Customer Reviews

Wahl 5571-500 NEW Trim'n Vac Battery Operated Vacuuming Beard and Mustache Trimmer

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm very happy with this purchase. There were three versions of the Trim 'n Vac: full-powered and corded, rechargeable battery powered, and plain battery powered. I read that there were problems replacing the rechargeable battery pack provided with the rechargeable model. Since I have a battery recharger, I thought the plain battery model made the most sense as I'll be able to recharge the batteries myself while having cordless operation.

It is amazing to see a sink with virtually no hair in it after trimming my beard. The vacuum actually works! I thought it was a stupid gimmick but had read some positive reviews on epinions.com. The unit works extremely well, although with it's vacuum function is probably a bit louder than other models on the market. I wouldn't say the noise is a problem, however.

The multi-adjustable head is bulky and needs care in order not to break when removing to use the shorter, more manageable beard guides. My feeling is that once I figure out which of the trimming guides I like best, that one will stay on the unit permanently and the others will be stored.

I like the simplicity of basic batteries, the low cost because of this, and the fact that you can easily use your own rechargeable batteries to have cordless operation.

The cheap feel of the Wahl 5571-500 detracts from the first impression. However, its shaving performance was good. Vacuum performance was so-so. The trimmings collector had more hairs than I expected. Choosing and using the attachments requires patience. Expect a learning curve.

Now for the big secret. It uses 3 AA batteries. Nowhere on their website or sales literature does it divuldge that specific fact. Sloppy marketing? I dunno. I plan to use the trimmer internationally so I didn't want a 110v trimmer. I've been satisfactorly using older technology 1450ma AA rechargables so anything newer will likely be better.

The unit is warranted for two years. I can't imagine it will last that long. When it breaks, I'll post an update.

Update 13 April 2006:

Plastic cap pops off easily. I shave with one finger holding it in place. Otherwise, working well. I'm an infrequent beard shaver but am amazed at how long the batteries are lasting. Haven't had to recharge the batteries since first use.

Here were my reasons for choosing this trimmer over other brands. My number one reason - the Vacuum feature 2) Double A Battery operated 3) The Wahl brand name. Did anyone at Wahl actually test this item with consumers??? Wahl products have a good reputation for quality but, this product, in my humble opinion, is sub-standard.

I read the other reviews prior to my purchase and they were mixed on how well this trimmer kept the mess down and how well people liked this trimmer. So I thought I'd give it a shot. For my husband the vacuum feature of this trimmer didn't work at all, still hair all over the sink when he trims his Goatee. Maybe if you keep your Beard, Mustache or Goatee VERY short the vacuum on this device works, I don't know, others in their reviews said it worked for them.

The other thing that is not designed well on this trimmer is the way the fine trimming guides change out on the unit (the small guides included and shown in the Amazon picture above). They are hard to pop on and off making it inconvenient to use more than one fine adjustment (my husband uses two each time he shaves). My last complaint: the size of the trimmer is very large (due to the internal vacuum) and according to my husband cumbersome to hold and maneuver while trimming.

Overall... for my husband this purchase was a waste of money. Since it is not returnable to Amazon once it is opened and the only way to know if you like it is to open it and give it a try.

My advice: If after reading this review and the others on this site you still decide you want to give this trimmer a try -- purchase it local so when you get it home and your not happy you can return it and get you money back to try a different product. If you can't find it at your local store, believe me, spend your hard earned money on a different product.

I have owned this unit now for well over a year. I only came out here to see about replacing the adjustable guard that I broke...then I see someone putting a 1-star rating. I can't figure that but here is my review: As a 45+ male that's had a full but well sculptured beard/mustache I have to have something that works for me. I've had many trimmers over the years and am the most pleased with this one. The AA batteries make it to where I don't have to find an outlet - ever. Rechargeable batteries eventually wear out and you're stuck trying to find replacement batteries. Furthermore, rechargeable most often are Ni-Cad batteries and those are notorious for getting a charge memory engram on them - which is a major pain...have to fully charge/discharge frequently (and, as mentioned, eventually have to find replacements). So back to this one - I love the vac portion of it which, although isn't perfect (what is??) works wonderful (if you follow the directions) on helping keep the trimmings off the floor, counter, sink, etc. Since I believe in cleaning up my own messes (my wife loves that about me!) I appreciate less work surrounding keeping my beard/mustache looking professional.

Pros

-Having it operate on batteries is actually kind of nice in comparison to cords.

-The vacuum works great, and it's easy to clean.

Cons

-The battery pack makes it large, and incredibly clumsy to hold.

-The blade's at a bad angle which means you have to awkwardly run it across your face for it to actually cut any hairs

-I have to keep my beard very trim and like precise lines. Because it's so large, awkward to hold, and not sharp at all, I can't get any precision on my neck and cheek lines. It's hard to see exactly what I'm doing because of how big it is and how awkwardly you have to hold it. and it left my actual beard really patchy all over.

-The blade trimmer itself is pretty long and makes going for any type of precision impossible.

Don't get this if you actually want to keep your beard or mustache trimmed and neat looking.

I ordered this for my husband as my #1 annoyance is him leaving stubble all over the sink. I was so excited when it arrived! However when he tried it out, the vaccuum didn't seem to be working at all... strange I thought, let's try some different batteries (we had just put in the batteries that came with it). When we opened it up the batteries were super hot, and the plastic coating of one of them had begun to melt! Good that he stopped when he did - as if he had kept going it is likely the whole thing would have melted or worse. I'm guessing that's not meant to happen... Surely these things are tested before they ship? Totally dangerous. I have sent it back for a refund and will be getting the Philips one instead.

I do not use this trimmer often and only for short trimming.

The pros: battery operated.

Cuts well.

Does not injure the skin.

The cons: bulky design.

Difficult to see the trimming blades for fine work.

Very noisy.

The hair chamber is very small.

The plastic bag that comes with is uselessly small.

Conclusion: solid performer but needs a better design.

I had a previous version of this trimmer, it was cordless as well (without the ability to replace the batteries, and no longer held a charge) I really like that this one can have batteries replaced (and will attempt to use rechargable batteries when the included ones die. The vacuum is helpful (although not perfect) it will catch most falling hair which is great.

There was one part I didn't like, the previous model had a mini trimmer (you could rotate the trimmer blade for a smaller version (easier to get at certain areal especially close to the lip) for some reason this part was not included. The attachments with this model seem better and hopefully more durable. Overall very happy (just wish I still had the mini trimmer)

Love it. Replaced an older Wahl whose rechargeable built in battery no longer took a charge. This one uses disposable batteries. The vacuum works great, but makes the unit bigger and heavier and thus not as "friendly" for travel use.

The Wahl 5571-500 vacuum beard trimmer cuts very well and surprisingly the vacuum actually works. Some hairs invariably escape the vacuum but most end up in the easy to empty, pull-out chamber. More importantly the clipper head has a number of easy to adjust "depth of cut" settings that make getting a consistent beard easy and accurate. I would have given this a five star rating except for the size-the vacuum feature makes the trimmer thicker in the handle than the old, non-vacuum model I had. However, it is still a very nice trimmer that I would highly recommend.