A mat is not a tangle that got worse, it is a felted lump that has bonded to the skin underneath, and pulling a fine comb through one hurts. What actually works is cutting into the mat from the edge with a small number of sharp blades and breaking it into pieces you can then comb out. That is what one side of this tool does, while the other side rakes loose undercoat before it has the chance to felt in the first place.

The blades are sharpened on the inner edge and left smooth on the outer curve, so they slice through packed hair on the pull stroke while the part that touches the skin stays blunt. They are made to resist rust, which matters more than it sounds for anything used on a damp coat. The handle is the unusual part: it doubles as a sticky lint roller, and the paper rolls are replaceable, so the hair you have just lifted off the dog can be picked up off your sleeve and the sofa with the same tool.

• Two-in-one dual-sided dematting rake
• Sharp inner blades with smooth outer edges
• Rust-resistant blade finish
• Lint-roller handle with user-replaceable sticky paper rolls
• Comb head 8.2cm wide, roughly 17.5cm overall
• Choice of brown and white or black and white

Two things worth knowing. Second, no dematting tool is painless on a coat that has gone badly: if a mat is tight to the skin, clip it out or book a groomer, because working it loose with any comb will hurt.

Who it's for: Owners of a long or double-coated dog or cat who are keeping on top of tangles at home between professional grooms.