Review (4/5): Does the job
I currently have an older wire brush I wanted to replace for better comfort of my cats. I chose a few different types to try out so my review will include comparisons. This brush was most similar in size and shape of my current brush It works just as well but has coated tips which don't poke the cats' skin. They also don't poke my fingers as I try to remove the hair! After a brushing session, this item is as effective at removing the fur as my old brush though I notice the cats aren't as perturbed by the bristles. The size and shape are comfortable, the weight feels decently balanced and the handle is a rubber material that fits well in my hand. I love the push button feature and don't know why I didn't try one of these out sooner. The extendable plate makes it so much easier and comfortable to remove the hair than trying to pull it out of the non tipped bristle brush and always pricking my fingers in the process. And, even if the plate/spring wear out and I have to manually pull out the hair from the bristles, they are tipped so not a problem! I will not go back to non-tipped combs! Overall, this brush works well and I am pleased with it. As a standalone, it's perfectly fine and effective. Having tried a few other types, though, I notice its button isn't as easy tp push as others. This will be a personal preference depending on buyers' strength limitations. The only other note is the price. It's still a bit more expensive than other similar brushes, so assuming all perform the same, I'd go with the cheapest you can find since this one doesn't really have any unique features to justify the higher cost unless you really need a more contoured handle.
Pros:
--Decently balanced. Maybe due to the larger handle, the weight feels more evenly distributed
--Rubberized grip and has some contour shape to it opposed to some others
--Easy hair removal (push a button and the plate will lift off the hair)
--About the same size as my current (old) brush
--Safety coated tips for better pet comfort and no accidental finger pricks
--Works as advertised and expected to remove hair
Cons:
--Higher priced than similar products
--Button takes more strength to operate (see tips below) compared to others
--The plate (at least on mine) doesn't quite extend past all of the bristles. Nothing that makes the brush ineffective just noting a difference between this and other models I tried.
Tips:
--If you have limited strength in your fingers, you might want to look at a button that has less resistance or a brush that has the release button on the handle to use have more grip control. I found this button takes more effort than 2 other brushes I tried out. The easiest button to push out of the products I used was the green and white brush from guliguli.
--If you need or want the more ergo handle, this one is definitely nice and out of the 3 I tried, was the only one with rubber and some shape as opposed to a straight plastic handle.