Today’s busy man probably doesn’t have time to make a weekly trip to the barber shop. For this reason, beard trimmers are the perfect solution to the need for regular beard shaving, since unfortunately it doesn’t groom itself. If you wear a goatee or moustache, a beard shaver will do a perfect job every time, and in a lot less time than it would take you to do it by hand.

What features should you look for in a men’s beard trimmer? These can be summed up in three words: convenience, cleanliness, and value.

First, convenience. The best beard clipper should be easy to use in all possible ways. It should be comfortable to grip, since you’ll be doing some close work with it. It should have sharp blades that make a clean cut. It should be compact and fit easily in a drawer in your bathroom. In other words, it should be so easy to use that it becomes as much a part of your grooming regimen as brushing your teeth.

A cordless beard trimmer is really the standard in convenience nowadays, so there’s no need to put up with messy cords as a trade-off for saving a few dollars. A low-priced battery powered beard trimmer can be found in online stores for as little as $15. These basic models don’t require a lot of juice, so they’re usually powered by two AA batteries, which are very easy to replace. If you’re inclined to go green, you can even buy four rechargeable NiMH AA batteries and always keep two in a battery charger ready to swap out when the other two run down.

Which brings us to the next required feature in beard shavers: cleanliness. A basic AA-battery powered clipper will do the job nicely, but it will also leave a mess all over your bathroom. Technology has recently come to the rescue of men with facial hair in the form of the vacuum beard trimmer. These devices contain a tiny but powerful vacuum motor that sucks up nearly all of the trimmings as you work and deposits them in a chamber that you can empty later. How well does a vac beard trimmer work? A survey of online stores shows a lot of happy bearded customers using these units. Although the suction doesn’t pick up 100 percent of the trimmings, the consensus seems to be that 95 percent is a pretty good average, and a whole lot better than cleaning them up afterward. Prices online for a turbo vac trimmer start at around $40, which is very reasonable considering all the time you’ll save.

If you opt for a vacuum model, then a pair of AA batteries aren’t going to cut it, so to speak. That’s because the vacuum motor is a power hog, particularly the turbo vacuum models,. For this reason, you’re looking at a rechargeable beard trimmer if you go the vacuum route. This really is the ultimate when it comes to convenience. The beard trimmer battery is built in and sits in the beard trimmer charger when you aren’t using it. When you’re ready to clip, simply take it out of the charging dock and use it. Users report that these models will run for up to 30 minutes without recharging, which is a probably a lot longer than you’ll be spending in the bathroom grooming your face.

Although you can buy a waterproof beard trimmer if you prefer to do your trimming in the shower, most of these models are made for close shaving of the body and face, rather than shaping and grooming facial hair. That’s because all hair looks longer when it’s wet, and trimming in the shower won’t give you an accurate sense of what your face will look like when it dries. Therefore, a wet dry beard trimmer is better used for back hair or other patches of unwanted hair that you want to take right down to clean-shaven skin.

The final piece of the puzzle is value. Although these units aren’t expensive, some models will give you more features than others for approximately the same price. So let’s take a look at some specific models.

The Philips Norelco beard trimmer comes in several models. Norelco trimmers feature rechargeable batteries and self-sharpening steel blades. The Philips Norelco T780 has a built-in vacuum unit for picking up all the trimmings, while the Philips Norelco T980 has one too, but with a turbo feature that provides even more suction, for about $15 more than the T780. The Philips T980 is probably the most popular trimmer model available on the market and has a lot of happy customers.

If you want a professional beard trimmer, look for the Andis trimmer, which comes in several different models. These units cost a bit more, but they’re built to last. Andis makes a beard trimmer set with multipurpose attachments for haircuts that’s a popular item with online shopping customers. The Wahl beard trimmer has even more models available than the Andis, including the popular Wahl 9906-717 Chrome Pro. This unit is actually two Wahl beard trimmers: a larger corded unit for cutting the hair on your head, and a hand-held battery operated unit for facial hair. This set has gorgeous chrome trim and streamlined design that looks sharp sitting on the bathroom countertop as well as feeling great in your hand. However, it doesn’t include a built-in vacuum like the Norelco trimmer.

Wahl’s budget model has proven itself popular with economy-minded males. The Wahl 9906-717 Groomsman is a good basic model that retails for $15 and runs on a pair of AA batteries. The Panasonic trimmer is also a basic model that usually retails online for under $15.

Finally, the Remington beard trimmer series comes with titanium coated blades that are “lube for life” and never need oiling. These models start at $30 for the Remington MB-200 and go on up to $50 for the Remington MB-300, which has the additional feature of a pop-up detail trimmer.

