With trimming devices catching on like never before, we take a look at the ones that offer the best value for money
The idea of grooming is alien to many a man. To them, hair is as natural as testosterone (although, ironically, the latter inhibits the former) and hence, they feel no need to do anything about it. The pandemic only exacerbated this issue of being hirsute. It would have been fine if we didn’t impose the double standard of expecting women to be waxed to Brazilian standards all the time.
This means that the first thing we must do is acknowledge the shallowness therein, and then, promptly set ourselves about acquiring a new grooming standard, and a device that won’t merely comb or part hair, but downright cut it to the right size and shape. Here are a few that do the job niftily:
PHILIPS MULTIGROOMER (MG5740/15)
The big name in hair trimming care has many appliances on the market, and I have already covered the OneBlade, which is a versatile little number. This, here, is a more heavy-duty product. An all-in-one trimmer with 11 attachments, a silent motor, and 80 minutes of work on a single charge. The blades are suitably adapted for face, hair, and body usage, making it then the one ring that rules them all, in case you like your references Tolkien-y. Rs 2,995
REALME
It charges with a standard USB cable, and that was the first thing which attracted me to it. Okay, second, because, truth be told, the slick, solid construction that feels nicely weighty in the palm, especially with its shiny chrome base, was the first thing. Another great feature was the travel lock, which ensures that the device doesn’t accidentally get switched on in your luggage, leaving you to arrive at your destination with a completely discharged trimmer. Great value for money stuff here. The motor isn’t the most silent but overall, the device certainly feels premium. Rs 1,299
IKONIC PROFESSIONAL EDGE+
This is proper professional-grade equipment in a slick black device with soft-touch controls and an LCD display, and two aspects really made it stand out — the noise and vibration levels were the lowest and secondly, the cut was probably the closest with a wide blade sweep. That said, it is only for grooming facial hair, splash-proof but now showerproof, and although it uses a proprietary charger, the charge lasts long enough for an entire week of daily use. The LED display tells you the percentage of battery left. It is possibly the priciest option on this list, but worth it. Rs 3,960
BOAT T50
A small, easy-to-use trimmer finished with sleek, shiny exteriors, it is light to hold, and comes with a set of length attachments that can be further fine- tuned using a dial. It is, however, a bit noisy, with noticeable vibration levels, but still long lasting on single charges and great for the price. The shiny chrome finish adds a premium appeal. Rs 899
LET’S SHAVE BALLS TRIMMER
These guys don’t do things by the baby steps, and their new launch is, well, quite ballsy. It’s a balls’ trimmer and before you wonder who’d need that, I’d ask you to Google the (reassuringly) astounding stats. As the saying goes, “Everybody wants to go heavenly smooth but nobody wants to break any eggs.” Maybe I mixed up my quotes. They also have a more versatile beard and body trimmer kit (replete with a counter-top stand), which uses the same base machine with different attachments for length and type of usage. The noise and vibrations levels are low overall for both machines, and the results are quite satisfactory. Rs 1,999
