Last Updated on May 25, 2024 by Dogster Team
Being a dog owner means caring for them in every way: feeding, walking, playing, petting, and grooming them. All dogs need grooming to a certain degree, but specific breeds need extra maintenance, which means bringing them to a groomer or doing it yourself.
The advantage of doing it yourself is that you save time and money, but you’ll need to buy a few grooming tools. Shopping for a good grooming kit will also take time. That’s why we did the work for you and developed reviews of 10 of the best dog grooming kits, so you can have the tools to groom your dog yourself or simply touch up their coat in-between groomer visits.
The best overall dog grooming kit is the Wahl Arco Cordless Pet Clippers. It has a cordless and lightweight pair of clippers available in pink, champagne, and purple. It has a rechargeable battery that will run for 80 minutes, and the five-in-one blade, combined with being cordless, is quite adaptable.
The clippers can also trim hard-to-reach areas, such as the paws, ears, and face. The kit comes with the clippers, a five-in-one blade, NiMH rechargeable batteries, a storage case, a charger and charging stand, four attachment combs, a cleaning brush with blade oil, and instructions.
However, it is pricey, and the clippers are best for small and medium dogs with smooth and medium coats.
The best dog grooming kit for the money is Pet Magasin’s Professional Grooming Set. It gives you three different tools that can work on dogs of any size and with any coat, as well as cats. It includes a double-sided brush, a de-matting comb, and a long-tooth undercoat rake.
The brush can work on any type of coat, the rake is great for safely thinning out the undercoat, and the de-matting comb effectively removes mats. The combination of all three brushes will help keep shedding to a minimum.
But if you have a smooth-coated dog, you only need one of these brushes, and the brush itself seems to be too small for large breeds.
The Wahl Bravura Lithium Ion Cordless Clipper Kit is our premium choice pick. The clippers run on a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that only needs a 60-minute charge and can even run while plugged in and charging. It can run for 90 minutes at full speed, up until the battery is drained. It has an adjustable five-in-one stainless-steel blade and is durable enough to work on dogs, cats, and horses and other livestock. It’s lightweight and quiet and comes with six attachments, a case, a charging base and cord, a brush, and oil.
The main issue is how expensive it is. Also, on certain models, the blades might jam up on long, thick hair.
The oneisall Cordless Dog Shaver Clippers are affordable rechargeable clippers with a fixed stainless-steel blade and ceramic moving blade. The blades are detachable, making them easy to clean. It is quiet and low vibration, so it shouldn’t spook your dog. It comes with six attachments, a charging cord, oil, a brush, a metal comb, and pair of scissors.
One problem is that it might be too small for large dogs — the clippers aren’t that wide, so it will take a while to groom your dog. Additionally, the battery doesn’t always hold enough charge for a full session.
Sminiker’s Professional Rechargeable Cordless Clippers are affordable, and you get multiple items with this kit, including four attachments, a brush, a charging cord, scissors, a comb, a nail file, and nail clippers. The blade is made of titanium, there’s a ceramic moving blade, and the unit is low vibration and quiet. On a full charge, the clippers typically last up to 70 minutes.
But it doesn’t include blade oil, and the clippers take 5 hours to fully charge.
Wahl’s Lithium Ion Pro Series Cordless Animal Clippers work for any size of dog and have self-sharpening high-carbon-steel blades. The battery enables you to use it for 2 hours, but it has a 15-minute quick-charge option for it to work instantly. It takes 3–5 hours for a full charge. The kit includes four colorful attachments, making it easy to identify the right guard for your dog, as well as a brush, oil, scissors, and a comb.
The issue is that these are large clippers, so while they’re great for medium and large dogs, if you have a small breed, you’ll want to find another product. Additionally, the power button can be difficult to press.
The Andis UltraEdge 2-Speed Detachable Blade Dog Grooming Clippers are great for any coat type and breed size. There are two speeds, and the blade and drive cap are removable for easy cleaning. These clippers have a 14-foot cord, so it’s easy to maneuver around your dog, and the power switch is lockable, so you can’t accidentally turn it off.
