Best dog grooming kit: Keep your dog looking clean and smart, at least until the next walk...

Dog being groomed with items from one of the best dog grooming kits
(Image credit: Getty)

Investing in one of the best dog grooming kits is well worth your money if you're looking to cut down on those costly trips to a professional groomer and pamper your precious pooch yourself from the comfort of home. And with so many great options on the market, you'll have no trouble finding the right kit for your canine.

While going to the groomers is certainly convenient and takes the hassle out of those pedicures and trims, you've probably noticed that these trips aren't cheap. With some high maintenance breeds needing tending to almost every month, the cost of those regular salon visits can quickly add up. Thankfully, with a dog grooming kit, you're looking at a one-time investment which means that all the money you save on those professional grooming trips can go towards other things.

When you're selecting a grooming kit, the most important thing is to ensure they contain a pair of the best dog nail clippers, as this will allow you to keep your fur baby's feet in tip-top condition. A separate nail file can also be helpful if you're wanting to tidy up any ragged edges after you've cut your pup's nails.

Now, some dogs are not huge fans of having their nails done and if yours tends to bolt the minute they see the clippers coming out, you might want to consider purchasing one of the best nail grinders for pets in addition to your grooming kit. Most of these are very quiet and gentle and they make trimming the nails of skittish dogs that much easier.

In addition to nail clippers, some grooming kits come with one of the best dog brushes, plus a comb, both of which will come in super handy when it comes to keeping your mutt's mane looking marvellous. Frequent brushing, especially with longer-haired breeds, can help prevent mats and tangles, while also stimulating the distribution of the skins natural oils, which will add a lovely shine to your dog's coat.

How often you should groom your dog varies from breed to breed, but most vets recommend monthly baths and hair trims, weekly nail checks, and daily brushing. To help you get the job done with ease, here's our pick of the best dog grooming kits available for purchase in 2023... 

PetsRadar's pick of the best dog grooming kits

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Ceenwes Dog Grooming Kit

(Image credit: Amazon)

Ceenwes Dog Grooming Kit

Best overall dog grooming kit

Specifications

Type of kit: Full grooming
Requires power?: Yes
Type of hair: Short, long

Reasons to buy

+
Impressive array of included accessories 
+
Quiet for nervous dogs
+
Easy to clean

Reasons to avoid

-
Battery life somewhat limited

We’re loving this kit from Ceenwes that has everything you need to groom your hound at home and all at one very affordable price! With a whopping 10 tools, you’ll get a pet clipper, cleaning brush, nail clippers, a nail file, hair clippers, a comb, and a variety of attachments so you can take care of your furkid from top to tail. 

With a precision motor, low vibration, and ultra-quiet design, the clipper is the star of the show, allowing your pet to feel at ease while delivering a professional quality cut. The lightweight and cordless design fits perfectly in the hand for easy use and will run for up to 70 minutes before it needs recharging.

It also features a titanium acute angle blade and ceramic movable blade for smooth and efficient cutting and with five levels of length ranging from 0.8-2mm, you’ll get a precise cut every time. The four attachment combs will help thin out thick coats and the skin-friendly contour design ensures hair never snags.

This is a fantastic all-in-one grooming kit with well-made and durable tools that will last well with the proper care. It offers outstanding value for money and with over 13,000 happy pet parents giving it a 5-star rating, we reckon it’s well worth a go.

Mikki Puppy Groom Kit

(Image credit: Mikki)

Mikki Puppy Groom Kit

Best kit for grooming puppies

Specifications

Type of kit: Brush
Requires power?: No
Type of hair: Long, short

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to use
+
Good price
+
Gentle on dog's coat

Reasons to avoid

-
Need separate kit if you need to cut dog’s hair

Getting your new canine friend used to grooming from an early age sets them up for a lifetime of happy grooming, and a kit like this is the ideal thing to get them started. 

Although it doesn’t include any clippers for cutting very long hair, it does include a brush, comb and a flea comb. It’s a great way to introduce your puppy to the sensation of being brushed, so that either you can do it with ease in the future, or they’ll be less nervous around professional groomers and handlers.

