing to say here really is that sometimes you can save by avoiding brand names. It’s no secret that well known brands get to mark their stuff up. So if you’re on a budget, make up for it by doing your research and getting a reliable model put out by a little-known brand.
Finally, if you only plan on rocking stubble you may want to check out these three options here. These are stripped-down and convenient models with that one specific task in mind.
