What Are the Best Hair Dryers to Buy?
Best Hair Dryers to Buy
The best hair dryers are lightweight for ease of use, powerful enough to quickly dry even thicker locks, and come with a host of add-ons to suit your style. They’ll also offer enough precise heat settings to minimize heat damage and leave your strands looking shiny, smooth, and healthy. And if you’re in the market for a new hair styling tool, you may be surprised at the sheer number of choices out there—from the status-symbol blowers from Dyson and Shark to sleek drugstore options with a designer’s touch.
We tapped into the decades-long expertise of four professional hairstylists to help us pinpoint exactly what you need in a great hair dryer. Our panelists tested the latest offerings from the best hair dryer brands, including those with ionic technology and a host of other bells and whistles that help reduce frizz and static while speeding up your blowout.
If you have very fine or damaged hair, look for a model that specializes in these concerns, such as the GHD FlexStyle, which is infused with keratin and argan oil to tame fragile strands. Its intelligent thermo sensors automatically monitor temperatures and adjust the heat output to prevent strands from being exposed to high levels of heat for extended periods of time, and its diffuser attachment is perfect for wavy or curly hair.
What Are the Best Hair Dryers to Buy?
Another top performer for thin or normal hair is the ghd Air, which has plenty of power to tackle even thicker locks and features a hot mode that’s gentle on delicate strands, plus a cold shot that helps set your finished style. It left our panelists’ strands shiny, hydrated, and frizz-free. It also excelled at smoothing out natural curls, while those with dyed strands reported that it didn’t dull their color.
The top pick for thick hair is the Dyson Supersonic, which is fast and offers plenty of drying power to get the job done without overheating. Its patented digital motor V9 rotates up to 110,000 times per minute and distributes air evenly, so your locks aren’t overexposed to heat for too long. The Supersonic also measures the temperature of the airflow over 40 times per second and alerts you if your hair is too hot, preventing heat damage.
Our testers loved the sleek design and metallic accents of this premium dryer, which was also easy to hold for prolonged periods. They also praised its powerful airflow and ability to create a range of styles, from straightening to volumizing, while all agreed that it left their hair looking shiny and smooth. It even comes with a diffuser for tackling curls and a round brush for adding volume.
We were initially excited to see this dryer from celebrity hairstylist Kristin Ess’ line, which is available at Target, but the beauty brand fell flat in our testing. Its sleek white-and-gold packaging is certainly attractive, but it also emits a high-pitched tone that hurts the ears. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option with salon-grade performance, check out the more affordable Remington Kristin Ess Dryer, which performed well in our tests but didn’t grate on the ears like this one did.