The Best Body Hair Trimmers Let You Manscape With Ease

You don’t get to choose where your body hair sprouts or how aggressively it grows, but you do get to choose what to do about it—so long as you have one of the best body hair trimmers (aka manscaping groomers) for men. Whether you’re looking to trim your down-there hair, corral your pits, deforest your back, shave your ass-fro, or all of the above, it’s good to know your options. Especially because dealing with body hair doesn’t mean shaving it all off, and the best body hair trimmer for you is the one that gives you the results you want.

You might want a multi-purpose manscaper for hitting all points north, south, east, and chest, You might want a skin-so-smooth shaver that leaves you more hydrodynamic than an Olympic swimmer. You might need something that’s body-part specific. ("Best trimmer for balls" is a perennially popular search for a reason.) You might want to leave a little length. No two men will take the same path on their body hair journey.

The Best Body Hair Trimmers, at a Glance

• Best Overall Body Hair Trimmer for Men + Best Manscaping Trimmer: Panasonic Body Groomer (ER-GK80-S), $90
• Best Chest Hair Trimmer for Men: Happy Nuts Lumberjack Electric Hair Trimmer, $39
• Best Back Hair Trimmer for Men: Mangroomer Intellimax Pro Back Shaver, $100
• Best Ball Trimmer and Best Pubic Hair Trimmer for Men: Balls Archibald Trimmer, $69
• Best Body Shaver for Men: Philips Norelco Bodygroom Series 5000, $45
• Best Multitasking Trimmer for Body and Beard: Braun All-in-One Series 9 Trimmer 9400, $130
• Best Body Hair Detail Trimmer: Philips Norelco OneBlade Intimate SkinProtect Trimmer and Shaver, $30

This is why we’ve done the work, painstakingly testing every body hair trimmer we can get our hands on. We’ve considered ergonomics, versatility, build quality, power (we see you, thick-pubed gents), and design details. In doing so, we’ve found the best body hair trimmers on the market for just about every guy who needs one.

Read on for the best body trimmers, and why they’re a cut above the rest.

Jump to: What to Look For In Body Trimmers | How We Tested | Best Body Trimmers FAQ | About Our Experts

Best Body Hair Trimmer for Men Overall: Panasonic Body Groomer

Why we like it: If you’re in a rush, it’s okay to stop reading and buy the Panasonic Body Groomer. I can handle anything from rogue sprouts to thick thatch, anywhere on your body, and handle it with ease because of the brilliant design decision that led to the trimming blade being set vertically. It frees up your wrist to treat the device like a paintbrush as you move it all around. Over your shoulder for a self-administered back trim, down the back of your arms, across your Hobbit feet, gently along your balls—control is the name of the game with the Panasonic.

That V-shaped angled head also makes it easy to navigate nooks and crannies, like the under-butt and the sides of your armpits. (Like we’ve said, the best way to trim armpit hair is to cut off whatever sticks out when your arms are down.)

The hardest part of using the Panasonic Body Groomer is making sure you don’t cut too much off, because this thoughtfully designed wand can magically mow away hair without much thought or physical strain. (Seriously, once you master the behind-the-back glide across with this one, it's over for the other devices.)

Two attachment guards make sure you’re not free-handing things when you want to leave some length: larger guard that goes up to 12mm (you’re probably using scissors for anything longer), and a mini buffer designed to protect loose skin (you can imagine where) from the kind of nicks and cuts that can come from a bare blade. It’s also handy for a quick facial hair or neckline cleanup, since the bare blade can leave one or two momentary teeth marks on sensitive areas like the neck. Because neck hair is body hair, too.

Best Body Shaver for Men: Philips Norelco Bodygroom Series 5000

Why we like it: I’d consider this the very close runner-up to the Panasonic Body Groomer above, with the differentiator being that it’s not as good as a straight-up trimmer—the central task when manscaping—but it does bring a Swiss Army skillset. To wit: the head is both a guarded trimmer (though with only three more lengths: 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm) and a foil shaver in one, and you can attach the over-the-back handle attachment for a radically easier time eradicating your sasquatch situation.

Back to the Bodygroom’s unique dual-mode trimming head: two rows of trimming teeth clip longer hairs while the foil shaver at the center mows over the stubble. If you want a smooth finish on your chest, shoulders, groin, or anywhere else without the risk of in-growns and skin irritation that can come with razors, the Philips Norelco is the hybrid of your hair-free dreams. Plus, I like the angled trimming guards, too—they make it easy to cradle the skin no matter what angle you’re mowing.

