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The 9 best hair dryers, according to experts
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With the winter season in full swing, it's not uncommon for your hair to start feeling extra dry and frizzy. One thing that can make it worse? Using a poor-quality hair dryer that just sucks every last bit of moisture from your strands. Luckily, achieving a salon-quality blowout at home doesn't have to feel impossible if your hair dryer matches those of a professional caliber. Finding the best hair dryer first requires considering what's best for your hair type regarding heat, speed settings, and styling attachments. We spoke to eleven hair professionals to find the best hair dryers and tested several ourselves, breaking down our guide based on specific concerns or needs you may have.
Our absolute favorite hair dryer is the Dyson Supersonic, which checks all the boxes and then some with its Air Multiplier technology that dries hair faster and limits heat damage. It also comes with the best selection of attachments. For curly hair, we recommend Pattern's blow dryer, with specialized attachments that cater to a variety of curl patterns.
"We recommend selecting dryers with long-lasting motors and designated heat distribution systems to prevent overheating the hair during drying," says Sergio Bove, Vice President of U.S. Sales for Swiss hair dryer manufacturer Valera. "We also favor an ergonomic design with a lightweight construction for long-term drying sessions and to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome and elbow pressure difficulties." These are all factors we kept in mind when speaking to experts and testing hair dryers ourselves for this guide.
Below are the best hair dryers according to our expert interviews and testing.
Our top 3 picks for the best hair dryers
It may be pricey, but if you're looking for a high-tech hair dryer that actually lives up to the hype, the Dyson Super Sonic may be for you.
We love the T3 AirLuxe blow dryer and named it one of our best blow dryer picks of 2023. It’s great for quick-drying and will last you a long time.
With 4 attachments, you can get just about any look using this blow dryer from Pattern Beauty.
Pros: Fast-drying, reduces frizz, adds shine, sleek design, comes with 5 attachments
Cons: Price
The Dyson Supersonic is on the lower end of the wattage spectrum, but most of the experts we spoke to highly recommended it as one of the best hair dryers. The main features that they called out were its ability to fight frizz, its sleek, lightweight design, and its fast drying time. The only real downside is the price, but we feel that the value is there for people who blow dry frequently.
"The Dyson Supersonic is a go-to for fighting frizz," says Nick Stenson, artistic director of haircare company Matrix. "The technology that Dyson has created gives it a strong, controlled airflow that dries hair quickly with minimal frizz. And it includes 5 attachments, my favorite being the Flyaway attachment to give those sleek looks."
Our executive editor, Sally Kaplan, is a huge fan of the Dyson Supersonic. As a former beauty editor, she has tested several models over the years, and this is the model she swears by and recommends to others. Kaplan says that it has an incredibly fast drying time and leaves hair feeling silky instead of brittle. It also comes with several attachments for different styling needs, including a diffuser and a concentrator for styling, along with a flyaway smoother and a gentle air attachment for sensitive scalps.
The obvious downside is the high price tag, but don't worry — there are plenty of more affordable picks below.
Pros: Lightweight, 5 heat settings, comes with a paddle brush and round brush
Cons: Price, does not come with diffuser
T3 has long been a beauty editor-favorite in the world of styling tools. This lightweight, ergonomic option features digitally controlled settings and T3 technology, which reduces drying time. "T3 technology allows the dryer to monitor heat so that it is not overexposing the hair," says Stenson. "It can also dry larger sections to condense the drying time."
Pros: Fast-drying, lightweight, 6 speed and heat settings
Cons: Only comes with concentrator nozzle attachment
When it comes to the best hair dryers for thick hair, a higher wattage (aka, stronger airflow) is necessary in order to dry hair more efficiently. "When searching for a blow dryer for thick hair, you want to look for a dryer in the 2000 [wattage] range," says Matrix Artistic Director Nick Stenson.
This dryer from BabylissPro boasts 2,000 watts and features six heat and speed settings. It is best for thick but not super curly hair because it only comes with a concentrator nozzle.
Pros: Ergonomic design, 9-foot cord
Cons: Only comes with a concentrator nozzle
This professional-level hair dryer delivers high-pressure airflow for a quick and effective blow dry. "The GHD Air is powerful and can truly be an ace in the pocket to anyone with long and/or thick hair," says Brown. "This dryer gives maximum force, minimum frizz, and a smooth finish."
This tool has gone viral for good reason. The popular Dyson multi-styler now features re-engineered technology with 6 different attachments, including one of the best hair dryers for fighting frizz, the Coanda smoothing dryer. The hair dryer attachment features two modes: Drying mode, which can be used on any hair type to pre-dry hair or set finished styles, and Smoothing mode, which can be used to smooth flyaways and works best on naturally straight or wavy hair or straightened hair of any type.
"At home, I use the Dyson Airwrap," says Shelly Aguirre, stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. "It does seem to keep the hair healthy, and it's pretty quick. I also like all of the attachments. I can make my hair straight or add some loose curls or just some body depending on what look I'd like to achieve."
Read our full Dyson Airwrap review.
Pros: Fast drying time, 4 heat settings
Cons: Price
Because of their power and longevity, Twin Turbo offers some of the best hair dryers for professionals. Multiple experts pointed to the 3500 model as their favorite tool for long salon days. "This dryer's worth every dollar, especially for professionals like me who use a dryer for 10 hours every day," says Piet Sinthuchai, hairstylist and creative director of Vartali Salon in New York City. "The compact design makes it so easy to handle in different ways, plus the cold button is my favorite."
Holdsworth notes that she wouldn't recommend this for the average consumer as it's incredibly powerful and could be misused, leading to damage.
Pros: Lightweight, comes with 4 attachments, 9-foot cord
Cons: Price
You don't need bulky, cumbersome tools to achieve a quality blow-dry at home. This lightweight dryer from T3 is just over one pound and features an easy-to-hold design and a 9-foot cord for easy styling.
"As a pro, it's highly important for my guests to feel able to achieve anything I do in the salon at home," says Brown. "Ergonomics and accessibility play a huge role in that success. A favorite dryer is the T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer, which supports just that. At 16.6 ounces, this dryer is lightweight and ergonomic for all body types."
Pros: Specifically designed for curly and coily hair types, comes with 4 attachments, aesthetically pleasing design, lightweight
Cons: Price
As one of the best hair dryers for curly hair, The Pattern blow dryer is made "for the natural gals that don't need super straight hair," celebrity hairstylist and founder of NTRL by Sabs Sabrina Rowe Holdsworth.
Created by actress Tracee Ellis Ross, Pattern's entire line is tailored to textured hair. The lightweight yet powerful dryer comes with four attachments to help create a variety of curly styles — plus, its chic terracotta design will look stunning in any bathroom.
Pros: Multiple airflow settings, folds easily for compact storage, adjustable height for easy use
Cons: No additional attachments
If you have damaged hair, this bonnet-style hair dryer is for you. With just two heat and airflow settings, this dryer offers a gentle dry that leaves hair shiny and salon-quality. One of the biggest pros about this hair dryer is the extra-large hood that allows room for a full set of large rollers if you're looking for a faster, even dry when executing a voluminous blowout at home.
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