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Who doesn't love the feeling that a professional salon blowdry brings? We've all experienced the confidence of a great hair day, and know that it can put a spring in your step for the entire day after leaving the salon. However, unless you're a celebrity with a glam squad on speed dial, having a blowout is an occasional treat rather than a daily or weekly occurrence. However, the best hair-dryers can (almost) emulate that feeling at home. Trust me.
Much like a good hot brush or hair multi-styler, a brilliant hair dryer can make all the difference to your hair routine. If you've ever been stuck with a tiny hotel hair dryer that gently sighs hot hair before packing up midway through drying your hair, you'll know what a difference a good (or bad) hair dryer can make. Apart from speeding up your drying time, a great hair dryer makes styling easier, prevents extreme heat damage and takes the chore out of drying your hair, all without the dreaded arm ache. And if you invest carefully, the best hair dryers will last you for many years to come.
However, with so many to choose from, it can be hard to tell which are the best. The perfect one for you will vary much on your hair type (see the best hair dryers for textured hair), the kind of attachments you're after, and how much you want to spend. With hair dryers ranging from £20 to £400, is it really worth spending a lot of money on a hair dryer? To find out, I enlisted our team of hard-to-please editors to do all of the heavy lifting by testing several different hair dryers. Below are the ones that made the cut, from Dyson to Shark and everything in between.
How We Tested
Our panel of editors put eight hair dryers to the test over the course of a month, testing on various hair types and textures. We tested models at every price point, from a £40 hair dryer, all the way up to Dyson's £330 model.
The Best Hair Dryers, Tried And Tested
- Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (£330)
- Hershesons The Great Hairdryer (£195)
- Bio Ionic Smart-X Hair Dryer (£248)
- Shark Flexstyle (£270)
1. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer Review
Pros: Premium design, powerful, dries hair very quickly, range of attachments
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 10/10
Our Verdict: I’ll preface my review by saying that I’m already a loyal lover of my GHD Air Hair Dryer. It gets the job done and I have no complaints, but I was curious to see what the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer could offer, as I adore the Dyson Airwrap and Corrale straighteners. My hair is long and reasonably thick, so blow-drying is often a lengthy chore for me. Some of my hair texture is wiry around my crown, so I’m prone to flyaways at the roots that I’m hellbent on smoothing. I’m always searching for that smooth, salon-worthy result when I’m drying my hair.
To me, the Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer feels like the Tesla of hair dryers. The device looks and feels premium to use. Holding it in my hand, it feels lightweight yet sturdy, and I like the unique design and colourways the hair dryer comes in. The accompanying case is also beautiful to keep your hair dryer and attachments safe. But, I’m pleased to say that the Dyson Supersonic has both style and substance.
Let’s get into the technology. This no doubt plays a part in the investment price tag and what sets it apart from competitors. The Supersonic measures air temperature 40 times per second, helping to regulate the temperature to prevent heat damage. There are three heat settings to choose from, as well as a cool-shot button for locking styles into place and adding shine. There are also three speed settings to choose from.
I have high praise for the well-thought-out attachments. They magnetically snap into place onto the head of the hair dryer, making them easy to attach and remove. These include a diffuser attachment for drying curls and waves, a wide-toothed comb for drying coily hair textures, as well as a concentrated nozzle for focused drying. What sets the Supersonic apart from other dryers is the addition of a smoothing attachment, which mimics hairstylists’ techniques for tucking in stubborn flyaways at the roots and through the lengths. Another thoughtful addition is the gentle air attachment, which diffuses the air more gently, making it ideal for those with sensitive scalps who still want their hair to dry quickly without too much heat. You can also use the hair dryer as it is without any attachments if you’re rough-drying your hair.
The Dyson Supersonic is reasonably quiet to use, particularly on the slower speed settings, without compromising on power. I used the highest speed setting and the medium heat level, and it dried and styled my hair in under 15 minutes. I find many hair dryers leave my hair cuticles looking rough and frizzy, but the concentrated nozzle left my hair smooth with a healthy shine. I particularly loved the smoothing attachment, which gave me a sleek blowdry free from flyaways. I've recently had some some new hair growth pop through, and this is ideal for taming those flyaways. I really loved the final result and found it easy and enjoyable to use.
The only con is the price—it’s the most expensive hair dryer of all the ones we have tested. However, I do think it's worth the investment over the course of the several years you’ll have it (Dyson’s warranty guarantees its hair dryer model for five years), especially if you’re using it every day or several times per week. Overall, if you're willing to part with the money, Dyson's Supersonic Hair Dryer is an excellent investment.
