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Cat Nail Grinder vs Clipper: Whats Best? (Guide/Review)

What is best a cat nail grinder or clipper? This is the best option for trimming your cat’s nails (Click here for availability on Amazon). Read on for more info.

Quick comparison of cat nail grinders & Clippers

DescriptionImageDescription
01. Hertzko Nail Grinder (Best Option)
Click here for the price on Amazon		5 stars
02. Necoichi Cat Nail Clippers
Click here for the price on Amazon
03. Invenho Cat Nail Grinder
Click here for the price on Amazon		4 stars
Contents show

What you need to know about nail grinders and clippers (Guide)

When it comes to comparing grinders and clippers you need to understand the pros and cons. For that reason, I will explain what they are to assist you.

Pros of cat nail grinders

Here are some of the advantages of nail grinders:

  • Avoid trimming your cats too low
  • Easy to use
  • Safer (no pressure needed to trim)

Avoid trimming your cats too low

One of the worries with using clippers is cutting your cat’s nails too low. This can be painful for them and may even draw blood. Therefore, the grinder goes slowly and gradually. Making you avoid this.

Easy to use

The grinder requires less skill than the clipper. You just fire it up and grind down the nails, like a nail file.

Safer (no pressure needed to trim)

Because the grinder is controlled by electronics it does not require brute force to trim your cat’s nails. Meaning there is less chance of you accidentally catching her paw with excessive force.

Disadvantages of a grinder:

Here are some of the known disadvantages of a grinder:

  • Noisey
  • Need batteries

Noisey

Because it is battery powered, you will get some noise. Not ridiculous noise, but to some cats it is unsettling.

Need batteries

Another annoying thing with the grinder is the fact that you need batteries. Meaning, you will have to replace them from time to time, which is an extra cost.

Pros of a cat nail clipper

Here are the advantages of cat nail clippers:

  • Fast
  • Good for impatient kitty’s

Fast & Good for an impatient kitty’s

Because some cats just do not like being trimmed, you will benefit from the speed of a cat clipper. They will quickly snip off what you want and they are free to go.

Disadvantages of a cat nail clipper

  • May cut too low (catch the quick)

May cut too low (catch the quick)

As discussed earlier, you do run the risk of clipping her nails too low. This will cause her real pain and you will struggle to get her to trust you with this task again.

My best 3 Nail grinders & Clipper

In this section, I will share with you three of my best devices for trimming your cat’s nails. This includes two grinders and one clipper.

For each one, I will explain what I like and do not like. This will give you a good idea of what works best for your situation.

01. Hertzko Cat Nail Grinder (Best Option)

Click here for the price on Amazon

Pros:

  • Nice & quiet (Avoids your kitty getting scared off)
  • Diamond attachment (safer & helps to avoid low nail clippings)
  • Compact and easy to carry around
  • Easy to charge (USB fitting)
  • Adjustable sizing to meet your cat’s needs (Small, medium or large)
  • Simple to clean (remove the stone cover & clean away)

Cons:

  • The charge doesn’t hold for that long
  • May need another person to assist you (if she isn’t cooperating)
  • Will need a mask to avoid ground nails

What I like about this Hertzko nail grinder

This grinder is just nice & quite. And when you have a nervous or aggressive cat (Click here to see a great solution for them), then you will appreciate why this is helpful.

It uses a diamond drill bit. This little attachment is the corner-stone of the grinder and is what helps you to avoid trimming your kitty’s nails too short, which can happen with conventional nail clippers.

This device is nice and compact, meaning it is simple to throw in your bag and carry it around with you. And, when the battery runs out, no worries about expensive battery replacements, it is rechargeable with a simple USB connection.

There is also the ability to change the sizes of the grinder to accommodate your cat’s needs, whether that be small, large or medium.

Lastly, its also easy to clean. meaning you can just simply remove the stone cover and clean it off, obviously when it is turned off.

