The Best Beard Trimmers in 2026
By Elias Becker · Licensed barber, ten years behind the chair · Updated October 23, 2026 · 11 min read
NOVAH makes our top pick and says so in its entry. No other brand paid to appear.
OUR TOP PICKBest clipper + trimmer set for short beards
NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer
★ 4.5 stars from 12,000+ Amazon reviews
- A cordless clipper and a detail trimmer in one set
- 5+ hours per charge on standard speed, both tools
- Brushless clipper motor: 6,000 RPM standard, 6,500 RPM turbo
- 6 clipper guards, 1.5 to 13 mm
The best beard trimmer depends on how long you keep your beard. For a short beard, from stubble to about half an inch, that you also keep lined up, a clipper with guards plus a detail trimmer does both jobs, and that is the NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer set, which we make.
For a beard kept longer, pick a tool whose longest guard is longer than your beard: the Wahl Cordless Color Pro clipper has 12 guards up to 1 in, and the Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000 is the pick Forbes Vetted named for fades and the one kit here for face, head and body.
Below: what to look for, all five picks with who each one suits and who should skip it, and one table comparing every spec. If you only need sharp edges on a beard line, our guide to the best trimmers for lineups goes deeper.
Our picks at a glance
Showing 5 of 5
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1
Best clipper + trimmer set for short beardsNOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer5+ hours on standard speedCheck price
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2
Best all-in-one for beard, head and bodyPhilips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000Up to 6 hours$99.96See details
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3
Best for a beard kept longerWahl Cordless Color Pro Lithium-Ion Hair ClipperUp to 2 hours$78.99See details
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4
Best for crisp beard edgesJRL Onyx Professional Cordless Hair TrimmerUp to 3.5 hours$135.00See details
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5
Best for sharp beard linesBevel Trimmer8-hour rechargeable battery$149.95See details
Other brands' list prices as each maker listed them, checked between Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 2, 2026.
OUR TOP PICK
Best clipper + trimmer set for short beards: NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer
A cordless clipper with guards for beard length and a detail trimmer for lines, 5+ hours per charge on standard speed.
Best for
- A short beard, from stubble to about half an inch: the clipper's guards hold one even length
- Lines and edges in the same box: the trimmer is for the cheek line, neckline and mustache edge
- One purchase for the beard and the haircut, with a trimmer that can be zero-gapped and has a battery display
Skip it if
- You keep your beard longer than 13 mm, the longest guard on the clipper
- You want one small face-only tool rather than two tools
We make this set, so weigh that as you read. It is our pick for short beards because it is two tools in one box. The clipper's 6 guards run 1.5 to 13 mm (1/16 to 1/2 inch), which holds a beard at one even length up to 13 mm. The trimmer takes 4 guards (1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 mm), ships with the blade at 0.1 mm and can be zero-gapped, and has a battery display, for the cheek line, the neckline and the mustache edge.
The clipper is brushless, at 6,000 RPM on standard and 6,500 RPM on turbo. Both tools run 5+ hours on standard speed, and the set has a 1-year warranty, with 2 years on the motor. Check today's price on Amazon.
The honest limit is length. Past 13 mm the guards stop, and a beard kept longer wants a tool with longer guards, such as the Wahl Cordless Color Pro below, whose guards run to 1 in.
Check price on AmazonLongest bar = longest published runtime. Makers' own figures, not our tests; corded models and runtimes we could not confirm are left out. NOVAH's is our own figure for standard speed.
#2
Best all-in-one for beard, head and body: Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000
21 pieces for face, head and body. Forbes Vetted: Best hair clippers for fades (All-In-One 9000).
Best for
- One kit for face, head and body
- A long listed run time: up to 6 hours
- A 2 year warranty
Skip it if
- You want a tool built around setting an exact beard length: we could not confirm its comb lengths on Philips' page
- You want a clipper for taking off length from the top of the head
Philips lists the All-in-One Series 9000 as a cordless stainless-steel trimmer with 21 pieces for face, head and body, up to 6 hours of run time and a 2 year warranty. Forbes Vetted lists it as Best hair clippers for fades (All-In-One 9000).
It suits a man who wants one tool for the beard and the rest of the grooming routine. Philips lists it at $99.96 (checked October 12, 2026). It is a groomer rather than a specialist beard trimmer.
Also named by Forbes Vetted: Best hair clippers for fades (All-In-One 9000). Specs from usa.philips.com, checked Sep 25, 2026. List price re-checked Nov 2, 2026.
See the Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000 on Amazon
#3
Best for a beard kept longer: Wahl Cordless Color Pro Lithium-Ion Hair Clipper
Wahl lists 12 color-coded guards from 1/16 in to 1 in on a cordless clipper.
