"I'll take the electric. This, however, is quite bulky and often gets hidden with my wife's toiletries, where the incremental weight won't be noticed." Love that sentence.

As for the first question I can't help you because I never had a beard. I can tell you that the little trimmer on the Quattro is most likely not big or strong enough to cope with a real beard. It is good enough for a mustache and trimming the side burns and such, though. I'd just do an Amazon search for beard trimmer to see if there are any smaller models that strike your fancy.

On the second question just read this thread post by post or check out the badger and blade forum. But don't come back and say we didn't warn you!

Till