Ever wondered which one is the best Wahl beard trimmer that could take care of all the grooming needs you require around your facial hair area?
Once you go through this article, you’ll find the answer to this question. I’ve enlisted 3 of my favorite beard trimming tools from Wahl.
Each belongs to a different price range – from top-tier barber-grade to highly affordable for those on a tight budget.
So keep scrolling till you reach the end because there I’ll tell you which one is my favorite and the reasons why!
3 Best Wahl Beard Trimmers Ranked & Reviewed
Before we head on to the comparative analysis between these tools, let’s take a breather and learn their individual capabilities as beard trimmers from Wahl!
- Wahl Stainless Steel Trimmer – Best Overall
- Wahl Edge Pro – Best for Corded Use
- Wahl Groomsman – Best Budget Choice
Wahl USA Stainless Steel Trimmer – Model 9864SS
One of Wahl’s beard trimmers is made with stainless steel and the housing material has been the defining quality of this particular device, along with the superior performance.
This Wahl Model 9864SS is shaped like a cylinder and has enough flat surface to stand vertically on its own.
Its brushed steel design speaks about quality and craftsmanship by the brand without compromising the grip level at any degree.
Around its neck, there’s a tiny, triangular power button covered with tactile rubber and it’s pretty responsive from my experience.
Due to its tiny size, compact shape and the housing shell material, I was able to hold it in many different angles of my choice, thus rendering it highly effective for mustache trimming.
Despite the metal build, this Wahl trimmer weighs 7.3 ounces – a balanced weight that’s easy to move around, yet offers enough gravity for precise maneuvers.
When it comes to the blade unit, it has a stainless steel zero-gapped T-blade that’s capable of going super-close to your skin.
If you apply too much pressure, it might even cause discomfort but there have been no accidental tugs or pulls – meaning it’s sharp enough for various operations.
Using this blade, you’d be able to maintain a stubble and even outline the beard body of your long beard, but won’t be able to apply bulk trims with greater efficiency.
Instead, work like shorter even trim, precision work or lining out the hair body belong in this Wahl trimmer’s arsenal.
Once you replace the T-blade with the precision blade head that’s included in the package, you’d be able to do more delicate work in tighter beard spots.
Furthermore, the foil shaver head should help you smooth out the subsequent areas of the beard where even short stubble could look bad.
Finally, the nose trimmer head lets you keep a hairless nasal canal and all of these mentioned heads are part of the kit, including a total of 10 guide combs.
8 of these guards are fixed in length while the rest of the 2 are adjustable on the fly. All of these allow you the grooming gradient between 1.6 mm to 21 mm.
Wahl Stainless Steel trimmer has a motor that’s capable of efficiently removing beard across every texture without triggering any allergic reaction.
It has around 3.5 hours of battery life and everything can be stored inside the storage pouch it’ll arrive in – making it an ideal candidate to carry while traveling.
The performance, features and durability indeed justify the price point the brand has set for the tool and no doubt it’s one of the best Wahl trimmers to ever exist in the market!
What I Like
- Suave housing with firm grip and enhanced durability
- Super-fine blades can trim anything
- Additional blade heads and guards make a complete kit
What Could be Better
- Not waterproof
Wahl Edge Pro – Model 9686-300
Wahl Edge Pro is for those who prefer relentless runtime with their gadgets, making it one of the trendiest corded beard trimmers of the present time.
A chessboard texture across the chest enhances the device’s ergonomic capability and the narrow handle design does help out a lot in this case.
All of the housing is made with durable plastic and the texture is somewhat matte for better grip. Up front, two lines in red climb downward and these further solidify a full grip.
It doesn’t weigh much and thus is easy to carry, holding on for longer grooming sessions against the face and maneuvering at difficult angles.
In terms of durability, Edge Pro life expectancy is beyond three years despite being an affordable device and that’s one of the more important selling points for the consumers.
Let’s discuss the blade system. This device also features a stainless steel T-blade which leaves behind a minimum of 0.2 mm beard length when trimmed directly.
This particular length is ideal for stubble maintenance along with refined lines and delicate designs over a beard body.
If you go in too hard against your skin, this might cut you should you have delicate or sensitive skin. Otherwise, harsh grinding can result in redness or even burning sensation.
With gentle pressure and strokes, you’re going to be fine even when you trim with no guide combs on.
Wahl Edge Pro has a motor unit that torques better than the anticipated size of the handle – meaning, gives you more power than you’d think.
Due to this and the sharpness of the stainless steel blade, nothing can stand in its path and efficiency feels top-notch over coarse or dense beard.
