Customer Reviews

Philips Norelco Qt4050 Vacuum Beard, Stubble and Moustach Trimmer, Black

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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.

Edit: March 23, 2011
The T980 is no longer available from Amazon or really anywhere else. Too bad. I have been using the Qt4050 regularly and, other than the poorer vacuum performance, it works ok. I've managed to come to terms with the door over the hair collection chamber and learned to stop and clean it out more often. I do like that I can go a much longer time between charges. (Note that with a Li-Ion battery, it will last longest if you keep it "topped up", unlike NiCd batteries that prefer being deep-discharged.) If you're considering the Qt4050, maybe spring for the Qt4070 with its more powerful motor. (I have not tried that model, however, and its reviews are decidedly mixed.)

In our household, we have a saying that "they 'new-and-improved' it", meaning that it was made worse than the old model. In some ways that applies to the Qt4050. Who knows - if I had the Qt4070 I might feel differently about it, as the poorer hair collection is really my major gripe compared to the T980.

Edit: May 22, 2011
Remember when I wrote about the "fiddly" door over the clipped hair compartment? Now it's more so - the small plastic tab that serves as a latch broke off the door, so it no longer stays shut. I now have to remember to keep my finger on it to keep it from swinging open while in use.

This is the best beard trimmer I have owned in the 10+ years I've been using one. I previously purchased the QT4070 and hated it! But used the money back offer from Norelco and got it right away no questions asked.... I then both this one, the QT4050.....and it is absolutely perfect. Several features make it superior to others I have owned.... One, the dial for adjusting the lengths is recessed so that it can't be moved by accident....Two, it accepts international voltage making it perfect for travel....and three, it cuts more evenly than any I have ever owned. When fully charged it provides more trims that my prior Norelcos and can be used with the cord if you need to... Overall I am extremely happy with it and would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting a beard trimmer

Oh, one last item.... I had no trouble emptying the vacumm container nor did I think the few hairs that it didn't catch were an issue.... so again, excellent

I was a bit concerned seeing so many reviews harping on this not being as good as the previous model. I was using an older one, a few models prior to this one, and so looked around trying to find the previous model, but had no luck. So took the gamble on this one.

So far, outstanding. I can see why people would complain about the little hinged door for emptying the trimmings, it does make this a little messier. But the reason I replaced my old one (and the one prior to that) was that the little cup type receptacle they used to use always broke on me after time, becoming separated, front and back, so that trying to pull it out just pulled off the front cover, letting things fall out if you weren't careful. So while this isn't as neat as the previous solution, it's definitely a better engineering design, less prone to the plastic glue coming undone.

On both my previous models, I ALWAYS had whiskers flying onto the counter and sink when doing my chin. Always. This one, nary a hair. Everything went where it was supposed to be, into the vac stream and into the catch bin. Much neater than the other.

I preferred the outer ring for adjusting the depth of the trimmer to this smaller internal rotating adjustment, but it still works fine.

Not any louder than the previous model despite having a better vacuum system.

Looking forward to using this for much longer than the other ones, since it no longer has the same design flaw for where it stores the clippings.

The idea of this is awesome, but its not what it is advertised to be.

-The Vacuum/ "Clean free shaving" = Terrible, absolute BS.
*The vacuum filled up twice during each shave, making me stop shaving to go empty out the compartment.
*It doesn't suck up all the hair, it probably sucked up 2/3s of the hair, but the other 1/3 of the hair was still all over the sink which still needs to be cleaned up. It is absolutely no quicker to clean up 1/3 of the hair or all of the hair...

-The Trimmer = Nice... Kind-of.
*I liked the quality of the shave. It did a very good job of cutting all the hairs evenly, and was a comfortable experience doing it (the combs were well made, not sharp).
*With this trimmer, you cannot take off the comb so you cannot make clean lines with the shaver, meaning i still need a second shaver for this...
*Doesn't work to trim your mustache. The front of the combs is quite a bit further forward from the blades because of the vacuum that by the time the combs go up your upper lip and hits your nose, the blades are only half way up your upper lip, leaving the top half of your lip unreachable with this shaver...

