Looking to spend your money on the best hairdryer? Whether that's for your long and thick hair, your unruly bangs, or your bob-length locks, we can help find something you love. From the likes of GHD, Dyson, T3, Revlon, and more.
We've done a lot of research (and a little bit of testing) to find the very top hairdryers so that you needn't miss out on having great hair if your hair salon is shut.
Once you've found something to suit your needs, head to our best flat irons guide, and treat yourself to a new straightener.
The 7 best hair dryers:
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Yes, the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is $400. But it might be the best $400 you’ll ever spend.
What we like about it
Dyson has cultivated a bit of a following for its cordless vacuum cleaners — which, for the record, are also insanely pricey. But the thing is they work, and they work well. In 2016, Dyson entered the cosmetology game with its Supersonic Hair Dryer, and the world has never been the same since.
Users rave about the dryer: it’s insanely fast, it’s mysteriously quiet, and it gets rid of frizz like nobody’s business. In short, it’s the perfect hairdryer. The key is in the temperature, which is kept at relatively cool temperatures — that coolness helps hair of all textures achieve impressive smoothness. But because the motor is so strong, the air moves super fast, and therefore it dries your hair in an instant.
Handling the hairdryer is also a delight, thanks to a short barrel with magnetic attachments (a variety of concentrator nozzles and diffusers).
Things to note
The hairdryer isn’t that lightweight, coming in at 1.8 pounds. But it works so flawlessly, it’s worth building up some muscle while using it on a daily basis.
For those of us who have not mastered the art of the round brush, the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer is here to save the day.
What we like about it
Though it’s not a true hairdryer per se, it does dry your hair — and it styles it at the same time, with just one single tool. Giving yourself a blowout has never been easier. The Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer is essentially a round brush–hair dryer hybrid, that takes the shape of a round brush with fine, soft bristles that emits hot air from its core to dry and style hair.
Things to note
This tool is best used on slightly damp hair, as it’s not the strongest in terms of blow-drying. If your hair is totally soaked, it could take a pretty long time for it to dry using the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer. If you use it on towel-dried, air-dried, or even lightly blow-dried hair, it can perform miracles, however.
Want to know more? Check out our review on the Revlon dryer here!
Looking for a hairdryer for home use? 2020 has been a weird year, and for the majority of it, hair salons have been closed. So, we've been learning how to get that bouncy blow-dry look from home. And this is so much easier to achieve with help from T3's Cura Luxe.
What we like about it
Not only does this hairdryer offer five heat and two-speed settings, but it has a Volume Booster Switch to add texture and volume to your hair. It does the job quick, too, while it has a Cool Shot button to lock in your style, and IonAir technology helps add a shine to your finished look. What else? An Auto Pause Sensor stops airflow when the handle is released. With these added features doesn't come extra weight, too – this hairdryer is lightweight and quiet.
Things to note
It comes with a drying concentrator and a styling concentrator, as well as a 2.7-meter cord. What's not to love? Nothing — and even Tracee Ellis Ross is a fan of the dryer, too!
Looking for a small hairdryer? Whether you (used to) frequently go on vacation, or, perhaps you have a small amount of storage space? Either way, the Drybar Baby Buttercup is your best option. Here's why:
What we like about it
The most important thing about an on-the-go hairdryer is its size, and the Drybar Baby Buttercup hits the sweet spot. But size isn’t the only thing that matters. We want the tool to work, too! Fortunately, the Baby Buttercup checks both boxes. Its handle collapses, making it easy to bring with you on your travels (and it comes with its own travel bag!), but it also provides enough strength to actually dry your hair.
The third cardinal rule of a traveling hairdryer is that the device must be able to operate at both 120 volts and 220–240 volts — you don’t want to fry the device on your first day abroad! But don’t worry, Baby Buttercup has you covered there.
Things to note
While this hair dryer’s full-size counterpart might be a bit stronger, you can’t beat the Baby Buttercup’s barely-there weight and compact size if you’re looking to take it on the go with you.
Celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh took customers’ comments into consideration when he revamped his famous Harry Josh Pro Tools Ultra Light Pro Dryer in 2017, making it exactly what we wanted.
What we like about it
Weighing less than a pound, Harry Josh’s iconic mint-green hair dryer is one of the lightest options on the market, and it’s one of the best overall. A highlight is its option to turning its ionizer on and off — use ions to remove frizz and smooth your hair and leave them off to add volume to your hair.
Another underrated feature? The hairdryer has an 11-foot extension cord, allowing you the ultimate freedom of movement around a space while blow-drying your hair. (It’s really helpful for when your outlet isn’t in the most convenient of locations.)
Things to note
This hair dryer is definitely on the pricier side, coming in at $300. If an ultra-lightweight model is what you seek, it’s worth the price. Otherwise, you might do well investing in one of the other hair dryers on this list.
Oh, and did you know it's also Gisele Bündchen's go-to, too?
Drop by your neighborhood drugstore to find the impressively affordable Infiniti Pro by Conair, our pick for the best budget-friendly hairdryer. Or alternatively, you can find it at Amazon.
What we like about it
Despite its low price point, the Infinitipro performs just as well as far more expensive hair dryers. It has three temperature settings — including a cool setting — and two speeds, providing plenty of options to style your hair. It also sits very well in the hand, despite being on the heavier side.
One of the most surprising qualities of the Infinitipro is actually its four-year warranty. While some more expensive hair dryers come with long warranties, it’s great to see such a robust plan for a more affordable model.
Things to note
As we mentioned earlier, Infinitipro’s 2.2 pounds can feel heavy. We’d also love it if it had a longer cord — it’s just six feet long, compared to Dyson’s nine feet, for instance.
For those of us who just don’t have a ton of time in the morning to style our hair, the Bio Ionic 10X Ultralight Speed Dryer will be your best friend.
What we like about it
It’s all about speed with this hair dryer: a number of reviewers claim they can dry their hair in under 10 minutes when using the product. But just because it’s high-powered doesn’t mean that the hairdryer is an energy suck. In fact, it claims to use 75% less energy than its competitors.
Oh, and did we mention that it weighs less than a pound? It’s a smidge heavier than the Harry Josh® Pro Tools Ultra Light Pro Dryer, but it still weighs less than a pound.
We’re also fans of the 10-year warranty — given that this product is a substantial investment, it’s great to know we’re covered for mishaps that might happen during the next decade.
Things to note
Don’t pass out from sticker shock! This isn’t a cheap hairdryer. Also, the heat and speed settings are combined, so you can’t mix and match different temperatures and speeds.
Things to consider before purchasing the best hair dryer?
Weight
Blow drying your hair requires you to hold your arms up in potentially uncomfortable positions for an extended period of time. Therefore, the lighter the hairdryer, the better for your arms!
Power
Most personal hairdryers are roughly 1,875 watts, which provides plenty of energy for your hairdryer to heat up quickly and emit air forcefully. Anything below that, and you might find it takes a bit longer to dry your hair. Professional-grade hair dryers can even reach up to 3,600 watts, but you probably won’t need a device that strong for home use.
Temperature and speed settings
A good hair dryer should have multiple settings for both temperature and speed of airflow. Ideally, they’ll be independent of one another (meaning you can combine any temperature with any speed). There should also be a cool blast button — cool air helps to prevent frizz.
Cord length
Sadly not all bathrooms have outlets in the most ideal location, so longer cords can be pretty useful. They can, however, be unwieldy if they’re too long.
Warranty
While you hope to never have to use a warranty, it’s better safe than sorry to have one.