Designer Stubble -The Best Stubble Trimmers Reviewed
Thursday, October 29th, 2009Well it is official. The Designer Stubble look is the essential look for any right thinking men. But it is not just a case of stopping shaving. To get that real designer stubble look, you need to work at it, maintain it and get the right tools.
Never one to miss an opportunity, the shaver companies have jumped on the fashion band waggon and now make trimmers and clippers designed specifically for the Designer Stubble look and maintaining stubble. So we have decided to look at some of the best Designer Stubble specific trimmers on the market.
Remington see the PG410 High Precision Designer Stubble Kit as the ultimate in designer stubble.
Keeping your stubble in check is a piece of cake and it means you won’t need daily trimming to get that cool look.
It is called a “Kit” and for good reason as it provides a lot of versatility one portable package. Depending on your Designer stubble style of choice you can easily keep the three-day stubble effect for the sophisticated and modern man or you can shave clean to the skin for a tidier, business-like look.
The Basic Specs are as follows
- Nanosilver and Titanium coated blades which are 300% harder than standard steel blades (versus Remington® Steel blades)
- Specialised comb for short beard styles (1-5mm)
- Two interchangeable shaver head
- Precision trimmer for detailed styling
- You can also enjoy the outstanding performance of the Remington PG410 for up to 40 minutes from just one charge.
- Washable Trimmer and Shaver head
So how does it fair. Generally the trimmer element is very good, and can shave down to 1mm for that real close stubble look, and works well with short hair. Most beard clippers won’t give you precision at this level. It is light weight and economical and easy to use.
One draw back is lack of charged indicator light – but if you are no eco-conscious, then you’ll just keep it in its charger whenever you are not using it anyway.
From the makers of your girlfriend’s straighteners, this is geared up for short work as well, down to 0.5 mm they claim, with up to 30 precise length settings. This means you can be super accurate and get precisely the look you want. Again it is cordless and with the “auto-lube” system no need to oil the blades, which is good.
The Basic Specs are as follows
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For every day stubble control
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30 ultra precise length settings from just 0.5mm to 15mm.
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Unique motorised comb with digital touch control, automatically adjusts the length setting in 0.5mm increments at the touch of a button Electrochemically formed blades with Titanium Revolutionary auto-lube system
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Blades do not need to be oiled
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LCD Display.
The question is , how does if fair
There is some debate on whether it does go down to 0.5 mm, but at least there is the variety in length options. The settings are very precise, and the lcd screen is a nice touch – giving the perception of precision, as digital always appears more precise than something mechanical, even if that is not the case. Some people have reported issues with how long it holds a charge, but if it is kept in its charger when not in use there should not be a problem.
It lacks a carry case, unlike the Remington, but unless you travel a lot that is a minor quibble.
Overall I think this has the edge on precision, and gives you great versatility if you want to go very short with your stubble in some places, and longer in others.
Now this markets itself as a “beard trimmer”, rather than specifically “stubble”, but let us not get into semantics here. Philips marketing blurb tells us “that Philips Male Grooming products are designed specifically for men who care about their own appearance. Using revolutionary technology and cutting edge designs, these hair and body care products are the ultimate styling tools for you to take control of your style and discover a new you.”
Always in search of the new me, I was excited about this one. The thing that sets this a part is the mini vacuum cleaner, which is meant to suck up all the little hairs as you go. (With other trimmers I have to wipe round the bathroom and sweep the floor before my girlfriend gets in there).
Basic Specs are:
- The Powerful Vacuum with Hair Deflector captures cut hair so, no mess guaranteed
- Unique Flexing Comb follows the face contours for a precise trim
- Clear View Hair Chamber allows you to see when it needs emptying.
- Lock-in Length Settings
- RechargeableCordless
This looks the most technologically advance of all of them, all though I prefer the sleek minimalist design of the Remington. Again, like the Babyliss it has self cleaning and self sharpening blades which is a great advantage, and keeps the trimming constant. The length setting is not in the best place, and easy to move while mid shave.
The best bit has to be the turbo vac, which really keeps the mess down, although not as perfectly as they would have us believe. I have a few issues with the overall ergonomics (despite my view that it looks advanced). It doesn’t feel as comfortable as the others, and sometimes you can cover up the vents on the vac bit. That said, overall a good piece of kit, but a few minor design flaws.
Ultimately the stubble controller best suited to you will be based on your precise needs. If it is precision, then Remington and Babyliss have the edge. The Babyliss has the most versatility, but I think I would plump for the Remington, if you just have one short stubble style. If you chop and change your style check out the Babyliss.
