Guest blog by James Crook
With Christmas fast approaching you are probably considering what to buy for the distinguished gentleman in your life. Or perhaps, it is indeed you, the said distinguished gentleman who is constantly being asked what you would like to make your already splendid life that bit more complete? Either way, consider the Phillips beard trimmer series 5000 and then consider no more!
It’s officially Decembeard! That’s right another month apparently dedicated entirely to the growth of facial hair, and why not? What can be more gentlemanly than the pursuit of sublime sideburns with a marvellous moustache? Let’s face it being clean shaven is a chore, but growing a full beard is itchy and during the early stages more than a tad scruffy so I decided to try a beard trimmer.
The choice – I went for the Philips BT5262 model because it was nicely packaged and had a picture of the lower half of a man’s face showing the type of close cropped 
designer stubble affair I hoped to achieve. Upon closer inspection of the box I found it offered superior precision (0.2mm) to its cheaper siblings (0.5mm) as well as boasting a 55 minute cordless power time requiring only a 1 hour charge. More precise + better battery = WIN!
First impressions are good! It feels solid and comfortable in the hand with a ridged finger grip at the top allowing for precise control when creating your lines. There is a tactile wheel in the centre just above the on/off button which is satisfying to turn and allows you to adjust the guard length from 0.4 (clean shaven) to 10 (FULL CHEWBACCA).
It looks very easy to use but I am nothing if not thorough, so I check the instruction manual and yes as a helpful picture confirms I should turn it on and apply in the general area of my face. That’s all there is to it! Being a novice I select a length using the same method I use to select wine for a present, one up from the lowest, and give it a bash. I start on 0.8 and am immediately impressed by how comfortable it feels, there is no pulling or plucking like what you get from dry shavers and because the coverage is good it takes no time at all to achieve an even finish. I look down into the sink and inspect the offcuts with a sense of manly satisfaction and then up into the mirror to check the results. “I actually didn’t mess it up” I think proudly to myself, although when I hold up the picture on the box for a comparison I notice that the lines I have created are not nearly as defined as they suggest is possible. This is where one of the best features comes into its own; I simply removed the guard by pinching either side to reveal that the trimmer is in fact dual sided and used the smaller trimmer to achieve the detail I was hoping for.
Beard how it should be, trimmer cleaned with the brush provided in the box and my face looking presentable once again with no stubble rash or razor burn – all in fewer than two shakes of a lamb’s tail (around 4 mins).
When it comes to facial grooming I’ve tried everything from traditional double-edged safety razors, through rotary dry shavers, to these multi-blade monstrosities that shave so close your follicles hide away in terror. The Philips perfect precision trimmer is practical, comfortable and provides great results and I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to anyone.
I rate it 5 H’s out of 5 and is my pick for a Christmas stocking filler this year.
View the Phillips BT5262 online now or visit your local store.
