Clippers are quick, and that is exactly the trouble with them: one bad angle and you catch the quick, and a dog who has been quicked once will remember it for years afterwards. A grinder takes the nail down in thin passes instead, which gives you time to stop and look, and it leaves a rounded edge rather than the sharp corner a clipper leaves behind on a freshly cut claw.

It runs from a USB-rechargeable cell rather than disposable batteries, and the design goes after the two things that frighten pets during grooming, noise and vibration, with a quiet motor in a damped body. The grinding wheel detaches so it can be cleaned or swapped when it stops biting. Higher variants add speed settings and built-in lights, which are more useful than they sound on a dark-clawed dog whose quick is invisible.

• USB rechargeable, no disposable batteries
• Quiet, low-vibration operation
• Detachable grinding wheel
• Files nails smooth rather than clipping them
• Choice of two-speed or three-speed versions
• Options with two or three built-in lights
• Suitable for cats and dogs

Two things worth knowing. Every variant is labelled English Version, which refers to the manual and packaging, so check it if instructions matter to you. And a grinder is a slow introduction rather than a first-night tool: run it switched off near your pet for a few sessions, then do one or two nails per sitting. Rushing produces a pet who hides at the sound of it.

What the options mean. Sold as 1PC at £14.99, or 3PCS at £37.99.

Who it's for: Owners of nervous pets, dark-clawed dogs, or anyone who has caught a quick once and would rather not again.