The 7 Best Dog Dryers of 2021 (Review)

Best Hair Dryer for Dogs Overall: Dog Dryer Metrovac’s Air Force Commander

Technical Details:

• Brand Name – MetroVac
• Weight – 8 pounds
• Item Dimensions – 12″ x 7″ x 7″ inches
• Color – Blue/Black
• Power – 4 HP

The Air Force Commander was our overall favorite for home use. It looks like a little shop vac but it produces a pretty incredible amount of air. It’s got a two speed, 4 horsepower motor which pushes either 14,000 or 28,000 CFM.

That’s a ton of air and more than enough for the average canine. Even heavy-coated dogs will be dry in a jiffy.

Our favorite part? It’s relatively small for the amount of air it pushes and most people will be able to find room for it in their home or garage. It’s easily portable, weighing only ten pounds or so which means pretty much anyone will be able to move it around.

On the downside… it’s way too powerful for indoor use. If you were planning on drying your dog off in the bathroom then you’re going to want to look elsewhere. It’s also got some sticker shock considering the relatively high price.

On the other hand, for home use, this is our absolute favorite of the dog dryers that we tested out. Just make sure that you use it outside, or you may find yourself wishing that your dog had just shaken the water off themselves.

Best Dog Dryer for Professionals: K-9 III Dog Grooming Dryer

Technical Details:

• Brand Name – K9
• Weight – 31.8 pounds
• Item Dimensions – 21 x 15 x 10 inches
• Color – Violet/Black
• Power – 34,321 – 62,000 FPM

Alright, we want you to pull your jaw back up after looking at the price. This piece of equipment is a little bit too expensive for you unless you’re a professional groomer, but it’s the best dog blow dryer.

On the other hand, we repeatedly heard things like “best dog dryer ever” and “my shop couldn’t run without it.” That was enough for us to test it out and make sure that we weren’t hearing things wrong.

We weren’t. The only real issue is that it can heat up a bit too quickly, because it’s best high velocity dog dryer, so you must choose behind the real high velocity and cool dryer. But it’s didn’t seem to be a problem in the temperate climate we tested it in but might cause some issues in areas with a lot of hot weather.

It’s bulky, however, and extremely expensive for home use.

Of course, it’s not really designed for those trying to dry off a dog or two at home. If you’re a grooming professional then you’ll find that this is a must-buy unit. The rest may want to find something smaller and cheaper, however.

Best Dog Grooming Dryer: Free Paws Pet Dryer

Technical Details:

• Brand Name – Free Paws
• Weight – 11.4 pounds
• Item Dimensions – no information
• Color – Yellow
• Power – 4921-11023 FPM

While it doesn’t quite match up to our favorite, it would be a big mistake to exclude this one from the lineup. Our favorite feature was the variable speed motor, but that’s more of a convenience than a necessity.

The heat settings are great, however. The heating element can be turned off, placed on low, or put on high depending on your needs and the weather.

The best part is that all of the parts are warrantied. The brush, nozzles, and hoses are covered as well for a lifetime. That’s a bit of extra value that really can’t be overlooked.

It’s also quick and easy to use. It’s a bit bulkier than our favorite, however, and that can make it problematic for those with smaller homes.

If you’re looking to make sure that you’ve got an awesome dog dryer at a great price then give this one a closer look. If you’ve got the storage space it may be the way to go.

Best Cage Dryer for Dog Grooming: Double K Industries ChallengAir 560 Cage Dryer

Technical Details:

• Brand Name – Double K Industries
• Weight – 17.64 pounds
• Item Dimensions – 12.6 x 16.1 x 13 inches
• Color – Black
• Power – 750 cubic feet per minute airflow

Got a finicky canine? Maybe it’s time to invest in a cage dryer and we found the K-9 III to be the best of the lot. It comes with a great temperature control and you’ll find that you have the ability to dry pretty much any dog within the confines of their cage.

Even better, the brushless motor still runs quiet compared to most of the others we looked at. For anxious dogs that can be extremely important, even if they’re confined within a crate or cage since they won’t get anxious during the process.

