TOP-7 hair dryers-compressors for drying dogs and cats

How to choose a single motor compressor

There are three main types of hair dryers-compressors:

1. Hair dryers used for drying cats and small dogs. Lightweight and mobile.
2. Single motor compressors for use on a wide range of animals from cats to medium to large dogs. They are used in pet salons and mobile grooming.
3. Dual-motor compressors used for medium and large dogs, exclusively in pet salons due to their size and weight.

In this article, we review single motor compressors, which have a wide range of applications and are the most popular with groomers. We will go through all the possible parameters and characteristics. We will identify the really important ones and understand where marketing tricks are used, and where is the truthful information. So let’s go!

Air speed

The air velocity depends on two parameters: compressor capacity and nozzle constriction. Strictly speaking, this parameter cannot be considered as determining due to the fact that when using different nozzles for a hair dryer, there will be different air speeds. If you want to increase the speed – use a narrower nozzle, if you want to reduce – a wider one. Without the use of a nozzle, respectively, there will be a third speed. What exactly the speed is meant by the manufacturer, indicating it on the label, remains a mystery. But one thing is clear – this parameter is very easy to manipulate.

Power

For the user, power consumption means electricity consumption. The higher the power, the higher the electricity consumption. The lower the power, the lower the consumption.

Does a high capacity compressor have more power? Yes, sometimes. Can a compressor with a low capacity have a large capacity? Yes, it happens if it is a cheap motor with low efficiency.

Is it possible to rely on power when choosing a compressor? No, you can’t, because this is an indirect indicator that does not reflect the essence of the matter.

What indicators to focus on?

A natural question arises, how then to choose a compressor. Let’s think about what the compressor “produces”? It produces a stream of air and heats it up to the required temperature. It is the main product of the compressor.

Performance

This is one of the most important parameters for a compressor. Capacity is measured in m³/s, as well as l/s, m³/h, cfm (cubic foot per minute). Most manufacturers do not list this value. Guess why 🙂 Flow rate m³/s indicates the actual performance of the compressor – how many cubic meters of air per second the device produces.

Adjustment

Regulation of productivity and air flow temperature can be stepwise (speeds 1, 2, 3, etc.) and smooth adjustment by the controller. In most cases, smooth adjustment is preferable, because you can make the settings that are optimal for a particular animal. And you can gradually increase the power so that the animal does not get nervous and gets used to the noise.

Heating temperature

Warm air increases the drying speed. But it is important not to overdry and not burn the skin of the animal. Of course, it is desirable to dry the wool at room temperature, but with the in-line work of the salon, it is important to save time. Therefore, heated air in the compressor is often used.

The temperature of the air flow should not exceed 50°C and be comfortable for the pet. In addition to the air temperature controller (if available), the temperature can be adjusted by the distance from the wool to the hair dryer nozzle.

The greater the distance, the lower the temperature will be. The shorter the distance, the higher the temperature. But at the same time, it must be borne in mind that if the distance to the wool increases, then the air flow rate also decreases, which increases the drying time.

Therefore, if the compressor produces too high a temperature (above 50°C), then you will have to increase the distance to the animal’s hair and, accordingly, the air speed will be less. This means that it will take more time to dry, which is undesirable when a pet salon is in operation.

Noisiness

Everything is simple in noise – the lower the noise, the better 🙂 The less noise, the less nervous the animal. But to make a low-noise compressor, and at the same time powerful, is not an easy task. Because to reduce noise it is necessary to apply new technological solutions that cost additional costs and ultimately increase the cost of production. That in a competitive market is an important condition for existence.

Therefore, it is desirable to choose a compressor with low noise. And do not forget that if the compressor is power-controlled (best of all, smooth adjustment), then the lower the set work power, the lower the noise will be. Therefore, if you need to make less noise (for example, when working with cats), then turn on the compressor at the lowest power.

The weight

The lighter the compressor, the more convenient it is to work with it and use it for mobile grooming (home visits). When working in the cabin, weight is not so important, because the compressor is most often fixed and stationary.

