10 Best Dog Nail Clippers for Home Grooming in 2020 (Updated Review)

The key to effective dog nail trimming is a good technique and use of the best dog nail clippers that are right for your dog’s size and nails.

If you’re inexperienced in cutting a dog’s nails, some types of clippers will be easier for you to use, such as those with sensors (to prevent cutting into a quick).

There are two different tools for trimming a dog’s nails – mechanical clippers or electric grinder.

Quick Glance At The Best Dog Nail Clippers Reviewed

Mechanical clippers have their sub-categories: scissor-style, guillotine-style, and those with or without a quick sensor.

They also vary in size; some clippers will be better for small dogs, while others will be a good fit for large dogs because you can apply more pressure to cut a big dog’s thick, large nails.

We’ve tested and reviewed many nail clippers for dogs here on Top Dog Tips, including all the above styles.

Below we’ve ranked the best dog nail clippers for home grooming, in different categories.

Which Type of Dog Nail Clippers Are Right for Your Dog?

All types of nail clippers for dogs come with their own pros and cons. Here’s what to keep in mind.

Dog Nail Grinders

This type of electrical grinder or filing tool uses either electrical power or batteries.

They come with a rotating section on the top, covered with abrasive material such as sandpaper (other materials are also available).

It was popularized by Dremel, which remains the most popular brand of dog nail grinders.

Grinders will take longer to trim a dog’s nails because they gradually file the nail, but they’re good for owners who are anxious about the process – it’s much harder to cut into a quick using a nail grinder.

Some dogs also prefer them over traditional nail clippers.

They’re more expensive and better suited for large dogs with thick nails.

Traditional Nail Clippers for Dogs

In concept, these are similar to toenail clippers people use, and it’s the first choice among pet owners and professional groomers.

Once you have the technique down, they are simply far easier to use and make the process much quicker than a nail grinder (which many dogs also prefer).

Guillotine-style dog nail clippers are better suited for small dogs because they’re not strong enough to cut through thick nails.

They’re also less popular and many pet owners usually dislike this style.

Scissor-style dog nail clippers (or pliers style) are the most popular design among all, and are suited for all dogs (you can buy different sizes and different “strengths” for cutting nails of small, medium or large breeds).

The bottom line on which dog nail trimmer to choose (nail grinders vs scissor clippers vs guillotine clippers) is it depends on how confident and how experienced you are, the type/size of your dog (i.e. how big and thick their nails are), and how anxious the dog is about the nail cutting process.

For anxious dogs, scissor style clippers are often best.

A nail grinder might be better for dogs with very dark and thick nails.

Using both is also an option and may give the best result if you don’t mind the extra expense.

Below are some of the best dog nail clippers we liked for home grooming.

Top 10 Best Dog Nail Clippers for Home Grooming

1MiniMite Cordless Two-Speed Rotary Tool
by Dremel

While we like nail grinders for all their pros, despite them taking a little longer to trim the nail, this wouldn’t necessarily be the best option or go-to pet nail trimming tool for every pet owner.

The Dremel nail grinder for dogs is best suited for less experienced and more anxious pet owners whose dogs are comfortable with the whirring, buzzing sound of this device.

This is an electronic pet nail clipper with a rotary tip (it runs on batteries): it’s versatile and you can cut, trim and shape your dog’s (or cat’s) nails. We’ve tested many models over the years, and all Dremels were safe, effective and very easy to use.

There’s no need to push hard on this pet trimmer and you shouldn’t be afraid of breaking either the nail or the tool.

It works more like a dog nail file that’s good for nail trimming.

The price of Dremel pet nail grinder for dogs is slightly more expensive than the traditional, metal or plastic, plier- or scissor-like pet nail clippers for dogs, such as the below options on our best dog nail clippers list.

There’s no cord on this one, it’s compatible with an array of other Dremel sanding drums and bands (good for dogs with different nails and thickness).

You can also use it for other home tasks if that’s something you’re interested in.

You get a 2-year warranty with these electric dog clippers.

Dremel Pet Grooming Kit is a favorite of ours mostly because of how easy it is to use it and because there’s no anxiety during nail cutting.

However, some dog owners may prefer the traditional style of nail clippers for dogs, in which case, our next pick at number three would be your best bet.

2 Professional Dog Nail Grinder (Upgraded)
by Casfuy

Inspired by the Dremel device and that company’s success, Casfuy released their own version of a nail grinder for dogs with a few unique features.

They quickly gained attention among pet owners and groomers, and rose up to be the #1 best seller on Amazon in “Best Dog Nail Clippers” category.

Is it really that  good? Yes. Is it as good as Dremel? Yes. Does it have some new features? Yes it does.

Differently to Dremel, Casfuy dog nail grinder uses what they call a “Diamond Bit Grinder” head which is less abrasive and more comfortable for grinding our pet’s nails.

It’s very precise and allows for accurate shaping of the nail.

More veterinarians are now recommending Casfuy over Dremel (not confirmed).

