# Should I buy a pet dryer?



## evoke (Oct 6, 2007)

Years ago I considered getting a leaf blower to get some of the water off my car after rinsing. I also wanted to force water out of the door mirror housings and the various other gaps around the car.

However, a leaf blower is unwieldy to use.

I've read that some people use a pet dryer. How effective would one be? Would it replace a silicone blade (shock, horror, I know!)?

I'm also interested in any other uses for a pet dryer - I don't have any pets! I was thinking of using it as a low-powered heat gun, for example.


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## jr2007 (Oct 5, 2016)

The metrovac is basically a pet dryer. Several people have picked them up on auction websites and used them to great effect.


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## evoke (Oct 6, 2007)

I've been browsing a few. I'm a bit wary of the very high-powered ones - those that are about 2800W or more. These are at the limits of a UK domestic wall socket amperage of 13 amps. A couple of other models suggested a 15-amp capability was required.

I may end up getting a 2400W one that has very good reviews on Amazon. I'd feel safer not taking the electricity consumption to its limit.

I've found another possible use for one: I wash my road bikes more than my car so could use a pet dryer to get the water off those quickly.


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## simonvespa (Apr 18, 2012)

I bought one from ebay. Just a cheapie but works great. Use it more for my mountain bikes now. Gets them bone dry in minutes!


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## Hereisphilly (Nov 17, 2014)

One of the best things I ever bought for drying the car, amazing for shuts, wheels, grills, door handles, badges etc

I got this cheap one off eBay for £20 and it's perfect
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291772674824

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

Hereisphilly said:


> One of the best things I ever bought for drying the car, amazing for shuts, wheels, grills, door handles, badges etc
> 
> I got this cheap one off eBay for £20 and it's perfect
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291772674824
> ...


Yep that's the one I have, also mine had an additional kit with long hose and narrow nozzle attachments. Brilliant for panel gaps and drying down between wash stages if you in a hurry. Only thing is it's a tad noisey and can give your wrist ache after prolonged use.


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## w00044 (May 17, 2009)

A Karcher Vac is also quite good as mine has a blow function so it's out anyway ready to hoover and gets the water out of the tight spots.

It's a WD3P, got mine for about £10 with my new Karcher washer


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## Hereisphilly (Nov 17, 2014)

DLGWRX02 said:


> Yep that's the one I have, also mine had an additional kit with long hose and narrow nozzle attachments. Brilliant for panel gaps and drying down between wash stages if you in a hurry. Only thing is it's a tad noisey and can give your wrist ache after prolonged use.


Best get on with those wrist exercises then 😉😉😉 😁

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## wax-planet (Sep 30, 2010)

i bought one on here a few years ago in a group buy and its one of the best things i use, nothing worse than cleaning your car then the wing mirrors fold in and dirty water goes all down the doors !


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## evoke (Oct 6, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I've ordered a pet dryer now. I ordered a 2400W which should be plenty powerful enough. For these types of items, it was all a much of a muchness. They blow warm air!

It's called a BUNNY BUSINESS Pet Dog Grooming Hair Dryer Heater, 2400 W, and it's this one here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KLZAICY/r?th=1

About £57 for Prime delivery.

The blurb says this:



> About the Product
> 
> Powerful 2400w pet dryer for comfortable grooming - low noise.
> Comes with 3 nozzles of different shapes
> ...


The clincher for me was the additional uses that I could put it to:

- Drying my bicycles after washing them

- Helping to dry the car mats and carpets after using a Vax wet vac on them. I remember the pain from last weekend when I tried to use a tiny hairdryer to speed up the drying, but eventually had to keep the car doors open for 4-5 hours across two days!

Then there's the primary use of helping to dry the car.

So, on balance, it was a straightforward choice to order one.


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

Hereisphilly said:


> Best get on with those wrist exercises then 😉😉😉 😁
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


That's what the wife is for.


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## evoke (Oct 6, 2007)

The pet dryer (BUNNY BUSINESS Pet Dog Grooming Hair Dryer Heater) arrived today, a bit too late for me to use during the day.

I ordered it a few days ago but the first delivery was apparently 'lost' so Amazon sent another one out, which arrived this afternoon.

It's a solid machine, about the size of a handheld car vac. The cylindrical body is quite heavy and the dryer seems to be very robust.

It comes with three shapes of nozzles and a length of flexible hose (probably a couple of metres when stretched out).

Now, one issue I had was that it doesn't come with a UK 3-pin plug. I had to buy a 3-pin plug and 13A fuse and cut the 2-pin plug off the mains lead. I then wired in the UK plug. The dryer is a Chinese-made device with a single page of badly-written instructions.

So be aware that you'll need to do a bit of electrical work if you order one of these. I will make a complaint to Amazon as you're not allowed to sell an electrical item in the UK without a proper 3-pin UK plug.

The wattage rating is 2200W and not 2400W as advertised.

Anyway, once I'd done the required electrical work on it, I tested it out. Jeez! It's damn powerful!

