South Korean tech companies are rushing to release home appliances with pet care features to target the growing number of pet owners that seek more convenience and efficiency.

According to multiple industry sources on Tuesday, Korean home appliance company Shinil Electronics Co. introduced a hybrid standing dryer late last year, a stand-type hair dryer with a pet mode. The product allows the users to dry their pets more conveniently as the standing mode gives them free use of both hands.

The pet care mode produces a much lower sound and frequency levels for pets like dogs and cats with more sensitive ears.

“We studied the characteristics of pets in the development stage and found the optimal level of frequency that can relieve the stress of pets,” said an unnamed official from Shinil.

When not in pet mode, users can put makeup with both hands while drying their hair.

Coway Co., a leading water and air purifier maker, also released the Coway Noble, an air purifier, in 2021, that features a “my pet mode.” The air purifier removes dust particles and even fine hair of pets. The product runs the fan 140 percent faster than the usual to create strong winds. The pet filter is applied with a deodorizing substance that absorbs hydrogen sulfide molecules, the source of odor from pet waste.

As more people live with pets, the number of consumers using pet filters for pleasant indoor spaces is on the rise, according to Coway.

SK Magic Co. launched a Core Pet air purifier this year, which offers an extra filter for pets.

The trend, in the meantime, is global.

U.K.-based vacuum cleaner manufacturer Dyson released a pet grooming tool and cleaner head last year. The vacuum attachments allow users to brush their pets’ hair and clean the floor simultaneously. The tools are also attachments for Dyson‘s cordless vacuum cleaners so that users can attach the accessories to their Dyson vacuums.

When consumers brush the fur using the tool, the loose fur is removed from the pets while allergens and skin flakes are captured. The cleaner head, a polycarbonate-based slicker brush, allows users to brush tangled hair off their pets that will directly go into the vacuum. People with long-haired pets need to brush their pets regularly to prevent the fur from falling out, and the product removes the loose fur and skin flakes immediately off the brush.

By Lee Sae-bom and Han Yubin

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]