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36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
MB-300 & Predecessor, MB-45. Excellent, with some flaws. Replaced Wahl & Norelco., March 3, 2009
This review is from: Remington MB-300 Titanium Beard and Mustache Trimmer (Health and Beauty)
This review is for the Remington MB-45, and also on it's replacement the MB-300, and I will discuss my experiences with several other models including Philips Norelco, and Wahl.
I've used this trimmer for approximately 2-3 years and it has been used a lot! I use it to trim my beard and sideburns, and also for other body hair. Since it is getting on in age, getting noisy, and not holding a charge as long, I've decided to replace it with a newer model. I've just finished reading reviews of the new products and ended up with the Remington Titanium MB-300, which by the way, is essentially the same as this trimmer. The best price I found was at my local Target for 24.99.
What I like: The pop up trimmer! This is a must for me as I often groom my beard very short (so I can not attest to how well it works for long beards), and the small detail trimmer is necessary for getting the chin area (soul patch), and around the mustache neatly trimmed, it also cuts shorter/closer than the larger trimmer. The batteries last a long time! I often go on vacation for a week or more and do not bring the charger! You can use the unit with or without the charger (great when you run out of batteries mid-shave. Works well for body grooming as well...just use caution (see below)
What I don't like: Not waterproof! If I could take it in the shower that would be sweet. Now, Remington does make waterproof trimmers and shavers, but they do not have the pop up trimmer. Also if somehow this unit could have a foil trimmer to get really close for when I'm in a rush and don't want to break out the hand razor that would be great. Also it does not have a vacuum. The charger is bulky compared to the newer MB-300. Both the MB-45 & the MB-300 have the same flimsy hinge mechanism for popping the main trimmer blade up to clean out the inside of hairs, on my MB-45 this broke so it would fall off when I removed it, but if I popped it back in, it would stay in place while in use. I will be more careful with the newer MB-300, but I suspect it will have the same problem due to this minor design flaw. Use caution when trimming 'delicate' body parts! Do not try to go to the skin, or you will get pinched, and bleed. Use the plastic head, and pull things tight so there is no loose skin to get caught and you'll have good results.
Other models I've used: I had a Philips Norelco before this, and it didn't last nearly as long, also it had no detail trimmer. Also at that time (not sure if this has changed) the plastic head was spring loaded and I found that very difficult to use, and it did not yield as uniform results. The wahl trimmer worked well, cut closer than this trimmer without the plastic head, but it uses multiple replaceable plastic pieces that are a pain to change, and easily get lost. It also didn't last as long as this one. The new Philips Norelco T980 has a feature that was very tempting; the vacuum, to suck up all those loose hairs. For body grooming I am considering trying the Philips Norelco BG2030, since it is waterproof, and reportedly is very good at not pinching and cutting delicate areas. Also it has a foil shaver to get very close which might make a nice razor replacement in a pinch (no pun intended). However, neither of the features on these models is as important to me as the pop up detail trimmer (the Philips Norelco T980 has a separate detail trimmer that you must install/remove whenever you use it, which for me is another thing to lose/break/take time to swap). In addition these features would make the unit bulkier/heavier/less streamlined, and such is the case with the T980 (I looked at both in person before choosing) and in my opinion it is not worth the trade off. The other downside to both of the Philips Norelco units is that it they are 2x as much at 50.00 (each).
The replacement: Norelco MB-300. ALMOST the same. Looks very similar, except very slightly different contour, different (reversed) color scheme, and the addition of some grooves on the handle for grip. Much smoother and quieter than this one (but I remember this one being a lot quieter and smoother when I first bought it...hence the replacement) The plastic ridges that move the plastic head up and down are NOT as sturdy, and you can move the plastic head up or down a little depending on the pressure you are using. We will see if this becomes and issue over time. The MB-300 charger is much smaller, and that's a good thing for space in the bathroom outlet, and for traveling (if going on long trips where you may need the charger).
Conclusion: MB-45 & MB-300 are very good trimmers for an all in one solution especially if a small convenient detail trimmer is important to you. They work well, are streamlined, lightweight, and easy to use, and they do what they are supposed to. Time will tell if the MB-300 has the same longevity as it's predecessor. If you can do without the built in detail trimmer, or don't mind the extra bulk that the vacuum adds, you may do well checking out the Philips Norelco products. If you want the trimmer that gets the closest to the skin but don't mind multiple accessories to swap out, check out the Wahl offerings. I may pick up the Philips Norelco Bodygroom BG2030 for trimming and shaving in the shower and will write a review on that, if I do. The downside would be it's another thing to keep in the bathroom and/or take with you on trips. If I had my perfect electric trimmer/shaver it would have a pop up or integrated detail trimmer (Reminton Only), of course the single adjustable height plastic head (both philips & remington, but not Wahl), Waterproof (Philips BG2030 only, or different Remington models without the detail trimmer) Ability to run on battery OR charger (Remington, not sure about others) And have a built in vacuum without being overly bulky (Philips & Remington offer vacuum models, but both are big and bulky). Since that isn't happening anytime soon, for me, this model is the best overall single trimmer I have found...so far. Happy Shaving!
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