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It might seem like even the best nose hair trimmer is a needless indulgence for anyone who already owns tweezers. But there's a really good reason to avoid plucking your way to a well-groomed schnoz: your nostril hairs serve a distinct purpose. Namely, filtering out all the dirt and dust in the air you inhale every day, so you're not just sucking grime into your lungs. You don't want to go scorched earth and simply pluck them into oblivion. A good nose and ear hair trimmer will cut your hairs down to one standard length, keeping them well out of view while still in prime functioning and filtering condition. (Also, it just hurts a lot less.)
Which means it's worth picking up a dedicated gadget to do the job. The shaver you use to tame your facial hair isn’t going to cut it—nor will the clippers you rely on for at-home touch-ups. (Never mind trying to wedge some scissors up there.) To properly tame any errant nose and ear hairs, you're going to want a machine specifically designed to get up in the contours of your nostrils. Sticking just anything else in there is ill-advised at best, and downright dangerous at worse.
The Best Nose Hair Trimmers, at a Glance
- The Best Overall Nose Hair Trimmer: Panasonic Ear and Nose Hair Trimmer, $45
- The Best Manual Nose Hair Trimmer: Tweezerman nose hair trimmer, $15
- The Best Deep-Canal Trimmer: Wahl trimmer, $15
- The Best Budget Trimmer: Wahl micro groomsman personal pen trimmer, $10
- The Best Grooming Device with a Nose Hair Trimmer Attachment: Panasonic Ultimate All-in-One Kit, $170
- The Best Errant Hair Snipper: MicroTouch Titanium MAX trimmer, $15
- The Best Multi-Purpose Trimmer: Philips Norelco trimmer, $20
- The Best Nose Hair Scissors: Seki Edge nostril scissors, $17
Do I Really Need One of These?
We're all friends here, so we're going to level with you: even if your default look is “rakishly unkempt," errant nostril hairs are never a great look. They're also especially important to pay attention to yourself because, well, they're extremely awkward for anyone else to bring up.
Unlike, say, a brand new set of whiskers or an unruly pair of sideburns, they're not all that noticeable until, suddenly, they really are; soliciting an honest opinion about the state of your schnoz is a surefire way to catalyze an uncomfortable bout of hem-hawing from everyone within a few-mile radius. (Just ask de Bergerac!) So don't rely on the perceptive ability of your friends/family/closest Zoom confidants—seize the initiative yourself. What we're trying to say is: yes, you really do need one, no matter what type of awkward, halfhearted assurances you’ve heard in the past.
What Should I Look For?
This one's easy: most of the same features you’d consider when buying any grooming device—cutting power, ease-of-use, battery life—are key here too, though ergonomics factor heavily into the equation (and safety-enhancing features like extra-fine blades and wet-dry capabilities for a quick clean should be a prerequisite, too). If you plan on stashing one of these in your Dopp when you travel, portability should be high on your list of priorities as well; there's no point investing in a nifty new tool if it's too damn big to tote around when you need it most.
You should also take into account whether the trimmer has a rotary blade or a slide cutter; the former tends to be faster and more efficient, while the latter is more precise and particularly suited to quick touchups.
If all that sounds like a lot of meaningless jargon, relax: we already worked through the thorny calculations, rigorously vetting (and gently testing) each one of the trimmers below. Now we're passing on our findings to you, in the form of an easily navigable, hand-dandy guide to the best nose hair trimmers on the market.
The Best Nose Hair Trimmer, Overall: Panasonic Ear and Nose Hair Trimmer
Panasonic sets the standard when it comes to nose and ear hair removal. The brand's easy-use wet-dry trimmer delivers crisp cuts with stainless steel blades, and a vacuum makes cleanup quick and simple. This one's good for more than just nose hairs: overgrown eyebrows, pesky ear hairs, and the occasional stray mustache hair can be handled by a quick swipe of this hair trimmer.
What makes this trimmer so effective is its innovative trimmer blades, which snip hairs from both the top and sides to more efficiently, and speedily, finish your grooming duties. And the safety cone ensures you don't get any unwanted nicks.
