Many people can’t really tell the difference between a trimmer and a shaver. You probably stumbled on this article cause you’re one of them, and don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that. Anyway, in this article, I’m going to cite a few points that’ll hopefully help you tell the difference between trimming and shaving.
What’s the Purpose of Using a Trimmer vs. that of a Shaver:
First things first, let’s get this one point out of the way, both shavers and trimmers are used to cut hair. But like the names already suggest, one is made for shaving, and the other is for trimming. Some men prefer a clean shave to fulfill the demands at work, or merely to satisfy their loved ones or family. Thus, they use shavers on a regular basis to keep their face clean and neat-looking. But if you’re the kind of man who aims at growing facial hair and needs to continually get it in the right shape and form, then the trimmer is for you.
Many types of shavers & trimmers are available in the market, and in this article, I’m going to discuss the pros and cons of using any one of the two and at the end of the day it’s all up to you to decide which one to get (or you can just get both, you know)
See also: Rotary vs Foil Shavers
So, what should you be looking for in a trimmer or a shaver?
What I, and many men, consider to be the four pillars of a good shaver or trimmer:
- Should be skin-friendly, featuring mechanisms that avoid accidental cuts and such
- Should be affordable
- Should have a decent quality to price ration
- Should be highly portable and storable
So yes, as long as a shaver or a trimmer meets all the points above, it’ll probably end up buying a product worth buying. Moving on to the detailed description of both types:
Trimmers:
A trimmer is a tool that’s meant to be used to cut already existing hair, not with the aim of getting rid of it, but to simply trim it in ways that are your own. Most trimmers are small and comfortable to grasp tools that allow you to make the perfect beard. In addition to shaping your facial hair, trimmers can be used to trim underarm hair, chest hair, and pubic hair.
Types of Trimmers:
The following is a brief explanation of the multiple forms and configurations that a trimmer can come in:
Hair Trimmers:
These trimmers are for overall general use, they can be used to trim the hair in literally every part of your body and can be utilized by both men and women.
Nose & Ear Hair Trimmers:
These trimmers usually come in small sizes to provide a better experience for cutting hair inside your nose or ears. If you were to buy one of these, you’d notice that most of them are name ‘’Nose & Ear’’ Trimmers, this is because there isn’t really any need to make two different kinds of trimmers since nose cavities and your ears aren’t really that different in size or depth.
Beard Trimmers:
Probably the most known and popular type of all, beard trimmers is the ever-useful companion of a man who’s in need of a straight & neat beard. Most men (and the ladies too) agree that a good-looking beard is better than no beard at all, that’s why many men would prefer getting a beard trimmer over a shaver, but that’s not our topic yet so. A beard trimmer, like it’s counterpart, has some pros and some cons.
Pros:
- The ability to shape your beard in whatever way you see fit
- An overall painless and comfortable shave
- Blades that are super friendly for your skin and way safer than those used in shavers
Cons:
- If you want a clean shave, it’ll take some time before you reach what you desire
- There is also the constant need to change the combs & blades depending on the length of the hair
The following is a shortlist of some beard trimmers on the market that are definitely worth your money:
- Philips Norelco Beard Trimmer 7200
- Andis T-Outliner Trimmer
- Philips Norelco Beard & Head Trimmer Series 5100
- BeardScape Trimmer.
- Panasonic ER-GB40-S Precision Hair and Beard Trimmer.
Bikini Trimmers:
As the name probably gives it away, this type of trimmers is solely made for trimming the pubic hair of females. Trimmers, in this case, offer a fast and painless procedure in comparison to waxing and such, with excellent results for a super neat and clean bikini area.
Clippers:
A clipper is generally a gadget made for cutting the hair on your head. Clippers come in different configurations, colors, sizes, and such. These are the same ones that your friendly neighborhood barber uses to cut your hair. Now that I’ve mentioned barbershops getting a hair clipper for your home eliminates the need to go to a barbershop from time to time, making it a worthy long-term investment in my opinion.
In addition to standard clippers, there are ‘’Pet’’ clippers, these clippers, as the name suggests, are for grooming the hair of your pets (mainly dogs in this case).
Epilators:
Somewhat similar to waxing, epilators are electrical devices that mechanically grasp multiple hairs at once and pulls them out. Waxing is notoriously known for removing cells from your skin’s epithelium. Epilators, however, function like waxing but do not remove any cell which makes them an excellent choice, especially for women.
Shaver:
Shaver can simply be explained in 2 words, electric razors. Shaver usually comes in two distinct types:
- A Shaver with a head containing multiple blades
- A Shaver with 3 to 4 circle-shaped heads that contain spinning blades (this type is usually more effective as it covers a larger area compared to shavers with a fixed head
Electric shavers provide a smooth and quick shave and can deal with hair no matter how lengthy it can be, but they can be costly in the eyes of some people but in all honesty, I personally see them as a long-term investment, so I highly recommend getting one. There is also the need to change the blades from now to then, but that’s much of a hassle.
Moreover, Electric shavers come with a motor that’s apparently more powerful and efficient than a manual shaver. Thus, electric shavers are an excellent choice for women.
Some of The Best Electronic Shavers on The Market:
- Braun Series 7 799cc-7 (Read Braun Series 7 vs 9)
- Panasonic Arc3
- Remington F5-5800
- Philips Norelco Shaver 5700
- Braun Series 9 9095cc
Final Words:
Hopefully, this article, although brief, gives you a general idea about the difference between trimmers and shavers and which one you should buy. I still insist on getting one as soon as possible because as long as you’re in need of shaving some hair off any part of your body, doing it yourself is always better.