The device is designed with a 2-speed switch, which is adjustable. It allowed for switching from low to high speed, with the later quickening the process and being more suitable for large, thick nails.

It also has three differently sized ports, so it can be used for breeds of all sizes.

Like Dremel, the upgraded version is also much less noisy and most dogs shouldn’t be too bothered by this (unlike with their previous version).

3Professional Stainless Steel Dog Nail Trimmer
by Safari

Safari has been making dog grooming supplies for a while now and they’re good at it, seeing how they have the most popular product on the market.

Safari dog nail clippers are also a favorite of our editor-in-chief; she picked them as one of her top choices for the best pet nail clippers for dogs in several previous round-ups and comparisons.

This is a very simple, traditional style dog nail clipper explicitly designed for ease of use and simplicity, yet they are often considered as professional dog clippers for trimming nails.

If you decide to go with a set of traditional best dog nail clippers, then Safari is your best bet since it’s very easy to learn how to cut dog’s nails using this dog nail clipper.

Most pet owners prefer Safari dog nail clippers because of its low price (especially when compared to less popular dog nail trimmers that are also more expensive), and the fact that you can pick Safari’s dog nail clipper for large dogs or medium dogs.

Additionally, these Safari dog toenail clippers are very sharp and do not go dull as fast as many other pet nail clippers.

I guess that’s why these are one of the most popular best-selling dog nail clippers on Amazon.

 

4Professional Pet Nail Clipper
by Epica

In the fourth spot among our top recommended dog nail clippers is another product that can be considered just as good as Safari’s dog grooming clippers above.

The only reason Epica’s dog nail clipper gets a fourth place and is behind Safari is simply its price.

These two best dog nail clippers are extremely similar, but Epica’s pet nail clipper costs a little more.

Epica has made a great set of grooming clippers which does an excellent job of your dog’s nails.

This dog nail clipper is very easy to work with, and the handle is comfortable to hold.

Their design works best for dogs of medium to large size, and not suitable for small dogs.

These dog toenail clippers are sharp enough to cut through anything, so just be careful when working with Epica.

These third-best dog nail clippers are also very popular and have been one of the best-selling pet clippers on Amazon for over a year now, with a huge range of positive reviews from other pet parents and groomers.

The company also offers a 100% money-back guarantee, which means if you don’t like them, simply return for a full refund.

5Stainless Steel Dog Nail Clippers
by Simply Pets

Next up is this dog nail clipper made in a traditional style just as Epica and Safari above.

These are also advertised and marketed as professional dog nail clippers for groomers, which some of them have confirmed for us.

Simply Pets has been manufacturing quality dog grooming supplies for years and have developed quite a following.

One may say that this set of nail clippers for dogs is coming close to being of professional quality.

Still, the truth is, Epica’s and Safari’s (even the Dremel dog nail grinder) are just as good at cutting dogs’ nails, even though they are not marketed as professional dog nail clippers.

The company claims that these dog toenail clippers have been designed by veterinarians themselves, so that’s something to consider.

I believe due to its name, the cost of this dog nail clipper is higher than the above or below-mentioned other best dog nail clippers, so it should be a personal preference for most dog owners.

I recommend browsing through reviews for a better perspective.

 

6Quality Pet Nail Clip for Dogs
by Millers Forge

This is a heavy duty, very tough dog nail clipper from Millers Forge. It’s also the cheapest set of dog nail clippers on this list.

They are essentially the same thing as many other quality dog nail clippers above, but their design is much more simplistic and less ergonomic, which some pet owners prefer.

Millers Forge doesn’t seem to care about the looks and stylish design as much as they do about the effectiveness of this dog nail clipper, which is a good and a bad thing.

It translates into the product, which is great for large dogs and even huge breeds.

However, the handle is not very comfortable and your hand may get tired quickly when using these dog toenail clippers.

This is a set of sturdy grooming clippers. Many other dog owners mentioned in their reviews the same thing about these dog nail clippers from Millers Forge: durable, but the handle isn’t the most ergonomic.

These are somewhat basic and reasonably priced, considering that they will last you a long time even if you try to break them.

7Pet Animal Dog Nail Clipper
by Andis

Listed at the seventh position on our list of best nail clippers for dogs is an item from a famous company, Andis.

They are very well-known for making some of the best dog grooming products and have fairly recently got into the dog nail clipper category.

Once again, when it comes to picking among traditionally designed pet nail clippers, majority of the “good” options are extremely similar, since the design itself is pretty basic.

Therefore, all top five options of these best dog nail clippers are almost identical, and it all comes down to price and personal preference.

As you can see in the video review, the Andis dog nail clippers will get the job done without any problems, and trimming dogs nails is the same as with any other grooming tool (besides Dremel pet nail trimmer, of course).

But once again, it seems this dog nail clipper will be best suited for medium-sized dogs and large dogs.

I would be cautious about using this dog toenail clipper on small dogs.

