There's a stereotype, unflattering if not entirely inaccurate, of the grizzled, world-weary man who often shows up at the beginning of a movie designed to make you cry. This is the kind of guy who starts out estranged from the world before meeting a dog or a partner or a child who pulls him back into the tangle of real life, with all its highs and lows. He laughs. He learns. He loves. And somewhere along the lines, it seems, he finds a nose hair trimmer. Because without fail, along with the decrepit house and the general sense of disinterest in the community, one of the things defining this guy pre-transformation is a thicket of hairs protruding from his nostrils (and ears).
I feel like I probably don't need to say this, but just in case: You don't want to look like that old man's "before" photo. And aside from staying connected to the world at large, one of the easiest ways to avoid looking like you'll unceremoniously pop any errant ball that winds up in your backyard is buying a nose hair trimmer and keeping those babies in check. It's a remarkably quick and easy addition to your grooming routine that'll pay dividends by, well, making you look like you already look. Fun!
Pros
- Cheap
- Easy to use
Cons
- Frequent head replacement
Philips Norelco's nose hair trimmer offers an expectedly premium grooming experience (to the extent you consider trimming your nose hair an "experience"). The product's blade is specifically designed to provide a comfortable trim by preventing any pulling throughout the process and works seamlessly to match the contours of your nose to catch any hard-to-cut hairs with ease.
Like many nose hair trimmers these days, this is designed to be multifunctional and trim many different areas on your face. There is an included eyebrow attachment, which features a dual-sided blade nestled in a comb to help trim and neaten up unruly eyebrow hairs easily. We found that this attachment is great for thinning out dense eyebrows, but if you’re trying to isolate single hairs, it’s better to use the attachment as a comb (power off) and then trim the single hairs with scissors. There is also a larger detail trimmer, ideal for trimming sideburns, necklines, and cheeks. It’s also handy for places where you might have missed shaving and especially good if you have facial hair that you want to keep tidy.
In terms of overall use, what we liked about this one most is how powerful it is in such a small package. The blades, especially those on the rotary trimmer for your nose, are sharp enough to cut through thick hair easily and faster than many of the other trimmers we tried. In fact, our nose hair trimming time went down significantly when we used this one. We will note that, while the whole device is easy to clean, the blades do eventually get dull, so you’ll want to plan on buying replacement blades every few months if you use this regularly (which you should). We also have to admit that we like the battery power source, even though we thought we would prefer a rechargeable model. It makes the size of the device smaller and since there is no power cord to worry about, it’s easy to pop in your dopp kit when you travel without worrying about taking another cord with you.
Power source | Batteries |
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Blade | Rotary, Detail |
Features | Detail trimmer, eyebrow attachment, washable, travel pouch |
best versatile nose hair trimmer
Panasonic Ear and Nose Hair Trimmer
Pros
- Great on coarse hair
- Good ergonomic design
- Integrated vacuum system
Cons
- Pricier option
Ah, the Panasonic ER-GN70-K. A truly top-of-the-line model with the technical-sounding name to match. Panasonic's option might be more expensive than any of the others included here, but its trimmer doesn't skimp on the details. Yes, it includes wet/dry grooming capabilities that make using it anytime, anywhere a cinch (naturally). And yes, its hypoallergenic blades boast an absurdly high number of cuts per minute. But it's also a super-sturdy, absolute unit of an instrument rendered in sleek stainless steel that will, most importantly, trim nose hairs you didn't even know you had.
Apart from the sheer power of the thing, it also contains an integrated vacuum system which set it apart from the pack in our testing process. It sounds like a silly thing, but if you've ever had to clean nose hair trimmings out of your sink, you’ll appreciate the fact that this one sucks them up into the casing instead of letting them flutter down to your counter. It’s a small thing, but makes the experience of using this nose hair trimmer that much better. There aren’t any additional attachments or anything, but it doesn’t need them. You can still use the rotary trimmer head to trim ear hair, errant eyebrows and more. And when it’s time to clean it, especially that vacuum compartment full of your clippings, you just run it under the faucet. What could be easier than that?
We will note that finding replacement heads can be a little difficult as they sell out quickly on sites like Amazon. But you do need to replace them every so often, so if you see them available, jump at the chance to purchase them. And while it’s slightly more expensive than the others on this list, making it somewhat of a “luxury trimmer,” it’s well worth the additional small investment.
