Everyone loves the aesthetic upgrade that thick beards bring, but few understand the stress of the grooming journey. From picking the right beard treatment to trimmers, grooming a coarse beard can be more hassle than handsome.
To save you the stress of trial and error, we’ve curated a comprehensive list putting all the best beard trimmers for coarse and thick beards head-to-head. There’s something for everyone, including the best price, best overall, and best cheap product.
However, before we address that, let’s examine the different types of beards to determine if your beard falls into the thick and coarse category.
Different Beard Types
Genetics is the primary determinant for beard growth from density to length, texture, and natural pattern. Thick and coarse mean different things to many men based on ethnicity, which falls into three broad categories – Afro, Asian, and Caucasian.
In general, ”the Hair of African, Hispanic and Asian individuals is commonly held to be darker and thicker than that of Caucasians” according to Wiley Online Library.
These broad groups fall into curl subtypes based on coarseness density – Numbers for curl type and letters for density. Generally, Afro hair falls between types 3 – 4, Asian hair types 1 – 2, and Caucasian hair types 1 – 3. Every hair can be either A, B, or C.
See the table below for a demonstration.
Table 1: Hair types based on thickness and coarseness
| Width/Type | 1: Straight | 2: Wavy | 3: Curly | 4: Coiled |
| A: Wide | Asian, Caucasian | Asian, Caucasian | Afro, Caucasian | Afro |
| B: Medium | Asian, Caucasian | Asian, Caucasian | Afro, Caucasian | Afro |
| C: Thick | Asian, Caucasian | Asian, Caucasian | Afro, Caucasian | Afro |
What Should an Ideal Trimmer Have?
You’re looking for something with a regulating motor that can cut through much hair without taking off chunks. It must be easy to hold, so it feels like an extended hand during use. Say yes, to guards and guides to ensure precise cuts and trims in all crevices without drawing blood.
Cordless trimmers are the best for on-the-go use as you don’t have to worry about power sockets.
However, on thick and coarse beards we advise you to use corded trimmers because, as you can easily understand, a battery is not as effective as if the trimmer is plugged in. If you use a corded trimmer, you want a long pliable wire (5 ft minimum) that allows you to move your hand in any direction.
Let’s break it down, shall we;
Power
Thick and coarse beards need high-powered trimmers that can shave much hair at a go. You don’t want something that’ll stress your hands, tangle your hair, and inevitably waste your time.
Blade and Accessories
Get a trimmer with an assortment of blades that can cater to your unique needs – a wide blade for cutting through large space thick and coarse hair, guards to keep you in line, and detail trimmers for styling.
Having a variety of different guards allows you to trim your beard and style it the way you want. Some men create ducktail beards, others prefer stubble, others only fade their sideburns into their bald head or faded haircut. There is a ton to it.
Grab a trimmer that can trim precisely and in a variety of facial hair lengths.
Speed
You’d need a regulatory speed trimmer to control how fast the blades work. Since the high-powered trimmer would work well for your thick and coarse beards, you’ll need less speed once the length is down.
Dry/Wet Technology
Although we advise men with thick and coarse beards to dry-trim, wet-trimming isn’t bad for long straight hair. It would be best if you had a versatile trimmer that doesn’t restrict your grooming so that you can conveniently shave your beards anywhere.
Cordless Vs. Corded
Even though corded trimmers are high-powered devices, the main beef with corded trimmers is their inconvenience. It would help if you moved your hands without stress while grooming thick and coarse beards, and a cord wouldn’t allow that.
Whether your trimmer is corded or cordless, the important thing to keep in mind is it has to be powerful. Otherwise, it will either pull hair or not cut adequately.
With these criteria in mind, we pit the bad boys against each other in a royal rumble, and here’s a list of those who passed the test.
Top 7 Beard Trimmers for Coarse And Thick Beards
Best Overall
Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000
Any way you spin it, the Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000 is the king of beard trimmers for thick and coarse hair. This sleek dual-cut technology beard trimmer comes with 23 accessories, including guards and guides, to deliver a precise cut through the thick and coarse beard.
This cordless stainless steel razor runs for 50 minutes on each charge and spots an easy-grip frame for convenient and portable usage.
The only downside (based on preference) is that the trimmer creates a bit of mess as any other beard trimmer without a vacuum does. But, this one is powerful so the mess is kinda worse!
For me, not a big deal, though. I know I will have to clean up after trimming my beard.
This is a very popular trimmer so we have created a whole article about it. Check it out here.
Runner Up
Panasonic Cordless Men’s Beard Trimmer with Precision Dial
The Panasonic Cordless Men’s Beard Trimmer with Precision Dial is travel-friendly for men working on the go and lasts 50 minutes on a full charge. It has self-sharpening hypoallergenic blades that cut through coarse and thick beards without tangling or irritating the skin.
This trimmer is water-resistant, making it easy to clean, and you can switch from wet to dry use – a feature especially suited for type 4 hair due to its tendency for shrinkage.
It’s best you dry-shave your 4C beards to ensure you’re working on the actual length. The precision dial makes it the best for amateurs since there aren’t many accessories to confuse you.
Also Great
Hattekar Men’s Beard Trimmer
The Hattekar Men’s Beard Trimmer has a precision dial for regulating speed as you cut through dense hair. The blades are also self-sharpening and come with six adjustable guards, meaning you don’t have to worry about ripping beard chunks off or ruining your beard outline.
The trimmer has a 120 minute run time on a full charge, a great consolation as it doesn’t work while charging.
Many users vouch for its sturdiness and efficiency, especially for 4C hair because it delivers a precise cut. The waterproof feature makes maintenance easy since you can clean it in running water.
Best Cheap
Philips Norelco Multigroom 3000
The Philips Norelco Multigroom 3000 is the most affordable premium trimmer you would ever buy. Its rubber grip fits like a glove in your hands and comes with high-performance water-resistant attachments.
With the Philip Norelco Multigroom 3000, you get more for less as it has more attachments than most low-budget trimmers. Unlike the Multigroom 7000, which has a stainless steel body, this trimmer has a plastic build making it a lighter weight option.
It’s one of the best budget buys and even sits on Amazon’s choice list. We have to warn you, though, the blade’s metal (tempered steel), so you have to oil it occasionally.
If you are interested in this trimmer, we have created a detailed review that you can check here!
Others Option You May Like
Wahl Aqua Blade Deluxe Wet and Dry 9899-100
