Choose the Solis Groom Pro 5-in-1 ($149) for single-coated and medium dogs, for cats, and for any animal that is noise-sensitive: it runs at 48 dB, weighs 3 kg and moves anywhere in the house. Choose the Groom Max 7-in-1 ($199) for double-coated and large breeds: 13,000 Pa across three suction levels, a 3 L cup that takes a whole large-breed groom without emptying, HEPA filtration, a nail grinder and six guide combs from 3 mm to 18 mm. One caveat decides it for many buyers: the Groom Max is corded and specified at 120 V / 350 W, which is North American mains. In Australia, the UK and the EU it requires a step-down transformer rated for the load — not a travel plug adapter — so for most buyers in those markets the Groom Pro is the straightforward choice.
The short version
| Groom Pro 5-in-1 | Groom Max 7-in-1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 | $199 |
| Suction | 10,000 Pa | 13,000 Pa, 3 levels |
| Noise | 48 dB | Under 60 dB |
| Dust cup | 2 L | 3 L, detachable |
| Filter | Washable multi-stage | HEPA |
| Tool count | 5 | 7 |
| Guide combs | — | 6 (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 mm) |
| Nail grinder | — | Yes |
| Hose | 1.6 m | 5.2 ft (~1.6 m) |
| Weight / size | 3 kg | 15.8 × 13.8 × 7.9 in |
| Power | Portable unit | Corded, 120 V / 350 W |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
Where the Groom Pro wins
Noise, by a margin that matters
48 dB against under 60 dB is not a 20% difference in perception. Decibels are logarithmic, and the gap sits exactly across the threshold where a machine goes from "background" to "thing that is happening to me". If your animal is nervous, has had a bad grooming experience, or is a cat, this specification outranks everything else on the sheet.
Portability
3 kg and a self-contained body means the machine goes to wherever the animal is calmest — a spare room, a balcony, the garden. Anyone who has tried to relocate a distressed dog to a machine rather than the other way round knows why that matters.
Solis Groom Pro 5-in-1 Pet Grooming Vacuum
Clipper, deshedder, grooming brush, cleaning brush and crevice nozzle on one 10,000 Pa motor. 48 dB, 2 L cup, 3 kg.
$149 — view product →
Where the Groom Max wins
Double coats
13,000 Pa across three selectable levels is a genuinely different machine on a husky, a retriever or a shepherd in moult. The rake has to pull dead undercoat through a layer of guard hair, and below a certain airflow it simply loads up and stops collecting.
Three litres between interruptions
A full groom on a large breed fits in one canister. On a 2-litre machine the same job means stopping three or four times, and every stop is a chance for the dog to decide the session is finished.
Length control and nails
Six guide combs from 3 mm to 18 mm mean the cut length is set before the blade touches the coat, which is the difference between a trim and an accident. The nail grinder files rather than cuts, which avoids the quick entirely and suits dogs that flinch at clippers.
Solis Groom Max 7-in-1 Grooming Kit
13,000 Pa across three levels, a 3 L cup, HEPA filtration and six guide combs — built for double coats.
$199 — view product →
The voltage caveat — read this if you are outside North America
The Groom Max is a corded machine specified at 120 V / 350 W. That is North American mains. Australia, the UK and continental Europe run 230–240 V.
- A plug adapter is not enough. An adapter changes the pin shape, not the voltage. Putting 230 V into a 120 V motor is how you destroy it, immediately and without warranty cover.
- A step-down transformer rated above 350 W — realistically 500 W or more for headroom on motor start-up — is the only correct way to run it on 230 V mains.
- The Groom Pro avoids the question. If you are in AU, the UK or the EU and you do not already own a suitable transformer, the Groom Pro is the machine to buy unless your dog's coat genuinely demands the extra power.
We would rather say this plainly than sell the wrong machine into the wrong socket. If you have a double-coated dog in Australia or Europe and you want the Groom Max anyway, budget for the transformer as part of the purchase.
The decision, as a flowchart in words
- Cat, or nervous animal of any kind? → Groom Pro. Noise decides.
- Outside North America and no transformer? → Groom Pro.
- Double-coated breed mid-moult, on 120 V mains? → Groom Max. The power and cup size are real.
- Want to cut to a set length and manage nails at home? → Groom Max. The guide combs and grinder are the reason.
- Everything else? → Groom Pro, and put the $50 towards blades and a case.
Solis Carry Case
Moulded EVA hard shell with a repositionable divider — keeps clipper heads and combs together between grooms.
$24 — view product →
New to grooming vacuums generally? Start with how a grooming vacuum actually works, and see the shedding season guide for when to expect the heavy weeks where you live.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Groom Max worth $50 more than the Groom Pro?
For a double-coated or large breed, yes — 13,000 Pa, a 3 L cup, HEPA filtration, six guide combs and a nail grinder are all real advantages, with a 2-year warranty instead of 1. For a cat, a small dog or a nervous animal, no: the Groom Pro's 48 dB is worth more than the extra power.
Can I use the Groom Max in Australia, the UK or Europe?
Only through a step-down transformer rated above its 350 W draw. The machine is specified at 120 V and those markets run 230–240 V; a plug adapter changes the pin shape but not the voltage and will destroy the motor. The Groom Pro is the simpler choice in those markets.
Which is quieter?
The Groom Pro, at 48 dB against under 60 dB. Because decibels are logarithmic, that gap is a large perceptual difference rather than a small one, and it is the specification that most often decides whether a nervous dog tolerates grooming at all.
Do the tool heads swap between the two machines?
They are sold as complete kits with their own connectors, so treat the heads as belonging to their machine. The Groom Max ships seven tools plus six guide combs; the Groom Pro ships five.
Written by the Solis Fortune editorial team. Specifications quoted are the published manufacturer figures for the products linked above; where a supplier publishes no figure we say so rather than estimate one. Regulatory summaries are general information, not legal advice — check the rules that apply where you live before you buy.