Pros: Minimal pulling; easy to use; wet and dry use; vacuum collects the trimmed hair instead of letting it fall into the sink; ergonomic design
Cons: Expensive for what it is; includes a bulky charger; carrying case is poorly designed
The Best Manual Nose Hair Trimmer: Tweezerman Nose Hair Trimmer
Drop the tweezers (ouch!) and opt for Tweezerman's manual clipper instead. It's specially designed to minimize cuts and nicks, helping you, and your nose, avoid any undue irritation down the line. All you do is squeeze the handle to get the rotary blade to start cutting, so you never have to worry about changing this little gadget's battery. It takes a little longer to get an even clip than if you were using an automatic one (but, like 18 seconds instead of 3 seconds).
Pros: Simple to use; includes a cleaning brush; doesn't pull hairs; affordable; great for travel
Cons: Slower to use than an electric nose hair trimmer
The Best Deep-Canal Trimmer: Wahl Ear, Nose, and Eyebrow Trimmer
Wahl's multi-use tool comes with interchangeable heads built with hygienic trimming in mind. It's tiny and portable, but also a powerful one-stop shop for easy inner-canal trimming, eyebrow even-ing, and facial-hair detailing—all at a price that's tough to beat. It's for getting deep into your nostril farther than your finger could ever go, because when those deep-canal nose hairs start poking out then you know you have a real overgrown problem.
Pros: Gets deep into the nostril; multi-use for ear and eyebrows; easy to clean; super affordable
Cons: Requires a few passes for it to work well
The Best Budget Trimmer: Wahl Micro Groomsmen Trimmer
Wahl's second appearance on this list comes via the brand's sleek, hyper-functional trimmer, a super-streamlined tool designed for peak portability. The trimmer's pair of attachments will help you reign in errant noise and ear hairs and detail your brows or beard, while its anodized aluminum shell will stand up to whatever you—or your nostrils—throw at it. This is the device to whip out if you're pressed for storage space and can only allocate a ballpoint pen-sized amount of room to your trimmer.
Pros: Includes two trimming heads; well-made; perfectly sized for travel
Cons: Blade has a tendency to pop off; occasionally catches onto hair
The Best Grooming Device with Nose Hair Trimmer Attachment: Panasonic Multishape Trimmer
You do not need a standalone nose hair trimmer if you have a multi-purpose beard trimmer or e-shaver (one that has a swappable nose-hair attachment to tackle the task). Panasonic, which already holds the top spot on this nose trimmer list, also gets the distinction in this 'best attachment' category, for its outstanding new MultiShape. This tool is a grade-A trimmer, clipper, shaver, and nose hair trimmer. Best of all, you can pay for whichever attachments you need, rather than stocking up on a kit and shelving half of it. (Though we recommend getting the beard/body trimmer, shaver, and nose hair clipper, at the least—the price of which is reflected here. Oh, and get the lithium ion battery—it's just 10 bucks more and holds a way longer charge.)
Pros: Multi-use and perfect for traveling; rechargeable; efficient and effective and trimming all hair
Cons: Expensive; overkill if you just want a nose hair trimmer
The Best Errant Hair Snipper: MicroTouch Titanium MAX Trimmer
While this trimmer is terrific for sideburn, beard line, and eyebrow tidyings, it's also great for snipping those periodic peeker-outers from the base of your nostrils. We wouldn't recommend shoving it inside the nose entirely, since it'll trim the hairs too short, but if all you need is to clean up the periphery, you may as well get a product that does more as its primary function.
Pros: Easy to use; ergonomic design; works well
Cons: Light is a little gimmicky
The Best Multi-Purpose Trimmer: Philips Norelco Ear, Nose, Eyebrow, Neck, and Sideburn Trimmer
For another multi-tasker, Philips Norelco's fully-washable detail trimmer features the brand's signature dual-cut blades, which are sharpened twice for a smoother trim and cleaner edges. Interchangeable heads and guards are especially conducive to a wider variety of grooming functions, including touching up sideburns and rear neck hair. If you're ever in a pinch and can only grab one device for all your detailing needs, you could do far worse than stuffing this one in a Dopp kit with the knowledge that—at the very least—your ears, nose, eyebrows, and edges will be set.
