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Philips Series 5000 Beard Trimmer Review

To beard, or not to beard – that is the question. Actually, if you’re sporting facial hair, all you need to ask yourself is “How do I keep this manly growth on my face from getting out of hand?”

The answer is found in the Philips Series 5000 Beard Trimmer – a solidly-built trimmer and detailer that lets you keep your beard, stubble, moustache, sideburns – or any combination thereof – looking impeccably rugged.

Keep reading to learn more about the most important features!

Key Points About The Series 5000 Beard Trimmer

  • Trims and shapes, beards and designer stubble.
  • 40 individual lockable length settings ranging from 0.4 to 20mm.
  • Blades self-sharpen for optimal performance and longevity.
  • Rounded blade tips and combs prevent irritated skin.
  • Long beard length comb, and Lift & Trim comb
  • 90 minutes of cordless trimming
  • Storage pouch and 5 min quick charge

Philips BT5502/13 Beardtrimmer Series 5000 Overview

Extreme Precision Lets You Lock in the Perfect Look

How small is 0.4mm? Really small – in fact, it’s just twice the thickness of an average strand of human hair.

It’s also how small the first setting of the 20 increments of adjustment on the Philips BT5502/13 Beard Trimmer are. That means you can make minute adjustments of between 0.4 and 1mm of cutting length – that’s precision.

Between 1 and 5mm of cutting length, adjustments are made in 0.2mm increments. Incredible precision means that your beard or stubble is always trimmed to the perfect length.

Zoom Wheel for Easy, Accurate Adjustments

Many adjustable trimmers feature a vertically-oriented, mechanical adjustment wheel for modifying the cutting length.

Does this design work?

Certainly – but Philips, true to its innovative nature, has improved on the old standard. The BT5502/13 features a unique, horizontally-oriented, manual-control zoom wheel (perfect for the thumb-scrolling action to which we’ve all become accustomed), which displays, adjusts and locks in your desired length setting.

It works in a similar way to a clipper taper lever, adjusting the position of the teeth by sliding the blades forward and back.

An Evenly Trimmed Beard, Every Time

A 3-day beard is a good compromise for a lot of men – not quite clean-shaven, but not so long as to be unruly.

To maintain this look, set the trimmer to a short length setting of 0.4mm. Want a long beard? No problem – just adjust the zoom wheel.

The specially shaped “Lift & Trim Pro” beard comb, with its smooth, rounded tips, helps to lift and guide hairs towards the blades, ensuring your beard is cut evenly, with no unsightly, straggly hairs left over.

The Philips Series 5000 Beard and Stubble trimmer is a high-performance trimmer, perfect for quickly and evenly trimming your whole beard.

It’s suited to men who want the versatility to change between short facial stubble and a long beard and is particularly useful for getting at tricky areas, like the top of my moustache right under my nose, and close to the corners of my lips.

If you’ve only used a trimmer with a single – non-adjustable – cutting element, you’ll appreciate how much easier this Series 5000 trimmer is to manoeuvre, both for squeezing into challenging areas, and for shaping your beard.

Durable, Waterproof and Rechargeable

The Series 5000 is, like all Philips grooming products, well-designed and built to withstand daily use. It’s also washable, though not 100% waterproof, which takes away the worry of using an electrical appliance in the bathroom, and makes it possible to clean by rinsing it under the tap.

It takes only a 1 hour charge to provide an excellent 90 minutes of cordless runtime, and if the battery happens to run down while you’re using the beard trimmer, simply plug it into a mains outlet – the unit will charge while you trim.

That’s one thing you can’t fault Philips for – they’ve got the internal battery system right, on all their trimmers, groomers, and clippers. Of all the beard trimmers I’ve used, Philips has always had the longest-lasting battery.

The BT5502/13 features worldwide voltage compatibility – use it anywhere!

Self-Sharpening Blades for Comfort, Performance and Longevity

Some beard trimmers require that the blades be removed and shipped back to the manufacturer for sharpening.

Not this Philips Series 5000 beard trimmer! The steel blades brush against one another, sharpening themselves whenever the unit is running.

This reduces blade friction, optimizing cutting performance, while improving skin comfort by cutting each hair cleanly and quickly, preventing tugging and irritation.

Beard hairs can be thick, and dense, but the double-sharpened, self-sharpening stainless steel blades, combined with a powerful motor will make quick work of any beard.

And unlike a lot of clippers and trimmers around, these blades require zero oiling, making this a long lasting, easy beard trimmer to maintain.

Bottom Line With The Philips BT5502/13 Trimmer

This is a product that does only one thing – okay, technically, two things, since it trims and shapes beards and stubble of various lengths – and does them very well.

At first, I thought the zoom wheel might be overkill, but it really is very useful. Instead of counting the mechanical “clicks” a conventional adjustment wheel makes, I just need to glance at the numbered display to see at exactly what length I’m cutting.

The BT5502/13 isn’t overly heavy, but it still has a reassuring heft that tells you this thing can take a knock and is built to a high standard.

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but looking at this beard trimmers, it’s packaging, and the Philips logo, I don’t have any concerns about its durability – it’s one of those things that you know is well-made at the moment you pick it up.

And the self-sharpening blades are great – after regular use, they don’t show any signs of dulling. I also enjoy the fact that they don’t require oiling – and oftentimes messy process.

I think you’ll be very satisfied with the new Philips Series 5000 beard trimmer. If you sport a beard or tidy stubble, this is a great, straightforward tool that will help keep you looking your best.

It doesn’t boast a 4.5/5 star rating and many glowing customer reviews for nothing.