K-9 Dryers Buyers Guide

K-9 Dryers
Pro Buyer’s Guide

How to choose the best dog dryer for your business

With so many options and factors to consider, a task as seemingly simple as buying a pet dryer can start to feel daunting. While this guide is centered around the K-9 Dryers line of products, the facts and topics can be applied to any potential dog dryer purchase.

Read on to learn all about how to find exactly the right dog dryer for your needs.

What’s in this guide?

Different types and use cases for Dog Dryers

Service, Support & Ongoing Maintenance

Buyer Beware - What to Watch For

Stats for Nerds

Dog Dryers: Types & Uses

Fluffers & Minis (Single Motor)

Fluffer and Mini Dog Dryers tend to be physically the smallest types of dog dryers available. The smaller size tends to make them flexible and portable for more on-the-go drying at dog shows or for groomers who travel.

The trade off is that the air flow is also reduced, leading to higher drying times. These units are not ideal if you service larger breeds or those with very thick coats.

At K-9 Dryers, the Mini K-9 and K-9 Fluffer are the options available. Performance is about 40% less that of the K-9 II. They can easily handle smaller breeds where less air-flow and force is required. The variable speed knob allows detailed control of the air stream.

Since it only has one motor the max power draw rarely trips any circuit breaker, new or old. Note that less power draw means you will see less heating of the air.

Learn more about the Mini K-9 and the K-9 Fluffer.

Dual Motor, Low Amperage

Dual inline motors with a lower amperage are ideal for those who are worried they will have issues tripping their circuit breakers. Low amp dryers draw about 15% less power from the outlet.

Dual motor, low amp dryers are great for most dryer applications, and work in most situations. If power options are available, it’s typically better to solve the power source first and go with a high power dryer, due to the increase in air flow a high power unit can provide.

K-9 Dryers model K-9 I is a great example of a dual motor, low amp dryer that will provide most of the power of a more advanced unit, and work in most applications.

Dual Motor, High Power

High power, dual motor dryers are the real deal, and a pro groomer’s best friend. Variable inline motors deliver the highest forced air at the highest temperature when compared to other options noted here.

The K-9 II and K-9 II Variable are professional groomers’ favorites. Variable option dog dryers give you full airstream control, and either option handle tough jobs with ease - and fast.

Buyer Beware: Watch for This

False Advertising in Dog Dryers

Unfortunately, we have seen many competitors mis-advertising their products, or exaggerating the
results possible based on airflow and wattage. Follow these tips to avoid being taken advantage of.

Horsepower vs Wattage

If you see a dog dryer with a HP or Peak HP label pause to do a little math or compare it to our charts below.

HP = Horse power which is roughly 746 watts.

Peak HP = The highest HP spike a motor can physically perform - but not necessarily able to sustain.

Calculating Actual Power

The calculations below are for typical outlets found throughout the world:

USA 120 volts x 15 amps = 1,800 watts (2.4 HP)

USA 120 volts x 20 amps = 2,400 watts (3.2 HP)

EU/World 220 volts x 16 amps = 3,520 watts (4.7 HP)

3+ HP Dog Dryers

When you see any HP rating greater than 3 on a product label - particularly in the USA, that claim is misleading.

There is no regulation on labeling requirements, and motors do not work at 100% efficiency. Due to the wattage required, a 3 HP labeled can’t possibly sustain 3 HP in actual use. Be skeptical of dog dryers claiming “Peak HP” or “HP,” as their sustained HP is likely much lower than advertised.

For dog dryer advertising 3 HP or more, review their voltage and amperage, and you can do the math for yourself to uncover actual wattage and HP ratings.

It’s for this reason we’ve chosen not to put HP ratings on our machines - just watts consumed. It’s a more honest representation of performance.

Max Speed Claims

Measuring max speed in Feet per Minute (FPM) rather than the more correct Cubic Feet per Minute (CPM) is also another confusing label that dog dryer manufacturers use to mislead customers.

Advertising that ONLY addresses feet per minute lacks the true capacity of air- volume - because airflow has depth. FPM claims ignore this and misrepresent the true amount of airflow possible.

It’s easy to push a small amount of air quickly, but it’s ineffective when drying a dog. Pay close attention to FPM claims and read deeper to see if they share true airflow data using CPM.

Service & Support

Who is standing behind your investment?

All too often we hear from our customers about how they bought two or more cheap dryers hoping it would just work-out before joining the K-9 Dryers family. Why?

Because overseas and cut-rate manufacturers lack decent support. Every dog dryer will need three things from time to time:

Parts, Support, and Service.