The Panasonic’s genius blade design makes it a better body hair trimmer, but for a full-body smoothness, the Philips Norelco Bodygroom Series 5000 has the edge.

Best Chest Hair Trimmer for Men: Happy Nuts Lumberjack Electric Hair Trimmer

Why we like it: Happy Nuts is an aptly-named personal care brand with products that range from anti-chafe lotions to, well, the Lumberjack—a body hair trimmer that’s priced nice and does the job well if you don’t need to do too much. Its bare blade will shave hair down to the industry-standard half millimeter, while two guard attachments let you manage length fairly easily (plus a completely functional and fine nose hair trimmer). That makes the Lumberjack a well-priced tuner-upper for anyone whose sole manscaping needs are the chest and pubes.

I keep it in the drawer for those quick-hit cleanups, though I’ve also used it to take my chest hair down considerably for a beach weekend. The two accessory guards (1-5mm and 7-11mm) are a bit fiddly, but the longer one let me cut my chest hair to 7mm—short, but not stubbly—with no pulling or pain. The Lumberjack is also fully waterproof; I wouldn’t suggest shaving your pubes in the shower, but it’s nice to just rinse the trimmer under the faucet and move on.

Best Back-Hair Trimmer for Men: Mangroomer Intellimax Pro Back Shaver

Why we like it: Shaving your own back is a time-honored chore for the hairiest among us, and the Mangroomer Intellimax Pro brings a home-inventor level of crazy brilliance to a job that otherwise requires extreme contortions. You just unfold it, power it on, drop it over the first shoulder, and get to mowing. The trimming head doesn’t bite or leave marks, but will take hair down to the normal .5mm, while the foil-head shaver attachment will get you smooth-skinned (for maybe a day or two). You can even adjust the length of the Mangroomer’s handle for taller torsos or to get better angles on tricky spots.

It was a lifesaver for me when I was single (before I could sweetly ask my partner to do the job)—and so simple that shaving my back almost became fun. I would use it directly in the shower, making for easy cleanup. (Though never with the shower running; it's waterproof, but I didn't want the handle getting slippery enough that I’d drop it.) I never had any issues with nicking or razor burn with the Intellimax Pro’s main trimming head, though it was trickier to get a uniform shave using the foil shaving head. Frankly, it was easier to just use the .5mm trimming head every day if I wanted to stay stubble-free.

Best Ball-Hair Trimmer (and Pubic Hair Trimmer) for Men: Balls Archibald Trimmer

Why we like it: Subtlety isn’t exactly the forté of BALLS (note the price), but this simple little trimmer really does excel at the daunting task of trimming your coin purse with ease and precision. A lot of that comes down not so much to the blade-and guard-situation—which I’ll get to in a moment—but the design of the body. The Archibald has a reinforced matte grip to prevent it from slipping, plus a silicone wrist strap to keep it from hitting the floor (or your feet) if you drop the trimmer. For both reasons, this is the only device here that I felt comfortable using in the shower. At least, if you’re just going to trim the bush, why not make clean-up easier?

Ball-work still deserves to be done while sitting, though, but all that grip makes the Archibald feel more secure in your hands when you’re doing your best impression of an arthroscopic surgeon, trying not to make a nick. Its 3-step buffer guard stays snug on the tool's head so that it doesn't snag any loose skin, which is one reason I never pulled the goalie and trimmed without it. I'm more than content with a 3mm finish if it means no yelping.

The Archibald is a superb body trimmer in its own right, too—but if you're church-and-state about these things, it’s the most sure-handed ball-hair destroyer on this list.

Best Multitasking Trimmer for Body and Beard: Braun All-in-One Series 9 Trimmer 9400

Why we like it: If you want an all-in-one device for hair, body, and face (or some combo of the three), this Braun has you covered. Or, well, trimmed. As a high-end beard trimmer first and foremost, it has a high-powered motor with the oomph to cut through thick patches anywhere else with ease. Meanwhile, its forty different trimming settings, all in 0.5-millimeter increments controlled by the dial, ensure you’re not stuck making your sideburns the same length as your chest hair.

Of the Series 9’s myriad attachments, the fine-toothed body-buffer head is a godsend for body hair trimming, letting you mow through thick hair quickly. Not only does it provide a slight buffer between skin and teeth, but since those strands each get combed before the cut, there’s a lot less tugging and clogging than with other multitool-style trimmers.

