Verdict
All guidesResearchOpen dataMethodologyAboutContact
Head-to-head · Best Beard Trimmers

Panasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard Trimmer vs Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

Verdict is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you click through and buy, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our ratings are sourced from independent publications, not sponsors.
The short answer

Panasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard Trimmer comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.1 vs 3.9). Panasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard Trimmer is best for: Short beards and stubble, frequent travelers, and anyone who wants one length dial instead of a bag of guards. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Panasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard Trimmer
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Beard Trimmers
Panasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard Trimmer
1 source$59.99as of Oct 16

The Panasonic ER-GB42 is a compact wet/dry beard trimmer that sets length with a single dial across 19 settings from 0.5 to 10 mm and charges on a cordless stand. Shaving Advisor's tested roundup rates it 8.0 out of 10 and calls it its go-to recommendation for travelers and short beards, praising the grip and a motor so quiet it barely makes any noise, but notes the small cutting head needs extra passes, can clog, and the blades need regular oiling. In a video review, owner Jaytee's found it powerful without tugging and far handier than a box of separate guards.

Strengths
  • — Rated 8.0 out of 10 in Shaving Advisor's tested roundup
  • — 19 length settings from 0.5 to 10 mm on one dial, so there are no loose guards to keep track of
  • — Motor so quiet it barely makes any noise, per Shaving Advisor
Watch-outs
  • — Small cutting head means more passes and can clog with hair quickly, per Shaving Advisor
  • — Blades need regular oiling; Shaving Advisor finds once a week enough
  • — 50-minute battery and a slow recharge compared with modern lithium-ion units, per Shaving Advisor
$59.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body
Ranked #4 in Best Beard Trimmers
Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body
2 sources$39.96as of Oct 11

The Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 is a slim hybrid trimmer and shaver with a double-sided blade that flexes on its mount, sold with a 5-in-1 adjustable stubble comb, a skin guard and a body comb. TechRadar used it every other day for two months and found it extremely gentle and precise, with no razor burn, but inconsistent as a beard trimmer on the comb's longer settings. T3 found it gave a surprisingly close shave for the price and that the new comb coped better with longer hair, but its blades dulled noticeably after a few weeks of heavy use. Both note that replacement blades cost nearly as much as the trimmer.

Strengths
  • — Extremely gentle: TechRadar reports no razor burn and recommends it for particularly sensitive skin
  • — Flexing double-sided blade makes shaping around the beard and neck easier than on earlier OneBlades, per T3
  • — Fully waterproof for wet or dry use and easy to clean, according to TechRadar
Watch-outs
  • — Inconsistent trimming: TechRadar got patchy results on the comb's longer presets and says it works better at 1mm or 2mm
  • — Blades dulled significantly after a few weeks of heavy use in T3's test
  • — Replacement heads can cost nearly as much as the trimmer itself (TechRadar and T3)
$39.96 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Panasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard Trimmer

The Panasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard Trimmer and the Panasonic Cordless Precision Beard Trimmer both set length with a dial across 19 settings from 0.5 to 10 mm. The ER-GB42's linked listing is $59.99 against $134.99 for the Cordless Precision, and Shaving Advisor gives the ER-GB42 50 minutes of battery to the other model's 60.

Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body

The Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 trims and shaves with the same blade, where the Panasonic Cordless Precision Beard Trimmer is a dedicated trimmer with 19 length settings against the OneBlade's 5-in-1 comb. TechRadar measured about an hour per charge and a four-hour recharge; the Panasonic is listed at 60 minutes with a one-hour charge and the WAHL USA Stainless Steel Lithium Ion 2.0+ Slate Beard Trimmer at 3.5 hours.

Specs side-by-side

SpecPanasonic ER-GB42 Wet/Dry Beard TrimmerPhilips Norelco OneBlade 360 Face + Body
ModelER-GB42-K—
Length Settings19, from 0.5 to 10 mm, set by dial—
Wet/DryYes, fully waterproofYes, waterproof
Battery50 minutes, per Shaving Advisor—
ChargingCordless charging stand—
In the BoxTrimmer, charging stand, cleaning brush and blade oil, per Shaving Advisor—
Blade Type—Double-sided OneBlade 360 flexing blade
Battery Life—About 60 minutes (TechRadar); about 45 minutes (T3)
Charging Time—4 hours
Power Source—Rechargeable
Attachments—5-in-1 adjustable comb, skin guard, body comb
← See the full ranking of best beard trimmers