The One Blade hybrid electric trimmer by Phillips is part shaver, part trimmer. It’s also specifically designed for men who wear beards and other facial hair styles. According to the manufacturer, this trimmer is designed specifically to suit the needs of the modern man. It can do it all from edging and thinning out a beard to trimming goatees and mustaches for a well-groomed look. if can be used without a comb for a close shave or to trim down stubble.
Norelco has created an easy to use shaver that’s compact, comfortable to use, and equipped with a sharp blade that’s designed specifically to handle facial hair and close shaves. Read on to learn more about this exciting new model.
Table of Contents
Overview and Features
Norelco produces some of the best stubble trimmers on the market. Their extensive bread trimmer line that includes high powered, high-priced trimmers that can handle it all. But while this moderately priced model may not be packing the same type of power that you’ll find on other popular trimmers, it does offer a stellar performance and can handle a wide range of grooming tasks that many trimmers in this price range just can’t.
Many modern shaver and trimmer combos come packed with so many features that men don’t even need that it makes sense that a manufacturer finally wised up and produced a simple trimmer and shaver hybrid that focuses more on power than flash.
Men who have struggled with razor burn and ingrown hairs for years will appreciate what this shaver has to offer. The trimmer’s ability to shave closely is obviously one of its biggest selling points. Its ability to get up close to the skin without causing irritation will allow you to achieve a cleaner look without the skin irritation, redness, and bumps.
Product Rating:
- Lightweight design
- Removable head
- Easy to clean
- Single blade design
- Shaves and trims
Design
The blue and green color scheme may not be as appealing as higher priced sleek black trimmers, but aside from the poor color choice, this trimmer delivers, especially when it comes to clean results and softer, smoother skin.
The trimmer’s body is compact and slender, which makes it easy to guide it over the contours of your face. Its lightweight design and ergonomic grip also make it comfortable to hold.
This trimmer does possess a certain sleekness to its design. The lack of an adjustable heard or a digital display screen actually works in the trimmer’s favor. The trimmer has just one button, which switches it on and off and ejects the slider in order to remove the head. On the bottom of the handle you’ll find the charging port.
Wet and Dry Shave
This trimmer is approved for both dry and wet shaves. If you enjoy a morning shave while you shower or a dry shave with shaving cream, the One Blade obliges. Additionally, wet shaves can make cleanup a breeze.
Blade
While this trimmer is a combination of a trimmer and shaver, it’s neither a rotary shave or foil shaver. Instead, the trimmer utilizes one blade, which is a refreshing design change in an industry that just tries to pile on as many blades as possible.
The trimmer’s sole blade moves impressively fast, at two hundred times a second. It’s also surrounded by a dual protection system which is basically a shield that’s designed to protect the skin.
Head Design
Changing the trimmer’s head is fast and easy. To do, simply press the eject button in order to remove the old head. The trimmer comes with an extra head, which must be changed out every three to four months, depending on how often you use the trimmer.
Overall, the trimmer is a pleasure to use and well-designed. The lack of extra features and accessories will be a drawback for some and a plus for others.
The fast-moving blade design means that you can easily achieve the look you’re going for when using this trimmer to style your facial hair. If you normally wear stubble, or you need a model that can keep your beard trimmed and looking great, then this trimmer is a great, affordable way you can keep your facial hair in check. However, we wouldn’t recommend using this trimmer to thin out a beard or to get rid of some length.
Battery
In order to keep the blade running at a rapid pace, this model will drain the juice in a battery at a faster than average rate. The trimmer must be charged every eight hours for a period of forty-five minutes. If you prefer a morning shave you’ll have to plan carefully in order to avoid getting caught in the morning with a dead trimmer. For many, the trimmer’s battery life is the biggest drawback.
Hair Types
Working on fine to moderately thick hair is no problem for this trimmer, however, we have found that using it on thicker facial hair can be a big problem. First, aside from stalling the blade, the trimmer tends to pull on facial hair as it struggles to work. If you have a very thick beard, opting for a pair of scissors to trim off some inches or to thin out the beard may be a safer choice. This problem is usually par for the course with trimmers. However, this trimmer can still be used to groom a short to medium-thick beard. Keep in mind that working on thicker hair can be a bigger drain on an already short battery life.
We would recommend this trimmer for a variety of grooming jobs, especially if you’re learning how to trim a beard neckline or create clean edges along the jaw. Many larger trimmers can be difficult to hold and control, which is why we love the One Blade’s lightweight design. Of course, the trimmer doesn’t come with the same type of high-powered motor that higher-priced shavers do, which is also why it’s easier to handle, but for what it is, the trimmer provides you with the type of control you need for fine edge work and more.
Performance
If you’ve been using cheap trimmers to trim or shave your facial hair then you’ll be blown away by this trimmer’s performance. The trimmer makes a low humming noise when used as a shaver and becomes slightly louder when a trimming comb is attached.
The trimmer’s powerful, but small head makes thinning out a beard or cutting off several inches a breeze, all thanks to the dual-sided design. Since the blade is protected from the top edge and the bottom, it can easily be used to create straight edges from any angle. However, you may have some issues if you try to use it to shave off a thicker beard. Even with the large five millimeter comb attached, if you have to go through thicker hair you’ll notice that the hair tends to easily jam the blade, causing it to stop working.
If you’re just learning how to shape a beard, you must go slowly with this trimmer or you may end up pulling out hair.
This trimmer is so streamlined and small that it almost feels like you’re shaving with a traditional razor. Unlike bulkier electric razors such as the Philips Norelco Beard Trimmer 7100 vacuum trimmer, it won’t block too much of your face when you’re trying to clean up your sideburns or when you’re edging.
Thanks to the polymer shield, the trimmer will also not cut the hair too closely, which means you can easily avoid skin irritation while achieving an impressively close shave at the same time. Using this trimmer regularly, on shortened hair, will reduce the chances of the blade pulling out longer, thicker hair.
Additionally, you can even use this trimmer to shave against the grain without worrying about razor burn. Because the trimmer feels like you’re shaving with a regular razor, it’s much easer and natural to shave against the grain, especially if you’re working on difficult areas such as under the chin or your neck. Basically, this trimmer can give you the closest, cleanest, and quickest shave possible.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Removable head
- Easy to clean
- Single blade design
- Shaves and trims
Cons
- Heads must be replaced every four months
- Short battery life
- Does not work well with thicker beards
Final Thoughts
Product Rating:
Aside from better than average trimming ability, this model will probably become your new favorite shaver. It’s a great choice for sensitive skin since it doesn’t shave too closely to the skin, however, you may notice your five o’clock shading creeping up a littler earlier than usual, compared to when you use a traditional razor. However, this is a small price to pay for smoother skin. A model that can trim and shave, we gave the hybrid One Blade a rating of four and a half out of five stars.
