The Panasonic ER-GB96-K is a beard and hair trimmer that has 58 length settings, which is the most I have ever seen in a trimmer. It is the latest and improved version of the Panasonic ER-GB80-S trimmer. The Panasonic ER-GB96 became very popular and a great choice for men who want to groom their hair and beard in different styles. In this article, I will tell you about my experience and the quality of the Panasonic trimmer, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
- Advanced blades for faster and flawless trim
- Powerful motor
- Sturdy built
- Wet/dry trimmer
- Washable
- Cordless and corded trimmer
- Maximum trimming lengths
- Effective
Cons
- Attaching and detaching the combs feels cumbersome at first time
- Cheap travel bag
- No Charging stand
- Expensive
Insights
Advanced Blades: Panasonic used their high-tech Japanese blades in the ER-GB96-K trimmer. The blades are designed with wider pitch and longer shape to capture more hairs without leaving flat-lying, long, short, dense beards and hairs. I found the blades are extremely sharp to handle the thickest and longest beards without any hassle. Panasonic engineered these blades for professional whisker cuts, which I really appreciate.
Japanese Advanced Motor: The Professional trimmer comes with a robust motor drive to handle heavy duty. If you have a super thick beard or hair, the motor power will not compromise with the hair cutting flawlessly. Although a very powerful motor, the trimmer produces very little sound in operation which I felt is one of the quietest trimmers ever.
58 Trimming Lengths: The most compelling aspect of the Panasonic ER-GB96 is its trimming length offerings. The trimmer has been designed with a zoom wheel trimming length adjustment system. There are three adjustment guide combs with the trimmer package pointed A, B, and C. The zoom wheel, along with the trimming combs provides a total of 58 cutting lengths for cutting hairs and beards from stubble to a longer length. The minimum trimming length is 0.5mm and the maximum length is 30mm. The trimming comb A provides 1mm to 10mm lengths, trimming comb B provides 11mm to 20mm lengths, and trimming comb C provides 21mm to 30mm trimming lengths.
Advanced Detailing System: There is a detail trimmer comb with an intelligent quick-switch button. The switch button allows you to select the direction where you want to make precision trimming.
Cordless and Corded Trimmer: The Panasonic ER-GB96 trimmer comes with a rechargeable NiMH battery. The battery takes 1 hour for a full charge and provides 50 minutes of cordless performance. On the other hand, it can be used while charging. It’s really useful to make an urgent trim while the battery is fully drained. But you have to be very careful while using corded. Never use corded when the beard, hair is wet.
LED Display and Power Adaption: Panasonic used an advanced LED power display in the ER-B96-K trimmer. The display indicator shows the charging progress and remaining battery power while using cordless. I found it’s quite different from the other low-end Panasonic trimmers.
Wet/dry Operation: It’s a wet/dry trimmer that offers to trim both wet/dry hairs without any compromise. Therefore, you can use the trimmer under the shower or when your beard or hair is wet.
Easy Cleaning and Maintenance:
Since the trimmer and all of its attachments are washable, it’s pretty easy to clean the trimmer and the attachments. You can rinse them with direct warm water for thorough cleaning. There is a small cleaning brush with the package that allows cleaning the blades and other attachments quickly. I used the brush most of the trimming time to remove the debris and make the trimming progress mess-free. After completing the trimming task, you should rinse the device and attachments to make it debris-free. You can use some drops of liquid soap to clean the blades hygienically. Turn on the trimmer power while cleaning under the faucet to make the cleaning process junk-free. Must use a couple of drops of appliance oil after a rinse.
What’s in the Box?
I found the following items in the package after opening the box.
- The Panasonic trimmer itself
- 4 attachment combs
- A carry bag
- Cleaning brush
- Appliance oil
- AC adapter with cord
- User manual
Personal Experience
I found the Panasonic ER-GB96 comes in a sleek and ergonomic design with a fully matte black appearance. The body has been made with premium plastic that feels very sturdy. The rare side of the trimmer is covered with a soft rubber grip that feels comfortable and a risk-free grasp. I liked its advanced super-sharp blades that never compromise with super thick beards and lift-cut the flat-lying hairs. The most adorable thing in this trimmer is the high-torque motor. The motor creates maximum torques without any noise and never snags while performing even if very thick and long beard. I always prefer such a quiet motor since it doesn’t disturb my ear while trimming the jawlines and sideburns. I did not calculate the cordless power although it promises to provide 50 minutes, but the corded trimming facility felt pretty useful for me. The only thing I found problematic for the new users is attaching and detaching the combs since the wheel will not interact perfectly if you cannot attach the combs perfectly. But it’s no more problematic for me after trying a couple of times. I didn’t find any more issues to blame for the built quality of the Panasonic ER-GB96-K trimmer.
Comparison with Alternatives
Panasonic ER-GB80: The Panasonic ER-GB80 is also a robust trimming machine that comes with 39 trimming length settings. But the ER-GB80 costs almost half of the new Panasonic ER-GB96 trimmer which I think is pretty affordable. Both trimmers come with rechargeable batteries that provide 50 minutes of cordless performance with a 1-hour charge and both are allowed to use while charging. The Panasonic ER-GB80 comes with 3 attachment combs for trimming beards in different lengths. There is a built-in pop-up trimmer in the ER-GB80 trimmer whereas the new one comes with an attachment detail trimmer comb instead. Moreover, the ER-GB96 comes with a faster and quieter motor to perform more powerfully and flawlessly. The Panasonic ER-GB80 is a better option if you have a shorter budget and do not need much trimming lengths that of the Panasonic ER-GB96.
See Panasonic’s ER-GB80’s Price on Amazon
Panasonic ER-SB40-K: The Panasonic ER-SB40 is also engineered with precision dial technology to adjust beard and hair trimming lengths. It comes with hypoallergenic wide-tip blades for ultra-sharp trimming performance without compromising coarse and long hairs. It also comes with a Japanese linear motor like the ER-GB96 for powerful trimming without compromising a coarse beard. However, it comes with only one comb attachment for adjusting trimming lengths. Most importantly, it has only 20 trimming length options with and without the comb, where the maximum trimming length is 10mm, whereas the ER-GB96 has 58 trimming lengths, and the maximum length is 30mm. However, it has a bigger battery that provides 60 minutes of cordless trimming power with a full charge, whereas the ER-GB96 offers 50 minutes. Both trimmers are made for cordless and corded trimming and wet/dry trimming. But not allowed to have wet trims while charging. Noticeably, the Panasonic ER-SB40 comes with an advanced LED display, whereas the ERGB96 has a very basic LED indicator. Both trimmers are good, but you need to pick the one that suits your needs and preferences better.
See Panasonic ER-SB40’s Price on Amazon
Verdict
The Panasonic ER-GB96 is a top-notch trimmer that delivers professional results. It has 58 length settings, from 0.5mm to 30mm, that let you trim your beard and hair to any length you want. The combs are a bit tricky to attach and detach at first, but you will get used to it. The trimmer is expensive, but it is worth it if you want a premium product. I enjoy using the trimmer for both personal and professional purposes. I think it is a great trimmer for anyone who wants a powerful and versatile device.
Should You Buy the Panasonic ER-GB96-K Trimmer?
Yes, if you need a robustly built trimmer for efficient trimming.
Yes, if you want lots of trimming options/lengths for beard and hair trimming.
No, if you are looking for an inexpensive trimming device.