Claw trimming goes wrong at the quick — the vein running down inside the nail that bleeds and stings if you cut into it. Nobody, human or animal, gets braver about the job after the first time it happens. These clippers carry a safety guard that limits how much nail can pass under the blade in one go, which turns a nervous judgement call into a series of small, low-stakes ones instead.

The blade is stainless steel and sharpened to cut cleanly rather than crush, and that matters because a squashed nail splits and then catches on carpet and bedding for weeks afterwards. The handle is moulded with a non-slip grip so your hand stays where you put it through the inevitable wriggle, and the jaw is fine enough for a cat's claw while still closing on a small or medium dog's.

• Stainless-steel blade for a clean cut
• Safety guard to limit how much nail you take
• Non-slip moulded ergonomic handle
• Small jaw suited to fine claws and dew claws
• Works for cats and small to medium dogs
• Choice of pink or blue

On bigger dogs. These are sized for cats and smaller breeds. On a labrador, or anything with a thick, dense claw, you will be fighting the tool rather than using it, and a heavier plier-style clipper is the right buy. We would rather tell you that now than sell you the wrong thing.

Who it's for: Owners of cats and small dogs who would sooner keep claws short at home than book a groomer for a two-minute job.