The 5 Best Dog Hair Dryers Australia: Tested & Evaluated 2024
Written By Vedrana Nikolic | Canine Coach, B.A Ethnology & Anthropology, M.A Semiotics.
Edited & Fact Checked By Renae Soppe | B.A Journalism & Science.
Last Updated: 18th January 2024
No one likes the smell of a wet dog, and towel drying your fluffball can be a laborious, laundry-producing activity that they (and you!) either love or hate. But is there any other option? Yes, you need a dog hair dryer. And once you get one, you’ll wonder how you’ve lived without it all this time.
Today’s guide is all about finding the best dog hair dryer in Australia. To help us on our mission, we joined forces with veterinarians and professional dog groomers to form an independent team of experts. We then researched the most popular dog hair dryers out there, testing dozens and dozens of options with the help of our canine companions.
We finally agreed on this list of the best dog hair dryers, which we share below, as well as our guide for finding the perfect one for your pooch. Let's get started!
Quick Picks - The Top 3
Our Number 1 Pick -
Pawz Pet Dryer
- Adjustable temperature
- Adjustable airflow
- Low noise
- Comes with 4 different nozzles
- Easy & safe to use
Runner Up -
Shelandy Pet Hair Force Dryer
- Variable airflow
- Very powerful
- Dry with or without heat
- Easy to use
- 4 different nozzles included
Third Choice -
Pet Control HQ Dog Blow Dryer
- Quality construction
- Adjustable temperature
- Heat on or off
- 4 quality nozzles included
Australia's Best Dog Hair Dryers Reviewed
Ready to find a great pet hair dryer and start your new grooming routine? These are the favourite products our team of independent experts discovered during our testing phase.
#1: Best Overall: Pawz Pet Dryer
What sets this product apart from the rest?
The Pawz Pet Dryer is the ultimate pet hair dryer to have in your household. If you want your dog (or dogs, or pets… ) dried fast, the Pawz dryer will never disappoint.
With 3200W of power, this is the most powerful dryer on our list. At the highest settings, it can achieve 75 m/s airflow speed (quite a strong blow) and a temperature of 60°C.
You likely won’t need to use the hottest setting though, as the fast airflow helps dry your dog’s fur without using too much heat.
The Pawz Dryer is equipped with a large and convenient touchscreen to adjust the settings. It really couldn’t be easier and more intuitive to use. Plus, our independent experts especially loved the fact that you can control the heat as well as the strength of the airflow precisely. This allows you to adjust the experience to your dog’s needs as well as achieve better results.
When it comes to the airflow speed, the strongest setting is great for blowing out the undercoat for double-coated breeds, but for most other purposes the lower setting does just fine.
I really loved how the dryer also comes with 4 different nozzles, which our second-choice product next also does, so caring for different types of fur is very easy. The flexible hose is over 2 meters long and makes maneuvering around your dog a breeze. Last but not least, this pet dryer is full of little details that make the experience as smooth as possible, like an insulated handle and non-slip feet that keep the main unit from sliding around.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell | |
Cell |
#2: Runner Up: Shelandy Pet Hair Force Dryer
The Shelandy Pet Hair Force Dryer is another efficient dryer that’s suitable for all types of coats. The airflow strength is variable, with the lowest setting being quite mild and the highest setting being enough for double-coated breeds.
The one thing that makes the Shelandy dryer noticeably different from our top pick is the lack of variable heat settings. There are two options - cold air and hot air. While we’d love to see more options, it’s worth saying that the “warm” setting is a comfortable temperature and will work for most dogs.
The Shelandy Pet Hair Force Dryer being tested by our independent expert team.
The Shelandy dryer features a classic design, with a long hose attached to the main unit (comes in pink or blue). I also appreciated how the unit comes with 4 different nozzles, like our number one pick. This allowed me to achieve all sorts of stylistic effects for my clean pupper.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell | |
Cell |
#3: Best Value for Money: Pet Control HQ Dog Blow Dryer
This model from Pet Control HQ will allow you to achieve professional-level results on your dog, while also coming at a reasonable price (for this type of blow dryer).
