Top 10 Best Hair Dryers
When its come to wet hair, it is certainly easier to dry it using a hair dryer, especially for women and men with longer, thicker, hair. Choosing a quality hair dryer is very important as it will help save both time when you are drying your hair, and money if it is energy-efficient. A good hair dryer also helps to keep your hair manageable and undamged. Since, there are so many makes and models of hair dryers to choose from, breaking down the different features of each can help you decide the model that is best for you and your hair type.
1.BEST OVERALL PROFESSIONAL HAIR DRYER
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
PROS
- Faster drying time in Lab tests
- Five magnetic attachments included
- Strong airflow
- Long cord
CONS
- Expensive
- Controls can be tricky to reach
A favorite of professional hairstylists, this one-of-a kind Dyson design dried hair faster than any model in the history of GH Beauty Lab hair dryer testing. In Lab evalutions, it dried an eight-inch hair sample in only 54 seconds and had strong airflow. The tool also feture a generous cord lenght, though it doesn’t come with a tie, and evaluators found the controls are not easy to reach.
The hair dryer includes a rare five attachments to customize to your hair type and needs, including two concentrators, a diffuser, an attachment for smoothing flyaways and a gentle air attachment, all of which are magnetic for simple usage. Consumer testers, including a range of hair types and lenghts long, shoulder lenght and short, also evaluted the product and loved how sleek it looked. One raved, “On the most humid of days, it got hair smoother, and in less time, than any hair dryer i’ve used.”
Another echoed:”The air pressure was great and I do feel like it dried my hair faster than normal.”
2.BEST VALUE HAIR DRYER
Remington Pro Hair Dryer with Thermaluxe Advanced Thermal Technology
PROS
- Dries hair quickly
- Budget-friendly
- Good air flow
CONS
- Some testers found it noisy and heavy
If you’re looking for an affordable drugstore dryer that really works, GH Beauty Lab test winner Remington is it. Testers gave it high marks for drying hair fast, great control button location and overall performance. The model also has a tangle-free fabric cord, though it is shorter than others.
Even though it’s a bargain price, this tool doesn’t skimp on extras, including both concentrator and diffuser attachments. Some users thought it was a little heavy and loud, but two users commented on the good air pressure and heat emitted. “It dried hair fast but was not too hot,” a tester reported. Another raved; “My hair was not frizzy after using this dryer.”
3.BEST HAIR DRYER FOR FRIZZY HAIR
Hot Tools Professional Turbo lonic Dryer
PROS
- Compact size
- Minimizes frizz
- Fast drying and powerful airflow
CONS
- Concentrator attachment can be wobbly
This compact model from Hot Tools earned near-perfect scores for drying speed in our testing and ranked high for strong airflow. Testers loved its smaller, easy-to-store size and that it left their hair less frizzy. They gave it top marks for its easy-to-reach controls and comfortable shape, and both Lab assessments and consumers found it to be quiet.
The tool has an ample cord length, though it doesn’t come with a tie. The included concentrator attachment was also wobbly, users found. “The hair dryer my hair with less frizz and more shine to it,”a stored pretty much anywhere.” Another remarked:”It took a lot less time to dry my hair than usual.”
4.BEST HAIR DRYER FOR FINE/THIN HAIR
Olivia Garden Ceramic+Ion Professional Hair Dryer
PROS
- Dries hair quickly
- Doesn’t feel hot on t he scalp
- Lighter than most other dryers
CONS
- Can be noisy
GH Beauty Lab testers found this lightweight Olivia Gardren blow dryer dried hair quickly, thanks to its robust airflow and temperature yet didn’t feel hot on the scalp, making it ideal for those with fine or thin strands. It was easy to hold and operate and received a perfect score for maneuveering attachments, plus it offers a generously long cord.
A caveat: The dryer was a bit loud, confirmed by the Quiet Mark noise measurment test, receiving 1 out of3 stars. “I like the size and weight and it has quite powerful airflow,”one of our expert evaluators noted. “It looks and feels well-made.”
5.BEST HAIR DRYER FOR DAMAGED HAIR
Bio Ionic GrapheneMX Brushless Professional Hair Dryer
PROS
- Gentle on thin or fragile hair
- Low air temperature yet fast drying time
- Comfortable to hold and easy to use
CONS
- Noisy
- Doesn’t include a diffuser
Power-packed yet gentler than models, Bio lonic’s hairdryer was mild on both hair and scalp in GH Beauty Lab testing, key for damaged or fragile fine hair. It had the lowest air temperature at the highest of three settings, yet still dried hair samples quickly. Expert evaluators found it comfortable to hold and that the attachments were easy to put on and take off. They also gave it points for the strategically located control buttons and easy to use cool shot button.
