Review: FURminator Face-Off

My FURminator-love is no secret, so when asked to review the new FURminator Deluxe* I couldn’t wait to get my paws hands on it. The FURminator Deluxe has already received a tremendous amount of blogger attention – including a guest review on this blog – so I knew I needed a compelling angle.

Finally I had it! A good old-fashioned side-by-side comparison. A FURminator show-down.

Haddie inspects integrity of Original Furminator (left) and Deluxe Furminator (right)

Was the Deluxe truly an improvement from the original or was this a case of marketing at it’s best (style over substance)? I was committed to getting to the bottom of all the hullabaloo.

I asked the FURminator folks to send both Original and Deluxe FURminators of the same size. They obliged.

Original versus Deluxe. I would evaluate them on the following metric:

Eco-Friendly
Design
Handling (easy of use)
Efficacy (how well it removes hair)
Cost

Eco-Friendly: Original FURminator barely wins on this one, but it’s really just the best of the worst. Packaging for both models has too much unnecessary plastic. Yes, the new packaging looks sleek and futuristic, but we will respect you more if you think about using less packaging (if Fresh Direct figured it out, you can too). Get with it FURminator!

Original Furminator (left) and Deluxe (right)

Design: FURminator Deluxe wins this round (unless you prefer the retro-look). Gone is the primary-color rectangular plastic atop a rubber handle sporting a “rugged” tire-tread design.

The new model is rounder, shinier, compact and generally more aesthetically pleasing. The handle has been redesigned for better grip and is reminiscent of OXO GOOD GRIP cooking utensils. They’ve also added a release button (cleverly branded the “FURejector”) that I’ll expand upon in the upcoming “Handling” portion of the review.

The creepy yet telegraphic visuals from the original FURrminator packaging are thing of the past (dont fret, they can still be found at furminator.com)

Handling: FURminator Deluxe is the clear winner. It’s ergonomic design allows for easier maneuvering in and around tight spots (think cat necks). The “FURejector” allows for one-handed cat brushing, freeing-up the other hand for cat-clutching.

Efficacy: FURminator Deluxe and the Original FURminator tie on what is arguably the most important metric of success for a de-shedding tool, the ability to remove copious amounts of fur.

Haddie was my first unwilling volunteer.

I “split” her in half brushing her left side with one Furminator and her right side with another, spending the same amount of time on each side.

Petie was up next.

This time I limited myself to 7 strokes per product/per side of Petie.

how much cat fur does the Furminator remove?

7 Strokes with Original Furminator (top) and Deluxe (bottom)

Ultimately there were too may uncontrollable variables: distribution of fur on cat, length, speed and pressure of stroke. I call it a draw.

Cost: At $12, you can get almost three Original FURminators for the price of one FURminator Deluxe.

RECAP:

Eco-Friendly – Original FURminator
Design – FURminator Deluxe
Handling (easy of use)- FURminator Deluxe
Efficacy (how well it removes hair) – TIE
Cost – Original FURminator

At the end of the day, any FURminator is better than no FURminator. If you have the extra bucks go for it and get the new model, if not, the old one won’t do you wrong. But do me one big favor. If you plan on purchasing either, use these links so Tiny Timmy** can get a few cents via Amazon’s affiliate program: Original FURminator ($12) and FURminator Deluxe ($35).

Do you love the FURminator as much as I do? Tell us about it. Coming soon, a FURMinator giveaway! Stay tuned!

* I am not a receiving reimbursement of any kind from FURminator other than having received their product for review. I HAVE CAT is not under any obligation to them.