At first glance, the dryer looks very similar to competitors, but a closer look reveals a sturdy build with quality materials. Everyone on our team of independent experts think this rugged dryer is meant to last for years to come.
The Pet Control HQ Dog Blow Dryer being tested by our independent expert team.
Now, this dryer might not amaze you with the variety of options it offers, but it certainly covers the essentials. The airflow speed is adjustable within a wide range, from a mild breeze to a full-power blowout, this dryer can do it all.
When it comes to heating, I was sad to note that it’s much less amazing. There is a heater you can turn on or off, but no adjustable settings.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
#4: Professional Level Dog Hair Dryer: shernbao High Velocity Professional Dog Grooming Hair Force Drier 6.0 HP
This hair dryer from shernbao is designed to deliver the maximum blowing power, claiming to reduce drying time by 70%. The ability to dry quickly without too much heat is my most desired feature of any pet hair dryer, and I'm sure you'd agree.
As to heat, there is none.. This blow dryer simply blows room temperature air, although the air does get a bit warm with longer operation. This allows the airflow to do the drying, not the temperature.
The shernbao High Velocity Professional Dog Grooming Hair Force Drier 6.0 HP being tested by our independent expert team.
Now, Shernbao claims that the maximum airflow speed on this dryer is 68000 FPM which comes down to 345 m/s. That’s A LOT more than any other hair dryer on this list. Our panel of experts wasn't sure it's actually true, but this is a very strong dryer in any case.
In any case, this is a very effective device. It’s by no means silent, but also fairly quiet considering the power. It’s great for double-coated breeds that need regular blowouts.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
#5: Best Portable Hair Dryer for Dogs: KUUBIA Pet Hair Dryer for Dogs and Cats
There is one thing that keeps many pet parents on the fence in regard to buying a dog hair dryer for their home: the sheer sizes of those units. Yes, pet hair dryers are bulky and not everyone has storage space for yet another appliance. This dryer from KUUBIA might be a solution to those problems.
This dryer is based on a completely different concept than the other items on this list. Instead of a big unit with a hose, this is essentially an extended hair brush that blows warm air. The whole device is a bit under 30 cm long and it weighs only 425 grams.
The KUUBIA Pet Hair Dryer for Dogs and Cats being tested by our independent expert team.
The main problem with the design is that the dryer is still fairly loud, and it needs to come much closer to your dog than regular dog hair dryers. Genius design or a useless gimmick? Depends on your dog. Some pet parents on our team of independent experts have found their dogs responding great to this dryer, while others, like me, didn’t have much success.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell | |
Cell |
What To Look For When Buying A Hair Dryer for Dogs
Choosing a pet hair dryer may be confusing. A hair dryer is a hair dryer, right? The different models look very similar, so is there any difference besides the price? Here are the main factors our team of independent experts recommend you pay attention to when comparing different pet hair dryers:
Voltage
When looking at hair dryers online (or any electronic device or appliance for that matter), you’ll often see something like “Voltage 240V” listed in the description.
Without going into the definition of voltage, let’s just say it’s the type of power your appliance is using. That is to say, the voltage doesn’t have anything to do with how strong the blow dryer is.
In this regard, we want a voltage that matches our local power network. In Australia, we use 240V. (In the US, for example, it’s 120V).
Wattage
The number of watts, on the other hand, does tell you how powerful the blow dryer in question is. Basically, the wattage tells you how much electricity a device will use in an hour.
If a dog hair dryer says it offers “3200 watts”, it will use that much power at its strongest setting. However, if you don’t use the strongest setting, the dryer will typically use much less power.
Do more watts mean the dryer will work faster? Well, in general, yes. However, the overall efficiency of a hair dryer depends on many factors, so saying that watts = drying power would be an oversimplification.