Though it was loud in sound testing and is the priciest of the most recent test winners, it comes with a 10-year motor-life warranty and a storage bag. That said, it doesn’t come with a diffuser, so it may not be the best pick for curly-haired folks. An expert called this pick “sleek-looking,” and liked its “balanced weight and size that’s not too heavy or big and feels powerful.”Two others commented:”I like that it has three temperatures.”and,”it worked really well.”
6.BEST LIGHTWEIGHT HAIR DRYER
InStyler Turbo Max Ionic Hair Dryer
PROS
- Strong airflow
- Dries hair quickly
- Lightweight
CONS
- Loud sound
With a dial that lets you customize the heat level, InStyler’s ionic hair dryer was a winner in GH Beauty Lab testing for delivering strong airflow. The powerful airflow translated to fast drying speed, and it came out on top for being comfortable to grip and having easy-to-navigate buttons.
The tool was also lightweight and the attachments are simple to put on and take off, though sound evalutions found it to be noisy. Two experts noted they”loved” this model. It is “lightweight but powerful, easy to hold and use,”one noted. “Gives a great , strong airflow but not overpowering,”another said.
7.BEST QUIET HAIR DRYER
Bio Ionic Goldpro Dryer
PROS
- Quiet
- Powerful airflow
- Lightweight
CONS
- Not as fast-drying as other tools
- Doesn’t include a diffuser
This easy-to-handle dryer from Bio Ionic was the least noisy of the GB Beauty Lab’s top performers, according to sound level measurements. Testers loved the ”powerfull dryer in a small package” and raved about how easy it was to hold. Despite its strong airflow, the tool is also very light, though it didn’t dry hair as quickly as other models tested. “Comfortable, quiet and not too hot, “a user commented.
8.BEST HAIR DRYER FOR CURLY HAIR
Paul Mitchell Neuro Light Tourmaline Hair Dryer
PROS
- Digital LED display for heat and power settings
- Includes diffuser for curly hair
- Minimizes frizz
CONS
- May be heavy and uncomfortable to hold
Paul Mitchell has a track record of implementing new technologis in their tools, and the Neuro Dry is no exception. The dryer features a digital LED display for heat and power settings and has a “clean filter” indicator light, plus comes with a diffuser included, key for drying curly and natural hair textures, plus, in GH Beauty Lab testing, it received a top drying rate score due to its airflow and high heat settings.
Testers also gave it high marks for minimizing frizz, with one nothing it “added fullnes” and another that “it seemed to dry my hair quickly.” Though testers and experts found it easy to operate and liked the controls, some found it comfortale to hold. It was also one of the heaviest hair dryers evalauted.
9.BEST TRAVEL HAIR DRYER
Drybar Baby Buttercup Blow Dryer
PROS
- Powerful enough to be used as a primary hair dryer
- Foldable handle for storage and portability
- Includes travel bag
CONS
- Heavy for a travel hair dryer
- Doesn’t include a diffuser
The winner of the GH Beauty Lab’s travel hair dryer test, Drybar’s top-of-the-line dual voltage model delivers fast-drying power in a portable package. It scored perfectly in Lab evaluations for havig easy -to-use controls, dried hair samples quickly and had strong airflow.
The tool was also easiest to maneuver and comfortable to hold, though it was heavier than other models and more effort was required for proper placement and removal of the attachment. “Wow, this is powerful,”an expert evaluator marveled. “It’s the right size and doesn’t look like a travel dryer until you fold the handle- I like that it could do double duty for home and away.”
10.BEST EASY-TO-USE HAIR DRYER
FHI Heat Innovator The Pro Power Speed Dryer
PROS
- Strong airflow
- Dries hair quickly
- Compact and comfortable to maneuver
- Can work as a travel hair dryer
CONS
- A bit louder than others evaluated
A unique superslim design that was effortless to maneuver and top-notch performance made this FHI hair dryer a GH Beauty Award winner. The cutting-edge model had the strong airflow and dried hair fast in GH Beauty Lab instrumental testing despite its compact size.Lab pros found it lightweight and “very comfortable to hold with easy-to-reach controls.” Though it was slightly more noisy than others tested, it can also double as a travel hair dryer due to its smaller build.