I have had a beard, and thus have had beard trimmers, for almost 30 years, so I have some pretty strong ideas about what a trimmer should and should not do. IT SHOULD NOT STAB YOU IN THE FACE! But that is exactly what the new QT4070/41 does.
For years I was wonderfully happy with Norelco's previous top-of-the-line model, the T980. I love the vacuum feature, the turbo setting cut my tough beard with gusto, and the length adjustment was generally adequate (though the settings were a bit wide apart, so 3 was too long and 2 was too short).
But the engineers at Norelco have taken a wonderfully designed T980 trimmer and screwed it up royally. The problem is with the guide comb. On the older T980, the guide comb completely covered the cutting head. But on the new Qt4070/41, the guide comb has tines that extend along the top and front of the cutting head, and END IN SHARP POINTS. So the cutting head sits exposed within a cavity between the ends of the two sets of pointy tines. Yeah, sure, that's what I need to drag across my face all bleery-eyed in the morning - pointed sticks! :-(
The new guide comb's design is woefully stupid for two reasons:
1) The length to which your hairs are cut will VARY depending on the angle with which you hold the trimmer against your skin. If you hold the upper face of the guide comb flat against your skin, you get a longer cut than if you allow your skin to span the gap between the two set of tines. And frankly, you KNOW you can't hold the trimmer at the same angle all over your face! BOTTOM LINE: AN UNEVEN TRIM!
2) Even if you are trying hard to keep the flat top of the guide comb flush against your face, you eventually have to turn a corner, like at your jaw line. I have used this Qt4070/41 about a dozen times now, and each time I have managed to jab myself with those stupid tines somewhere - in the jawline, in the chin, in the lip, etc. I know it's just a matter of time before I (a) break a tine, or (b) draw blood. BOTTOM LINE: A PAINFUL TRIM
My advice: QUICK! Buy a T980 before it is discontinued and all bought up! Maybe Norelco will fix the Qt4070/41 by the time you wear out your T980.
I have previously been using a Norelco T870 but the battery stopped holding a charge so I have had to buy a new trimmer. Although there were 3 reviews here that mentioned the guide being faulty I decided to try the trimmer due to the 20+ positive reviews and the lack of a decent alternative.
The trimmer arrived this evening so after charging it for an hour I tried it out.
The guide is adjustable to give a varying length of cut. The lowest setting gives a 2mm cut and the highest 18mm. Unfortunately, the guide is made using flexible prongs which bend a good 3-4mm. This means that if you use a low setting the guide prongs will bend fully to the blade. I found this out by cutting my lip twice in the first minute of use. I also quickly found that due to the flexibility of the guide using a low setting results in a really uneven cut.
I keep my beard pretty short (4-5mm) and there's no way I can use this without the blade cutting me and without making my beard look like it's been hacked at by someone with blunt kid scissors. I think it would be a good product for someone with longer beard hair but for me it is completely unusable.
I lost my Norelco T980 a couple of weeks ago and I was dismayed to discover it was out of production. I purchased the QT4070 this evening and after using it I'm absolutely dismayed at the design of the guard. The gap is wide enough that you WILL maul your upper lip when attempting to trip your mustache! Also the prongs dig into the skin when trimming from the neck toward the cheek. I have a very heavy beard so I have to pass over the same area a couple of times due to the thickness of my hair. It was an extremely unpleasant experience. I've had numerous Norelco Beard Trimmers over the years and I've always been happy with the design however the QT4070 is a production FAIL!
bought this to replace my older turbo vacuum model....what a mistake! The space between the guard and the guide comb doesn't work for me at all...it jabs my skin and allows very very uneven cuts to happen. I tried my best to get adjusted but have just called norelco to exercise the 45 day money back offer.
Definitely be cautious when reading the negative reviews about the trim guide on this trimmer. It is different, but if you slide the guide along your face instead of trying to stuff your chin into the blade slot, you will have a much more comfortable experience.
This trimmer is a little different from the previous model(980 I think), which by the way I loved until the day it found it's way into my toilet...still ran it just was never the same! The QT4070 has a strong motor, a more durable cover for the clippings catcher, and the digital display for battery and height is awesome. Plus the lack of springs and hinges on the guide will make this trimmer survive my poor luggage packing as well! Mustn't forget the travel lock! A great addition to keep the trimmer from draining itself en route to your destination.
I have a pretty tough beard and this little guy made short work of it, neat as a pin!
All in all I think if you can adapt your trimming stroke to the new guide you will be very happy with this trimmer...oh and don't try to drown it! - Clipper - Groomer - Vacuum Trimmer - Trimmer'
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