The clean-shaven, bald-faced man of yonder was the fashionable norm. Today, beards, and well-groomed stubble are in style.
To craft a stylish, well-kept beard, you need a beard trimmer… not just any trimmer, but one that has blades sharp enough, and a motor strong enough, to effortlessly glide through an onslaught of thick beard hair.
You need a reliable beard trimmer that cuts with precision, and has the right features to trim and style sideburns, moustache, and beard.
Philips already has a proven track record of producing some of the best beard trimmers available, but they’ve taken things one step further with their new Philips Series 7000 BT7202/13 Beard and Stubble Vacuum Trimmer.
But no matter how efficient a beard trimmer is, there’s always one big problem – the mess.
Shaved off beard hairs end up strewn all over the bathroom sink, surfaces, and even the floor. It’s an unsightly mess, and you end up with a long chore of a clean-up job following your shave.
That’s why you’ll find an ingenious integrated vacuum built into the Philips Series 7000 BT7202, so you can get on with trimming your beard, and the vacuum will suck messy hairs away.
Today, we’re reviewing the Philips Series 7000 BT7202 vacuum beard trimmer to see if it lives up to the hype.
Philips Series 7000 Beard Trimmer Main Features
Less Mess with Built-in Vacuum – Capturing around 90% of all cut hairs
Super sharp, long lasting patented DualCut Self Sharpening blades
X2 faster cutting compared to the older Philips Norelco model
Lifts and cuts hairs for even, effortless trimming
The trimmer itself really has the wow factor – it looks so modern, stylish, and just cool.
It’s sweeping lines, transparent vacuum system, and overall shape makes for a beard trimmer that’s very pleasing to the eye.
It also feels nice to hold and operate.
There’s a prominent scrolling wheel visible from the front and back of the trimmer handle, which Philips call the “Zoom Wheel”.
This aptly named control “zooms” – like focusing a camera lens – the cutting lengths in-and-out, from short, too long, by simple adjustment using your finger and thumb.
Starting at 0.5mm, all the way to 10mm, in .5mm increments, the Philips BT7202 trimmer has 20 adjustable hair cutting lengths that “lock in” for maximum precision and safety.
You might be after very short stubble, or a just a tidy beard – or maybe something in-between.
The 5 o’clock shadow is a very popular, and striking look for facial hair – it’s half way between clean shaven and a little scruffy, and has a very masculine style.
Simply select your desired length, press the power button and you’re off.
Philips Vacuum System
The unique vacuum system is where the magic happens, as soon as you turn on the trimmer and start shaving, the vacuum starts sucking. The powerful vacuum will hoover up around 90% of shaven off hairs, leaving less mess.
Of course, some hairs will escape the vacuum suction and won’t make it to the holding chamber, but a minimal 10% clean-up of some residual hair is not a problem for most people. Simply rinse away with some water or wipe.
Whether your trimming over the sink, or in the living room, you’re assured a shave without the worry of excessive mess.
Cut hairs are stored in a static free chamber that’s easily emptied into the bin or drain (only wash fine hairs down the drain, to prevent blocking) by removing the cutting head.
Several men have reported a 50% drop in their partners nagging after switching to this vacuum trimmer.
Joking aside, if you share a bathroom with other people, it’s good to know that your new beard trimmer is helping to keep the place clean, and less hands-on cleaning required on your part.
No more messy hairs littering floors and surfaces every time you trim your beard.
With that said, you’ll have to clean up some hairs, as it does not clean up 100% of all shaved hairs, Philips claim 90% success in testing, which is ideal.
The bit that does the cutting – is made from very strong, stainless steel double-sharpened blades.
They are designed to cut through the thickest hair like a hot knife through butter, and have a “self-sharpening” ability as they trim, so they always remain sharp.
Attached to the blades is a plastic guard that controls the cutting length and features “Lift & Trim”, teeth helping to lift and capture hairs, and guide them into the cutter, for an even shave with fewer strokes.
The detachable blades allow you to empty the hairs building up in the chamber, and are washable, but the whole beard trimmer is not waterproof.
The blades can be removed and placed under running water to get rid is excess hairs, for easy clean maintenance.
The blades are self-sharpening, stainless steel and do not require any oiling.
Power Source
You’ll be pleased to know that no disposable batteries are needed to power the Philips 7000 BT 7202 trimmer.
It’s powered in two ways; with a built-in rechargeable NiMH battery that’s charged with the supplied charging cable, that will provide ample energy to maintain consistent cutting power from the motor.
The battery takes just 1 hour to charge from flat, which is really good considering some products with built-in rechargeable batteries require 8 – 12 hours of charging, which is insane.
Now, if the battery ever dies on you, mid trim, or starts to run low, and you need to finish trimming your beard for a special occasion, you’ll be please to know that it also works corded, from mains power.
What’s in the Philips Series 7000 Box
X1 Philips Series 7000 Beard and Stubble Trimmer BT7202/13 X1 Precision Trimmer Head X1 Cleaning brush to keep the vacuum system clear X1 DualCut Technology Blades X1 User Manual and 2 Year Guarantee
But before you make a final decision, let’s run over some pros and cons:
Pros:
Very efficient trimming performance
Accurate, locking trimming lengths
Corded or cordless use
Extended 2-year warranty
Fast trimming and long-lasting blades, that sharpen themselves
Easy clean up with little maintenance
Plenty of positive reviews and rating backing its reliability
Cons:
Not suitable for very long beards as vacuum chamber fills quickly, requiring regular emptying. The stopping and starting while trimmer, to empty the camber can be frustrating. However, this problem can be eliminated by trimming to beard down to a shorter length with clippers, before using the Philip vacuum trimmer.
Does not vacuum every hair, there’s still some mess after trimming that needs to be cleaned. But I suppose Philips are honest about this, as the product states “less mess” not “no mess”, and I respect their honesty on this point.
Hair capturing chamber can be difficult to clean thoroughly
When it comes to building the perfect beard trimmer, Philips have gotten everything right, from the laser guided precision, self-sharpening stainless-steel blades, to style, and impeccable build quality.
The Philips Series 7000 BT7202/13 Beard and Stubble Vacuum Trimmer eliminates scruff, and offers precision beard and stubble styling with less mess. This is Philips Middle of the flag ship range of beard trimmers, and has mixed reviews, though overall positive, which leads us to conclude this as a worthy buy.
It cleans as you trim, and if mess matters in your current trimming and shaving routine, it’s likely worth investing in this Philips beard trimmer.
It’s Philips – “You Trim, We Tidy” – slogan, and it works!
