If you’ve started looking for a serious de-shedding tool, you’ve probably ended up choosing between two names — the FURminator and the SleekEZ. Both have huge fan bases, both consistently top the best-of lists, and both promise to take a frightening amount of hair off your dog’s coat. But they are very different tools, and which one is right for you depends entirely on your dog’s coat type and temperament.
Below we put them head to head — design, performance on different coats, comfort, durability, value for money — and finish with a clear recommendation for which dog suits which tool. If you only buy one, this guide will help you pick correctly.
Quick Verdict
The FURminator is the better choice for double-coated dogs in heavy moult. The SleekEZ is the better choice for short-coated dogs and dogs with sensitive skin. They aren’t really competing for the same job — once you understand what each does best, it becomes obvious which one belongs in your grooming kit.
Meet the Tools
FURminator Undercoat Deshedding Tool
FURminator is a US brand owned by Spectrum Brands and now found in pet shops worldwide, including most Pets at Home stores and Amazon UK. It launched in the early 2000s and effectively created the modern de-shedding tool category. The defining feature is a fine stainless steel edge — sharper than a traditional rake — that reaches through the topcoat to lift dead undercoat without cutting healthy guard hairs.
Above the blade sits the FURejector button: press it and a small plate pushes the collected hair off the blade and into the bin. There are four sizes (XS, S, M, L) and short-hair and long-hair editions, so you can match the tool precisely to your dog. Typical UK price is £30 to £50 depending on size.
SleekEZ Original Deshedding Grooming Tool
SleekEZ is a US-based independent brand, sold widely through Amazon UK and increasingly through specialist UK pet retailers. The tool itself is unmistakable — a curved wooden block fitted with a wave-cut steel blade. The teeth are deliberately blunt and shorter than a FURminator’s, and the wave pattern catches loose hair from the topcoat through a smooth brushing motion rather than digging into the undercoat.
It comes in three sizes (2.5 inch for cats and small dogs, 5 inch for medium dogs, 7.5 inch for large dogs and horses) and has no moving parts. Typical UK price is £20 to £30 depending on size.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Blade Design
The FURminator uses a fine, sharp stainless steel edge. It is closer to a clipper blade than a brush, and that is the source of both its strength (lifting deep undercoat efficiently) and its main risk (can irritate skin if pressed too hard). The SleekEZ uses a wave-cut steel blade with blunt, rounded teeth. It cannot reach as deep but it is dramatically gentler in use.
Hair Removal Performance
On a heavily moulting double-coated dog — say a labrador or husky in spring — the FURminator removes noticeably more undercoat per stroke. In our testing, you can fill a standard pet brush bin in around five minutes of FURminator work where the SleekEZ would take ten to fifteen. On short-coated dogs (staffies, beagles, vizslas) the difference largely disappears, and the SleekEZ often lifts more surface hair because it works better with a shorter coat.
Comfort for the Dog
The SleekEZ wins this one comfortably. The blunt teeth and surface action mean even sensitive or anxious dogs settle into a SleekEZ session quickly. The FURminator can be enjoyable for dogs that are used to grooming, but it requires a careful, light touch, and dogs with thin coats or sensitive skin can find it uncomfortable.
Comfort for You
Both have well-thought-out handles. The FURminator’s rubberised plastic grip is more conventional and tilts the head into the coat naturally — great for sustained sessions. The SleekEZ’s curved wooden block sits in the palm and rewards a smooth, sweeping motion across the coat. Owners with wrist or grip issues often prefer the SleekEZ; owners doing long sessions on multiple dogs often prefer the FURminator.
Hair Release
FURminator wins on convenience here — the FURejector button clears the blade in one press. With the SleekEZ you wipe the hair off the blade by hand, which is fine but slower over a long session.
Durability
Both tools are built to last. SleekEZ’s solid wooden body and minimal moving parts mean it is almost indestructible — owners regularly report ten-plus years of use. The FURminator is also a long-life tool, but the plastic body and the FURejector mechanism are the most likely points of wear over many years of heavy use.
Versatility
SleekEZ is the more versatile tool by some distance. The same SleekEZ works on dogs, cats, small pets and horses; the wave-cut blade is forgiving across coat types. The FURminator is purpose-built for the double-coat de-shedding job and there are separate cat editions, but it does that one job exceptionally well.
Cost
SleekEZ is typically £5 to £20 cheaper than the equivalent FURminator size on Amazon UK. Both are tools you keep for years, so the cost-per-use calculation is essentially identical — but if upfront price matters, SleekEZ wins.
Specs Side-by-Side
| Feature | FURminator | SleekEZ |
| Blade type | Fine stainless steel edge | Wave-cut blunt steel teeth |
| Action | Reaches into undercoat | Lifts from topcoat |
| Sizes | XS / S / M / L (plus short/long hair) | 2.5″ / 5″ / 7.5″ |
| Hair release | FURejector button | Manual (wipe off) |
| Handle | Rubberised plastic grip | Curved wooden block |
| Best on | Double coats, heavy moult | Short coats, sensitive skin |
| Suitable for | Dogs and cats (separate editions) | Dogs, cats, small pets, horses |
| Typical UK price | £30 – £50 | £20 – £30 |
| Made in | Asia | USA |
Who Should Buy Which?
Buy the FURminator if…
- You have a double-coated breed (labrador, golden retriever, husky, German shepherd, Bernese mountain dog).
- Your dog has a heavy spring or autumn moult and you want to deal with it efficiently.
- You are happy to learn the right pressure and technique to use it gently.
- You want a hair-release button to speed up sessions.
- You want a tool used and recommended by professional groomers.
Buy the SleekEZ if…
- You have a short or medium-coated breed (staffie, vizsla, beagle, boxer, Frenchie).
- Your dog is anxious or has sensitive skin.
- You also want to use the same tool on cats, small pets or horses.
- You prefer a simple, durable tool with no moving parts.
- You want a softer, more brushing-style grooming experience.
Buy both if…
Honestly, this is what many UK groomers do. The FURminator handles the seasonal blowouts on a double-coated dog; the SleekEZ takes over for weekly maintenance and for any short-coated household members. Together they cover almost every coat scenario, and the combined cost is still lower than a single professional stripping rake.
Common Questions
Can the FURminator damage my dog’s coat?
Used correctly, no. Used aggressively or on a wet, matted coat, yes — it can pull at guard hairs and irritate the skin. The trick is light pressure, short strokes in the direction of hair growth, and always grooming a clean, dry, brushed-out coat.
Is SleekEZ really effective on a husky or labrador?
It is effective for everyday surface-hair removal, and many owners use it as their daily tool. But during a full seasonal moult on a husky or shepherd, you will want a FURminator or a stripping rake for the heavy lifting. SleekEZ alone will not keep up with the volume of undercoat being shed.
Which is better for cats?
Both brands make tools for cats. The FURminator cat range is excellent on long-haired breeds (Maine Coons, Persians, Ragdolls). The SleekEZ in 2.5 inch is gentler and a better introduction for cats that resent traditional grooming tools.
Will either tool stop my dog shedding?
No tool can stop shedding — it is healthy and normal. What both tools do is remove loose hair before it lands on your sofa. Used regularly, expect a 70–90% reduction in visible shedding around the home.
Final Verdict
If we could only own one, we’d pick the FURminator for a double-coated household and the SleekEZ for a short-coated one. The FURminator does the heavy lifting of seasonal moults better than any other consumer-grade tool. The SleekEZ is gentler, more versatile, and a better all-rounder for everyday grooming on shorter coats.
The good news is neither is a bad choice — pick the right one for your dog’s coat and either will earn its place in your grooming kit for years.
