Philips Norelco Qt4050/41 Vacuum Beard, Stubble and Moustach Trimmer, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
+ Lithium-Ion battery holds a charge longer
+ International-voltage charger
+ Fine-grained and more secure height adjustment

Cons:
- Swing-open door for hair removal a pain
- No narrow-blade accessory for mustaches
- No carrying case
- Somewhat wimpy vacuum

For the past two and a half years, I have been using the Philips Norelco T980 Turbo Vacuum Trimmer, which is an earlier generation of the Qt4050.I've been generally satisfied with the T980, except that its NiCd battery won't hold a charge anymore.The Qt4050 has a big advantage in that it uses a Lithium-Ion battery, rare in products of this nature, though I expect it will become more common in the future.Li-Ion batteries last longer between charges and don't degrade as quickly as NiCd or NiMH batteries do.I also like that the Qt4050 includes a universal-voltage AC charger, unlike the T980 which was US voltage only.

Another advantage of the newer model is the height adjustment - there are more settings available and the setting is clearly indicated in inches and millimeters, whereas the T980 just had a 1-10 numbered dial. The T980's adjustment dial would sometimes get moved, especially if something pushed on the trimming comb (such as if it was packed for travel.)The newer design seems to be more resistant to that.

One change I do not care for is how one empties the vacuumed hair.On the T980, there was a generously-sized cup that just pulled out and you could tap over a wastebasket.The new model has a swing-out door with a rather difficult-to-open catch.The hair chamber is small, and has crevices that catch hair.One has to use the supplied brush to get most of the hair out, but some will remain nonetheless.The new one also seems to collect more hair in and around the comb than the old one.

The actual trimming function for the Qt4050 is fine, and is pretty much the same as the T980 - no surprise because the blade and comb design is identical.I found I could even swap in the narrow mustache blade from the T980 - the 4050 doesn't include one and I consider this a serious omission for something claiming to be a mustache trimmer.I use the trimmer for my beard and mustache only, not elsewhere on the body.

The vacuum works reasonably well - perhaps the "turbo" motor of the higher priced Philips Norelco Qt4070/41 Turbo Vacuum Beard, Stubble and Moustach Trimmer Pro would be stronger.

When using the trimmer without the comb - as one would do for trimming the neck or sideburns, the 4050 lacks the sliding gate that adjusts better for angle that the T980 had, though I'm unsure if this makes a difference in real use.

The T980 included a very nice carrying pouch for travel - no such thing for the Qt4050.

Since the T980 is still available from Amazon (as of this writing), I'd tend to recommend it over the Qt4050 if it weren't for the NiCd battery issue.However, the battery may not be a deal-killer for most people and both trimmers can be used on AC power even if the battery is dead (you'd be astonished at how many similar products can't be run on AC.)The Qt4050 is by no means a bad product - it's better than those from other manufacturers I have used (and that's quite a few.)It's just disappointing in comparison to its predecessor.

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Product Description:
Achieve the perfect beard or stubble with the philips norelco vacuum beard trimmer plus. designed with a vacuum system to capture cut hair for convenience and cleanliness, this high performance trimmer with 18 length settings and contour following comb is able to trim perfectly to get the look you want.