Dyson Pet Groom Tool review

Designed to be used with your Dyson vacuum, the Dyson Pet Groom Tool claims to make grooming your feline friend or canine companion quick and easy, reducing pet dander and allergens that are often released into the air when grooming with a standard pet brush. 

If you own a medium to long-haired pet like we do (or even two!), you’ll know how frustrating it can be to groom them, especially in the winter months when you have to do it inside. Pet hair flies everywhere; you have to scoop it all up and bin it afterward, and you invariably have to get the vacuum out to pick up any stray hairs you might have missed. Incidentally, if you haven’t got an effective cleaner for picking up after your furry friend, take a look at our buying guide to the best vacuums for pet hair. 

Enter Dyson’s solution for this task - the Dyson Pet Groom Tool. This handy gadget is a slicker brush attached to a hose. It is compatible with multiple cordless Dyson vacuum cleaners, including the latest models such as the V15 Detect, V12 Detect Slim, and Dyson Outsize. Simply click the hose directly onto the vacuum, make sure your pet is comfortable, and get grooming. 

Dyson says their Pet Grooming Tool is ‘acoustically engineered’ to keep the noise to a minimum, while the powerful vacuum sucks pet hairs directly from the slicker brush head into the dust cup. 

We put the Dyson Pet Groom Tool to work in our home, trying it out on our long-haired Golden Retriever Hopper and our long-haired tortoiseshell cat, Gracie. Read on to find out how the Dyson Pet Groom Tool compared to a standard slicker brush, how noisy it was, and how Gracie and Hopper reacted to being vacuumed.

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: Price & availability

• $69 / £65

Available from the Dyson site and Amazon in the UK, the tool is reasonably priced for a Dyson product. The Groom Tool is available on the Dyson USA site, which does not include the extension hose and quick-release adapter, and is priced at $69.99.

There are cheaper pet grooming kits available online from smaller companies that may do a similar job to the Dyson Pet Groom Tool. Some of them even look remarkably similar. However, it’s not always clear which Dyson vacuums they are compatible with, and they do not come with the certainty of buying an accessory made specifically for and by Dyson, or the 1-year warranty for that matter. 

It’s also possible to buy pet grooming kits that come with their own vacuum cleaner. However, these tend to be much more expensive, upwards of $150 and are generally targeted at professional pet groomers and pet owners who show their dogs. 

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: First impressions

The Dyson Pet Groom Tool comes in a fully recyclable cardboard box, along with a brief manual on how to use it. The manual also features helpful illustrations on how to attach the grooming slicker brush to the extension hose and then to your vacuum, as well as how to hold your cordless Dyson vacuum as you groom your pet. 

In truth, you don’t really need the manual for set-up. Since you already own a Dyson vacuum, you’ll be familiar with how these attachments work, so it’s super easy and quick to set up. The attachments click together well, as with all Dyson attachments, and you’re ready to go in seconds. 

Where you might need the manual is to learn how to ‘activate’ the slicker brush. You need to push down on the back of the tool so that the bristles pop out the other side at a 35-degree angle. Simply release when the bristles are full of pet hair to let the vacuum suck the hair and dander quickly and cleanly away. 

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: Design

The Dyson Pet Groom Tool is very similar to other Dyson accessories and attachments, with the familiar gray hose and gray plastic casing and a red button on the quick-release adaptor. A soft sheen to the plastic casing gives it a more luxurious look and feel. 

When extended, the hose can lengthen out to about 40 inches, giving you plenty of flexibility and reach when using it. This may also help a wary pet who doesn’t want to be so close to the vacuum while in operation. 

The slicker brush is well-designed, too. It takes just a little pressure from the thumb to extend the 364 bristles out the other side. They emerge at a 35-degree angle but flex upright as you groom your pet, allowing the brush to penetrate deep into your pet’s thick or shaggy coat to grab any loose hairs and dander.

Once attached to the vacuum cleaner, the hose and brush are easy to use and operate. However, you may need another person to settle your pet while you use the tool, as some pets can be easily spooked by the noise. If you don’t have an extra pair of hands at the ready, try settling the vacuum cleaner unit on the floor and extending the hose as far as it can go. This will give you a free hand to settle and reassure a cautious pooch. 

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: Features & accessories

The Dyson Pet Groom Tool comes in three pieces, which are quick and easy to fit together: 

• A slicker brush attachment
• An extension hose
• A quick-release attachment to fit the hose to your Dyson vacuum

Once all three attachments are together, it’s unlikely you’ll need to take them apart again unless something blocks the hose. Weighing just 0.8 lbs when fitted together, the Dyson Pet Groom Tool is super light and ergonomically designed to be used with just one hand.

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: Performance

We tested out the Dyson Pet Groom Tool at home, first on our Golden Retriever Hopper. Hopper usually runs away from any vacuum cleaner, so we weren’t too hopeful that he’d take to being brushed with one. 

For the first couple of tries, we were proved right. Although Hopper didn’t seem to mind being brushed with the slicker brush, the moment the vacuum went on he legged it out of the room. It took two of us to successfully brush him, one reassuring Hopper and keeping him in one place, the other gently brushing his fur with the vacuum cleaner.

However, it’s perfectly easy to brush your pet without the vacuum cleaner in operation, as you only need it to suck away pet hair. So if you prefer (or your pet does) to brush their coat first, then turn the vacuum on briefly to suck away the hair, then that’s absolutely fine. 

