When hair grows out of pretty much every part of you, you’re not expected to just accept it as is. It’s great if you do think “eh whatever, let it grow,” but it’s also nice to consider exactly how you’d like to maintain all of that fuzz. Do you like the chest a little fluffy, and the back bare? Do you want to manicure your bush — or more importantly, does your partner want you to?
On top of all that, you need a trimmer for the task, and we’re not suggesting you put your beard trimmer, electric shaver, or hair clippers up for it. They’re designed for your head, in terms of ergonomics, and oftentimes those trimmers are too wide-toothed, low-powered, or overly powered for your more sensitive body parts… especially one area in particular.
If you’re going to do any grooming below the neck, then it’s worth investing in a device for any and all tasks. Considering all the different ways you’ll be customizing your hair, based on where it’s growing, how much it’s growing, and how dense it is (and it’s never uniform across the body, is it?), you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor. And the results won’t go unnoticed, either — especially by that person nearest you, or those people nearest you, if you’re feeling extra frisky, post shearing.
Given all the contours of the body, and the odd angles one must navigate to trim his entire person, ergonomics and design go a long way. I love the upright stature of Panasonic’s groomer and its V-shaped head that allows for snipping in all the nooks and crannies. I think it’s an extremely straightforward device: wet/dry use, three trimmer heads for various length preferences up to one-quarter of an inch (or remove them all for a bare shave, 0.08 in.), and it’s one of the easiest for trimming your own backside, too. It takes a while to get a full charge (8 hours for 40 minutes of shave time, to which is its only real detriment.
Price: $60
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This one is an uncanny entry into the list, given its hair-tweezing powers. It’s a pick for the guys who want to be bare-chested, smooth-legged, dolphin-pitted, and so forth. You’ll have to ignore the gendered advertising (please always ignore gendered advertising), in order to see that this device can keep you smoother longer—at a slightly higher level of pain, of course. It’s basically a hair removal device, as opposed to a pure trimmer/shaver (though it trims and shaves as well). Its epilator head uses 40 tweezers to extract the hairs completely from the skin as if you’ve used a wax strip or a depilatory cream. Just follow its red-light sensor to note that you’re applying the right amount of pressure as you go, and you can enjoy “silky” smooth results for weeks, instead of stubbled results days later. Oh, and it even has a massage head to help boost circulation in the skin, and to expedite any necessary recovery from all that extraction.
Price: $160
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Speaking of design (notice a pattern?), Remington’s got its own thing going with this palm-held trimmer, which transforms into a long-handled back shaver (rather, you attach said handle). I think it’s best suited for the chest and back, while some of the other trimmers master the tighter, more angled spaces. But its wide blade can make for an efficient trim, and it does so with wet/dry functionality, as well as five trimming guards for 0.2mm up to 12mm of length (just shy of a half-inch). It has a 40-minute life on a four-hour charge.
Price: $48
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Philips Norelco has a thoughtfully designed device as well. This dual-ended trimmer/shaver allows you to manage body hair at five different hair settings (up to 7/16 in., plus the shaver end for a full shearing). It has wet/dry functionality, and its angular design at either end allows for you to have a steady grip on the task at hand. Also, it holds an 80-minute charge after only an hour of being plugged in.
Price: $60
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Your jewels are precious, so don’t go trimming the balls and the bush without a device that is specifically tailored to do so. (Have you ever nicked your scrotum while trimming down there? It bloody hurts, literally.) Meridian’s groomer gives you just enough distance on the trimmer head to avoid any such mishaps, and even comes with two head guards for bushier results (up to 12mm, nearly half an inch). I’d say you can go ahead and use this to manicure your chest and body, too, but the reverse logic is not always safe. (The same way I would tell you to apply a facial moisturizer on the body, but never apply a body moisturizer to the face. Always graduate upwards with sensitive body parts.) Meridian’s hedge trimmer holds a 90-minute charge with its USB charger and has wet/dry functionality.
Price: $60
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If you want a dedicated back trimmer, then Mangroomer is your guy. (I always think these brand names are so… well, you know. There’s one called BRO SHAVER, too… sigh.) Anyway, one thing this brand does get right is shaving your hirsute hind-side, which is never a simple task when you’re doing it solo. I like its 1.8-in. Width, which is large enough to mow fast but short enough to target specific patches and angles. It has a flexible trimmer and shaver heads (with a foil shaver head for a nick-free shave), a power-burst mode for tougher tasks, and a lock button so that you can keep it taut at whichever angle you require (not to mention, an extendable handle for extra length or torque). It’s an odd device, with an odd name, but, bro, it sure follows through.
Price: $45
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