“The hotness and fastness of a hair dryer are connected to the wattage, but they’re not perfectly correlated” - Nancy Redd and Shanon Palus in Wirecutter (1)
For this reason, we don’t recommend you rely on wattage alone when choosing a hair dryer. Still, you can assume that higher wattage is a sign of a more powerful dryer.
Airflow Speed
Blow dryers don’t only use heat to dry hair. They work fast because they direct large amounts of air towards the thing you want to dry. How fast the air moves affects how fast your dog’s hair will dry, thus making airflow speed an important specification to check out.
You’ll often see it listed as “wind speed” or “airflow velocity” and expressed in units like meters per second, feet per second, or miles per hour.
In general, the more airflow speed a hair dryer offers, the better it is, but you’ll also want to make sure the speed is variable.
Professional groomers often used “high-velocity dryers”. If you have a dog with a thick (double) coat, you might want to get one of those too, but you don’t want it to operate on the power-blowing setting all the time.
“[High-velocity dryers] can be really dangerous in the wrong hands, you could literally blow a Yorkie across the room with one. [...] They are great equipment, if someone takes the time to learn how to use them properly.” - Kristine Reynolds, professional dog groomer told Whole Dog Journal (2)
Temperature Range
Most blow dryers you look at will list a temperature range they can achieve. In this case, more is not necessarily better.
“Most dog dryers have “no heat” or minimally warmed air. Human hair dryers are hotter and have less air volume than dryers made for dogs. The high heat is dangerous for your dog’s skin, and it can burn if you are not careful.” - Dr. Melody Aitchison-Steed for Pet News Daily (3).
It’s hard to say how hot is too hot for a dog, exactly, but it is something you’ll need to be careful about. For this reason, it’s more important for your dog blow dryer to have adjustable heat settings (as well as a cold air option), than for it to boast a high temperature range.
My Final Verdict
The best dog hair dryer easily available in Australia? Our team of independent experts could all agree that the Pawz model to be the best. This dryer offers a wide range of options making it perfect for multi-pet households. Gentle enough for a Maltese but strong enough to blow out a Malamute’s undercoat, the Pawz dryer is ready for any job.
Related: Do Dogs Have Hair or Fur?
The Shelandy Pet Hair Force Dryer is a good alternative. The only thing it lacks is a variable heat setting.
FAQ
Human hair dryers are not suitable for use on pets. Dogs are more sensitive than us and typically can’t handle as much heat as a regular hair dryer uses.
What about the cold setting, you might ask? Well, as long as the air is not too hot, you are welcome to try. The problem is that the process will often take too long with a regular human hair dryer. The other issue is the noise, which is often too much for dogs.
Hair dryers made for pets are designed to use less heat. Instead, they use airflow speed to get the moisture out of your dog’s fur. A good pet hair dryer should also be quieter than what we are used to in hair dryers for humans.
It’s not uncommon for dogs to be scared of loud and unfamiliar devices, like hair dryers. In fact, most dogs will be at least a bit apprehensive when they get introduced to a hair dryer. The key is in starting slow and letting your dog get comfortable with this new experience. Don’t try to force it - in fact, you might not even want to turn on the dryer the first time your dog sees it. Just let the dog sniff around and get familiar with it, then try short sessions at the lowest setting. Over time, they should be able to get used to the process, and you will have a silky smooth and dry pooch in no time!
References
- Red, N. & Palus, S. December 20, 2022. “The Best Hair Dryer”. Wirecutter. Retrieved March 6, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-hair-dryer/
- Flaim, D. October 20, 2014. “Tips and Techniques for Bathing your Dog”. Whole Dog Journal. Retrieved March 6, 2023. https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/tips-and-techniques-for-bathing-your-dog/
- Aitchison-Steed, M. January 10, 2023. “Is it Safe to Blow Dry a Dog?”. Pet News Daily. Retrieved March 6, 2023. https://petnewsdaily.com/is-it-safe-to-blow-dry-a-dog/