Before you buy, make sure your dog dryer has an easy way to locate parts, such as filters and hoses.

You may also want to see if they have a listing of serviceable parts and a network of repair shops who can make sure you’re never without your dryer (a critical factor when you’re running a dog grooming business!).

Finally, ensure they have support documentation and customer service. Nothing is worse than getting a dog dryer, and realizing you don’t know how to finish setting a part of it up. That’s wasted time you should be spending on your business instead of trying to make your dryer do what it should do out of the box.

That’s where we TRULY excel.

Here’s where we’ll take a minute to brag a bit, because the issues our new customers experience with their old vendors motivates our team BIG-TIME. Our leading support team takes great pride in providing the best dog dryer experience the world has to offer.

Whether that means making sure we answer all your questions, or standing behind our quality guarantee by honoring our warranties, we are here to serve our dog groomer family.

(PS - make sure to sign up for our newsletter (bottom of page), where we have free giveaways, special discounts, and loop you in on some great charitable causes for dogs!)

Stats for Nerds

The moment you’ve been waiting for…

Data geeks, rejoice! We’ve shared statistics below for you to make your own comparisons about the models available. We hope you’ll agree that K-9 Dryers are the absolute best dog dryer available today - and we look forward to earning your business!

Physical dimensions

Name Length Width Height Weight Body Color
K-9 Fluffer 12 in / 30 cm 8.5 in / 21 cm 11 in / 28 cm 12 lbs / 5.5 kg All
Mini K-9 12 in / 30 cm 8.5 in / 21 cm 11 in / 28 cm 12 lbs / 5.5 kg All
K-9 I 20 in / 50 cm 8.5 in / 21 cm 11 in / 28 cm 20 lbs / 9 kg All
K-9 II 20 in / 50 cm 8.5 in / 21 cm 11 in / 28 cm 20 lbs / 9 kg All
K-9 II Variable 20 in / 50 cm 8.5 in / 21 cm 11 in / 28 cm 20 lbs / 9 kg Blue/Purple
K-9 III 17 in / 43 cm 16.5 in / 42 cm 11.5 in / 28 cm 25 lbs / 11.3 kg All
K-9 III Variable 17 in / 43 cm 16.5 in / 42 cm 11.5 in / 28 cm 25 lbs / 11.3 kg Blue/Purple

Accessories

Name Switch Type Outlet Hose Flat Blower Tip Flat Blower Tip
K-9 Fluffer Variable No 10 ft / 3 m Yes Yes
Mini K-9 Hi/Lo No 10 ft / 3 m Yes Yes
K-9 I Two On / Off Only 120 volt 10 ft / 3 m Yes Yes
K-9 II Two On / Off Only 120 volt 10 ft / 3 m Yes Yes
K-9 II Variable Variable No 10 ft / 3 m Yes Yes
K-9 III Two On / Off No 10 ft / 3 m Yes Yes
K-9 III Variable Variable No 10 ft / 3 m Yes Yes

Warranty and 0% financing

Name Manufacture Warranty Addon Warranty Financing
K-9 Fluffer 2 Year 4 Year Yes - 0% Interest
Mini K-9 2 Year 4 Year Yes - 0% Interest
K-9 I 2 Year 4 Year Yes - 0% Interest
K-9 II 2 Year 4 Year Yes - 0% Interest
K-9 II Variable 2 Year 4 Year Yes - 0% Interest
K-9 III 2 Year 4 Year Yes - 0% Interest
K-9 III Variable 2 Year 4 Year Yes - 0% Interest

Certifications and international options

Name Voltage 120 Voltage 220 CSA CE International Power Cord
K-9 Fluffer Yes No No No No
Mini K-9 Yes No No No No
K-9 I Yes No Yes No No
K-9 II Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes - 75 Options
K-9 II Variable Yes No No No No
K-9 III Yes Yes No No Yes - 75 Options
K-9 III Variable Yes No No No No

Performance specifications

Name Volume CFM Max Heat Watts Amps
K-9 Fluffer 20-120 cfm 95 F / 35 C 1140 9.5
Mini K-9 114 cfm 95 F / 35 C 1140 9.5
K-9 I 186 cfm 120 F / 49 C 1782 14.5
K-9 II 218 cfm 135 F / 57 C 2040 18
K-9 II Variable 20-218 cfm 135 F / 57 C 2040 18
K-9 III 245 cfm 120 F / 49 C 2098 18
K-9 III Variable 20-245 cfm 120 F / 49 C 2098 18