Power source | Batteries |
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Blade | Rotary |
Features | Vacuum cleaning system, wet/dry capabilities, washable |
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Pros
- Cheap
- Easy to hold and use
Cons
- Cheap
- Requires some patience
We’ve interviewed a lot of celebrity groomers and most of them use and love the Wahl Groomsman. We can see why. It’s a tiny device, about the size of a pen, that can fit into your pocket, dopp kit, or really anywhere else without taking up any space. It's ideal for grooming on the go, when you need to quickly take care of an errant eyebrow or nose hair no matter where you are. Thanks to the small size, it’s also easy to use anywhere on your face, from trimming nose and eyebrow hairs to cleaning up sideburns and making sure the lines of your beard are extra crisp. It weighs practically nothing and using it is simple and fast.
There aren’t many bells and whistles apart from the two heads: a detail comb and a rotary trimmer for nose hairs. But that’s kind of the point; it doesn’t need to do much else. It literally has one job and does that job with flying colors. The one downside we’ve found is that you can’t replace the blades, but the good news is that it’s cheap enough that you can just buy a new one when yours goes kaput. In fact, we recommend buying a few and either keeping some backups on hand or just slipping one into every bag you own (just in case).
Power source | Batteries |
---|---|
Blade | Rotary, detail |
Features | Detail trimmer head, length comb, small size |
best sleek nose hair trimmer
Wahl Ear, Nose, and Brow Trimmer
Pros
- Sleek design
- Interchangeable heads
Cons
- Not a ton of power
If you're partial to Wahl's products but want to invest in a trimmer that feels a bit more substantial (at a similarly fair price), the brand also makes another portable wet/dry option. This one features a sleek, ergonomic body with an easy-to-clean head specifically designed for precision trimming.
When we say it’s a bit more substantial, we’re referring specifically to the Wahl Groomsman above. Consider this the Groomsman’s big brother. It’s similar in philosophy and usage, but slightly bigger and has a weightier design that’s meant to fit in your grip better. It also comes with an additional detail comb, this one very narrow so you can more easily isolate specific hairs. You can use both the rotary blade and the narrower trimmer head on your nose hairs, depending on what you’re looking to do. We found that the narrow trimmer is easier to target single nose hairs, while the rotary trimmer is great at cutting through more volume. That said, we didn’t see much difference in usage between this one and the smaller Groomsman in our testing. They work pretty much the same and the only real difference is the size and shape of the device itself.
Power source | Batteries |
---|---|
Blade | Rotary, detail |
Features | Two detail trimmers, rotary trimmer head, length comb, wet/dry |
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best easy-to-use nose hair trimmer
Remington Nose, Ear, and Detail Trimmer
Pros
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Might have to go over spots twice
- Not the best looking
Remington takes care to endow its grooming products with a signature easy-to-use nature, and its nose hair trimmer is no exception. The brand's trimmer is an ideal entry-level option if you want a product that'll consistently do what you need it to, sans any deluxe (and often extraneous) bells and whistles. A waterproof exterior and an automatic interior cleaning system make this model one you can't beat for sheer practicality—all at a bargain price.
As we tested nose hair trimmers, we found that we liked the design of this detail trimmer a lot. It’s narrower than many others we tried, which makes it a good option for using inside your nose, as well as other places on your face to remove errant hairs (on your eyebrows, cheeks, etc.). Yes, there is still a more traditional rotary head of course, which also works very well. We found the best plan of attack for your nose using this trimmer is to use the rotary head to cut through the bulk of your nostril hairs and then pop on the detail trimmer to trim down any it may have missed. We will also note that the body of this device is large—one of the largest we tested—which can make the experience slightly clunky, but is also good for getting a solid grip on the thing. If you’re worried about dropping your nose hair trimmer too much, this one is a solid option (literally and figuratively).
