Whether you want to pump up your roots, tame frizz or shape your locks, it all starts with a great hair dryer. The one you use at home should have great heat control, be lightweight to avoid arm fatigue and offer a variety of settings.
GH Beauty Director April Franzino evaluates new hair dryer launches in the lab and interviews top professional stylists to share their shopping advice. These are the best hair dryers you can buy now.
1. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Back in 2016, this revolutionary hair dryer made waves (literally) in the beauty industry. Unlike other hair tools that feel heavy and clunky, the Dyson Supersonic is sleek, lightweight and loaded with high-tech features, including the brand’s powerful digital motor V9 that spins up to 110,000 times per minute. This, combined with Air Multiplier technology, creates a concentrated jet of air that dries and styles hair quickly without the heat damage.
Another plus: Unlike other blow dryers that can reach temperatures above 302 degrees Fahrenheit, the Supersonic Origin has intelligent heat control that ensures it never exceeds this threshold. This, combined with a glass bead thermistor that measures temperature 20 times per second and is communicated to the microprocessor, helps protect hair’s natural shine.
2. IQ Perfetto
The IQ Perfetto is a powerful professional hair dryer as light as a smartphone, at only 294 grams. It is ergonomic and compact, designed to prevent muscle damage on arms and shoulders resulting from prolonged use at a professional level. It is equipped with the latest innovative technologies, such as Oxy Active technology that gives hair well-being, shine and long-lasting color. Its intelligent brushless motor and interface with digital control technology increases product performance, reducing drying time exponentially. It also features Stand By Technology that turns off the engine when positioned on the included GAMA Smart Pad, avoiding energy waste and prolonging motor life. It also features an ion generator that releases negative ions, eliminating static and taming frizz for smooth, shiny hair. This is a must-have tool for any stylist looking to elevate their styling and drying results.
3. Parlux Hair Dryer
Made in Italy, Parlux hair dryers are an expert favourite in salons all over the world. With sleek designs and innovative technology, their lightweight yet powerful products are a must-have for all blow-drying lovers.
Parlux’s E-lyon and Digitalyon hairdryers are both incredibly powerful with an advanced K-advance plus motor, which guarantee a lifespan of 3,000 hours. Their lightweight design ensures a comfortable blow-drying experience with soft switches and a cold shot button. They also feature antibacterial surfaces, hair catcher and ionic ceramic ‘air ionizer tech’.
Their Eco Friendly hair dryer is perfect for those conscious of their environmental footprint, with recyclable components and biodegradable packaging. It is also energy efficient with four temperature settings and a silencer. It’s available in Light Fuchsia and Light Ice Blue and comes with a hair diffuser to distribute airflow subtly and encourage curls.
4. Paul Mitchell Neuro Dry
This high-performance hair dryer creates a powerful mix of negative ions and far infrared heat that hydrates and leaves your locks lustrous. Its SmartSense microchip activates the “Clean Filter” indicator light and its tourmaline ions speed up drying time, reduce frizz and add shine. It also includes an exterior LCD display, airflow and temperature indicators and a protective soft-touch coating.
This lightweight blow dryer is easy to hold and offers salon-quality performance and results. It features a powerful 1875-watt professional AC motor, four heat settings and a cool shot button. It comes with a concentrator nozzle for directional airflow and controlled styling control, as well as a collapsible silicone diffuser that fits most universal dryers. This product is backed by a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
5. Conair Nano Titanium Hair Dryer
Reviewers love this compact dryer because of its sleek look, ease-of-use (one button to turn it on/off and another to switch settings), and surprisingly good performance. It weighs less than a pound, puts out around 75 decibels, and has an impressive number of heat and speed settings.
This compact travel hair dryer scored very well in our Beauty Lab tests, drying standardized human hair samples quickly. Its ion technology emits negative ions that help smooth hair cuticles, which speeds up dry time and reduces frizz, as well as infrared heat that seals hair and promotes shine.
It also has a concentrator nozzle that slides over the nozzle, unlike most other hair dryer attachments that snap into place and can sometimes pop off in mid-blowout.