A beard trimmer is an important piece of gear in a man’s grooming kit. It will help you keep your unruly beard in check and to look your best at all times. Sometimes, you may need to use your beard trimmer only to discover that it is low on power. Is it possible to use your beard trimmer while it is charging?
Some beard trimmers can be used during charging, while others, such as showerproof beard trimmers, are designed to not operate while charging as a safety feature. On some units, the charging mechanism may make it impractical to use while charging, and on others, the supplier may recommend against it.
You may be fortunate to have a beard trimmer that can be switched on while charging, but in some instances, it may be physically impossible to use the trimmer, even if it will turn on while being charged. If your beard trimmer cannot turn on while charging, or it is impractical, you may need an alternative way to get your beard under control in a hurry.
Can You Use A Beard Trimmer While It Is Charging?
It may be a frustrating experience when you need to use your beard trimmer, but find that it is low on battery power. If you are in a hurry because you have an appointment to keep, you may not have time to wait for your beard trimmer to charge before using it.
What options do you have open to you when you find yourself in this beard predicament? Can you use your beard trimmer while it is charging, or do you need to find another way to trim your beard?
The answer to the dilemma will depend to a large extent on the type of beard trimmer that you have. The best way to determine if this is possible is to whip out the instruction manual for your beard trimmer and find out, but what man reads the instructions? If you are like me, you probably turfed the instruction booklet out with the packaging when you opened the box! Right?
So how can you know if you can use the trimmer while it is charging?
- Showerproof or waterproof beard trimmers. If your beard trimmer is of the showerproof or waterproof variety, then you may be out of luck. Most of these types of beard trimmers are designed not to switch on if they are charging. This is a product safety feature to prevent electric shock if you try to use it in the shower while the trimmer is connected to the electrical outlet.
- Short charging cord. If your beard trimmer has a short charging cord, you may not be able to get it anywhere near your face or get it in front of the mirror while it is on charge. You may be able to remedy this problem by using a handheld mirror, but this can be a bit cumbersome!
- Wall-mounted charger. If your beard trimmer has a wall-mounted charger that it clips into for charging, you will not be able to use it while it is recharging.
- A stand–in or socket charger. Your beard charger may be of the type that stands inside a countertop receptacle that charges the trimmer. To use the trimmer while it is charging will require you to pick up the trimmer and the charger together, which is impractical to do.
- Check the manufacturer recommendations. Some beard trimmers are made so that they can be used while charging, while others may become damaged if they are used while they are on charge. The manufacturer will normally indicate this information in the instruction manual. If you have thrown out your manual, do a quick internet search on the make and model of your beard trimmer to find out the information
Of course, if you are in a hurry and don’t have the time to do online research, you can simply try it out and see what happens. Unfortunately, there is some risk attached to this strategy in that it could damage your beard trimmer.
How Long Does A Beard Trimmer Take To Charge?
The length of time that a beard trimmer will take to charge will vary from product to product. Some beard trimmers charge with a trickle charge to avoid over-charging problems, which could reduce the life of the battery in the beard trimmer.
Some beard trimmers will charge fully in 1-hour, while others require an 8-hour stint on the charger to reach full capacity. Some models require up to 14-hours on the charger to fully charge, but these are generally older models. If you are in a hurry, these charging times are going to be restrictive to your grooming time schedule, and you may have to use an alternative trimming solution.
With many beard trimmers, if the battery is completely depleted, it will not turn on until it has been on the charger for between 5 to 15-minutes. At this point, it may have gained enough charge to be used for a quick trim of your beard.
There are some beard trimmer models that have a quick charge setting that will allow you to charge the beard trimmer for one 1 minute, which will give the unit enough power to get your grooming session done.
This feature is a great option to have if you regularly find yourself needing a beard trim at short notice and you forgot to place your trimmer on charge. If you regularly find yourself in this position, it would be worthwhile to purchase a beard trimmer that has this feature.
How Do I Know If My Beard Trimmer Is Fully Charged?
The question of knowing when your beard trimmer is fully charged is another characteristic that depends on the beard trimmer.
Some beard trimmers have no indicator of charging and only stipulate an amount of time that you should have the unit on charge. Other beard trimmers will have an indicator light that will illuminate while it is charging and go out when charging is complete.
More sophisticated beard trimmers have a battery indicator in the form of a gradient or a percentage indicator. These versions are the most useful because they give you a real-time indicator of the amount of charge left in the beard trimmer battery.
This will allow you to be proactive and charge your trimmer before the charge gets too low and you find yourself in the position of needing a beard trim, and your trimmer has insufficient charge.
What Can You Use Instead Of A Beard Trimmer?
If your beard trimmer does not have a quick charge feature, and you find yourself in the predicament of needing a fast trim, what are your alternative options to groom your beard before showing your face in public?
Some of the alternatives you can use you may have on hand already, but others may require a little forward planning to make sure you have a backup method to trim your beard.
- A pair of scissors. A good pair of hair-cutting scissors is the best alternative to use to trim your beard in the event that your electric beard trimmer battery is dead. If you do not have a pair of hair cutting scissors, any pair of scissors will get the job done as long as they are sharp. In a pinch, even a pair of nail scissors can be used, but they may take some time due to their small size. Scissors make a good backup to your beard trimmer, and it is the tool that men have used for centuries to keep their beards neat and tidy before electricity became our best friend!
- A corded beard trimmer as a backup. Some people keep a corded beard trimmer for emergencies or as a backup to their cordless beard trimmer. This is a good option to have available because the motor on these trimmers is stronger than cordless beard trimmers, so you will be able to get your grooming done quickly.
The final option is one the should only be used as a last resort because it will be treading on dangerous ground. You can tempt fate and raid your lady’s grooming kit, sneak out her electric hair trimmer and use it on your beard.
As long as she does not find out about your devious plan, you should be free and clear! Just make sure you return it back to where you found it without leaving any beard hair in the trimmer as evidence!
Conclusion
Beard trimmers are a great convenience for men, and we rely heavily on these pieces of equipment to keep ourselves well-groomed and presentable in public.
While it is in our nature to make a plan when our beard trimmer is low on charge, you need to make the right plan to avoid doing damage to your beard trimmer.
As far as possible, you should include charging your beard trimmer as a matter of course by including it in your daily routine. This will make sure you never find yourself with a beard that needs trimming and a depleted beard trimmer!