Best for
- Holding a beard at one even length past half an inch: Wahl's guards run to 1 in
- Picking the same guard every time, by color
- A taper lever for blending the beard into the sideburns
Skip it if
- You want a dedicated beard trimmer: this is a hair clipper
- You want a narrow blade for the cheek line and neckline: pair it with a trimmer
- You want a long run time: Wahl lists up to 2 hours
Wahl lists the Cordless Color Pro as a home hair clipper with 12 color-coded guards from 1/16 in to 1 in, self-sharpening blades and a taper lever. Wahl lists up to 2 hours of runtime. A 15-minute quick charge gives 5 minutes of use. Forbes Vetted names it Best value hair clippers.
It is on a beard list for the reason the criteria below put first: the longest length a tool can leave. A guard holds the beard at one even length, and Wahl's longest guard is 1 in, for a beard kept longer than a half-inch guard allows. The colors make it easy to pick the same guard every time, which keeps a beard at the same length week to week. The taper lever opens the blade a little, which helps blend the beard into the sideburns.
It is a hair clipper, not a beard trimmer, so it has no narrow blade for the cheek line or the mustache edge. We could not confirm a motor type, a weight or a washable claim on Wahl's page. Wahl lists it at $78.99 (checked October 19, 2026).
Choose it over NOVAH if you keep your beard longer than the NOVAH clipper's 13 mm guard and only need the length. Choose NOVAH if your beard is shorter and you want the trimmer for the lines in the same box.
Also named by Forbes Vetted: Best value hair clippers. Specs from wahlusa.com, checked Sep 25, 2026. List price re-checked Nov 2, 2026.
#4
Best for crisp beard edges: JRL Onyx Professional Cordless Hair Trimmer
JRL lists a cordless T-blade trimmer whose EZ-GAP blade zero-gaps without tools.
Best for
- Drawing the cheek line and the neckline with an exposed T-blade, per JRL
- Zero-gapping without tools for the closest edge, per JRL
- A charging dock and up to 3.5 hours of runtime, per JRL
Skip it if
- You want to set a beard length: JRL lists no guards in the box
- You are new to zero-gapped blades: they cut closest and leave the least room for error
- You want a stated weight or warranty: we could not confirm either on JRL's page
JRL lists the Onyx trimmer as a cordless trimmer with an EZ-GAP T-blade, 360-degree exposed, that zero-gaps without tools. JRL lists an 8,200 RPM Smart-Clip adaptive motor, up to 3.5 hours of runtime and a charging dock. We could not confirm its weight, warranty length or a washable claim on JRL's page.
The criteria below separate the length tool from the edging tool, and this is an edging tool. The cheek line, the neckline and the edge of a mustache want a narrow blade you can see, and an exposed T-blade keeps the cutting edge in view on every side. Its blade zero-gaps without a screwdriver, which gives the closest line; go slowly, because a zero-gapped blade leaves the least room for error.
JRL lists no guards in the box, so it will not hold a beard at a set length: pair it with a clipper and guards, or a trimmer with a comb. When we read JRL's page on October 5, 2026, it said orders ship two weeks from purchase. JRL lists it at $135.00 (checked October 5, 2026).
Choose it over NOVAH if you already own a clipper or a length trimmer and only need the edges. Choose NOVAH if you want the length and the lines from one set.
Specs and list price from jrlusa.com, checked Oct 5, 2026.
See the JRL Onyx Professional Cordless Hair Trimmer on Amazon
#5
Best for sharp beard lines: Bevel Trimmer
A cordless beard and mustache trimmer with a tool-free adjustable zero-gapped blade.
Best for
- Drawing sharp lines with a zero-gapped blade
- An 8-hour rechargeable battery
- Adjusting the blade without tools
Skip it if
- You want a guard or comb to leave length: we could not confirm any are included on Bevel's page
- Budget matters: Bevel lists it at $149.95, the highest list price among the single beard trimmers here
Bevel lists the Bevel Trimmer as a cordless beard and mustache trimmer with a tool-free adjustable zero-gapped blade and an 8-hour rechargeable battery.
The zero-gapped blade is for lines: it sits close to the skin for a crisp edge, which also leaves less room for error on a first try. Bevel lists it at $149.95 (checked October 12, 2026). We could not confirm guards, a warranty or charge time on Bevel's page.
Specs from getbevel.com, checked Oct 12, 2026. List price re-checked Nov 2, 2026.
