Brother's review:
My current trimmer is a cheap brand from a shaving mall shop. It did the job for a while, but the blades dulled quickly and it pulled.
The Braun trimmer comes well boxed. There's a charging plug and stand, and a zipper pouch to keep it in.
The trimmer feels quite ergonomic actually. I like that the 'on-off' button needs a more forceful push to turn on, and it actually sits lower than where I naturally hold my thumb when shaving, so I never accidentally turned if off, mid use.
It charged quickly. The length dial was easy to use.
The only issue for me was the length range - I don't have a busy beard, but 20mm is the longest length and I think the option for longer would have been nicer. The shortest length is .5mm and I would prefer the option for a clean shave. But they threw in the Gilette razor so that was a nice touch.
At $270 this is much pricier than I'd consider paying but for lifetime blades, a long battery life and the option of using it corded or cordless make it worth the money.
The mrs has been asking me to tidy up my beard for a while now - apparently she doesn't find it as glorious as I do. So I was actually a bit sad to receive this to review as it meant I was going to have to trim my beard.
The trimmer feels like its good quality. I've only ever used cheap trimmers which feel plastic-y and somehow break after months of just sitting in a cupboard between uses.
I like the charging stand, if you were using this often it'd sit nicely on your vanity or bathroom counter.
It charges quickly, and holds charge well. The trimmer auto senses the right speed for what it's cutting, and I found it smooth, and non-snagging. There were no painful hair pulls.
You can adjust this to 39 different lengths, which seems excessive, but actually, I quite enjoyed being able to go slow, and decide if I wanted to take off 'just a bit more'.
I got my wife to use this on the back of my neck, and to tidy my hair line. Which escalated to a full haircut. Again, it was smooth and quick.
The blades will apparently last a life time, so although this is potentially a big outlay, it's an investment that'll last.
Tips: Buy cheap, buy 10. Invest in this and you'll be set for a beard trimmer for life.