Ordering a dryer on Monday

I am happy to say that I have decided to order a dryer on Monday, I have gathered all sorts of advice on this forum and I will get a stand dryer in the future, but for now, I am proud to say that I am buying the little Air Force Commander by Metro and the cage attachment as well. I have had many mixed reviews on getting this one, but I have spoken to some who have used it for years and have had no problem with it, and they like it...so instead of waiting another 3 months until I can get a better one I am ordering this one on Monday along with some shampoo and de-matting solution, and I can hardly wait!

I know some of you think it is a poor dryer, but for someone who only does 3-5 dogs a few days a week, it will work for me, and I can use it as a back up dryer once I get a better one and have more dogs...I am just starting out, and won't go into debt for a dryer, so this works out well for me, it's affordable, it seems to have a good record for lasting and I am dying to get it!
Wish me luck!
Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer

[4Sibes]

Your world as you know it...is about to change, for the better!

I have always had Metro's AF-3's. Would not be w/out them and keep 2 operational at all times.

They last me forever...and at the kennel I think we figured they got 35 hours to 40 hours of use a week, and w/ recommended brush changing.....it will last for years!! Have fun w/ your new toy!

[gluergirl]

Thanks 4Sibes,
I am excited, I know the pros's and cons but living debt free has it's advantages...I will get another dryer in the summer, a stand dryer would be nice, but by that time I may look at something else instead. I am really excited to be getting this one and for the amount of dogs I do, I think it will work out just great.
I am so excited, and I hope it won't take forever to get here! So, here's to life getting better soon

Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer

[neanea]

we all have to start out somewhere!

When I opened, I bought the lil b-air $99 dryer and it served me well in the beginning. Once I had gotten enough business, I bought the Kool Dry and love that as well.

So, don't let peeps make you feel bad for getting the Metro. They are good dryers and what I learned with. They take a lickin' and keep on tickin'

[mylady]

Gosh, all we had at the one place I worked was metros and they were work horses. They may not always be the most powerful out there, but I love their flexible hoses! I think for the number of dogs you are doing it will be absolutely fine. Heck I started the mobile with a dryer that was probably the equivalent of me blowing through a straw! It came with the van. Would have LOVED to have a metro over that one any day!
Metros have been around for a long time for a reason! People keep buying them! Unless you are doing a lot of Newfs and Great Pyreneese and GSD with tons of coat, etc, I think this dryer will serve you well.

[MeganDavids]

I am a home groomer also - doing 3-5 dogs a week right now and the only drawback on my metro was not having a 3rd arm to hold the hose. I bought a standard hose "holder" that clamps on to the table and my life has gotten alot easier!! I love it! It will even hold my regular hair dryer when needed! Congrats on being able to live debt free!! :-)

[4Sibes]

Lisa...reading mylady's post...re; the wonderful, flexible hose,...reminds me,...you are definitely going to want to invest in a metal hose clamp ($1.99 at the hardware store) to clamp that wonderful, flexible hose...onto the dryer. Yes...it slips on, but after a few uses...the dryer will continually blow it off, which will continually frustrate you. Hose clamp will continually prevent that lil irritation.

[gluergirl]

Wow, such great responses, I can't believe it! So thank you all.
I have a pretty handy husband who is actually going to mount the dryer on the other side of my wall and put a door on the front, so I can reach the switches and also have a hole for the hose. This should cut down on the noise level and make the room less crowded too, it comes with a free wall mount, so that is going to work out well. I also got him to look into some goose necks for holding the hose and he will take me to pick one up next week, they look more stable than the little 3rd arm that Ren's has so I am pretty impressed at how well this can work out, and it looks like the hose will not only reach my table, but the tub too, so I am one happy camper today! Just think how happy I will be when the door bell rings and the courier guy is handing it too me LOL! he might get squeezed, but it's always the same guy, so he knows what to expect from me
The day he brought my first order from Rens I almost hit him with the door when I opened it. Poor guy, but I always give him a tip too, so I think he is ok with the excitement.

Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer

[gluergirl]

ah, thank you for that warning about the hose clamp 4Sibes... I will get one when I grab the goose neck...Thanks for letting me in on that trick!
Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer

[odette]

I have 2 metros, bbeen grooming along time and I do blow out alot of shepherds, and like coated dogs, Just get the most cfpm's you can afford, enjoy your new "toy"

[sheilabgroomer]

Not a thing wrong w/ a Metro or a Metro type dryer! I currently have two of them (Laube models that are metro copycats) that are in constant use. They probabaly get used as much or even more than my expensive (and highly cumbersome and aggravating) stand dryer or my K9 II's. I was going to suggest the "3rd arm" but you already got that useful piece of advice!

I am going to have to find the clamp thingy that sibes mentioned as my 3 arm is getting butterfingers and I have had the hose slip out and whap me in the head a time or two.

One thing I will add is to use caution when using it as a cage dryer especially in the summer months. They don't have heat settings, but they DO warm up quite a lot when they have been running for a while. Just make sure that you don't put a dog in a position of getting over-heated.

If you keep up w/the basic maintence on you handy little HV it will last you for a looong time. Another way to make sure it lasts is to never let it roll out of the hatchback that you forgot to close and slam on the driveway as you are pulling out......I never actually did this (rolling eyes) it's just a good preventative idea I randomly thought of...............shut up Bernie! You don't have to say it!.....lol

[D'tails]

They are a good starter dryer and do last forever.

I bought mine probably 12 years ago and kept it at home for grooming family members' dogs on the weekends when I wasnt working.

I use a k9 III in my own shop and it seems to blow as much air as 4 Metro dryers combined.

The old Metro is now being used as a cage dryer with the cage attachment from Pet Edge. Only prob I have had with it is the toggle switch went bad and had to be replaced by a sweeper repair guy. He installed a steel push-button switch on it and I love it. I can just step on the switch with my foot to turn it on. He said the brushes in the unit still have 1/2 of their life left too. Great little dryer.

[celebpet]

I have the Table Works third arm and it was worth every penny.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

GIRL!

Stay out of debt, that is WAY smart, you are doing fine, just fine! Those dryers ARE workhorses, just not as powerful as you need, so if the goal is to stay out of debt, AND buy a better dryer, you're on course!

You are an example for groomers, good for you!

Tammy in Utah

[gluergirl]

Once again, thanks everyone! I am pretty happy to be getting one this soon, I was going to wait until I could afford an expensive one, but I need to speed up the drying now and practice getting the hair straight, so this one will work and then in the summer when I have more experience, I'll be posting again saying it is time to upgrade and getting your help on what to upgrade to!
This way I get to dry the dogs faster than I am now, so I can do a few extra dogs each week, and I will get more practice that way too, so it's all good.
I am thinking that a stand dryer will be next....and I can then move the metro over to use just in the tubs, but who knows...I'll get you to figure that out with me when the time comes LOL! I had to shave down a Golden doodle/poodle today, a large dog that is a real sweetie, but she showed up with dreadlocks and matted to the flesh...I hated to do it, but the owners agreed that they will bring her in every 2 weeks for a brush/comb out so this didn't happen again. They are very busy with the farm, small children and have some other things on the go now too, so it makes sense to let me worry about the dog every few weeks to prevent the mats/dreadlocks, and then book her for a complete groom every 6 weeks too. More money for me, and no worries for them! I hope she likes the new dryer
I am going to order some of The Stuff tomorrow as well, and hopefully some speed dry shampoo that somebody recommended. Need to try some new things out!
Hope everyone has a good week and had a great weekend as well!
Thanks again for all the support on the dryer, it is really nice to have people to share in the excitement with me.
Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer