Since trimming the beard is just one of many grooming must-dos for most men these days, multi-grooming tools are on the rise.
It makes perfect sense. Why have a tool for trimming facial hair and then a separate pair of clippers for the head and then another tool for the nether regions? Especially since most of the tools you can buy for each of these areas usually comprise a very similar design concept: an electric blade with various comb attachments.
Well, the reason multi-grooming tools haven’t completely overtaken those designed for specific areas of the body is that most have failed to prove they can do everything. Not particularly well, anyway.
However, as technology improves, we’re edging ever closer to finding a multi-purpose grooming tool that can successfully trim every hair on your body, from tip to toe, accurately, easily and without sufficient nicks and cuts (because, come on - that’s pretty inevitable).
The Aqua Blade 10-in-one Multigroomer by pro barber brand Wahl is one device that’s certainly in the running. With a host of interchangeable head attachments, it’s super versatile and premises to offer a wide-ranging functionality, from styling long beards, clipping hair or delivering close shaves, be it wet or dry due to a waterproof design.
But how does it fare in the real world? We’re here to give you the lowdown.
Wahl Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer review: price and availability
The Wahl Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer is available to buy now from the official Wahl website with an RRP of £99.99 and a current reduced sale price of £66.99. Usually, products like this can be found cheaper on online retailers such as Amazon for much cheaper. However, it’s currently listed as £98.99 brand new on Amazon, so in this instance, it’s worth sticking with Wahl - or at least shopping around to make sure you’ve got the best deal.
In the box, you receive the cordless multi-groomer, four different head attachments (standard trimmer head, dual foil shaver head for close shaves, rotary head for nose hair trimming, and a smaller trimmer head for detailing), 16 attachment combs (with cutting lengths 0.2-25 mm), a small styling comb, blade oil, cleaning brush, charger and a rather cheap-looking travel pouch to store it all in.
Wahl Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer review: design and build
The first thing to note when it comes to design is that the Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer is very similar to the Wahl Aqua Blade beard trimmer, but comes with additional head attachments and trimmer combs, which make it more of a body grooming tool. So if you’re into grooming more than your beard and looking for an all-in-one type device, then this is more the device for you.
In its own right, the Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer boasts a pretty classic design. In true Wahl style, it’s pretty similar to what you’d see in a barber’s shop. There are no high-tech attachments or design details like you’ll find on the likes of trimmers by Panasonic or Philips. Although we kind of like that about it. It’s unpretentious and will probably never go out of fashion. It’s also quite compact and easy to take in your bag from one place to the next (although the travel pouch it comes with could have been of higher quality).
Another big design thumbs up is the Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer’s waterproofing. Not all trimmers have this feature, but they should - especially a multi-groomer. Trimming body hair, especially, is much easier and far less messy when there’s running water close by. You can even take it in the shower and it’s super easy to clean as you can simply rinse the blades under the tap when required.
As for downsides, the trimmer does look and feel a little cheap in places, likely because it’s mostly made of plastic. There’s some chrome detailing on the front and sides that would have looked a lot more suave if it had been an actual metal as opposed to a metallic-effect plastic rather. With a £99.99 RRP, we were simply expecting a bit more in this department, such as the use of more premium materials to give it a better build quality and some decent weight in the hand.
Still, the use of materials isn’t a deal breaker. If the multi-groomer is able to trim all types of hair well, then it’s certainly still in the running to be one of our favourite grooming devices, which brings us onto the next section: performance.
Wahl Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer: performance
Sure, the design of the Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer could have been better in places, but this is balanced out by its excellent, all-round performance.
Thanks to some very sharp precision-ground blades made from stainless steel, the heads are able to trim all hair types exceptionally well and with great accuracy. We can see why Wahl offers a lifetime guarantee for its blades if they fail to cut the mustard.
And because the blades are so sharp, they’re able to offer a close trim without the irritation of a traditional razor blade, which is quite rare for a beard trimmer. Shaping a beard, for instance, is a breeze and you feel like you have lots of control.
It’s the same story for close shaving, too. We tried the foil head on the neck, for example, and were immediately impressed with the results as it left stubble very short without lots of raised bumps or redness. Obviously, this isn’t anywhere near as close as a standard razor, but it’s a great, less messy alternative.
When it comes to battery life, the Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer is able to last just short of three hours from a full 60-minute charge, which is pretty decent by most standards. And if you’ve been cut short while in a rush, you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s a one-minute rapid charge function that gives you three minutes of use - handy when you need a quick tidy.
Wahl Aqua Blade 10-in-1 Multigroomer review: verdict
Wahl’s multi-groomer doesn’t sport a perfect design, but it is able to handle most trimming tasks that you throw at it with ease. Okay, the RRP isn’t 100% representative of its build quality, but it’s a small price to pay when you can literally groom your entire body with this device in one go. Plus, if it’s still on discount when you buy it, then you’re laughing.
Overall, it’s a pretty darn good multi-grooming device that we just wish felt a bit more premium in the hand (and came with a much better quality travel pouch!).