Power source | Batteries |
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Blade | Rotary, detail |
Features | Clean BOOST technology, waterproof, interchangeable heads, comfort trim blades |
Pros
- Gentle
Cons
- Too small for some
If you weren't already using a Braun product of some sort in your grooming regimen, consider its stellar nose hair trimmer an introduction to what the brand does best: super-powerful devices wrapped in the simple, no-frills packaging with best-in-class ergonomic design. Backed by a storied industry pedigree that informs the look and feel of all its products, Braun is still one to beat, no matter what part of your body you're looking to tidy up.
When we say this is basic, that isn’t a dig. We will always be fans of something that does one job extremely well without the need to pile on a whole bunch of extras. This sleek, small trimmer fits that bill perfectly. When you need your nose hair trimmed, the last thing you want to do is root through your bathroom drawer for the right attachment. And sure, things like vacuums and lights that are featured in other trimmers we tested are nice to have, but not required to give your nostrils a good, quick trim. We found as we tested that if we were just going by nose hair trimming prowess alone, this one would sit comfortably at the top of the list.
Power source | Batteries |
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Blade | Rotary |
Features | Easy to clean |
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Pros
- Waterproof
- Smooth use
Cons
- No charge light indicator
An arch cutter head with open slits means you can capture hairs from any angle without worrying in the least about accidentally nicking the inside of your nostril. And—bonus!—the design also works for the insides of your ears. The blades are detachable for easy cleaning, a built-in light gives you the visibility you need, and you can charge up easily with the included USB cable. You can get a Meridian in black, too, but this calming green (the brand calls it Sage) feels a little fancier, like the sort of thing you'd find at a high-end spa.
The body of this trimmer is on the larger side compared to many of the others that we tried. Yes, that does make it easier to grip and hold, but it also makes it a little clunkier to use. It’s not heavy, it’s just rather large. However, it’s still one of the easiest you use that we tested. That ease is helped by the light, which sounds a little unnecessary in theory, but in practice it makes the act of trimming your nose hairs better because you can actually see what you’re doing and can make sure you get a nice, clean finish without missing any hairs that could poke out later (believe us, this happens way more often than you’d think). There aren’t any additional attachments like with some other devices, but we didn’t miss them because if a trimmer like this is good at trimming nose hairs, the other stuff is just a bonus. And this one is very good at what it does.
Power source | Wall charger |
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Blade | Rotary |
Features | Waterproof, auxiliary light, rechargeable |
best non-slip nose hair trimmer
Micro Touch Titanium Max Lighted Personal Nose Hair Trimmer
Pros
- Non-slip rubber grip
- Close shave
Cons
- Blade too sharp for some
- Only 2 settings
Hair can grow in the weirdest, most hard-to-reach areas. And here to help is Micro Touch. This trimmer's steel blades are bonded with titanium and shaped at an angle to reach tight spots. It also features a rubber non-slip grip that will help you avoid any mishaps.
Interestingly enough, this one was the only trimmer we tried that did not have a rotary attachment designed for the nose. At first, that gave us pause, but it still earned a spot on this list because of the slim design of the detail trimmer that’s able to fit into your nostril easily—almost better than a traditional rotary head. If you have smaller nostrils or find that sometimes rotary heads just don’t get the job done the way you’d like, this is the perfect option. We found that using this type of trimmer to trim your nose hairs allowed for a bit more of a customized experience. You’re able to get a little deeper inside your nose (just don’t go too deep) and you can both cut through a large amount of hair easily as well as trim single errant hairs. We’re not saying we’re going to completely abandon our well-loved rotary style trimmers, but this made a very good case for why we may want to.
Power source | Batteries |
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Blade | Detail |
Features | No-slip grip, stainless steel blades, LED spotlight |
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best thick hair nose hair trimmer
Manscaped 'The Weed Whacker' Nose and Ear Hair Trimmer
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Takes some work to get all of the hairs
Are your nostrils looking extra busy? Manscaped has just the thing. The brand's nose trimmer, aptly called "the Weed Whacker," is a waterproof, cordless option with a 360-degree rotary blade system that'll chop off unwanted hairs smoothly and evenly.