2. Hershesons The Great Hairdryer Review
Pros: Automatically remembers your most-used settings, lightweight , powerful, reduces drying time
Cons: Filter needs emptying regularly
Rating: 9/10
Our Verdict: My hair is pretty darn average: Brunette, undyed, mid-length and not too thick or fine. It’s not curly or naturally straight. All of these factors have their benefits at times, but they also mean that I’ve never really just been able to leave my hair to dry naturally if I’d like it to feel styled or particularly glossy (it tends to just end up frizzy and unusually bushy). Hence why I really depend on a great hair dryer.
I’ve been using an old classic GHD hairdryer for years (I haven't yet jumped on the Dyson train) but ever since starting to test Hershesons' The Great Hairdryer a few months ago, I feel like I’ve been living in the dark ages. Features wise, it comes with three attachments: a diffuser and two nozzles for smoother blowdries (one narrow and one wide). There’s three heat settings and three speeds, with a cool-shot option too. Amazingly, it memorises your favourite settings for the next time you turn it on, and I also loved the option to lock your settings during use, which avoids any of that awkwardness of trying to hold the hair dryer in a position where you won’t accidentally flick the switches (a particular pet peeve of mine).
So, if it just dries hair, what is it exactly that impressed me about this hair dryer? Well, to start, I was shocked at how lightweight it is—294 grams to be exact, which is apparently less than a can of Coke. I first tried it whilst away with friends, and in disbelief, made them all handle it too to see for themselves (they were impressed, even the Dyson users). Although my tricep definition might suffer, I won’t miss the arm workout of my old hair dryer. It’s not "quiet” as such, but it’s certainly a lot quieter than my old ageing model, and most impressive was how quickly it dried my hair. Despite its lighter weight and smaller, more streamlined shape, Hershesons has cut no corners in terms of the amount of power it packs. I’d say it probably cut my drying time in half, to around eight to 10 minutes. And those are precious minutes when you’re rushing to get out of the door in the morning.
I usually rough-dry my hair straight out of the shower with no attachment, then use the wide nozzle with a round brush to smooth out any kinks. Using this method, I got the very sleek and glossy effect you can see here, with a lot less flyaways than before. But I also love that I’ve been able to use this hair dryer in a rush with no round-brush faffing, and it’s still left me with tamed, frizz-free locks.
For those who like to know technical specs, another pro is its innovative technology. The brand calls it Oxy Active Technology, and it works by emitting active oxygen with an anti-bacterial effect, which "increases shine, protects the elasticity of your hair and keeps your colour looking vibrant for longer," according to Hershesons. It also claims to work on long, short, thick, fine, curly, coloured, textured and heat-damaged hair.
A very small con, but worth mentioning, is that to keep the hair dryer functioning at its best you have to regularly clean out the filter. This sounds time-consuming but there’s actually a very easy how-to video on the automatic cleaning function. I already know I’ll be lax in completing this process regularly, but I take comfort in the fact that it does have an automatic switch-off feature to let me know when this step is absolutely necessary.
At £295, it’s certainly not cheap, but I think it still makes a smart investment considering it’s something you use maybe every day, or at least every few days. And it really has transformed my morning hair routine. I will caveat my 9/10 verdict by saying that I do have quite easy hair to manage, and having not tried the Dyson (potentially the holy grail of modern hair dryers?), my standards are probably quite low. But, I can say for certain I won’t ever be going back to a my old hair dryer after trying The Great Hairdryer, and it without a doubt lives up to its name.
Rating: 9/10
3. Bio Ionic Smart-X Hair Dryer Review
Pros: Powerful, quiet, reduced drying time, option to 'lock' settings, negative ions add shine,
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 9/10
Our Verdict: My hair is a little bit of everything these days; since having a baby it’s definitely thicker, and with some greys coming through, there are coarse strands sitting against finer ones. I have post-partum regrowth that just won’t quit, so I have lots of flyaway hairs on the top of my head and around my hairline. My hair is the kind of fairly voluminous, semi-wavy hair that doesn’t actually like being blow-dried or set in place as it very quickly falls out. I don’t mind a little bit of fluff and frizz and unruliness, but I often avoid hair dryers as they can bring out the worst parts of my texture then fall out to look super flat. I’m an air-dry kinda girl.