Every Pick Compared Side by Side
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Clipper | Power | Motor | Runtime | Guards | Blade | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer |
Cordless | Brushless, 6,000 RPM standard, 6,500 RPM turbo (clipper) | 5+ hours on standard speed (clipper and trimmer) | 6 clipper guards, 1.5 to 13 mm | Clipper with taper lever, plus a detail trimmer | Check today's price on Amazon |
| Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000 |
Cordless | Not confirmed | Up to 6 hours | In the kit: 21 pieces for face, head and body | Stainless-steel trimmer | $99.96 |
| Wahl Cordless Color Pro Lithium-Ion Hair Clipper |
Cordless | Not confirmed | Up to 2 hours | 12 color-coded guards, 1/16 in to 1 in | Self-sharpening blades, taper lever | $78.99 |
| JRL Onyx Professional Cordless Hair Trimmer |
Cordless, charging dock included | 8,200 RPM, Smart-Clip adaptive motor | Up to 3.5 hours | Not confirmed | EZ-GAP T-blade, 360-degree exposed, tool-free zero-gapping | $135.00 |
| Bevel Trimmer |
Cordless | Not confirmed | 8-hour rechargeable battery | Not confirmed | Tool-free adjustable zero-gapped blade | $149.95 |
Other brands: from each maker's own product page, checked on the dates shown in each entry. "Not confirmed" means we could not confirm it on the maker's page. NOVAH's figures are our own.
Shortest bar = lowest list price. Makers' list prices on the dates shown in each entry; store prices vary.
Our top pick: NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer, a clipper and a trimmer in one set.
Check price on AmazonWhat the Big Guides Named
This table shows what four guides, Wirecutter, The Strategist, Forbes Vetted and Men's Health, named these machines.
| Clipper | Wirecutter | The Strategist | Forbes Vetted | Men's Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000 |
Not a pick | Not a pick | Best hair clippers for fades (All-In-One 9000) | Not a pick |
| Wahl Cordless Color Pro Lithium-Ion Hair Clipper |
Not a pick | Not a pick | Best value hair clippers | Not a pick |
| JRL Onyx Professional Cordless Hair Trimmer |
Not a pick | Not a pick | Not a pick | Not a pick |
| Bevel Trimmer |
Not a pick | Not a pick | Not a pick | Not a pick |
As published by each guide (page dates: Wirecutter 2025-03-28, The Strategist 2025-05-06, Forbes Vetted 2026-09-29, Men's Health 2026-03-30). Model years and editions can differ slightly between guides.
What to Look For in a Hair Clipper
Beard Length Against Guard or Comb Range
Check the longest length a tool can leave. This is the figure that decides the purchase. A trimmer with clip-on guards or a comb leaves a beard no longer than its longest setting. The NOVAH clipper's six guards run 1.5 to 13 mm, and Wahl lists the Color Pro's 12 guards from 1/16 in to 1 in.
How the Length Is Set
Check whether it is a guard, a dial or a comb. Clip-on guards are simple and easy to see. A dial or wheel changes length without swapping parts. A motorized comb moves in fine steps and shows the setting on a screen.
More choices are only useful if you will actually use them. A man who keeps one length all year needs fewer settings than one who changes it with the season.
A Separate Tool for Lines
Check how the beard line gets drawn. A length tool and an edging tool are different jobs. The cheek line, the neckline and the edge of a mustache want a narrow blade you can see. Some picks do both with one head; the set pairs a clipper with a trimmer so each does one job.
Cordless Run Time
Check the maker's own run time figure. Makers state it in different ways, in minutes or in hours. Bevel states an 8-hour battery, Philips up to 6 hours for the Series 9000, and JRL up to 3.5 hours for the Onyx trimmer. Compare the numbers within what each maker actually says, not against each other as if measured the same way.
Washable Parts
Check what the maker says can go under water. We could not confirm a washable claim on the makers' pages for the other brands' picks on this list, so none is stated here.
How We Chose
We did not run our own lab test of these trimmers, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. Here is what we did instead.
We compared each maker's own published specs on the dates shown in each entry. The Philips Norelco 9000 and the Wahl Cordless Color Pro are the picks here that a guide named directly, both in Forbes Vetted's list of the best hair clippers. Every spec and list price comes from each maker's own website on the date shown in each entry. Where we could not confirm a figure on the maker's page, the table says so rather than filling it in.
NOVAH's set is on the list because we make it, and it is our pick for short beards. Its entry follows the same template as the others, including who should skip it.
4 of the 4 machines on this page were bought by NOVAH and photographed by our barber; the product photos are ours. We have not run timed tests, so runtime, motor and weight figures are each maker's published numbers.