As per beard grooming goes, 8 guide combs between short (1/16”) to long (1/2”) lengths are your only hope for length adjustment.
It does a fairly good job over short beards but only manages to trim with reduced efficiency over long ones due to the narrow blades and limited guards.
However, the trims on more precise beard bodies are seamless despite the average build quality of the guide combs.
Edge Pro is connected to a 2.5 meter or around 9 feet cord, giving constant power to the motor for hinderless procedures.
That’s one of the major reasons I believe the Edge Pro will cater to professional groomers – not only for beard grooming but also for neck area trimming.
Also, for the price you’d have to pay for this tool, it’s totally a steal simply because of the lack of a battery unit – yet the most basic trimmer guarantees to deliver the crispiest results!
What I Like
- Sharp stainless steel blades trim close to the skin
- Highly ergonomic and easy to maneuver
- Relentless power due to corded design
What Could be Better
- Not meant for longer beard
Wahl Groomsman – Model 5622v
Wahl Groomsman is another fine looking beard trimmer by Wahl with its straightforward yet curve design that catches the eyes from the start.
This trimmer belongs to the budget variants from Wahl and for the price, it does deliver better outcomes than you would’ve thought.
Starting off with the housing design, the Groomsman is made with cheap plastic and it shouldn’t withstand heavy external damage, meaning you have to use it safely.
On the top side, it resembles a metallic finish but in actuality, the whole thing is plastic. At the bottom half, a dedicated rubber pad ensures good grip levels during a full grasp.
As it is very lightweight and ergonomic, the Groomsman can be used swiftly across all of your beard body without any difficulty.
Furthermore, feeble men will find this device highly useful as it doesn’t cause any sort of fatigue due to prolonged grooming.
Despite such average build, the Precision Ground blade built with stainless steel does outclass its price point.
The blade teeth are zero-gapped and therefore give you crispy results. But mind you, it carries the risk of accidental cuts if you’re not careful enough.
I believe the motor unit inside the Groomsman is quite average and therefore limiting the blade’s versatility to only fine facial hair.
It might even cause tugs if you’re performing on something dense, thus classifying the Groomsman as more of a styling tool.
On your stubbles however, the 8 guide combs between 1/16” to 1/2″ will let you apply even trims but the guards feel very cheap, which I’ve conceded based on the price point.
There’s a NiCad battery powering this tool and it lasts for around 45 minutes with a full charge – but the latter half of the battery life feels lower in power.
A charging cable is provided inside the kit and it can be plugged in while using, should you run out of battery in the middle of grooming.
It takes a disturbing duration of 10-12 hours for charging to complete and the red light doesn’t indicate whether the battery is fully recharged.
Another aspect I’m not pleased with is the power slider. A pressure-sensitive locking mechanism lets it alter between on and off, and trust me, it’s finicky as hell.
One good thing about this kit is that there’s a separate nose hair trimmer unit which runs on external batteries.
The design mimics the one of Groomsman, therefore you’ll have a matching pair of trimming tools at your disposal.
Wahl Groomsman is mainly used for home groomers who prefer self-trimming on their beard or mustache while remaining on a tight budget.
For what you have to pay, the Groomsman does offer you better performance and elements that should fulfil your basic beard grooming needs!
What I Like
- Very affordable and useful
- Can cater to daily beard grooming duties
- Comes with a full kit and a nose hair trimmer
What Could be Better
- Average build quality
- Finicky power slider
- Long recharging time
Why Trust My Verdict?
As I’ve spent a long time in my life juggling between different beard trimmers, I believe Wahl always stood out for me as a brand.
To make this compact list for the finest beard trimmers by Wahl, I had to personally use a wide variety of products at different price ranges.
Along with my standard of using beard trimmer from a wide array of brands, it was easier for me to identify the ones with the highest potential.
The beard trimmers I’ve mentioned have all gone through scrutinizing tests before making their way into my list as the most useful ones.
Test Results: Best Wahl Beard Trimmers
Here, you’ll find the comparative analysis of these three Wahl devices based on the most important features a good beard trimmer must contain.
Housing Design
Housing and ergonomics are subject to preference, therefore I cannot rank anyone over the other since all of them are unique in their own accord.
That said, I personally find the Wahl Stainless Steel trimmer to be the most maneuverable one because of its size, shape and housing material.
I’d have to say the Edge Pro feels really good to hold on to due to its tactile housing elements, but having a cord attached to it does limit my work to a certain extent.
Groomsman also offers firm grip with its design but it feels too lightweight for precisely trimming out the delicate cuts.