8Stainless Steel Nail Clipper for Dogs (Pliers Style)
by Millers Forge

At the eighth position is yet another dog nail clipper from the company we’ve mentioned above, Millers Forge. However, this is a much different set of dog clippers for nails due to their design. It’s a more heavy duty, curved pliers type of pet nail clipper, meaning it works the other way around than scissor-like clippers.

These pet nail clippers are extremely basic and cheap. If you’re looking to save as much money as possible on your purchase of grooming tools, then these Millers Forge pet nail clippers is your best bet. At around $6, you will not find anything cheaper or more reliable.

Many other pet owners don’t seem to complain and have rated this product fairly positively.

The plier-style dog toenail clippers are long-lasting if used with small dogs, but their handle – like its big brother above – isn’t comfortable enough to deal with when cutting nails, even of medium-sized dogs.

Also, these aren’t recommended for large dogs since they won’t be able to cut through strong nails.

9Dog & Cat Pets Nail Clippers and Trimmers
by gonicc

One of the last choices is still a decent product from gonicc which we enjoyed using, particularly its sensor.

Many dog owners have asked us to try this nail clipper with a sensor, and while we didn’t find anything unique about it, the quality and ergonomics are there, so we had to include it on the list.

This pet clipper’s price isn’t that much more expensive than a few others mentioned on this list.

The main thing about these clippers is that they look great and actually have a very ergonomic handle.

I like their general concept, style and design, too.

Manufactured by a professional dog groomer (not a veterinarian), it feels like the gonicc dog clipper team behind this product creation knew exactly what they were doing.

You also get a 10-year money-back no questions asked warranty.

And this rounds up our list of ten best dog nail clippers.

If you have any recommendations for the best dog nail clipper, let us know in the comments below.

In the meantime, please take a look at the videos of how to trim dogs’ nails safely and other tips on grooming dogs and cutting dog nails properly.

10Professional Nail Clippers for Dogs
by Trim-Pet

The last of on our list is this another set of professional dog clippers from Trim-Pet that have been designed based on customers’ suggestions.

They’re similar to the many options mentioned above in terms of design and quality.

The reason it’s on the list is simply because they’re cheaper than some other similar clippers of this style.

Once again, just to avoid repeating myself over and over again, the design of these dog nail clippers is very similar to most traditional scissor-style type of pet toenail clippers.

These are marketed as professional dog nail clippers, and they seem to have used some better quality materials; however, it doesn’t look like it made any positive impact, since the cheaper options still feel better in your hands.

Therefore, it’s very important to note that this dog nail clipper is so far the most expensive ones on this list, and the number of reviews is also not that large compared to, say, Safari’s or Epica’s clippers.

Suppose you’re very interested in testing this dog nail clipper.

In that case, my suggestion is to visit the manufacturer’s website, where they give you a lot of tips and reasons why these are possibly the best ones out there, and then decide whether it’s worth an extra $5-15.

The company provides a lot of helpful information when it comes to tutorials about trimming puppies nails and such.

How to Use These Best Dog Nail Clippers?

When you first set out to groom your dog and cut his nails, it’s essential to use the right dog nail clipper and follow the techniques and tricks that professional dog groomers and veterinarians use in their grooming practice.

Here are three things you need to do to trim your pet’s nails successfully:

1. Make it a regular habit for yourself and your dog;
2. Train your dog to associate nail clipping with positivity;
3. Don’t rush the process and be considerate of your canine.

How often should you clip your dog’s nails?

As many dog experts in their dog books indicate, the most accurate answer to how should you use any of these best dog nail clippers would be: it depends. If your pooch walks and runs around a lot outside, especially on concrete and similar surface, then nails will be getting trimmed a little bit all the time.

If he/she lies around the house a lot, then as a general rule, once a month would be a good start to put those best dog nail clippers to good use. The more often you do this, the quicker you will figure out your canine’s nail growth speed patterns, and you’ll soon know when exactly to trim them. Vet Med talks more about dog claws and their trimming here.

Normally, your pet’s nails should not reach the ground when the dog is standing still.

Use treats to train association in your dog

To make your dog associate nail trimming process with something good, you would need to reward him/her with some dog treats or dog foods (whichever your canine prefers). Remember to praise your dog and pet them after a successful grooming process – they need to know that they did good.

At first, it would be difficult to reward after the whole process, so start with small healthy treats after each nail clipping. One nail = one treat. That way your dog will start looking forward to the process.

Make this a slow transition and a careful process

Your Fido will not be looking forward to this procedure, so don’t expect to use your best dog nail clippers right away to give your pet a full pedicure. Make it a gradual process, and take it slowly. Don’t rush. Approach your pet in a calm, playful manner; talk quietly, and don’t make this into a sudden-movement competition. If your dog flinches, do not react in the same way but rather attempt to calm the dog. Use treats.

Having great tools when dealing with stressful pet grooming situations like bathing a dog or clipping a dog’s nails will make it less uncomfortable for everybody.

The above-compiled list of best dog nail clippers for your dog’s nail care will help you make the right choice for the most appropriate dog grooming tool and have a stress-free pet grooming session.

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