In September, Dyson introduced a new vacuum cleaner designed for pet grooming. Called the Pet Grooming Kit, the attachment kit takes the traditional smooth brush design and redesigns it as a vacuum attachment, allowing humans to brush loose hair from pets and put them directly into the vacuum.
We’ve tested Dyson’s new pet grooming accessory on four animals (two cats and two dogs) and polled their humans to bring you this review.
Dyson’s pet grooming kit is designed to remove loose pet hair, dander and dead skin flakes, and according to Dyson, can be used on any pet that is used to grooming with a smooth brush. (Our pet wants to talk to Dyson about this.) The pet tool is compatible with Dyson’s wireless range.
The grooming brush has 364 smooth bristles that can be bent 35 degrees into an upright position when brushing; the tool can be used without a vacuum, and then attached to the vacuum after brushing to pick up hair. Dyson says its pet grooming kits are acoustically designed to make grooming more peaceful for your pet. Here again, our pets challenge that claim a bit.
To use the tool, first brush your pet with the attachment if only Make it easy for them to integrate into the salon experience. Then, attach the brush to the hose attached to the Dyson wireless base. Press the back of the brush with your thumb to make the bristles smoother; after brushing, release your thumb to retract the bristles and let the vacuum suck your pet’s hair into the litter box. Dyson’s tutorial video shows two people doing this: one holding the animal, and one operating the vacuum.
The Dyson Pet Grooming Kit retails for $69.99; per Dyson’s return policy, purchases from Dyson.com can be returned within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
Our human testers were impressed with the Dyson Pet Tools.
“Considering how messy pet grooming can be,” one person said, “it’s a genius design that allows you to do several things at once – grab dander, skin flakes, and unwanted hair, while bristling catches those The strands work brilliantly.”
Testers found the setup simple and intuitive. Human reviewers also quickly identified an ingenious workaround to mitigate the effects of vacuum noise on more sensitive animal reviewers. “I took the brush off the vacuum,” said one, using it to brush her cat, “and then reattached it, using the Dyson to suck up loose hair. It’s not the most convenient, but at least you get it Some of the benefits of the tool.”
Overall, our testers praised the design and efficacy of the Dyson Pet Grooming Kit. “This brush is beautifully designed and definitely grabs more hair than any other brush I’ve ever used,” says one human reviewer.
The feline and canine reviewers we asked to test were less of a fan of the Dyson pet grooming accessory than their people. Let’s meet them.
- Phoebe is a domestic shorthaired grey tabby cat with a sweet and affectionate temperament that sheds moderate amounts of hair depending on the season. She likes to brush her teeth regularly.
- Eartha is a very active little black cat that leaves balls of fur around the house and a coat of fur on white furniture and sheets. Eartha doesn’t like retouching. She hates cutting claws and is generally skeptical of vacuum cleaners.
- Millie is a 10 pound shit, very sweet but not very smart. Millie is a senior rescuer with noise anxiety – especially household appliances that really piss off old girls.
- Big Tony is a 20-pound Yorkie and cancer survivor who loves munching on carrots and romanticizing his dad’s pillow. Tony is a non-shedding dog, but after undergoing radiation treatment earlier this year, his fur was severely shed. (He’s still very handsome.)
Our cat testers, Phoebe and Eartha, strongly do not recommend the Dyson pet grooming kit.
To make it easy for Phoebe to get into things, her human started using the brush on her body without attaching it to her favorite vacuum cleaner. But when the vacuum was introduced, things went wrong. “I brought a vacuum cleaner and tried to vacuum and brush my teeth at the same time, she Hate. She doesn’t like the sound of the vacuum anymore, so I don’t think it’s okay to put it so close to her. ”
Eartha’s response was more dramatic. “The first time she used it, she was very scared,” her person said. “I tried brushing her to relax before turning on the vacuum, and she loved it. But, I have to say, once the vacuum is on, it’s game over.”
One canine tester had similar feedback: “It scared Millie to death because Dyson was so loud,” her person said. “I used it to chase her around the house.”
Of our testers, Big Tony was the only animal that tolerated this grooming tool. A key detail here is that Tony, who knows he’s very attractive, usually likes to be groomed. He was great at washing and fixing, and was always sitting quietly and happily brushing his teeth.
Our human testers also noticed some design flaws. Using the brush requires you to use your thumb to keep the bristles stretched at all times, and testers didn’t like the design. At the same time, the other hand operates the power trigger button, the hands are tied to operate the machine and the attachment itself, and no hand can control the animal. Flexible hoses are neither long enough nor flexible enough.
You know your pet best, and after reading this review, you probably know whether Sir BarksALot or Miss Meow would welcome or reject a Dyson Pet Grooming Kit.
While evaluating your pet’s willingness to tolerate this grooming tool yourself would be the best measure, Dyson created a checklist to help pet parents determine if their tool is right for Fluffy or Fido.
- My pet has medium or long hair.
- My pets do not have wool coats (for example, breeds that have wool coats include the Poodle, Bichon Frise, and Pulley).
- My pet is considered an adult.
- I have touched up my hat with a smooth brush.
- I already own a Dyson vacuum and my pets are not disturbed by it.
- I have someone who can help me groom my pets if needed.
- If I’m still not 100% sure if a pet grooming tool is right for me and my pet, I’ll consult with my veterinarian or dog groomer before buying.
Overall, this tool doesn’t seem to work well for cats or dogs with noise anxiety. But for pets who are willing and able to suffer for their beauty, we confidently recommend the Dyson Pet Grooming Kit as a real game-changer for pet parents.