The air filtration is a nice touch as well, keeping the motor and fan clean for an extended period. It’s a tough unit overall, sure to run for years to come and take a fall without any damage.

It’s also bulky, heavy, and expensive but it’s one of the best choices we’ve ever seen when it comes to skittish canines.

If you’ve been looking for a cage dryer to allow you to get the moisture off of a finicky dog then this is the best option on the market. It’s quiet, powerful, and long lasting but it’s a bit of a niche item due to its bulk and price.

Best Stand Dryer: Free Paws Dog Pet Dryer Stand

Technical Details:

• Brand Name – Free Paws
• Weight – 49.6 pounds
• Item Dimensions – no information
• Color – Yellow
• Power – 4 HP

Stand dryers are great for professionals, allowing you to move around the dog freely and easily. This is actually pretty much the same model as our runner-up but comes with an attached, swiveling stand which makes it much easier to use.

It also adds quite a bit to the cost and it’s hard to store so it’s not a great at-home option.

For those who are just getting into grooming, it’s a best dog blower with stand, however. The freedom of movement is hard to beat and it’s a solid dryer with a fairly low cost compared to the other professional options which we looked at.

The base is equipped with lockable wheels and moves easily as long as you’re not on a rough surface. The whole thing isn’t really equipped to be left out in the weather, however, so if you were thinking of throwing it on the back porch you’re out of luck.

For those just getting started with grooming, or homeowners with enough space to store it, this stand-based dog hair dryer is an excellent choice.

Best Budget Pet/Dog Dryer: SHELANDY 3.2HP Stepless Adjustable Speed

Technical Details:

• Brand Name – SHELANDY
• Weight – 10.3 pounds
• Item Dimensions – 17.4 x 11.6 x 7.9 inches
• Color – Silver/Blue
• Power – 3.2 HP

For those who are on a tight budget but still want a dryer which will work well, we recommend the Shelandy. It’s quite a bit weaker than the rest of our picks but it’s also pretty awesome for the price.

Surprisingly, it was one of the quietest of the dryers which we tried out. It’s just about perfect for anxious hounds. Of course, that comes from the fact that it has quite a bit less power than most of our favorites, so whether or not it’s worth it is up to you.

Overall it’s a pretty simple device. Two speed and temperature settings, a plastic body, and an expandable hose. It’s lightweight and portable, however, which adds to the value as far as we’re concerned.

Despite the low air volume, we found it got the job done on most dogs. We wouldn’t recommend it for a Newfoundland or Husky but your average dog without a super thick coat or an enormous size will do just fine although it may take a bit longer to do. And because of price it may be the best dog blow dryer for home use, if you need to dry your wet friend from time to time.

If you want a great, budget priced dog hair dryer then we recommend this one. It’s a bit underpowered compared to most but it’s not a bad way to go for those who are tired of the mess a bathed dog can make.

Alternative Budget Pick: Go Pet Club Dog and Cat Pet Grooming Hair Dryer

Technical Details:

• Brand Name – Go Pet Club
• Weight – 10 pounds
• Item Dimensions – 15 x 9 x 6.5 inches
• Color – Black
• Air Speed – 25M/S – 50M/S

We weren’t totally in love with this one, but it still made the list as it technically does what’s required of it. It’s a bit louder than our budget pick and there’s less settings but they’re pretty comparable machines overall. But for home use it’s the one of the best pet hair dryer.

There’s enough air pressure here for blowouts, although it definitely takes a bit longer than we’d like to dry. It’s lightweight and relatively small as well.

The hose is easy to move around and it has the usual attachments you’ll want with a dryer. Overall it’s not a bad choice, we just feel that you can do quite a bit better for only a couple of dollars more.

If you’re just looking for a machine that’ll handle blowing out winter coats it’s a solid pick, however.

It’s not our favorite, but it does its job and it’s cheap enough that we kept it on the list. We’d recommend it mostly for those who just want to do blowouts, but there’s no real reason not to pick it up if you’re really pinching pennies.