There are so many amazing things about the Bio Ionic Smart-X that I’m now a hair dryer convert! The speed at which it dries, the quiet hum, the fact you can lock your settings in place and not keep nudging the buttons into another gear—there’s even an auto-memorisation functionality that remembers your favourite setting—genius! This hair dryer uses greater air pressure and less heat so it’s healthier for your hair, plus the negative ions that are emitted allow more water to absorb into the shaft, which ultimately means you have better-moisturised, softer, shinier looking hair as a result, even when you’re rough-drying.
There are three warm settings and a cool button as well as three different speeds. I personally don’t like to use super-hot hair dryers, so this is a great benefit for me. Highly ergonomic and the slimmest, lightest hair dryer I’ve ever used, it makes styling my hair a much easier, quicker experience. The power cord is long so you can move about, but it’s the quiet, high-tech "swoosh" sound that impresses me the most—no more waking up the household when I need to get up early! It dries my hair quickly, even on a lower temperature setting, but it’s worth noting that my hair is currently cut into a chin-length bob, so there isn’t heaps to dry.
I’m no expert when it comes to blow-drying my own hair but this definitely helps me achieve a my-hair-but-better result. Because it even does a nice job of rough-drying my hair, it’s definitely turned me from a hair-dryer-phobe to a convert. Yes, it’s more expensive than your average high-street hair-dryer, but I think for something you use multiple times a week, the investment is worth it for such good quality.
4. Shark FlexStyle 4-in1 Hair Styler Dryer Review
Pros: Multiple attachments, powerful, lightweight
Cons: None
Rating: 9/10
Our Verdict: I’ve got long hair that sits dead straight when air-dried, so I use a hair dryer for extra volume and to style my long, face-framing pieces. I was really excited to try Shark's FlexStyle, which also doubles as a styler. The FlexStyle easily twists to change between a dryer and a styler, and comes with a range of attachments for all hair types including a diffuser for curly hair, a styling concentrator, two brushes and two auto-wrap curlers. It has three settings for both speed and heat, as well as a cool-shot button, giving you full control of the temperature so you can minimise heat damage where possible. It’s really powerful on the highest setting (so naturally, it's quite loud), but I found it still worked well on the first and second speeds. The hair dryer is relatively lightweight and easy to hold, and getting to grips with popping the attachments on and off was simple.
It usually takes me around 20 minutes to get my hair fully dry, but this was cut down to around 15 minutes with the FlexStyle. I used two attachments: the styling concentrator and auto-wrap curlers, and my hair was left feeling silky and voluminous. I will say that I did have a few flyaways, and found it a little tricky to get my hair to wrap fully around the curler at first, but this didn’t put me off.
It’s no secret that the Shark FlexStyle is considered an alternative to the Dyson Airwrap, and coming in at around £270 (£200 less than the Airwrap), it's definitely more budget-friendly without compromising on quality. Whilst it’s not everyday you’d spend £270 on a hairdryer, as this doubles as a styler (with so many attachments), I’d say it’s definitely worth the money.
I love that it comes in a sleek case (no more pesky cables hanging about) that also makes it perfect for travel. All in all, I’m really impressed with the FlexStyle and I’ll be using it in my hair routine from here on out.
5. Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer Review
Pros: Infrared technology gentle on hair, reduced drying time, great for textured hair
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 9/10
Our Verdict: I dedicate an entire day to washing my hair. It might sound dramatic, but that's the standard for Black hair. Yes, I've managed to significantly reduce the time it takes me by choosing to wear my hair straight more often, but it's still a gruelling process nonetheless. The hardest part for me has always been the drying process. Until I introduced hair stylers into the mix, I found that it could take about 45 minutes (minimum) to get my locks dried. So you can imagine how impressed I was that the Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer cut that time down significantly.
On the day I tested it I really pushed it to the limit, sparing only half an hour to do my hair before leaving the house for an appointment. Within 20 minutes, every strand on my scalp was free of water. And better yet, it didn't leave my hair feeling dry and crispy like other hair dryers tend to. The price of the Zuvi is the only downside, especially because you can opt for something that offers a few more styling options with additional attachments. However, upon trying it, I can now say that I do think it's worth the price.
Rating: 8/10
6. GHD Helios Hair Dryer Review
Pros: Powerful, lightweight, reduces drying time
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 9/10
Our Verdict: As the daughter of a hairdresser, I’ve tried my fair share of hair dryers in my time. To this day, if I’m struggling to sleep, I’ll play sounds of a hair dryer on Spotify—that’s how integral to my childhood hair dryers were. Now, I have mid-length hair with natural waves, and it often takes a considerable amount of time to dry my hair fully due to its thickness and moisture retention. So, I was excited to try a new hair dryer to see if I could notice a significant difference in my routine. My pick was the GHD Helios Professional Hair Dryer.