There are some obvious caveats. For one, the Braun’s not ergonomically designed to be a great back hair trimmer unless you have a very friendly roommate or a very kind partner. And you’ll need to step up your rinsing and disinfecting game if you’re planning on going face-to-balls with the same trimmer. (At the very least, maybe hit the pubes after you’ve hit the shower.)

Best Body Hair Detail Trimmer: Philips Norelco OneBlade Intimate SkinProtect Trimmer and Shaver

Why we like it: The OneBlade arrived on the scene years back as a hybrid between an electric trimmer/shaver and a manual razor, with replaceable cartridges ensuring you always had the sharpest cutting surface. (And, let’s be honest, a reason to keep spending money.). The Intimate SkinProtect version steps up the game with coated teeth that protect against bites without compromising on stubble maintenance. For truly sensitive areas—a.k.a., where the skin’s loose and the danger’s high—I’d still recommend using the low-profile buffer guard to prevent friction or snips. Best of all, if you’re already a OneBlade owner, you can just buy the Intimate SkinProtect cartridges, and swap them on when you start working below the neck.

For a professional opinion on what to prioritize when buying a body trimmer, we sought out the expertise of celebrity groomer Dan Perri, who keeps A-list clients like Post Malone, Gerard Butler, and Brendan Fraser looking tidy. Here are the key attributes of a good body hair trimmer, says Perri:

• Versatility: A good body hair trimmer should be able to trim hair on various parts of the body, says Perri, as well as offer the user plenty of control over the finished results. (Whether you want a short trim, a near-shave, or a combination of both.) This means it should have design features like proper angling or thoughtful trimming heads in order to trim hair in different places.
• Skin-friendly guards: This is so necessary with body hair trimmers, especially anything tending to sensitive areas like the groin or armpits. “I highly recommend looking for trimmers that are made with hypoallergenic blades to prevent irritation and breakouts,” Perri adds.
• Precision: “A good body hair trimmer cuts confidently and precisely, and doesn’t pull on skin, because ouch,” Perri says. This can come down to the materials used, the quality of the tools (thus, well-reviewed and reputable brands are a must), as well as design details like wide-set teeth or carefully buffered blades.
• Water-resistant, if not waterproof: While not all devices are designed to be used under running water, they should at least be water-resistant enough to handle a quick rinse or cutting hair on freshly-cleaned skin. If you do plan to use a body hair trimmer in the shower, make sure the product says it’s shower-safe.

I’m as fuzzy as a teddy bear, so in my decade-plus as a grooming editor I’ve tested plenty of body-hair-trimming, manscaping products. I know the woes of needing a back trim without having anyone around to help, as well as the desire to look my best for a beach weekend. I’m somebody who embraces body hair, but likes to manage it—so I look for that versatility and customization in all of the devices I test. As a result of my long-standing grooming review career and GQ, I’m usually one of the first to test products as they hit the market (and sometimes before).

All the body hair trimmers chosen here—and those that didn’t make the cut—were tested multiple times to determine their ability to handle different types of body hair from head to toe. I’m judging based on the obvious factors: the power to handle thick hair, good ergonomics, versatility (or, in certain cases, being extremely good at managing one tricky body part), a usable battery life, useful attachments, and precise control.

“If you want the best performance out of your trimmer, keeping the blade clean and lubricated is key,” says Perri. “Oiling the trimmer every few weeks will keep the blade running smooth, prevent any pulling of the hair, and keep the blade temperature down.” He adds that most trimmers come with a small supply of mineral oil—use it. (Wahl sells a great 4-oz clipper oil for cheap, too.) Be sure to use a machine-safe disinfectant spray to help keep the blade sanitized, which will prevent breakouts, Perri adds.

Some beard trimmers are designed for use on the body, but only if they have attachments designed to keep skin from being pulled into the blade. Keep in mind that the ergonomics of a great beard trimmer doesn’t necessarily align with the ergonomics you’ll want for shaving body parts. You’ll have a harder time hitting hard to reach places, like the back. And beyond that, you’ll want to aggressively sanitize any trimming heads and guards that touch both your face and your [looks down].

As GQ’s lead grooming product reviewer, I firmly believe that best body hair trimmer for most people is the Panasonic ER-GK-80S, with it’s innovatively-shaped vertical blade that allows for easier maneuvering. You can read more about it in the review above.

Dan Perri is a celebrity groomer based between NYC, LA, and Florida. His A-list clients include Post Malone, Gerard Butler, and Brendan Fraser.