Beard Trimmer Comparison

Philips Norelco 3000 Beard Trimmer vs 5000 – Differences Compared

Head-to-Head is back, and this time we will look at two very popular beard trimmers, the Philips Norelco Series 3000 Beard Trimmer and the Philips Norelco Series 5000 Beard Trimmer. They are also sold as Beard & Stubble Trimmers, depending on where you buy one.

Eagle-eyed and well-read readers might notice we have reviewed these two trimmers recently. Therefore it is natural for us to pit them against each other in a battle royal to figure out just which one is more worth your hard-earned dollars.

Testing Parameters

For this comparison, I have reviewed both trimmers with several days of growth, and shaving at different levels and times.

The period of review on these has been over the course of several months.

Trimmer Models – Which is Which?

Before we get started on the real comparison, we need to break down what is going on with the product model numbers.

Model availability typically varies based on country of origin. Being located in Europe, Philips Norelco typically has more models available in the UK, Europe, and the Netherlands.

Comparing the Important Aspects

For the purposes of this run down, we are going to look at some of the most important aspects of each trimmer. These attributes range from trimming ability, how it feels in the hand, shaving performance, and battery life.

While the two trimmers look and feel similar there are certain aspects that only really feel different when you start actually using them. 

Feature/Aspect	Series 32xx	Series 55xx
Build Quality	8/10	7/10
Ergonomics	9/10	8/10
Cutting Ability	7/10	9/10
Maneuverability	9/10	7/10
Comfort & Speed	9/10	7/10
Clean Trim	9/10	8/10
Charging	7/10	9/10
Attachments	8/10	9/10
Quietest	8/10	6/10
Price Comparison	Approx: $35 USD, £30, €37	Approx: $50 USD, £45, €45

Motor and Cutting Ability

Unfortunately, Philips Norelco does NOT apparently post the CPM (Cutting Actions Per Minute) of their beard trimmers as they do for their face shavers. 

However, they do show the increments at the cutting edge can be set. Meaning how many options for beard length you can have. 

The Series 3000 has a total of 10 different length settings that move in 1 mm increments. These range from 0.5 mm to 10 mm worth of beard length. 

The Series 5000 has more attachments and a more calibrated setting wheel for the length of your beard. For this trimmer, the individual settings on the wheel move in 0.2 mm increments. With all the attachments this gives us a beard length range from 0.4 mm all the way up to 20 mm.

Overall this allows the Series 5000 to be more precise when you are trimming, and have much more diversity when choosing how you want to style your beard.

Motor Noise

This is more of a sub-heading of the above, but it does deserve some note.

One of the downsides to using an electric beard trimmer is very much the buzzing noise that can be extremely annoying for people, especially if someone in your household is sensitive to certain sounds.

With these two there isn’t much of a difference between them, but I found the Motor on the Series 3000 to be slightly quieter than the Series 5000. Though that might be because it is smaller, so more sound is muffled by my hand.

The Cutting Edge

Apart from the cutting power of the trimmers, we should look at the actual cutting edge as well.

Both trimmers use what is called the “Lift & Trim DualCut” system. This is designed to lift all your beard hairs together and cut them precisely. 

The only real difference I can see in them myself is that the Series 5000 blade is about 1 mm longer than the Series 3000, but overall there doesn’t seem to be any difference in the blades themselves.

The Build

Both trimmers have a very similar shape and build to each other, with the Series 3000 being slightly smaller than the Series 5000.

However, I tend to go with the Series 3000 being better in this category. The Series 5000 feels more flimsy and like it is going to break apart if I squeeze it or drop it on the floor. The Series 3000 feels much more solid in my hands. 

Ergonomics

This is going to be much more subjective than some others, but I really like the Series 3000 better in my hands than the Series 5000.

The Series 5000 has a chrome finish on the outer housing that makes it feel slippery in the hands, while the Series 3000 has a matte plastic case with a subtle texture that lets me hold onto it easier.

However, the Series 5000 does get an extra bump here for one thing: the setting wheel. The wheel itself is much harder to turn on the Series 5000, while the Series 3000 is much easier to shift. This means it is possible to hit the wheel on the Series 3000 while trimming accidentally and change your desired beard length. With the Series 5000, it is very hard to do this.