Designed to be gentle on your dog, the soft bristles of the brush should be a pleasant feeling for most dogs, while even short-haired dogs can benefit from being brushed as it removes dandruff and promotes healthy skin oils. 

It’s also a good bonding exercise between you and your puppy who is learning to be in its new home. 

The handle on both the brush and the comb are made from strong and sturdy materials so they feel pleasant in the hand – and if your puppy should get their claws and teeth stuck into it, it should resist being completely destroyed. 

We also like the flexible head of the brush while helps you to match it to the curves of your dog with ease. 

There’s no reason why you can’t continue to use the puppy set once your dog reaches adulthood, but you may want to invest in something larger if you have a particularly large dog breed. 

You will also need to invest in additional products if you need to trim or cut your dog’s fur.

Sammiu dog grooming kit in one brush

(Image credit: Sammiu)

SAMMIU Pet Grooming 5 in 1 Brush

Best for long-haired dogs

Specifications

Type of kit: Brush
Requires power?: No
Type of hair: Long

Reasons to buy

+
Lots of tools in one
+
Easy to clean
+
Good value

Reasons to avoid

-
Doesn't cut hair

If you have a dog with longer hair, you’ll find that they regularly require simple grooming that can be done from home without expensive trips to the dog groomer. 

Although this kit stops short of being able to cut your dog’s hair, you can perform a number of other tasks, including dematting, removing loose hair, and detangling fur. 

The kit consists of a brush which you can change the “heads” of depending on the function that you need – you can even try experimenting to see which one your dog prefers the feeling and texture of you using. 

There’s also a 2 in 1 comb which again you can change the heads easily of and can be used for deshedding and removing loose hair. The blades are made from stainless steel, which prevents problem with dirt and rust. 

If you need to clean the brush or comb, being able to remove the heads of the brushes makes that job very easy and quick. The handle of the brush is thick and features a non-slip surface, which is useful when spending long periods of time grooming a dog with thick hair. Additionally, there’s an eyelet in the brush handle for easy storing when not in use.

The downside here is that it’s quite expensive for a dog brush, but if you have a long-haired dog you’re like to use it frequently enough to make it good value for money. Additionally, if you want to actually cut or clip your dog’s hair, you’ll have to invest in a separate product. 

Thunderpaws Professional Deshedding Tool

(Image credit: Thunderpaws)

Thunderpaws Professional Deshedding Tool

Best for shedders

Specifications

Type of kit: De-shedder
Requires power?: No
Type of hair: Long, Short

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to use
+
Cost-effective
+
Encourages healthier skin

Reasons to avoid

-
Only covers one job

Most people who own a dog have come to terms with the fact that their house might have more than its fair share of dog fur. However, if you have a particularly problematic shedder in your life, there is something you can do about it. 

The Thunderpaws “professional” shedder claims to reduce the amount of shedding by up to 95%, while also having the benefit of promoting healthy skin in your dog. It works by removing the loose hair to leave behind a naturally soft and shiny top coat. 

We like the fact that it has a non-slip ergonomic rubber handle, which can be particularly useful when engaging in long grooming sessions with a long-haired dog, while the simple design also makes it easy to use and easy to clean. There’s an easy-release button for removing the blades, so you can give it a good clean when you need to. The blades themselves are made from high-quality stainless steel to prevent damage and rusting. 

Another thing we like about the Thunderpaws De-Shedder is the lifetime warranty it comes with. If you’re not sure whether you’ll like it, or whether it will do the trick for your dog, there’s also a 90-day 100% money-back guarantee.

While the Thunderpaws does an excellent job, the downside here is that this is a tool only designed for one problem – if you need a brush, or you want to cut or clip your dog’s hair, you’ll need to invest in extra tools.