Unless you want a half shaven mustache and no clean lines, you will need a second shaver just to compensate for what this shaver doesn't do.

Botton line, don't waist your money on this.

I purchased this to replace a 6 year old Panasonic in which the batteries would no longer hold a charge. It would seem to me that Panasonic has discontunued their line of Trimmers...and perhaps even sold this design to Norelco. I like this design because it is ONE-PIECE and does a very good job. I don't want a drawer full of attachments like some of the other brands.

I was very happy with the Panasonic...but I am happier with the Norelco for 3 things. 1) the Lithium Ion Batteries stay up much better. The older Panny had NiCads which lose a large percent of their charge, even when not in use. 2) The Norelco has higher RPM's and just works quicker. 3) The Norelco vacuums much better...not perfect, but better....probably due to the higher RPM's.
Minor quibble others have mentioned: The Panasonic had a removable clippings drawer you slide out and can take to waste basket and tap out the clippings. The Norelco is more of a side-door that does not come off...so it is a bit harder to empty.

Length:: 2:21 Mins

The main selling point of this particular unit, to me at least, was the vacuum function and it just sadly doesn't work well. Couple that with poor performance in the trimming department, at least on the longer settings, and you've got a product that doesn't work very well. It took forever because I kept having to go back over areas, things clearly weren't even and even on my second attempt to use it as a touch up it started to pull/snag hairs. Ouch!

Pros:
+ It catches some of the hair
+ Can be used on battery or while plugged in

Cons:
-- Doesn't cut well
-- Snags hairs
- It only catches some of the hair

Short end of it, maybe this works better for some, but not for me, it's being returned next week.

The refinements are effective. This trimmer is slightly improved from the prior model in several respects. The vacuum is a bit stronger, the vacuum chute stays clear, the hair chamber is easy to clean, the comb has shorter, rounded tips, and the cutting head is more precise. I was initially troubled by the change in the vacuum chute and the chamber because the chute is no longer retractible and the chamber now has a swing-out door. However, the new chute stays clear (and there is no spring to fall out) and the chamber is simple to clean (and the door opens easily after a few times). The new comb design allows closer access around the nostrils and the new cutting head allows more precise results when the comb is removed.

This trimmer is functional, but it's short of spectacular. The positives are found in its design. Norelco, as usual, did a good job concepting an ergonomic razor that offers all the little conveniences that make shaving easier. The trimmer is light weight and feels good in your hand; it smoothly follow the contours of your face. It has 18 different length settings, which I find particularly useful. Each setting is reached by simply rotating a wheel that clicks into place at each length. Given these clicks, there is no guess work as to which length setting you are on. The vacuum compartment door is clear, so you know when it's time to empty the razor.

While the design of this trimmer ranks high, parts of its execution are lacking. The obvious shortcoming for me is the vacuum. I find it ineffective. For every hair the trimmer collects, it seems to spill one into the sink. So, great, I still have to clean out my sink while also having to clean out the trimmer's vacuum compartment. Philips has the right idea by adding a vacuum, but there is still work to be done in the R & D department before this feature becomes a selling point. The trimmer has also clogged a couple of times when I've trimmed off any significant amount of hair. I know most beard trimmers occasionally clog, but other Norelco products I've used haven't had this problem. Finally, this trimmer is not ideal for use on a mustache. Unless you remove the guard, it can be difficult to maneuver the blade around your upper lip. And, if you have to remove the guard, it defeats the purpose of having a trimmer in the first place.

The bottom line is that this is a sturdy product that is better than a lot of options out there right now, but it isn't overly impressive by Norelco standards.

This Norelco product is exactly what I was looking for in a beard trimmer. The guide comb works wonderfully and can be removed for toching up arond the mouth and other places that need a little individual attention. The battry holds a charge for a long time and the triiming is smooth and even. Just follow the instruction manual that comes with the trimmer. I look forward to years of dependable service from this trimmer!

The vacuum works well, if not perfectly and the trimmer is easily adjustable and trims well. The vacuum systems misses enough hair that it's still beneficial to trim over the sink, but it contains things enough that it can all be easily washed after. Without it, the hairs end up all over the place. The battery life is fantastic, the build is solid, and the adjustment settings are nicely gradated.