If you’d like some help in figuring out which features are important to you, check out our buying advice after the chart. And, if you’re upgrading your styling kit, have a look at our guide to the best hair straighteners as well. We’ve tested out hair dryers with all of the features and accessories you could want, so you can choose the right one for you. Read on for our recommendations.
Best hair dryer reviews
Energy efficient Fast Quiet Leaves hair shiny
Expensive No choice of heat settings
The idea behind it is to use the heat from light, rather than heated coils, to dry hair. Zuvi claims this will stop the inside of the hair shaft from drying out and thus reduce damage. What we can say is that it dries hair extremely quickly, at a much lower temperature than a standard hair dryer. It’s quieter as well, which makes the whole hair drying experience much more relaxing, and hair is left soft and shiny. Best of all, it’s extremely energy efficient, using much less power than rivals. Yes, it’s pricey. But if you can afford it, it’s a pleasure to use.
Fast Quiet Comfortable to use
Price
Our testers were impressed with the Supersonic but initially aghast at the high price tag, although we think it’s not that much when compared to the price of a quality haircut. It’s very fast at drying (some may find it a little too fast when drying at low speed), super quiet, simple and comfortable to use, and with some neat design features such as the magnetic attachments. There are certainly cheaper, quality hair dryers available but we think the hair-friendly Dyson Supersonic is smart enough to justify the comparatively high price tag.
Fantastic and fast results Lightweight Magnetic nozzle attachment
Power cable could be longer Travel case is extra Only two airflow speeds
However, you’ll only get one magnetic attachment with it, unless you go for the Special package, which costs another $20/ £20, in which case you’ll get a diffuser, a smoothing and a styling nozzle.
It has two speed settings and three heat settings: in a nice touch, there’s a ring light at the end of the dryer head that illuminates blue, orange or red, according to the heat setting. Be warned though, the hot setting is very hot indeed if you use one of the nozzles.
It comes in four colour options: matt black, silver blue, pearl white and ruby red.
Style as you dry Quick & easy to use Good value
Large styler Not vegan Effectiveness may depend on hair type
Still, its effectiveness might vary depending on your hair type, and if you have long, thick hair, you may have to dry it first – which makes it slightly less appealing. Like other styling tools, it could damage your hair if you use it too often, and ethical beauty shoppers will be disappointed to learn that it features genuine boar bristles.
Ionic technology 3 heat settings Fast results
Expensive
As it’s a 2100W appliance, it has the power to get the job done quickly. It also uses ionic technology to speed dry and de-frizz your locks, which means you can use a lower heat. We were impressed during testing and would recommend it to people who want to invest a bit more in a hair dryer that’ll help protect their hair.
Powerful Quiet Ionic technology
Pricey
We’ll struggle to go back to a less expensive hair dryer now that we’ve had it for a few weeks. But we’ve been perfectly happy with hair dryers in the past that have come in at half the price of this, so it’s not a necessity by any means. Still, it would make the perfect gift for a hair-conscious loved one.
Foldable Two heat settings International voltage friendly
Only suitable as a backup or travel dryer
There aren’t many bells and whistles here, but at this price, you wouldn’t expect them. You get a choice of two heat and power settings, and a removable styling head. Most importantly though, the dryer is small, light and foldable, which so it’s the ideal hair dryer to take when you travel. Braun has planned for that, making sure it’s compatible with voltages from 100-240V. As long as you have a travel adapter, you can trust that it will work just about wherever you are, without worrying that the voltage will be too low to power it, or too high and break it. Despite that portability, it packs a decent punch for its size, so you won’t be standing around for hours waiting for your hair to dry. This is unlikely to be your main dryer, but for a budget back-up or a travel-friendly spare, it’s a good option.
Hair dryer buying guide
A hair dryer should be a straightforward purchase but if you haven’t updated yours in a while, there are some nice features you might be missing out on. To decide which one to buy, start with your hair.
Heat settings
If you colour your hair, it’s likely to need a little more TLC. Look for a dryer with at least a low and a high power setting, as well as options for temperature. Use a high power, hotter setting for a quick blast to get most of the water out of your hair and then switch to a lower, cooler setting to protect your locks as you finish off.
Ionic technology
A hair dryer with ionic technology will dry hair more quickly, allowing you to use lower heat. It’ll help to protect damaged hair and restore a bit of shine. Ionic hairdryers are also good for curly hair, as they’ll protect the curl and cut down on flyaway frizz.
Wattage
Once you’ve decided on the right approach for your hair, check out the wattage of the device you’re looking at. More power means it’ll get the job done more quickly. If you’ve ever spent a frustrating half an hour with a dinky hotel hairdryer and still ended up with wet hair, you’ll understand how much difference wattage makes. Your hair dryer should be at least 1,800 watts but professional hair dryers can be twice as powerful.
Cool button and attachments
Also look for a cool button, which will help you set your look at the end. Finally, there are attachments: a diffuser will help you maintain your curls and a flat-headed nozzle will help you to smooth. Emma is Home Tech Editor at Tech Advisor. She covers everything from kitchen appliances to smart home devices, from floor care to personal care to air care technology. She’s particularly interested in environmentally conscious brands and products that save people time and money.