Maneuverability

Building on from Ergonomics, the big question is how easy these trimmers are to move around your face. Jawlines, mustache trimming, and getting into the corners of my mouth are always incredibly hard to maneuver around no matter what kind of trimmer you as using.

For me, the smaller trimmer is always going to win in this context. The smaller the trimmer, the easier it is to move it around my face.

The Series 5000 honestly feels like a brick in my hands, while the Series 3000 just feels like a comfortable writing pen.

Trimming Performance and Experience

This is where the rubber really meets the road when it comes to shaving. Just how comfortable and easy the experience is can make or break any device.

While almost the same product, these two trimmers have some subtle differences when it comes to the trim itself.

Comfort and Speed

Again, this one is going to be pretty subjective. Based on its Ergonomics and Maneuverability, the Series 3000 is the clear winner here. It is much lighter and easier to use on my face than the brick that is the Series 5000.

The 5000 just feels so awkward in my hands, so I have a much harder time attempting to control it when going over my beard. The slick finish and larger size made me feel like it was about to slide out of my hands constantly. I had to take longer to make sure I wasn’t going to drop the trimmer.

I decidedly did not have this problem with the more compact Series 3000

Clean Trim

Both trimmers did the job very well. If you look at my reviews, you can see the difference between a scraggly beard to a beard that is nice and neatly trimmed.

That being said, I felt like the “Lift & Cut” system worked much better with the Series 3000, which seemed to get all the small hairs in the deeper parts of my beard, and made for a much more enjoyable shaving experience.

Other Aspects

Lastly, we should take a look at the side aspects of each trimmer. These parts are not going to really have much of an influence on the trimming session but could be a dealbreaker for you if you are looking for value for your money.

Battery Charging

Both of these Trimmers have extremely good battery life.

The Series 3000 has a 90-minute period of continuous operation with an 8-hour charge time. The Series 5000 has a 70-minute continuous life with only 1 hour of charge time.

Now I don’t know anyone who needs to take over an hour, but the numbers don’t lie. The Series 5000 has a demonstrably better battery that can be used more frequently.

It should be noted though that the Series 3000 only needed me to charge it for about an hour before I was able to use it for a full trimming session.

Ease of Cleaning

Once again the Series 5000 comes out ahead in this category. The Series 5000 is fully waterproof, meaning it can be so much easier to clean than many other trimmers. You don’t need to worry about getting water in the motor, and can easily rinse out any hair that has gotten under the cutting edge. 

The Series 3000 is not really waterproof, so if the hair is getting underneath the blade you will need to brush it out.

The good thing is that all the attachments are washable, so there is no problem there.

Trimming Attachments

The Series 5000 has more attachments than the Series 3000. It is a ratio of 3 to 1 in this case. This allows for more precision when choosing your beard length and is what gives the Series 5000 a serious edge over the other model.

That being said, the Series 3000 comes with a cool little storage bag. Don’t sneeze at that. This makes the Series 3000 much more portable in my opinion. Great for taking it with you on vacation.

Also, the attachments used on the Series 5000 can also be used on the Series 3000. If you somehow have both (like me) then you are covered.

Price Point

Probably one of the most important aspects overall when looking at beard trimmers, the price point is always going to be a concern in this economically unstable time. 

Fun fact, talking about a crappy economy is an evergreen statement under capitalism.

The Series 3000 is markedly less expensive than the Series 5000. However, that makes sense considering what the Series 5000 comes with and how it is calibrated. 

Think of these two options as the difference between Semi-Pro and Professional equipment. The Series 5000 has much more bells and whistles, but those extra items will cost you more.

Final Thoughts – Which Trimmer is Best Overall?

It is a close game here. Which is better? Well, the answer to that is really what you are looking for.

If you would like a simple little trimmer that is portable and less expensive? The Series 3000 is the best option. It is light, portable, with no frills, easy to use, and very comfortable to hold.

If you want something that is more professional and has more options to get the exact beard length you need, then the Series 5000 is your man.

The 3000 would be a great trimmer for someone to start out with if they are trying to get into growing a beard and keeping it nice. 

The 5000 is great for you if you know what you want and are ready to upgrade to a really professional-looking and precise cut in your beard.

Overall, I enjoyed using the Series 3000 while I trimmed. It moved much better in my hands and felt so much better and easier to use. Obviously, this is subjective, but if anyone asks me which I would choose I would tell them to go with the 3000.