After seeing the various ads for the Sharper Image Ionic Pet Brush I had to have one! I even ordered one out for a friend at the same time through Amazon.com. Shipment was very fast and the transaction went extremely well. I purchased the Sharper Image brand of the "ionic" brushes as it was the most expensive. Priced at $39.95, it had to be the best one!

It promptly arrived well packaged and it seems to be of a good sturdy construction. The required 9 volt battery was not included.

Luckily, I did happen to have the proper size of battery already. The brush operates silently and there is no vibration. There is no air movement or any indication of operation other than a flashing green LED near the switch.

The ads had led me to believe that the brush was a static electricity generator which would help collect fur. The brush is supposed to be switched on and the pet is to be stroked with the brush for 2 to 5 minutes at a time. The pet odor is supposed to be eliminated from the animal's coat along with receiving a grooming with the brush. The two brush attachments easily slide on and off for cleaning and can be washed in warm water with soap. The manufacturer suggests that the brush be stroked on the animal in a sideways manner to avoid detaching the brush from the handle. The Ionic Pet Brush comes in two sizes for both large and small pets. The large size, which I purchased, is huge. The brush is a bit awkward to use.

I switched the unit on and almost immediately could smell a strong odor of ozone. Ozone is very harmful to the upper respiratory tract, skin and eyes even in low concentrations and should be avoided. Had I known it was an ozone generator I never would have made the purchase. (It is my opinion as a physician that these devices should not be on the market.)

Even if the unit had not been an ozone generator, the two brushes included are just about useless for brushing a dog. The bristle brush attachment is too soft and does not penetrate the fur. The plastic bristle attachment is too stiff and widely spaced to be of use on any of the shorter haired breeds.

Conclusion: Save your time and money. Don't buy one.


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