However, these clippers are expensive and don’t come with any attachments. They also tend to get hot after a while.
Frisco’s Beginner Grooming Kit for Dogs & Cats gives you basic tools for grooming your dog, and it’s inexpensive! You get a double-headed brush with bristles and rounded pins on either side, a slicker brush, a double-sided flea comb, and nail scissors. Both brushes are designed to remove loose hair and mats, and the flea comb has fine- and wide-toothed sides, which will remove pests and debris. The nail scissors will keep the nails well-trimmed.
But the entire kit is meant for small dogs because the brushes are quite tiny. Also, the slicker brush might be uncomfortable for some dogs.
Wahl’s Deluxe U-Clip Dog & Cat Clipper Kit is an affordable set that includes a red pair of clippers with multicolored attachments. These are powerful clippers and do a great job of trimming coats with the steel blades. The kit has the clippers, a storage case, a comb, seven attachments, scissors, a cleaning brush and oil, an apron, and a grooming DVD with full instructions.
But the clippers tend to get fairly hot when used for an extended period of time. They’re also a bit noisy, so if your dog gets nervous around loud noises, you should find a quieter pair. They also won’t work for dogs with thick coats because they are designed for fine and medium coats only.
The Andis Pro 7-Piece Detachable Blade Pet Clipper Kit comes with four attachment guards, blade oil, and a hard case. The blade of the clippers can be detached for easy cleaning or replaced with other Andis blades. The clippers are ergonomically designed to fit in your hand comfortably and have a 12-foot-long cord. The motor is powerful yet quiet.
Unfortunately, you might find the cord to be a bit short because these clippers need to stay plugged in. Also, they tend to get hot after using them for a while, and some dog owners might find that they are heavy in the hand.
Before you head off to buy a grooming kit, read through this buyer’s guide, which covers a few points that might help you make the right purchase.
Always read the fine print before you purchase any grooming tools. One of the biggest mistakes that a dog owner can make is to assume that a tool will be big enough for their large dog or small enough for their toy breed. Check the dimensions of the tools and read the reviews. You don’t want to buy clippers only to find that they are far too tiny for your giant breed.
Always check what comes in your grooming kit. Most have a carrying case but not all of them do. Also, things like blade oil and a brush are essential to maintaining a set of clippers. If the clippers don’t come with these items, you’ll need to purchase them separately.
If you need other items, such as nail clippers or scissors, if they aren’t in the kit, you’ll need to buy them yourself.
Do a bit of research about your dog’s coat before investing in grooming tools. Look it up online or even speak to your vet. Not every set of combs, brushes, or clippers will work for every coat type, and you’ll want something made specifically for your breed of dog.
Also, watch a few videos on how to best trim your dog’s coat and how to handle a pair of clippers. This can make the difference between a nice trim and a straggly mess!
You do get what you pay for, though many inexpensive tools out there can work quite well, especially for amateurs. But generally, the cheaper the clippers are, the more likely that they’ll break down quickly or won’t do the job right. You should read reviews, though keep in mind that a few of the negative reviews might be from people who didn’t know how to use the tools correctly.
We love Wahl’s Arco Cordless Pet Clippers for their rechargeable battery and ability to get into hard-to-reach areas. For an affordable price, the Pet Magasin’s Professional Grooming Set has three different grooming tools that can keep shedding to a minimum. The Wahl Bravura Lithium Ion Cordless Clipper Kit is a premium choice for the clippers’ excellent ability to go at full speed up until the battery loses its charge.
After reading these reviews, we hope that you have a better idea of what kind of grooming kit you should invest in. Grooming your dog yourself will help you save money, and you’ll also likely form a stronger bond with them.
Featured Image Credit: Kozak_studio, Shutterstock
Kathryn was a librarian in a previous lifetime and is currently a writer about all things pets. When she was a kid, she hoped to work in a zoo or with wildlife in some way, thanks to her love for animals. Unfortunately, she’s not strong in the sciences, so she fills her days with researching and writing about all kinds of animals and spends time playing with her adorable but terribly naughty tabby cat, Bella. Kathryn is hoping to add to her family in the near future – maybe another cat or two and a dog.
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