This hair dryer boasts some special features that make it stand out—it incorporates innovative Aeroprecis technology, which provides a powerful yet concentrated airflow for precise and efficient drying. It comes with one attachment as standard: a narrower nozzle for more targeted drying and styling. It also offers two speeds, three heat settings and one cool-shot button, which combine to cater to different hair types and styling preferences. I appreciate the customisation options, which allow me to find the perfect balance for my hair. The cool shot was particularly helpful in locking in the shape from my blow-drying efforts.
Using the Helios feels like a premium hair-drying experience. It's noticeably lighter and quieter than other hair dryers I've used, and the ergonomic handle ensures a firm grip. These features reduce the strain on my arm and make the whole process more comfortable. A friend of mine has arthritis in her hand and struggles with other models, and she told me the Helios put less strain on her hand and wrist than any other she has used. I also appreciate the sleek design, which looks the high-end part.
In terms of speed, this hair dryer exceeded my expectations. It cut my usual drying time by a third, making the process much more efficient (especially as someone who, try as I may, always seems to be running late!). The end result is seriously impressive when I use this. My hair looks smoother, shinier and healthier than ever before—I've even received compliments on its improved appearance. Whilst the GHD Helios Professional Hair Dryer comes with a higher price tag, I believe it's worth every penny. The quality, performance and durability make it a worthy investment for anyone who values their hair's health and appearance. The fact that many professionals champion this hair dryer speaks volumes about its efficacy.
To summarise, the GHD Helios Professional Hairdryer has been a remarkable addition to my haircare routine. It excels in speed, precision and performance, leaving my hair looking healthier and more beautiful. If you're willing to invest in your hair's wellbeing, this dryer is an excellent choice.
7. Bellissima Creativity 4 You Hair Dryer Review
Pros: Powerful, ion technology for added shine
Cons: More noisy than most
Rating: 6.5/10
Our Verdict: I have thin hair but a lot of it, so it’s quite unruly and I'm often left with knots and a good amount of frizz post-wash. Because of this, a reliable hair dryer that helps with smoothness and shine is important to me. The Bellissima Creativity 4 You dryer comes with four attachments that help achieve different styling results, but I reached for the straightening accessory to help with said frizz and to give my blow-dry that silky-smooth effect that you can normally only achieve from an appointment at the salon. It has three temperature levels (although I found it hard to distinguish between them using the buttons) and a cold shot, and it uses ion care technology to help protect hair.
The brand claims the dryer has an ergonomic design, but I found it quite hard and heavy to hold. Since I have a lot of hair, I need something lightweight, as I'm usually standing there with the device for a while. It's also fairly noisy, and although I'm not expecting a silent hair dryer, I don’t think it delivered on its claim of a low noise level.
Overall, it did dry my hair fairly quickly, and I was happy with the level of smoothness the attachment left me with, but I think this is quite an expensive device, and sadly, I didn’t fall in love with it.
8. Cloud Nine Airshot Hair Dryer Review
Pros: Powerful, reduces drying time
Cons: Heavier than some other models
Rating: 8/10
Our Verdict: As a regular bleacher, my hair is rather dry. It’s also in that annoying in-between length after I had it cut into a bob three years ago, but it isn’t yet at the waist length I’d like it to be. Hairdressers often tell me that my hair "holds moisture”, which I think is a polite way of saying that it's taking ages to dry. I blow-dry my hair two to three times a week, and I like a hair dryer that is light and effective.
Aside from its appealing navy and gold exterior, the Airshot isn’t overly flashy. I'd say it’s pretty standard in that it has two temperatures, two speed buttons and two concentrator nozzle attachments, but it dried my hair quicker than most other hair dryers I’ve tried, including those that are considerably more expensive.
Although it’s not a hair dryer I'd describe as particularly lightweight, I'm yet to get cramp in my arm from blow-drying it with a round brush, which passes a big test in my book. In essence, this a great standard hair dryer because it’s easy to use and dries my hair in under 10 minutes, which for around the £150 mark, I'd say is a good buy. It also left my hair feeling soft, silky and bouncy. Quick, shine-inducing and under £200? That's good enough for me.
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