What dog grooming tools do you like best?

Best grooming tool I use is a simple plastic human hair brush I bought at the dollar store.  It's softer then anything metal so my dog tolerate it more, I can use it everyday, does not tear or damage the coat and it does the job better then any expensive metal wire thing. Yep, human brushes are the secret of keeping up with a Bearded Collie's coat.

I spend a good 15 mins. a day, at least, grooming my longhair dogs. My boys are totaly mat free using my methods and their coats are very healthy. I keep the heavy duity dog brushes around for tougher jobs like after swimming and when burs get stuck in the coat. For nails I dremil and that works best.  No cutting or shaving here, they are in their "unspoiled" coat as the breed dipicts.  No table for me either, my dogs lay nicely on floor on their sides as I brush from the center out. They are bigger dogs who are well trained to be groomed so I don't have a need for a table.  When it comes to shampoos/conditioners I go with human products as recommended to me by a groomer, once again those work better then anything sold for dogs.

Xebby

Best grooming tool I use is a simple plastic human hair brush I bought at the dollar store.  It's softer then anything metal so my dog tolerate it more, I can use it everyday, does not tear or damage the coat and it does the job better then any expensive metal wire thing. ...

Our son's girlfriend uses a human pin type brush on her Golden for the same reason. 

For routine grooming, I use a Zoom Groom (love,love, love it!), a metal "greyhound" comb and follow those up with a bristle horse brush.  Nails I do with a Dremel.  I have a grooming table, and use it when I feel like hauling it out (it's easier on my back to have Caleb on it), other wise, Caleb just stands on the floor or in the yard.  Mick and the Siberian/GSD we when we got married would stretch out on their sides to be groomed.  I even did their nails like that (Caleb lays on his back in my lap for nails)  I'll never forget the day I was doing the Sibe/GSD mix in our front yard at camp and someone asked me why I was brushing a  dead dog.  LOL  Shampoos- I love Buddy Wash  from Cloud Star.  Occasionally, I'll follow it up with Buddy Rinse conditioner (more so in the winter). 

I keep another grehound style comb and a human natural bristle brush in our hiking bag for "clean ups" after hiking & swimming (that particular bristle brush has been used on my dogs for over 30 years.  It got moved from the grooming box to the hiking bag a couple of years ago).

the tools I like best are:

for bathing, I have this rubber glove thingy that has raised ridges. It pulls out dog hair and my dogs LOVE getting bathed with it because it is a constant massage as far as they are concerned. It makes bathing really easy and quick too.

I have a doggy dryer that my dogs also love. It is a life saver with 3 double coated dogs around

For combs and brushes, my dogs like a horse brush best. It does a decent job - probably as good as anything else. I have yet to find a magic bullet for getting their undercoat out. They won't tolerate much by way of brushing except that horse brush.

Right now, the dogs have started to blow their coats and the undercoat is getting matted. It is really difficult to get all that out without doing a thorough job with a comb. The dogs hate the comb though as it tugs on their fur.

 I have a zoom groom that I use for bathing in order to soap up the dog. I wash Luke with L'Oreal Kids 2 in 1, and I use Suave Kids' Conditioner for him. I started using the L'Oreal when I had him in the bath wet one day, and realized I had no dog shampoo, so I just used that. For quick cleaning, I use Bed Head waterless shampoo.

I use whatever cheap detangler spray I can find when we need it. Right now, we have Johnson's. 

For brushes, I have a slicker brush, a pin brush, a metal tooth comb, and a shedding blade. I rarely ever use the shedding blade, because I try not let things get that bad. I also find it easier to work mats out with the comb and the De-tangler. 

For nail clippers, I prefer the scissor type of thing, not the guillotine type. However, I am going to buy a dremel, because Luke is a complete drama queen. He yelps like I quicked him, even though I never have. 

 I think you will find that what folks prefer will depend on the coat they are dealing with: long, undercoat, blow coat or shedding or hair, etc.  It is going to vary widely, which is why professional groomers need to have so much readily available.

For my flock of fluffs, buying the forced air dryer was a huge improvement!  For 4 years I used my human hand held hair dryer -- and now I can't believe I did it!  No heating element, and just having the force straightens the hair quite a bit.  I do also need to brush as I dry, but the difference is tremendous.