Stamen ST-01 on a Bald Head and a Beard
A Copenhagen trimmer with USB-C, a single wheel and a strong build. It does everything a bald man needs, once you buy the part it doesn’t come with.
Verdict
- Best for
- Beards, blends, travel
- Closeness
- 3mm on the comb. 1.5mm with the guard. 0.5mm bare
- Skin
- Not tested yet
- Time per shave
- Not timed yet
- Price
- €135, plus €20 for the guard
- Tested
- First look. Full test after a month on the road
VerdictBuy it with the 1.5mm guard, or don’t buy it for sideburns.
Bought and tested by Mark. No affiliate links. How I test
I really like this one. It feels powerful, it feels robust, and it’s pretty stylish.
USB-C
After years of lugging archaic chargers around, USB-C is a godsend. The same cable now charges this and my Panasonic, which means one cable in the bag for the whole kit. That alone is half the reason it’s coming on the road with me.
The object
I like the clipper wheel: one dial on the comb to set the length. It doesn’t feel chintzy or cheap. It’s loud and it’s powerful. The guys at Stamen have done a great job.
The catch for a bald man
Out of the box it doesn’t go short enough to blend a sideburn into a shaved head. The comb bottoms out at 3mm, and the jump from there to skin is too far to hide.
The fix is a separate magnetic 1.5mm tight guard. It wasn’t pointed out to me when I bought the trimmer; I had to work it out myself, order it separately for about €20, pay shipping again, and wait. It should be in the box, or at least offered at checkout.
Once it arrived, it works well. The magnet feels robust, it seats properly, and it still fits in the same carry case.
How I use it
Take the bottom of the sideburn to skin with the shaver or a razor. Blend upwards with the 1.5mm guard. Then put the standard head back on and clean it up from there. That works really nicely. It would be better if it were all one accessory.
On the beard it does the job, and it’s the right tool for taking the head down when I’ve left it a few days too long, before the shaver goes over it.
Living with it
The battery has been impressive so far. I’ll know properly after a month of daily use.
What comes next
This goes to Los Angeles with me for four weeks, alongside the Panasonic, as the travel kit. I’ll come back with the full verdict on how the two work together on the road.
A tool that will last. Buy the guard with it.
