The Quest for the Best Dog Dryer
There are literally hundreds of dog dryers to choose from on the internet today. Names ranging from Metro, K9, Andis, Double K, Kool Dry, Dog Shammy, B-Air and others. It can be a confusing search with all the misinformation that is on the internet. In looking for the best dog dryer for your salon or home use, the first step is deciding on how you are going to use it. If the dog dryer is for your grooming salon, your needs are much more broad than for a home groomer.However, for either use, one needs to look at the following features in a dog dryer:Durability in a Dog Dryer
Will the dog dryer hold up to your application? We recommend polymer molded dog dryer housings instead of metal due to the fact that molded dryers do not rust, chip or act as amplifiers for the motor noise like metal housings do. The molded dog dryers are also "double-insulated" designs meaning they are inherently safer to use around water avoiding shock hazards.Storability in a Dog Dryer
If you choose to mount the dryer, is it light weight to do so? Does it require any additional costly hardware to mount? Are you limited by mounting positions?High Air Flow in a Dog Dryer
Does the dog dryer have enough air pressure to remove the water from the fur? Dog Dryers do not actually "dry" the dog - they use forced air to remove the water from the fur quickly and safely.Variable Speed in a Dog Dryer
Since professional dog groomers may groom a variety of dogs, a variable speed dog dryer is the only dryer they should be using. A variable speed dog dryer allows you to dial down the air flow for much smaller and sensitive dogs. A side benefit of a variable speed dog dryer is that the noise reduces proportional to the speed reduction. For home grooming, a variable speed dog dryer allows you to dial down the air flow for sensitive areas on your dog. A variable speed dog dryer has an infinite number of air adjustments versus a two-speed dryer. We highly recommend variable speed dryers for any breed of dog due to their versatility and lower noise feature.Non-Heated Air in a Dog Dryer
A dog dryer should never have an auxiliary heating element. Never. Due to the sensitive nature of a dogs undercoat and skin, a high heat dog dryer should never be used. All dog dryers will warm the air up slightly due to the nature of the blower motor design. This is acceptable. Do not consider a dog dryer with a heater for use. This is not a safe way to dry or groom your dog.Quality Hose in a Dog Dryer
Some dog dryers we have seen and tested have very cheap, blow-molded or fabric covered hoses. These have very limited life. With both designs, the air pressure will eventually either crack or put holes in these hoses. Look for a dog dryer with a spiral-wound commercial-duty hose. These hoses are much more expensive (2-3 times) than cheaper hoses but will yield a substantially longer life.Quiet Engineered Dog Dryer
If the engineers who originally designed the dog dryer you are looking at did not take quietness into mind, they certainly do not understand dogs, nor do they understand grooming. While no dog dryer can be silent, look for a dog dryer which states they have engineered in some baffling or foam noise reductions. A polymer housing will absorb/block noise much more than a metal housing will.Easy to Clean Air Filters in a Dog Dryer
Are the air filters easy to get to? Or does it take tools and an engineering degree? If the air filters are not easy to clean, you probably will not clean them very often. Look for external air filters that can be removed and replaced with no tools and little effort.Ignore the "Horsepower" Claims with Dog Dryers
If the dog dryer you are looking at claims "4 HP" but only draws 12 amps, it is a complete lie. For any electric motor to achieve 4 HP, it would have to draw over 30 amps with these type of motors. The HP rating is a game in the dog dryer market. Ignore the horsepower and focus on the CFM (Cubic Feet per minute of air flow) or better yet the LFM (Linear Feet per minute). That is the true measure of how powerful a dog dryer blower they manufacture. It is LPM that actually peels the water off the fur of the dog, not the CFM.Is the Dog Dryer Made in the USA?
We have nothing against "made in China" except it does not employ Americans. However, there are a number of important reasons not to buy a made-in-China product. Consider the following:1. Raw Material is Not Regulated in China
This means if it is a metal housed blower, it could contain lead or actually anything. Each shipment could be completely different in its metal content. If it is a molded dog dryer, the material may change with each shipment - regardless of what the US reseller wants. As we have seen with toys manufactured in China, lead and everything else finds its way into their products.
2. How Good is a Warranty with a Made-in-China Product?
How committed is the company who is importing them? If they go out of business, how do you get warranty or even parts?
3. If it Does Not Say "Made in the USA" it is Not.
Legally, they cannot mark their product "Made in the USA" unless it is. Many dog dryers we have investigated do not state where they are manufactured. Trust us on this, if they manufacture their product in the USA or Canada, they are very proud of that and always label their product as "Made in the USA". Lastly, be sure the model of the dog dryer you are looking to buy is made in the USA. A few companies have some manufacturing in the USA and still import some dog dryers from China.
4. Finally, you can Find Some Great Values on American-Made Dog Dryers
Without spending more than you would spend with a cheap China dog dryer. We have recommendations on the following pages.