Pros: Fully washable; includes multiple trimming heads;
Cons: Doesn't cut too close to the skin; doesn't get too deep into the nostril
The Best Nose Hair Scissors: Seki Edge Scissors
All of these bulkier devices begs the question: What about nose-hair scissors? They're just as good for the job, in fact, so long as they have a rounded, blunt tip to prevent poking. These stainless steel "nostril" scissors from Seki Edge can tidy up stray eyebrows, mustache sprouts, split ends, and of course, any peek-a-boo nose hairs.
Pros: Super sharp blades; blunt tip prevents accidental nicks, easy to use
Cons: Finger holes are kind of small
Plus 9 More Nose Hair Trimmers We Love
Manscaped calls its next-gen trimmer the "weed whacker", and the comparison isn't without merit. When you start with a 9,000 RPM motor, add a 360-degree rotary dual-blade system, and mix in a battery life that's good for up to 90 minutes of use, it warrants mentioning. What else would you call it?
Pros: Rechargeable; long battery life; blade doesn't pull on hairs
Cons: Expensive; takes some time to get the job done
Meridian's trimmer offers everything you should demand from a sharp, whirring device you routinely stick near the most sensitive parts of your face. Its ergonomic design promises heightened maneuverability, while a waterproof, lightweight build does its darndest to prevent snafus no matter where you take it.
Pros: Rechargeable; waterproof; includes built-in light
Cons: Short battery life
Balking at the idea of operating an electric anything around the gnarliest orifices above your neck? We feel you. Mercifully, you can still tidy up your nostrils the old-fashioned way, courtesy of this stainless steel precision tool from the German brand behind the best blades on the market. A manual twist function keeps the pulling to a minimum, while an integrated brush makes clean-up a cinch.
Pros: Especially sturdy; manual means you don't need batteries or a charger
Cons: Doesn't work quite as well as its Tweezerman counterpart
You know Braun for its excellent excellent shavers, so it's no shocker that the brand also makes a pretty good shaver for your noes hairs. Braun's trimmer comes with a circular blade system and an ergonomic shape that makes getting to those hard-to-reach areas a relative cinch.
Pros: Ergonomic design; long battery life
Cons: Expensive
Double-sided blades offer a peak-performance trim, while a battery-powered, waterproof shell calls for as little upkeep as possible after you're done using it. There's also an included eyebrow comb to tame those wild hairs.
Pros: Full waterproof; doesn't nick or pull; angled design makes it easy to control
Cons: Requires a few passes to actually trim hair
The standout detail on Conair's ergonomically designed ear and nose trimmer is a beveled blade system that allows for particularly close—and even—trimming. It also seamlessly transitions to a sleek contouring tool if the edges of your beard need a touch-up.
Pros: Ergonomic design; gets a close trim; great for travel
Cons: Gets hot quickly
Despite it's off-putting brand name, ToiletTree Products makes one of Amazon's favorite nose hair trimmers, and it's backed by tens of thousands of five-star reviews. It's water resistant, making it great for in-shower snippings, as well as for easy cleanup. It's a little thick and bulky in the hand, but hey, it gets the job done.
Pros: Includes a built-in light; water resistant; has a safety travel lock
Cons: Bulky design; on/off switch is hard to operate with one finger
Another manual option, this trimmer goes up, twists at the base, and snips at the head. These trimmers are made in the US, and as one Amazon reviewer writes: “It's a fantastic gadget. Well machined, doesn't pull, cuts well.”
Pros: Works manually; sharp blades trim hair quickly without pulling
Cons: Expensive for a manual trimmer
The horizontal clip on Remington's device makes for an easy perimeter cleanup—and is a tool we'd happily use to detail our mustache and eyebrows, too.
Pros: Great for trimming and lineups; washable; multi-use
Cons: Gets hot quickly
