Discover Innovative Pet Products: Homerunpet's Drybo Plus and Grooming Kit Review

Note: this is a sponsored review. While I have been compensated for my time spent reviewing these products, all opinions expressed are my own.

As an influencer in the pet space, I have purchased, tested, and reviewed a LOT of cat products. Sometimes it feels like I really have seen it all.

But every so often, I come across something that is totally unlike anything I’ve tried before. And that is exactly what happened when I was introduced to Homerunpet, a brand with which I was not previously familiar. Homerunpet sent me two of their smart pet products to try for myself; the first of which was something I had never even heard of before.

Read on to find out more about one of the coolest pet products I’ve tried in a very long time…

Drybo Plus SMART PET DRYER

Check out the video review here
Find the Drybo Plus here and use code “KATDRYBO” for 15% off through July 10th!

WHAT IS IT?

The Drybo Plus Automatic Cabin Pet Dryer is exactly what it sounds like: a dryer for at-home pet grooming, designed with cats and small dogs in mind.

THE SETUP

The Drybo Plus gets five stars for set-up, because I barely had to do anything at all. I love when products are nearly ready-to-use right out of the box; it’s a time saver, certainly (and spares us the frustration that comes with complicated assembly), but even more importantly, it makes the product accessible to a much wider demographic of pet owners, including individuals with motor limitations. Inclusivity is essential in lifestyle products, and I commend Homerunpet for their efforts in that regard.

All that setup really entailed was removing the Drybo Plus from its box, plugging it in, removing a few pieces of tape and giving the instructions a quick once-over to familiarize myself with the device.

There’s an on/off switch on one side of the Drybo, and everything beyond that is controlled from a digital panel on top of the device: the modes (there are four: Cozy Dry Mode, Quick Dry Mode, Heat Mode, and Cool Mode), the temperature, and the cabin light. I’ve used dozens of smart pet items that are controlled via an app; in this instance, however, I actually much prefer that the interface is on the device itself, especially given that my cat will be inside the device. I also appreciate the flexibility in how much control I have over the settings: every animal is different, and being able to customize the settings to suit each pet’s needs is important to me.

THE DESIGN

Aesthetically, it’s sleek and futuristic without being ostentatious. While the cabin is spacious, the entire thing is far less bulky than I anticipated – a big plus in my book. It’s compact and contemporary enough that I’m totally comfortable leaving it out in our living spaces (no shoving it in a closet when we have guests over!), and it actually has a thoughtful feature that makes it perfect for doing just that:

This plush gray pad can be inserted into the Drybo (when it’s not in use as a dryer, mind) to instantly transform the Drybo into a cat bed. The two windows on the side can be removed as well, a feature which also has dual purpose. When the Drybo is in bed mode, taking out the windows gives cats an easy way to hop in and out. When the Drybo is being used as a dryer, removing a window creates a way to reach in and pet your cat, keeping them comfortable and calm, especially as they get used to it. (This is one of the most thoughtful, intelligent design choices I’ve come across in recent months, so props to Homerunpet once again!)

Speaking of acclimating, the bed component is such an intelligent design feature because can be used to aid in acclimation as well; if your pet is particularly skittish, let them get used to the machine as a bed before ever turning on the drying feature.

INTRODUCING THE CATS

The setup is easy, the design is great…. But how well does it actually work? And will my cats even go inside? I knew going into this that the Drybo was designed to be quiet, gentle, and safe for cats’ sensitive ears, but still… I wasn’t convinced that my cats were going to be comfortable in it, and I knew that if the Drybo turned out to be too loud or frightening for them, I wouldn’t be able to endorse it.

As soon as I had the Drybo out of its box, Natilla, Gandalf, and Dave – curious creatures that they are – immediately wanted to check it out, and took to exploring every inch of it immediately while the fan was off. Now, however, I needed to test their enthusiasm with the fan on.

Fingers crossed, I turned it on to what I thought was the lowest fan setting. It was quiet. Far quieter than I expected, and the cats were totally unphased . Even Dave, who will jump if I put my purse down on the couch too quickly, was entirely unbothered. This good thing became even better when I realized that I had actually put the Drybo on its highest fan setting instead of its lowest! The lowest setting (which, ideally, is what you’ll use first to get your cat comfortable), is whisper-quiet. As in, take work calls (or a nap) quiet. I was, to say the least, impressed.

And then it came time to actually put a cat inside. I wanted to start with Natilla, so I set the fan on, removed a window, and lured her inside with a treat. Once I got all of her paws in I closed the door and it was… totally easy. She was cool as a cucumber the entire time. After spending a few minutes inside without issue, I removed my hand and Natilla hopped out the window – only to immediately stick her head back inside.