What changed: First published October 2026. Picks updated October 23, 2026. Other brands' specs and list prices come from each maker's own page, read on the dates shown.
Which Beard Trimmer Should You Buy?
A short beard that you also keep lined up: a clipper with guards plus a detail trimmer, which is the NOVAH set, our pick for short beards.
A beard kept longer than half an inch: the Wahl Cordless Color Pro, whose guards run to 1 in.
Beard, head and body in one kit: the Philips Norelco All-in-One Series 9000.
Crisp edges with a T-blade: the JRL Onyx trimmer.
Sharp lines first: the Bevel Trimmer.
How Do You Get a Sharp Beard Line?
Use a narrow detail trimmer and a steady hand. A beard line is drawn by the tool at the edge, not by the tool that sets the length, which is why the set pairs a clipper with a trimmer. For a closer look at trimmers built for edges, read our guide to the best trimmers for lineups.
NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer
★ 4.5 stars from 12,000+ Amazon reviews
A cordless clipper for the bulk of the cut and a trimmer for lineups, edging and detail work, sold together as one set.
Check price on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best beard trimmer?
It depends on how long you keep your beard. For a short beard that you also keep lined up, a clipper with guards plus a detail trimmer, such as the NOVAH set (we make it). For a longer beard, a tool with longer guards, such as the Wahl Cordless Color Pro, whose guards run to 1 in. There is no single winner.
Can I use hair clippers on my beard?
Yes. Put a guard on the clipper to hold the beard at one even length, and use a trimmer for the lines. Check that the longest guard is at least as long as you want to keep the beard.
What is the difference between a beard trimmer and a hair clipper?
A clipper has a wider blade for removing length. A beard trimmer has a narrower blade and usually a comb or dial for the length, made for the face. We cover the difference in our guide to clippers and trimmers.
How do I get a sharp beard line?
Use a narrow detail trimmer, work from the outside in, and take less than you think. Our guide to the best trimmers for lineups covers the tools built for it.
Do I need a foil shaver too?
Only if you want a smooth shave. A trimmer and clipper leave length; a foil shaver removes it. We cover that choice in our foil shaver guide.
How often should I trim my beard?
When it loses its shape. There is no fixed schedule that suits every beard: trim when the lines at the cheek and neck have grown out or the length looks uneven.
Sources
- NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer (Matte Black) product page, https://novahpro.com/products/novah-professional-barber-hair-clippers-trimmers (motor figures confirmed by NOVAH on 2026-09-28)
- Wahl Cordless Color Pro (model 3025769) product page on wahlusa.com (specs read 2026-09-25, list price 2026-10-19)
- JRL Onyx Professional Cordless Hair Trimmer product page, https://www.jrlusa.com/products/onyx-professional-cordless-hair-trimmer (read 2026-10-05)
- Bevel Trimmer product page, https://getbevel.com/products/trimmer (read 2026-10-12)
- Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000 product page, https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/MG9510_60/all-in-one-trimmer-series-9000
- Forbes Vetted, The Best Hair Clippers
- Philips Norelco All-in-One Trimmer Series 9000 product page, https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/MG9510_60/all-in-one-trimmer-series-9000 (checked 2026-09-25; list price re-checked 2026-11-02)
- Wahl Cordless Color Pro Lithium-Ion Hair Clipper product page, https://wahlusa.com/shop/cordless-color-pro-lithium-ion-rechargeable-hair-clipper-3025769 (checked 2026-09-25; list price re-checked 2026-11-02)
- JRL Onyx Professional Cordless Hair Trimmer product page, https://www.jrlusa.com/products/onyx-professional-cordless-hair-trimmer (checked 2026-10-05)
- Bevel Trimmer product page, https://getbevel.com/products/trimmer (checked 2026-10-12; list price re-checked 2026-11-02)
- Wirecutter (The New York Times), best hair clippers guide, https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hair-clippers-for-home-use/ (page updated 2025-03-28)
- The Strategist (New York Magazine), best hair clippers guide, https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-mens-hair-clipper.html (page updated 2025-05-06)
- Forbes Vetted, best hair clippers guide, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/the-best-hair-clippers/ (page updated 2026-09-29)
- Men's Health, best hair clippers guide, https://www.menshealth.com/grooming/g32053511/best-hair-clippers/ (page updated 2026-03-30)
Related Reading
NOVAH Grooming publishes this guide. We make and sell the NOVAH Pro Clipper + Trimmer, and its link goes to our own Amazon listing, tagged so we can see which guides help people. We do not sell, and are not paid by, any other brand named here. Other brands' details are from their own websites on the dates shown and can change.
