The Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S gets close to being a professional hair styling tool without costing the earth. The Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S does more than just trim beards and shape mustaches. It can also reliably be used to style your hair and trim body hair. It can be used wet, or dry, and can be used tethered to the wall outlet, or cordless with a short time on the charger.
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The Basic’s of Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S
The Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S comes chock full of features that will work just as well in the bath as in the salon. The most innovative feature, I feel, is that it is totally submersible in water, and washing it out under a flowing faucet is not a problem. I am able to take it into the shower and trim my hair or shape my goatee. The wet and dry feature of the Milano is a huge plus point for versatility and it is one of my favorite features. I can even accomplish something that is not possible on most other trimmers, which is to use the trimmer together with shaving foam.
The blades, which are the most important part of the trimmer, are made of hypoallergenic stainless steel. This is important because hypoallergenic blades help protect sensitive skin from developing rashes; and, the second is that these stainless steel blades are corrosion-resistant, which allow a constant razor-sharp blade and keeps it safe.
There are nineteen settings to choose from with the Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S. Each set is placed at 0.5 mm increments for precise length selection. These numerous settings take the length from 1 mm cut all the way to 10 millimeters, approximately one-third of an inch. The settings are controlled with an easy-access dial within reach of your thumb. With one hand you can just scroll the dial to the desired setting and the telescopic beard guard slides into place. This is definitely a far cry from the cumbersome multi-attachment options some of the other trimmers present.
The highly efficient rechargeable batteries run for 50 minutes on a full charge. The indicator light is a handy feature, showing the level of charge at any instant, removing the need for any guesswork. This goes a long way in extending the life of the rechargeable battery. I disapprove of trimmers or any other electrical equipment, that doesn’t have this feature.
The chassis of the trimmer is contoured to perfectly fit the angle and shape of a man’s natural grip. This makes it ergonomically effective and gives an effortless feel to the trimming process. I find it to be a robust trimmer that feels solid in my grasp, and this affords me the ability to guide it with purpose and precision.
Things that Could be Better with the Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S
As with all things, even the best will present an opportunity for improvement, and I feel the same way about the Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S. While I don’t have a major problem with it, the GB40 ‘s charger is only compatible with 110v outlets. This initially presented a challenge for me, as I travel to countries that use 240v instead. I had considered purchasing a transformer until I realized that a full charge fully takes care of my needs. With a 50 minute reserve, I am able to keep it for 10 days with 5 minutes of daily use. Still, I would prefer a 100-240 v charger.
The blade guard needs a little understanding and appreciation before use. If you point it in the wrong direction, it is going to cut a lot closer than you expect, once you get used to it this actually becomes an advantage as it can deliver a much more accurate trim.
Other Features that are Handy
With most of the necessary features handily accessible on the trimmer, there are also a number of other features that make it a great all-round option. I particularly like the fact that the unit has a sensible grip. The rubber sheath that wraps parts of the trimmer provides adequate grip even when it is wet in the shower and easily rinses off under the spray. I’ve never had to wash it as rinsing seems to suffice. Shavings come off easily with the inbuilt water drain design.
For personal grooming, this Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S is a professional tool that can be relied upon for daily use. It allows a handy adjustment to layer the facial hair for certain styles of beards and it lends itself to both head and body hair trimming. Being able to layer your hair is a real bonus and is accomplished easily with the telescopic hair guard. This is clearly one of the outstanding features and makes trimming a more complex beard much easier with the Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S than some of the other cheaper alternatives.
The unit has a pleasantly designed cradle to charge it in. Trimmers that don’t have the cradle are usually just cast on the counter and can be unsightly. The cord that snakes across the bathroom counter is an eyesore as well. However, with the Pansonic’s cradle, every accessory has its place and the cord can be neatly tucked into position as the entire ensemble sits neatly on the counter, charging.
I focused a lot on its ability to get wet and stay immersed in the water, that I neglected to mention that it works just as well when it’s dry. These are for times when you want a quick shave in the office or if you are on the red-eye for a meeting and need to get a shave on board. The dry, cordless option is an amazing feature that lets you keep up your appearance anywhere, even when you’re not home.
Final Verdict:
All in all of the Panasonic Milano Series ER-GB40-S is a slightly more expensive beard trimmer but this is also reflected in the build quality and all-round functionality it will do everything you need of a beard trimmer and more!
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Last update 2021-01-05. Price and product availability may change.