In summary, if you are looking for a safer way to trim your kitty’s nails that is not noisy and simple to clean, then you just found it.

What I do not like about this Hertzko nail grinder

Yes, I am a fan of this grinder, but it’s not perfect. But, what really is? First, nit-pick is the length of the charge, or shall I say lack thereof. meaning, the charge doesn’t last as long as I would have liked. Enough to do the job though.

Using a grinder is effective and safer, but it is a bit tricky holding your kitty in place and grinding the same time. Therefore, you may need some help to do the job.

Also, watch out for the ground cat nails that fly through the air when you grind. Meaning, you will better off using a mask to stop you from inhaling it, which is obviously a separate purchase.

02. Necoichi Cat Nail Clippers

Click here for the price on Amazon

Pros:

  • Safe & accurate (uses thin blades)
  • The handles are comfortable & cushioned
  • Quality stainless steel material
  • Helps to avoid low nail clipping (with thin design)
  • Portable (Simple to carry anywhere)
  • Simple to clean

Cons:

  • A bit tricky to use if you have large hands
  • Nail clippings may fly around once clipped
  • Tough nails may cause a small dent in them

What I love about this cat nail clipper

This clipper is great for those close and precise clippings. Yes, you will need a steady hand and be a bit more focused, but it does the job well.

I like thin blades that this clipper has. It actually helps to make a more accurate and safe trim of your cat’s nails using this.

While you are trimming her, you will appreciate the cushioned handles on the clipper. A small feature, but it is amazing how comfortable this makes it, in comparison to other offerings.

It uses quality stainless steel metal to help you get a clean trim of her nails, so she can still keep them sharp and effective for climbing, etc.

This clipper is nice and dinky, meaning it can easily be thrown into your bag and it is also a cinch to keep clean.

In summary, this is the ideal cat clipper if you want a close accurate nail trimming session with the ability to keep them clean and carry anywhere.

What I do not love about this cat nail clipper

Earlier I used the word “dinky”, remember? I used that word because they are quite small. Therefore, if you have large hands, you may find them a bit tricky to use.

Like most nail clippers, there is no real way to handle the loose clippings flying everywhere, so keep that in mind when you start trimming.

Because they are quite dinky, if your kitty has some real tough nails, you may find that may dent them a little. Not a deal-breaker, but worth noting.

03. Invenho Cat Nail Grinder

Click here for the price on Amazon

Pros:

  • Noise level is low (to keep her calm)
  • Simple to use (two-speed settings)
  • Easy to clean (use a soft cloth on the grinder wheel)
  • Uses a diamond bit (safer and improved efficiency)
  • Rechargeable battery (USB wire supplied)

Cons:

  • A bit slower than clipping
  • Changing the head looks a bit tricky
  • Would be better if it was a bit faster

What I appreciate about this Invenho nail grinder

The noise level on this nail grinder is nice and low. One of the things I like about this is the fact that it keeps your kitty calm while you deal with her nails, which is challenging at the best of times, right?

With its two-speed dial settings, it is easy to use, even for someone like me who is baffled by the simplest piece of tech.

When it comes to keeping this clean, it is quite straight forward, you just need to clean off the grinding wheel and you are ready for action.

Like the previous nail grinder in this article, it uses the diamond bit for a more efficient and safer trim of her nails.

Keeping this charged is also straight forward with the use of a USB wire, which is actually supplied with it.

In summary, if you are looking for a nail grinder that has a low noise level, with efficient trimming and easy to clean, then this is right up your alley.

What I do not appreciate about this Invenho nail grinder

The reality is, with this grinder, and any other for that matter, they are a bit slower than using a clipper.

One of the things that worries me about this device is how I will handle changing the diamond bit head in the future, it looks a bit daunting, but, maybe that’s just me?

Lastly, more of a nit-pick to be fair is the speed. I feel that it could be improved if it was a bit faster. Not a major issue though.