User reviews on Amazon have more advice and tips to get your pet used to the sound, from running it in the same room for a while to rewarding your pooch with treats during the grooming. 

We found that it was easier to groom our Golden Retriever with the vacuum off and then briefly turn it on to get rid of the pet hair and dander on the brush. This was the approach that worked best for us during testing, but we’re sure with a little training, it’s possible to coax most dogs into being groomed with the vacuum on. 

Grooming our cat was the same. The brush worked well to remove plenty of hair, but we needed to leave the room before switching the vacuum on. Otherwise, she’d hide under the bed or sofa for the next hour. However, she really enjoyed the feel of the brush head, purring throughout the grooming process, and her coat was soft and silky after a good brush.

Using the brush tool itself is easy. The 364 bristles are long enough to really get through thick pet hair, and the brush removed an impressive amount of hair and dander, too. It’s gentler than the rake we sometimes use on Hopper to groom him but more effective than the manual slicker brush we normally use.

It has to be said that despite being ‘acoustically engineered’ to give a quieter sound, the Dyson Pet Groom Tool still clocks in at a fairly loud 77 decibels. That’s louder than many vacuums and just a little quieter than an alarm clock, so for some pets, this might be too much volume.

Overall though, we noticed less pet hair accumulating in our cordless vacuum’s dust cup, which seems to show that this is a tool worth getting if you want to reduce unsightly pet hair around the home or if one of your family is allergic to pet dander.

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: Care & maintenance

The Dyson Pet Groom Tool is small enough to be stored away easily, either with your existing pet grooming equipment or with your other Dyson vacuum attachments. 

Unless you have soiling on the slicker brush, there’s no need to wash it after every use, as the brush is self-cleaning. This means any pet hairs and dander are sucked away, leaving the attachment clean. However, Dyson recommends that you wipe clean the grooming tool, extension hose, and quick-release adapter using a damp cloth.

Dyson also recommends that you ensure your pet’s coat is clean, dry, and free of any matted hair or knots before using the tool. They also specify that the tool should not be used on certain dog breeds with wool coats, such as Poodles, Bichon Frises, or Pulis. 

The Dyson Pet Groom Tool comes with a 1-year warranty, which covers tools, accessories, and spare parts. 

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: User reviews

The Dyson Pet Groom Tool scores a respectable four stars out of 5 on Amazon, with over a thousand happy customers. Purchasers of the grooming tool report that it’s easy and comfortable to use and that it’s good value for money. As one user points out, it’s “a bizarrely ingenious solution for ridding yourself, and your home, of unwanted dog hair, the bane of every dog owner's life.” Another says, “Once the brush is full, you just press the tab, and whoosh, the fur gets sucked into the hoover… great!”

More critical reviews point out that their pet is too cautious to have the vacuum on when grooming, while other users say it would be useful to have a setting that can adjust the length of the bristles for dogs with shorter coats. Many also point out that the Dyson Pet Groom Tool tends to be easier to use if you have two people, one to use the tool and the other to settle and reassure the pet.

Dyson Pet Groom Tool: Expert opinion

We spoke to a cleaning expert for Housetastic and cleaning business owner Karen Barrigan for her thoughts on the Dyson Pet Groom Tool and who this product might be best suited to. 

“Dyson’s pet grooming tool will suit many dog owners that suffer from allergies, as it will help to minimize dander, pollen, and mites,” says Barrigan. “It’s probably easiest to use with someone helping you, especially if you’re grooming large dogs. So, it’ll suit couples and families best.”

As Barrigan is quick to point out, not all dogs (or cats) like the sound of a vacuum cleaner. Her tip? “Use some reward-based training before you groom your pet.”

Overall though, Barrigan agrees the Dyson Pet Groom Tool could be a handy addition to any pet-loving home. 

How does the Dyson Pet Groom Tool compare?

Although the Dyson Pet Groom Tool is the first pet grooming kit we’ve tested, there are other options available. However, these tend to be aimed at professional pet groomers and are very expensive. As domestic pet grooming goes, the Dyson Pet Groom Tool is affordable and easy to use with your existing Dyson vacuum cleaner.

We did, however, compare the pet groom kit to other vacuum cleaners that are known to be useful for picking up pet hair around the home. 

The Bissell CleanView OnePass vacuum provides such great suction that it is especially effective at picking up pet hair from carpets, making it our number one pick for pet hair in our buyer’s guide to the best vacuum cleaners. It also comes with a two-year warranty for extra peace of mind.

If you’ve watched any funny dog or cat videos recently, you’ll know they either love or hate a robot cleaner! The Yeedi Vac 2 pro performed brilliantly in our at-home testing when it came to picking up pet hair and debris, and it can mop up after your pet, too.

For a quick vacuum of your pet’s bedding, the Black + Decker Dustbuster CHV1410L vacuum is lightweight, fuss-free, and affordable. Ideal for quick clean-ups, it also features brush and crevice tools for hard-to-reach spots. 

Should you buy the Dyson Pet Groom Tool?

If you have a medium-to-long-haired pet at home, and you’d like a useful tool that can give a thorough and effective brush at the same time as getting rid of pet hair and dander, the Dyson Pet Groom Tool could be the perfect fit.