Housing material

The best material for a compressor housing is steel. But, most often it is not used, but plastic or cheaper metals are used. In turn, plastic also comes in different qualities. There is expensive plastic and it can be seen immediately, but there is cheap plastic, when even with a slight fall, either pieces of the product break off, or it completely breaks. Therefore – plastic plastic discord.

Nozzles

The following types of nozzles are most often used:

1. Narrow round nozzle
2. Medium flat nozzle
3. Wide flat nozzle
4. In the form of a comb

The more options the manufacturer provides, the more convenient it is to work.

Manufacturer’s Warranty

If the manufacturer or seller does not give a guarantee, this is a bad sign. And if it does, great, you need to look at the warranty period. For compressors, the minimum warranty period is 1 year, and if more – even better.

TOP-7 single-engine compressors for drying dogs

When compiling this rating, the following parameters were taken into account:

1. Compressor Popularity
2. Its performance
3. Parameter Adjustment Options
4. Heating temperatures
5. Noisiness
6. Housing material
7. Reliability
8. The weight
9. Number of nozzles
10. Manufacturer’s Warranties
11. User Reviews

So, let’s start:

1 place. Metrovac Air Force Commander

This is the top American compressor, the leader of Amazon. Very reliable. And the manufacturer is not afraid to give a 5-year warranty on it. There are many reviews when he served the groomers for 20 years. Steel case. Reliable, like a Kalashnikov assault rifle, motor. Good performance. Of the minuses, this is the lack of heating (as we wrote above, this is good for animals), stepped gear shifting (2 speeds) and a high price. He’s really expensive.

2nd place. Tenberg Sirius Pro

A new brand, but already starting to gain popularity among groomers. The most powerful among single-engine compressors, even exceeding the performance of most twin-engine compressors. Maximum airflow 7 CBM (7 m³/s). High-quality plastic and components of the compressor. optimum heating temperature. Smooth power adjustment. Of the minuses: despite European roots, it’s still “made in China” (although now most even branded goods are made in China).

3rd place. XPOWER B-4

American compressor, which is in the TOP of Amazon. Its absolute plus is the vacuum cleaner function. After grooming, you can also remove all the hair scattered around the cabin and save on a separate vacuum cleaner 🙂 High-quality plastic case. High performance at a low power of 1200 watts. This means that you will also save on electricity 🙂 Fairly light. It has smooth power control. It is stated that it is “40% quieter than competitors”, but the amount of actual noise is not indicated. Hmm .. Cons – there is no heating function and the price is much higher than average.

4th place. Compressor KOMONDOR F-01

Popular compressor in Russia. Smooth power adjustment. Metal body, making it more durable to use. 3 nozzles. Located in the middle price segment. Warranty 1 year. Cons: Lots of unknowns. Unknown real motor performance, noise and even weight. Why these data are not indicated by the manufacturer is quite understandable. But according to user reviews – an ordinary Chinese dryer, quite working.

5th place. Compressor DIMI LT-1090

One of the most popular brands in Russia. Quiet. Optimum air temperature. Smooth power adjustment. Enough budget. Real performance is not indicated, only “power” and “air speed”, which we wrote about above. Power 2800 W, it is good or bad, respectively, is unknown. But you will need to pay a little more for electricity. Of the minuses: only 6 months warranty. Hm…

6th place. Codos CP-200

A very old brand of Codos, represented in almost all pet stores and grooming stores. Codos is known to almost every groomer and is trusted. The compressor has variable speed control. There is a heating function (but above the permissible limit). Performance, like most Chinese compressors, is unknown. Of the minuses – the price is higher than the market due to the brand margin. But, this is more of an extra charge for the time-tested.

7th place. LAN TUN LT-1090

This is one of the most purchased compressors in Russia. Light. Its huge plus is the price. It is well below the market. The rest is more cons. Only 2 speeds, unknown performance at high power (weak according to reviews), unknown noise (normal according to reviews), cheap plastic. Nozzles break easily when dropped.

Summary table of compressor parameters

We hope that our review was useful to you. We wish good grooming of our pets and fast drying!