Motor Power
Despite being a cordless device, Wahl Stainless Steel has the higher torque among the three best Wahl trimmers.
Edge Pro is somewhat closer in terms of performance but the efficiency tells me that the stainless steel variant has the slight edge over its corded brother.
Wahl Groomsman fails to compete with the rest due to its limited motor power which often tends to drag by the end of its battery cycle.
Even if you’re using it with the power cord connected, the raw torque simply fails to match the more advanced tools in my list.
Sharpness and Comfort
In terms of sharpness, all three of these Wahl trimmers have been exceptional. While the efficiency varies based on the power of the motor, there’s no doubt that blade units are capable in them.
That said, I’ve found the Wahl Stainless Steel trimmer to contain the most comfortable blade despite the zero-gapped design.
It doesn’t pose a threat of cutting, no pulls or tugs or even burning sensation. The Edge Pro comes relatively close in terms of comfort but may cause redness if applied with higher pressure.
Sadly, Wahl Groomsman lacks the comfort quality as it poses a greater risk than the rest of its competitors.
Battery Life
This is not really a debate since the three tools in concern are very different when it comes to power sources.
For instance, Wahl Stainless Steel trimmer is a full-fledged cordless device with a battery life of over 3.5 hours – very impressive!
On the other hand, Edge Pro is a completely corded device with no scope of operating without the power outlet – gives you relentless performance but anchors you to a particular spot.
Wahl Groomsman is the hybrid between these two – 45 minutes of battery life with the capability to be used while plugged into power.
Durability
Being built with metal sheets for the exterior, none can match the housing durability like the Wahl Stainless Steel beard trimmer.
Edge Pro is somewhat average in its build quality with robust plastic, but the Groomsman feels very fragile and borderline finicky at times.
Other than the housing, Wahl Stainless Steel device required the least frequent blade replacement as it has self-sharpening properties.
Edge Pro blades can last between 8-12 months based on usage and the Groomsman blades need to be replaced around each 3-6 months.
Versatility
One thing these three Wahl beard trimmers have in common is the fact that they offer very little functionality over longer beards.
That said, they are equipped to treat your stubbles, mustache, lining up your beard or hair and so on.
Edge Pro and Wahl Stainless Steel deliver even trims with guards on but the Groomsman requires more effort to squeeze out seamless trims.
Also, the latter tool is not ideal for neck trimming without any guide combs as the super-sharp blades tend to agitate the skin, even more so if your skin is sensitive.
Buyer’s Guide to Pick the Best Wahl Beard Trimmer
Let me help you pick the Wahl beard trimmer that should be the most ideal for your expectation out of a grooming tool.
For the most refined outcome with utmost comfort and convenience, Wahl Stainless Steel should be a no brainer if you have the money to spend.
Otherwise, those preferring to maintain a stubble and don’t mind a corded tool for that, Wahl Edge Pro should accompany your grooming journey.
Finally, with a tight budget and fixation on owning a cordless tool, Wahl Groomsman has no competition whatsoever.
FAQ
Before pulling the plug, I’ll answer a couple of relevant FAQs concerning the best Wahl beard trimmers to satisfy your thirst for knowledge.
Q: Are Wahl beard trimmers good for sensitive skin?
Ans: Yes! Wahl beard trimmers are generally great with sensitive skin but that’s applicable mostly for the ones that are relatively costly. For instance, Wahl stainless steel trimmer feels great on my sensitive skin even without a guide comb, but can’t say the same for affordable tools like Wahl Groomsman.
Q: Can I use Wahl beard trimmers for body grooming too?
Ans: It depends on the type of Wahl beard trimmer you own. Generally, I’d discourage you to try that out for two reasons – one, beard trimmers contain robust blades that are not ideal for body hair removal and two, you shouldn’t mix between body groomers and beard trimmers due to hygiene reasons.
Q: How often should I oil my Wahl trimmer blades?
Ans: Wahl recommends you to oil your beard trimmers right before using it and immediately after using, given that you’ve cleaned out the blades. Since the three trimmers in my list are not waterproof, you’ll have to manually brush out the stray hair as part of maintenance.
Concluding Remarks
So, this marks the concluding point for the best Wahl beard trimmer discussion. Now, let me tell you which of these is my favorite!
I guess it comes to you as no surprise that the Wahl Stainless Steel trimmer is the one I’m siding with because of its unmatched quality of beard trims!
It’s been so convenient to use, comforting to the skin and the outcomes resemble that of an expensive barber-shop grooming.
Also, my trimmer hasn’t shown any signs of issues over the course of years, living up to the promise of a long-term investment by giving me the best possible value for money!