REVIEW: LAUBE MAGNUM FORCE DRYER

I recently had the opportunity to try out the latest model of the Laube Magnum Force dog dryer and I must say I was very impressed.  I think it would be a great choice for home groomers, small grooming salons, mobile grooming vans, and in-your-home grooming service.  It’s small, light-weight, sturdy and has great air force for the size. 

When would you want a forced-air dryer? Glad you asked!  Professional groomers prefer high velocity forced-air dryers for the speed of drying, the ability to separate and straighten coats, and for deshedding without tugging at the coat.  Forced air dryers are much more efficient than any other means of drying.   Rather than drying by heat and evaporation, the high velocity dryer forces the water off the hair, while blowing out dead undercoat and straightening curly or wavy coat.  The air does some of the brushing out for you.  Straightening a curly coat, such as Bichon Frise, Poodle, or curly Doodle is very important in minimizing matting.  Curley coats left to air dry can tangle very easily, especially if the dog helps the process by happily rubbing itself on the furniture or carpet.  For undercoated dogs, such as Shelties, Chows, Samoyed, Border Collies, the high-velocity dryer blows out dead coat and loosens the coat so that it can be thoroughly deshedded.  In fact, the high velocity dryer is the groomer’s first tool of deshedding. In regions with high humidity, some dogs with ultra thick coats, like Cocker Spaniels, will develop skin problems if not dried thoroughly following bathing or getting wet.  Hand-held dryers take forever to dry Cocker coats.  Also hand-held dryers can create so much heat as to damage the coat or burn the skin. 

Features of the Magnum Force Dryer: The newest model carries all the great features of previous models, and some new improvements.  Leave it to Laube to always be evolving and improving their products.  A very important feature is the variable speed switch, which allows the user to turn down the air to a very gentle force for faces, puppies or timid dogs, and anywhere in between for moderate or full force air.  The variable speed is also helpful to prevent a sudden power demand that can trip circuit breakers.  The top amp draw is 10 amps, which is unlikely to challenge the available electricity in homes or mobile vans. The highest force is mighty, much more so than other dryers in this small dryer class. including the Chris Christensen Kool Dry. I would estimate that it has at least 2/3 to 3/4 the power of my K-9II dryer, one of the most popular of the high force 2-Motor professional dryers.   

            A new feature of this dryer is the way that the hose attaches to the dryer and the nozzles attach to the hose.  Laube has designed a new locking mechanism for these attachment points that totally eliminates the possibility of the hose detaching from the dryer if you pull on it or a nozzle blowing off under force and striking the dog.  I’ve been there/done that with other dryers. 

            The nozzles on the new model are also an improvement.  It comes with two, a cone nozzle for sheeting off water and forcing out undercoat, and a flat nozzle for fluff drying or drying longer hair. 

            The hose that comes with this dryer is also unique.  At rest it measures only 3.5 feet, but when stretched and extended, it reaches 6.5 feet. Frankly, I’m tired of stepping over yards of hoses and cords on my shop floor.  This might be a welcome difference.  If you want a longer hose, you can upgrade.  At nine pounds with a good handle, the dryer is very easy to move around. It’s small enough to fit right on my grooming table, or I can set it on the floor at my feet. 

            Maintenance of the dryer is made easy by quick access to the filter and the motor.  The filter can be washed and reused.  For occasional home use, you might never need to change the brushes.  My original Magnum Force dryer went three years of daily use before needing the brushes changed. 

Other Uses of Forced-Air Dryers – I’ve used my forced air dryers for many tasks other than drying dogs.  They are helpful for cleaning hand tools, such as clippers, electronics (think of crumbs in your keyboard), and I have even unclogged drains.  You just never know then it’s handy to have a blast of air available.  The variable speed of this Magnum Force dryer will allow for many options. This would be a handy addition to any workshop and a great choice for DIY home grooming. 

The Laube Magnum Force Dryer is available from www.shop.bbird.biz. Click HERE to go there.

Find more articles by BBird for pet owners at Petocracy.com where she is a Resident Expert for grooming matters.