A short while later, Gandalf went in, while the fan was on, totally unprompted. I closed the door behind her, and she, too, was fine. Gandalf has a history of panicking when we put her into enclosed spaces like cat carriers, so her comfort in the Drybo was no small thing.

OKAY, SO HOW WELL DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK?

My cats have short fur. Short fur is a whole lot easier to dry than long fur is, so I knew that simply drying one of my cats wasn’t going to be enough to test how efficient this machine really is. I needed to know that this machine would be capable of drying even the thickest, longest of fur, so I decided to give the Drybo a proper challenge.

I took a yellow sweater of mine, stuck it in the sink, got it good and wet, and put that in the dryer. A bunched-up wad of thick, wet fabric is going to dry a LOT less easily than even a long-haired cat, so I knew that this would be a good way for me to test the true efficacy of the Drybo.

I set up my tripod so I could record the process, programmed the Drybo to a sixty minute quick dry, and spent the next hour answering emails.

When the hour was up, I opened the door to find the sweater dry - completely dry. Not a single wet spot to be found.

THE VERDICT

This thing is amazing. I’ll admit that I had my doubts going in, but I honestly couldn’t be happier with the Drybo Plus. It exceeded my expectations and I’m excited to add it to my arsenal of cat care products. I know this is going to become a staple household item for us with cleaning Natilla after her exuberant dirt rolling sessions (no more wet paper towel baths for us!), and I’m excited to try it out with one of my friend’s small dogs (so stay tuned for that!).

Check out the video review here
Find the Drybo Plus here and use code “KATDRYBO” for 15% off through July 10th!

PET GROOMING KIT

Check out the video review here

Find the grooming kit here

Have you ever had your pet professionally groomed? If so, you know it can be expensive, not to mention inconvenient, particularly if you don’t live near a groomer. Our second Homerunpet product today is the brand’s Pet Grooming Kit, which gives pet owners the ability to groom their cats and dogs at home.

This type of grooming kit – a vacuum with an assortment of attachments – is familiar to me, and I’ve used and reviewed a number of kits similar to it. Given that, I was interested to see what about Homerunpet’s version makes it stand out from the competition.

Let’s talk about what’s inside, and then we’ll put it to the test

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

THE DEVICE

The Body of the Device (resembles a vacuum tank)
Attachable Hose

CLIPPING TOOLS:

Electric Clipper
Clipper Attachments ranging from 3mm-19mm

GROOMING TOOLS:

Thinning Comb
Needle Comb
Silicon Comb

HAIR CLEANING TOOLS:

Lint Brush
Long Nozzle

It also comes with a carrying bag that is SO helpful for keeping all the attachments in one place – this is a thoughtful addition that I haven’t seen included in a grooming kit before.
…

Right off the bat, this is definitely the most comprehensive grooming kit I’ve come across. The silicon comb attachment, for example, is one that is new to me, and I love that the clipper comes with a half dozen attachments.

What was most delightful to me was the lint roller (I know that being excited by a lint roller sounds rather depressing, but hear me out). This particular style of lint roller is one that I already have and use weekly, however, the Homerunpet lint roller attaches to the vacuum. I have never seen that before, and as someone with bad cat allergies (ironic, I know), anything that involves less handling of the fur itself is great for me.

HOW TO GET YOUR CAT COMFORTABLE WITH THE GROOMING KIT

Lots of cats dislike vacuums (Natilla had a solid few months where she’d try to physically fight the vacuum every time we brought it out), so you want to use a little care when introducing your cat to it. Here’s how we did it:

Let the cats sniff the vacuum and attachments
Spend some time brushing your cat with the attachments before ever turning on the suction feature (giving them treats while doing so is a great way to build positive associations with the kit!)
While giving your cat their treat, turn the suction on to the lowest setting.
Continue grooming and go from there!

We used our cats’ favorite treats (the squeezy tube kind) and I’m delighted to say that all three allowed us to groom them while the suction was on.

Also, the lint attachment worked GREAT! Being able to attach it to the vacuum cleaner is a game-changer, and in just a minute or two of use we had gotten a tremendous amount of hair off of our upholstered furniture.

Given the short fur situation, we didn’t have need of the clippers or thinner attachment just yet, but I can imagine those coming in handy down the line when we start rescuing dogs (or if we find ourselves adopting a long-haired cat!).

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, this grooming kit is fabulous, and I can confidently say it’s the most comprehensive one I’ve tried yet. I can’t imagine needing anything more than what it already comes with, and I’m pleased with how versatile it is. I highly recommend it for pet owners who want to improve their at-home grooming game!