There are three controls on the body of the dryer: an on/off switch, a heat setting (this is 3-position switch for no heat, low heat and high heat, and you need to make sure this is always set to no heat before you switch on the dryer), and finally an airflow knob - this is rotary knob that provides continuously variable airflow from a lot to insane!

The heat settings are quite low. I guess this is because it's a pet dryer so errs on the side of safety. Even on the second heat settings it wasn't that hot.

All the controls have a feeling of quality about them.

I've already used it to soften the end of a length of hosepipe to fit a connector onto. The speed of the airflow takes some getting used to, even on the lowest setting.

Whilst I haven't had a chance to try it out on the car yet, I have no doubt that it will blow all of the water out of door mirrors housings, grilles and wheel nuts.


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## shq (Dec 26, 2009)

evoke said:


> The clincher for me was the additional uses that I could put it to:
> 
> - Drying my bicycles after washing them
> 
> ...


Don't forget to include actually drying your pet(s) as an additional use!

This is next on my list of things to buy, purely just to shift all that water that's ALWAYS lurking in the wing mirror gaps.


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## Hufty (Apr 27, 2015)

Think I might take a punt on the one hereisphilly is suggesting. I like to shift 85% of the water off my car before applying drying aid and finishing, so dryer could be the answer.


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## litcan91 (Mar 16, 2013)

Really got me interested now  

So how does this compare to a drying towel, time wise?


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

We'll see for your self this is 2 doors on my Range Rover untouched by a towel and only a few seconds. Bearing in mind I was trying to hold and film with my phone to show.


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## Hereisphilly (Nov 17, 2014)

litcan91 said:


> Really got me interested now
> 
> So how does this compare to a drying towel, time wise?


I only use it for blowing shuts, trim gaps, handles etc out, I find on a flat panel it's okay, but a towel mops up the water better, and doesn't leave any runs

Sent from my XT1063 using Tapatalk


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## RICH2508 (Jan 14, 2007)

I use one of these, works great on blow, then you just switch the hose around, stick in the dust bag in seconds and yiu have a powerful vac for the seats and carpet.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb350vac-1300w-16ltr-wet-dry-vacuum-cleaner-240v/36516


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## hardtail (Jul 14, 2009)

i use a makita 18v blower perfect tool for door shuts etc https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-DUB182Z-Cordless-Li-ion-Blower/dp/B00NLXXQXQ


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## wrxmania (Apr 15, 2007)

RICH2508 said:


> I use one of these, works great on blow, then you just switch the hose around, stick in the dust bag in seconds and yiu have a powerful vac for the seats and carpet.
> 
> http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb350vac-1300w-16ltr-wet-dry-vacuum-cleaner-240v/36516


I am looking at one for those Titans for everything - wet vac, dry vac and blowing water off the car.

Please DO NOT buy one of the (excellent) Nilfisk Aero hoovers from Nilfisk Outlet - a great buy and looks great in person - as it's only 110V and comes with an industrial mains outlet, needs a step up transformer etc. Nilfisk Outlet were hopeless and I have had to pay £12 to return the hoover at my own cost - they did not remotely entertain the fact that it does not state it's not for a UK power supply or that it does not come with a UK 3 pin plug etc.


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## wrxmania (Apr 15, 2007)

evoke said:


> Thanks everyone. I've ordered a pet dryer now. I ordered a 2400W which should be plenty powerful enough. For these types of items, it was all a much of a muchness. They blow warm air!
> 
> It's called a BUNNY BUSINESS Pet Dog Grooming Hair Dryer Heater, 2400 W, and it's this one here:
> 
> ...


Now back up to £73 :wall:


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## Citromark (Oct 29, 2013)

I've been looking at a Dewalt 18v cordless blower in Screwfix as I have the batteries already .

Mark


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## shq (Dec 26, 2009)

wrxmania said:


> Now back up to £73 :wall:


Quite a few on eBay for around the £55-60 mark :thumb:


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## evoke (Oct 6, 2007)

I've now used the pet dryer I mentioned in this thread earlier. For the roof it wasn't that great, to be honest. It's a heavy lump to carry and the hose isn't long enough to handle effectively for the roof of a car. It's also not great for the bonnet or boot. So for flat horizontal surfaces, it's not ideal.

However, for the vertical surfaces, it's really good. You can 'push' the water downwards and off the car.

Where it shines though, is the wheels and the tyres. It can force the water out from all of the nooks and crannies of the wheels very effectively so you're left with a wheel that almost dry and just needs a very quick wipe with an MF to get it ready for a sealant.

As for tyres, it dries the rubber of each tyre in a just a few seconds - dry enough for a tyre shine application.

Finally, it also excels at forcing water from all the shutlines, including the fuel filler cap.

In summary, as a drying aid for the car it has its used and does help save some time and effort. I may have to try it on full power for the flat surfaces again to see if it performs better on those, and perhaps change to another nozzle too.


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