Philips Beard Trimmer 3000 Review: Creating a Tidy Beard

Have you ever used a beard trimmer, only to find that it shaves just a little bit too closely for your tastes? The Philips Norelco beard trimmer 3000 claims to have the answer to your beard trimming prayers.

Philips claims to offer a combined stubble styler and beard trimmer in one easy package.

But does it stand up to my scrutiny?

Here’s the lowdown on the Philips Norelco BT3210/41

The Quick Facts

The Philips Norelco Trimmer Series 3000 BT3210/41 combines a regular stubble trimmer with a head attachment that you can cycle through 10 settings.

It’s cost-effective and simple, so you won’t spend ages trying to find the right shaving head.

Who Is It For?

Anybody going for the sexy stubble look will that this shaves close while leaving just enough stubble behind. If you have a short beard, you’ll appreciate the accuracy of the shaving head.

The Key Features

So, now you know what the Philips Norelco 3000 claims to do.

In this section, I’m going to take an in-depth look at the trimmer’s key features.

Dial-Up the Trimmer

The trimmer keeps things simple, offering just one trimming head to go along with the regular razor that comes attached to the trimmer.

The main razor doesn’t offer a clean shave, but it’s also not meant to. Instead, you’ll use this if you want to leave a neat and fine layer of stubble on your chin.

It’s the trimmer head that lets you adjust your shave to suit an actual beard. It slots easily onto the razor, with a dial attachment allowing you to quickly switch between lengths.

All told, it has 10 settings, which increase by increments of 1mm. This leaves a maximum trimming length of 10mm.

That’s enough for most regular beards.

However, those who want to grow their hair a little longer will need to look elsewhere.

On the plus side, the trimming head also has a comb built-in. This lifts your hair as your trim, allowing you to get at those flat hairs that hide underneath your beard and grow unchecked.

All told, I think the Norelco beard trimmer 3000 delivers a great trim. It’s accurate to the millimeter, which means that you can trust the head to deliver the shave that it says it will.

The only problem is that I wish it allowed for you to grow your beard beyond 10mm.

A Strong(ish) Battery

You’ll want to use your beard trimmer every day to keep the hair in check. Naturally, this means you need long battery life, especially when you’re traveling and may not have access to charging points.

The Norelco trimmer 3000 mostly delivers in this area, offering 90 minutes of trimming off a single charge. That’s more than enough to get most people through a week, especially given the trimmer’s power.

The problem arises when you need to charge the trimmer.

It takes a ridiculous eight hours to bring it up to full charge. That’s one of the longest charging periods I can recall for such a small return.

Put it like this. Each hour of charging accounts for about 11 minutes of use.

On the plus side, the little light at the front of the razor means you won’t get caught out. It tells you when the trimmer is fully charged, partially charged, and empty.

Sleek and Clever Design

For the most part, you won’t have to get into any tight corners when you’re trimming a beard. You’re looking to keep your hair in check, rather than clear it away.

The Philips BT3210 accounts for that with a sleek design that makes it easy to maneuver while ensuring the shaving head is large enough to cover large areas quickly.

I’m a big fan of the textured grip at the top of the trimmer. Rest your thumb on this and you’ll maintain perfect control over your shave.

I also like how Philips has embedded the power button into its own little groove. This means there’s very little risk of you turning the power off when you’re in the middle of a shave.

Cleaning is also pretty easy. The razor detaches easily, meaning you can clean it under running water.

The only problem comes with the head. It has a tendency to collect stubble in the dial as you shave.

If left unchecked, this stubble turns into gunk that’s almost impossible to get rid of. I’d recommend rinsing the shaving head under the tap after every trim.

The Extras 

There’s not much to shout about when it comes to extras. You get a nice little travel pouch, which is large enough for the razor and the head accessory.

You may need to store the charger elsewhere though.

There’s also a brush for this type of trimmer. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to buy that separately.

Philips Norelco Beard Trimmer 3000 vs Philips Norelco Beard Trimmer 1000

The 3000 series is the next generation up from the 1000 series. Naturally, you’d assume this means that it has more to offer than its older brother.

I’ve come up with a handy comparison table that sorts through the details. 

Name	Max. Trimming Length	Number of Combs	Battery Life
Norelco Beard Trimmer 1000	5mm	4	60 minutes
Norelco Beard Trimmer 3000	10mm	1 (Adjustable)	90 minutes

As you can see, the 3000 series offers a greater range of trimming lengths and a longer battery life. It’s clearly the better choice of the two.

The Final Verdict

There’s a lot to like about the Norelco beard trimmer 3000.

It offers a quick and accurate shave, has a very simple design, and it’s easy to clean. If you have a short beard, or you like keeping some stubble on your chin, you can’t go far wrong.

However, there are some negatives.

The long charging time essentially takes the trimmer out of commission for a day. Plus, it’s not the choice for anybody who’s looking for a clean shave.

So, do I recommend it?

I do… as long as you know what you’re getting.  

This is a simple trimmer for people with short beards. If you’re looking for anything else besides that, you will need to look elsewhere.

Assuming that sounds like you, I recommend the Philips Norelco beard trimmer 3000 for its accuracy and ease of use.