Follow these beard trimmer instructions to get the most from the model you choose:

• Wash and dry with a good bodycare product
• Don’t trim while the hair is damp or wet
• Stand close to a good vanity mirror and keep a hand mirror close by for detail work
• Work under strong lighting so you can see what you’re doing
• Keep a sharp pair of hand scissors close by for touching up
• Experiment with the length settings on your trimmer and opt for the longest setting until you know exactly how each one works
• Start in an inconspicuous spot
• Use medium length, sweeping strokes for the bulk of the hair
• Achieve balance when shaping by starting from the ears and working your way down to the chin
• Do the details last

Follow these easy steps and you’ll have facial hair that’s the envy of all the guys who get theirs done professionally.

Women who report good results with epilation tend to be those who have used waxing in the past but got tired of the expense. They aren’t as messy, and an epilator device can be used at home. And unlike shaving, an epilator leaves the skin free of hair for a maximum of three weeks.

The first epilator in history was the Epilady, which went on the market in 1986. This primitive design used a spring that was bent into a half-circle. An electric motor rotated the entire apparatus which made one side of the spring squeeze while the other side released. As the spring tightened, it caught hair and pulled it out. More than one woman has referred to this early epilator as a “torture instrument.”

The Lady Remington Smooth and Silky pioneered the rotating disc style of epilator, which with modifications is still in use today. A modern epilator has a rotating head that brings the tips of a series of metal plates together and then apart. This tweezing action takes place in a continuous cycle, with the hair being gripped, pulled, and discarded as the plates open at the bottom of the rotation cycle. The design is so effective the Epilady discarded the original spring design and now uses rotating plates in its epilators.

Even the best epilator can be painful to use, especially on the first try. Although not a medically proven fact, epilator users claim that hair regrowth comes in thinner after each epilation. Other techniques for dealing with the pain include taking an over-the-counter analgesic like aspirin or ibuprofen before epilating, or a couple of alcoholic drinks. Exfoliation after treatment is a must to avoid ingrown hairs.

There are several brands of epilator on market besides the Epilady. The Braun Silk-epil is the highest priced unit with the most features. It comes with a built-in light and includes shaving and massage attachments. Braun claims the effects of hair removal with its machine last for up to a month.

The Philips Norelco Satinelle Ice features ceramic disks. It comes with a liquid-filled cartridge that you can remove and put in the freezer until you’re ready to epilate. The cooling pack is supposed to chill your skin as you work so the process is less painful. The Satinelle Ice has two speed settings, one for coarse hair and one for sensitive areas.

The Philips Satinelle HP also has two speeds, but lacks the chill pack in the Ice model. At about half the price of the Silk-Epil, many users report that the HP gives great value in an epilator for the money.

Whish Lemongrass Shave Savour Hair Inhibiting Gel

A nice gel skin treatment for men. Comes in great natural scents like pomegranate, lemongrass and almond. Works mainly as a moisturizer, but contains a hair growth inhibitor. The texture is non-greasy and it dries fast. Would make a great massage gel. All-natural, organic product, no animal testing.

This is a specialty product, so you won’t find it in discount stores. About $26.00.

GiGi Mimosa Film Hard Wax

A new hard wax technology that contains vinyl copolymers. Goes on thin and elastic like a honey wax but doesn’t need cloth strips. Has a pleasant scent. The next generation in hard wax products.

Recommended for professional use only, so not available in discount stores. $19.95 for a 14 oz. container. Available online.

Veet Rasera Bladeless Kit

A new hair removal cream with a bladeless “razor” included. Takes about three minutes to work. Comes in pleasant smelling scents like dewberry, fresh sensation, aloe vera, and floral sensation.

As with all chemical hair removal products, do a patch test on a small area of skin first to make sure you can tolerate it.

Cost: about $7.99

Whish Flawless Ingrown Hair Serum

Say goodbye to ingrown hairs with this great-smelling, one of a kind product. Apply after shaving to prevent ingrown hair. For both men and women. Clean, silky texture, doesn’t leave a sticky residue on your skin. All-natural, organic product, no animal testing.

Average price: $22.50

Epicare Facial Hair Remover

Say goodbye to tweezers and get this easy-to-use tool for plucking stray hairs from the chin and other facial areas. Takes a little practice, but the speed and ease of use once you learn is well worth it.

Average Price:$16.99

Parissa Chamomile Body Sugar

For fans of sugaring hair removal, this natural product is sure to please. Contains only sugar, water, chamomile, and lemon juice, plus azulene oil for moisturizing after treatment. No added chemicals or wax. Gentler on the skin than waxing, and you can wash out the strips and reuse them.

You’ll need to heat the gel each time you use it, and a regular wax warmer won’t work; use a microwave. Comes with 5 ounces of the gel, azulene oil, spatulas for applying, and 20 strips.

Price: $8.60