At first we were a little skeptical about this one, since it’s on the higher end of the price spectrum, but doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as some other trimmers that we tested that are priced lower. But once we tried it out, we understood. Not only is this one well designed from an ergonomic standpoint (it’s lightweight, sits in your hand comfortably, and features an angled design that fits into your nose with ease), but the motor is one of the most powerful that we tried. It’s clear that much of the price goes into the technology inside the device, instead of extraneous features. The power inside this thing makes it one of the quickest nose hair trimmers we tried, able to chop through thick, bushy nostril hairs within seconds. We also felt that it did the job the best the first time with almost no missed hair. And, not for nothing, the replacement blades are the easiest to find (you can even set up a subscription so you never have to remember to reorder).
Power source | Wall charger |
---|---|
Blade | Rotary |
Features | Waterproof, replaceable blade, 360 degree blade system, angled design |
What To Look For
You may think all nose hair trimmers are created equal (don’t they need to do one thing?) but you’d be wrong. When you’re shopping around for one, there are a few things you’ll want to consider.
Power Source: There are really only two types of nose hair trimmers: rechargeable and battery operated. The type of power they use doesn’t often affect the actual trimming ability, but it may factor into your decision. Battery operated trimmers are usually smaller and more travel friendly, but require the use of a battery (usually a AA), which you’ll have to have on hand. They may often last longer as well, but most will not include a battery life indicator so you’ll need to be ready to change the battery when your trimmer doesn’t turn on. Rechargeable trimmers, on the other hand, often need to be charged more often and are usually a little bit bigger, but you also don’t need to worry about rooting around in your junk drawer for a AA battery.
Blade Type: The traditional blade for a nose hair trimmer is a rotary blade, which looks like a cylinder or pyramid with some grooves cut in the top. This is designed to trim your nose hairs while still protecting the delicate skin inside your nose. It’s also designed to minimize nicks and pulls, which can be painful. You’ll also sometimes find detail trimmers, which kind of look like sticks or more traditional blades. The benefit of these is that they can be used on other areas of your face more easily than a rotary trimmer, making them multi-functional. The good news is that many trimmers these days include both via interchangeable heads.
Features: Apart from the actual blades and motors, many nose hair trimmers offer additional features designed to make the trimming experience easier. You’ll see things like wet/dry capabilities (allowing you to not only trim hair in the shower, but wash the device more easily), vacuums to suck up hair clippings and minimize cleanup, and spotlights to help you see where you are trimming more easily. None of these are especially necessary to trim your nose hairs, but they do often make the experience more pleasant.
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How We Selected
Like all grooming products, we take our nose hair trimmers very seriously and put them through rigorous testing before featuring them in stories like this. Our grooming editor Garrett Munce, as well as other Esquire staffers, tried every nose hair trimmer they could get their hands on, evaluating them not just for how well they trimmed, but the design, price, and overall experience.
Why Use A Nose Hair Trimmer
For the uninitiated, a nose hair trimmer may seem like an unnecessary device, but it’s really not. Trimming your nose hair is something all men do, but how you do it makes a huge difference not just in how it looks but in how safe it is, as well. Using a pair of scissors runs the risk of cutting the inside of your nose which, apart from being insanely painful, puts you at risk for infection. Remember, nose hairs exist to help prevent particles and bacteria from entering your body, so if you have an open wound inside your nose as well as trimmed nose hairs, you’re opening up your body to infection. The same goes for tweezing which can leave open follicles that need a bit of time to close up. Using a nose hair trimmer doesn’t completely remove hair, it just trims it down so it’s not visible from the outside, preserving the nose hairs themselves as well as the skin inside your nose.
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How To Use A Nose Hair Trimmer
Whether you’re using a rotary blade (the most common) or a detail trimmer, the steps are essentially the same. Turn it on and gently insert the device inside your nose, being careful to not push it too deep (you want to keep it shallow where the hairs are). Rotate and twist the device. You’ll likely be able to hear the hairs being cut. Continue to twist it until you’ve cut all the hair to your satisfaction. Repeat in the other nostril.
Why Trust Us
We’re not going to say something is great unless it's actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups is carefully curated by our grooming and e-commerce teams.
When it comes to grooming devices like nose hair trimmers, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting products that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved. Our grooming editor Garrett Munce, along with the rest of the style team, has spent years using nose hair trimmers and other grooming gadgets and we are confident that these are the best.
Every pick on this list (and our other lists) comes from these years of testing. We know that everyone’s grooming needs are different, no two men are the same, and what works for you may not work for everyone else. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.