ScaredyCut Silent Pet Grooming Kit

(Image credit: Scaredy cut)

ScaredyCut Silent Pet Grooming Kit

Best for nervous dogs

Specifications

Type of kit: Clippers
Requires power?: No
Type of hair: Long, Short

Reasons to buy

+
Silent operation
+
Gel finger inserts for comfort
+
Comes with case

Reasons to avoid

-
High price for non-electric kit

If you’ve got an anxious dog, it’s  likely that the vibration and buzzing sound of conventional clippers will put them on edge. We even know of some dogs that cower and hide as soon as they see the clippers come out. Although some electric clippers are signed to be as quiet as possible, anything that is battery powered is never going to be completely silent. That’s where, the ScaredyCut comes in. 

It’s a low-tech option, in that it’s essentially a pair of scissors with a clipper blade attachment, but if you have an anxious animal it’s well worth giving it a go. It comes with seven different comb lengths depending on the length of your dog’s fur (and the length that you want it to be), while the scissor blades are made from stainless steel. You also get two different blades – one is serrated for finer fur. 

Since it could take a while to clip your fur using this method, we like the gel inserts that can be used to make the scissors better fit your hand and feel more comfortable.

If you’re not sure how it all works, you can watch instructional videos to help you learn the best way to soothe your animal. If you’re sceptical, then there’s a money back guarantee for peace of mind. 

The downside here is the high price for something which is a low-tech option. But if you’ve tried other kits before and had no success thanks to your dog’s nervous disposition you haven’t got much to lose.

Mikki Grooming Glove for dog grooming kit

(Image credit: Mikki)

Mikki Grooming Glove

Best for short-haired dogs

Specifications

Type of kit: Brush
Requires power?: No
Type of hair: Short

Reasons to buy

+
Simple to use
+
Good price
+
Excellent for anxious dogs

Reasons to avoid

-
Only does one job
-
Doesn't fit bigger hands

If you’ve got a short-haired dog, the amount of grooming that you’ll need to do is relatively minimal. It’s still a good idea to invest some time in grooming, even if you don’t need to actually cut or clip your dog’s fur. 

This glove is great  for anxious dogs as you simply slip it on your hand and stroke them as you would anyway. The bristles on the glove help remove dirt, excess hair, dander and dandruff and should leave them with a healthy shine. It’s also useful as a “finisher” for dogs with medium fur who’ve just been clipped. 

The rubber bristles of the glove also provide a massaging action, which your pet should find comforting and soothing – it’s unlikely they’ll even realise they’re being groomed. You could also use it as a “starter” kit to get your dog used to the idea of grooming before moving up to more “intense” tools such as brushes or clippers. 

Mikki also has a range of other dog grooming tools which are specifically designed for nervous dogs, so if you have a longer haired animal, it’s worth looking into what they have. 

There’s a couple of downsides to this product however. Users with particularly large hands report that the glove doesn’t fit them that well, so you may want to double check the product dimensions if you think that’s going to be a problem for you.

Also, as with some of the other products mentioned here, it’s only designed for one job – if you need to clip or cut your dog’s hair, you will need additional tools. 

How to choose the best dog grooming kit

When it comes to buying the best dog grooming kit, there’s a world of choice out there. 

Which one is right for you will largely come down to the type of dog you have, and the type of fur/coat it has. If you have a short-haired dog, the amount of grooming you’ll need to do will be minimal, but never-the-less important. 

On the other hand if you have a long-haired dog, you’ll need something which has been specifically designed to tackle that kind of coat, so look at the product description to see which it has been recommended for. 

A set of electric clippers is a good idea for a dog that needs a lot of grooming, but pay attention to how loud the clippers are. Most dogs are a little bit wary of very noisy clippers, so don’t be tempted to think you can get away with standard human-grade ones. 

Look for kits which offer lots of different options, including different fur lengths and types of brush. It’s unlikely you’ll find a kit which has been specifically made with your breed of dog in mind, so that which comes with lots of attachments gives you a better chance of matching your needs.

Amy Davies

Amy Davies is a freelance writer and photographer with over 15 years experience. She has a degree in journalism from Cardiff University and has written about a huge variety of topics over the years. These days she mostly specialises in technology and pets, writing across a number of different titles including TechRadar, Stuff, Expert Reviews, T3, Digital Camera World, and of course PetsRadar. She lives in Cardiff with her dog, Lola, a rescue miniature dachshund.