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We put our locks on the line and got stunning results hair blow dryer
If you’ve ever gotten a blowout at the hair salon, you know how unstoppable you feel with all that extra volume and shine. But if you want to recreate that experience at home, you’ll need to start with an incredible hair dryer.
There are a few factors you should take into account when looking for that perfect tool. Justine Marjan, celebrity hairstylist to clients such as Khloé Kardashian and Ashley Graham, says the best hair dryers include heat control to ensure hair health, concentrated airflow to ward off frizz, and quiet airflow. Ideally, the hair dryer should also be lightweight, so it’s easy to move your wrist while styling.
Celebrity hairstylist Renato Campora explains: "An ionic hair dryer is a type of hair dryer that has a negative ionic charge. When negative ions react with the positive ions in your hair, it helps to close the damaged cuticles of the hair." Effectively, this helps to reduce frizz, static electricity, and flyaways.
Ceramic hair dryers offer different benefits. They heat quickly and evenly with infrared heat, which helps speed up the drying process. Ultimately, which is better for your hair will depend on your hair’s needs.
In two and a half years we’ve tested more than four dozen hair dryers on different hair types, from thin and straight to thick and coily, both in our lab and at home. Every year we try popular new tools, considering the speed, heat settings, wattage, sound level, ease of use, and attachments of each, before deciding on our winners. Keep reading for the best hair dryers that PEOPLE tested.
Short attachment barrel made styling thick and/or long hair complicated
Editor’s Note: While our current best overall pick is out of stock, the best hair dryer we tested last year, the Hot Tools Black Gold Ionic Hair Dryer, is available at Amazon.
The BondiBoost Everlast is so much more than a hair dryer. Our testers loved that this hair tool is also a straightener and curling iron, valuing this dryer far beyond its under-$200 price tag. It was easy to hold and maneuver this tool with any attachment, and the buttons are carefully placed to avoid accidental setting changes mid-style. Each attachment helped testers with a range of hair types get smoother, frizz-free styles in record time.
However, testers with long hair wished the attachment barrels were a bit longer to accommodate more hair. They had to style their hair in smaller sections than usual, which made this process a bit more tedious than those with medium-length or short hair. However, each section dried quickly and evenly, so even though the sections were smaller, they dried faster.
The included travel bag was also a huge selling point. It has slots for each attachment, a hanging hook, and “ample room to store the base of the dryer, a heat protectant, and a hairbrush,” according to one tester.
Hair type: All | Ionic: No | Wattage: Not listed | Settings: 3 heat, 3 speed, cool shot | Attachments: Smoothing concentrator, angled concentrator, two ceramic air-wrap curlers, ceramic round brush, ceramic volumizing round brush, storage bag
Type 1B/C: Strong, even airflow cut our tester’s dry time “almost in half.”
Type 2B: Achieved extra volume and sleek, frizz-free hair with the round brush attachment — “no crisp or crunch!”
Type 3A: Delivered much smoother results “and less heat damage” than usual.
High-quality performance despite basic function
Between its frizz-controlling results, multiple heat and speed settings, and reasonable price, this model was easily the best choice for those who don’t want to spend a ton of money on a good hair dryer. Though simple in function and design, this tool has three heat and speed settings and includes two styling attachments, offering the same basic functions as most other dryers that we tested — just at a fraction of the cost.
We appreciated its smooth and even airflow and were impressed with how quickly it dried our testers’ strands despite their varying hair types, a quality we can attribute to its ionic and tourmaline hair-protecting technology and ceramic heating system. While we did run into a few snags when it came to design (the cord is a bit too short and the buttons are easy to accidentally switch), we were more than happy with the results.
Hair type: All | Ionic: Yes | Wattage: 1875 | Settings: 3 heat, 3 speed, cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser
Type 1A/B: Their hair “looked lovely” after using this tool, with lots of shine and smoothness, no heat damage.
Type 2A: It only took a few minutes to dry their hair, and their frizz was more controlled than normal.
Type 3B: The diffuser gave them good volume and smoothed their hair simultaneously — plus, the diffuser tips didn’t hurt when they hit their head.
It’s no surprise that Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer (which Beyoncé used while promoting her haircare line, Cécred), has historically earned high marks during our tests. But its latest iteration, the Nural, was even more impressive than its forebearer. Instead of manually selecting their heat and speed levels, our testers just needed to press the “on” button and the smart dryer sensed the correct settings. It dried their hair quickly, yet gently, thanks to its “Scalp Protect” mode, which senses how close the dryer is to your skin and cools off accordingly (a great quality for those with thin hair or children who aren’t used to high heat).
Each tester felt that their hair was smoother, softer, and silkier than before thanks to its negative ion technology and multitude of styling attachments. Each was easy to attach and provided a function for all hair types — from wide tooth combs for natural coils to a flyaway attachment that controls skewed strands. Of course, its hefty price is a deterrent for many shoppers, but as one tester put it, “this dryer is in a category of its own.” You get what you pay for.
Hair type: All | Ionic: Yes | Wattage: 1600 | Settings: 4 heat, 3 speed, cold shot, pause detect, attachment learning | Attachments: Wide-tooth comb, diffuser, concentrator, gentle air attachment, flyaway attachment
Type 1B: Their hair dried much faster than normal with the sensor-adjusted settings and looked ultra-sleek. They’re officially considering Dyson for future hair tools.
Type 2B: The flyaway attachment smoothed, defined, and added extra shine to their waves.
Type 3B: Experienced no heat damage from this dryer (especially compared to their old one).
Type 4B/C: Steady airflow dried their hair much faster than normal, only 10-15 minutes for their whole head. Natural Afro-friendly!
If you’re looking for a hair dryer that hits all the high notes without the extra money (or frills), look no further than this Conair hair dryer. This tool utilizes both ionic and ceramic heat technology to quickly and gently dry wet hair, cutting testers’ dry times in half while reducing the chance of heat damage, leaving them with silky-smooth strands. Testers said they never felt like their hair had a crunchy or stripped feeling after styling with this tool, and they appreciated the included attachments that were easy to take on and off.
Some of us with wrist issues do wish that the dryer was a bit lighter, but in general, there wasn’t much that we would change for its amenable price. For basic functionality and a sleek ‘do, this is one of the cheapest routes to go (without sacrificing quality).
Hair type: All | Ionic: Yes | Wattage: 1875 | Settings: 3 heat, 2 speed, cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser
Type 1A/B: Dried their whole head of hair in 10 minutes, but delivered a more shiny, polished look in 20.
Type 2A/B: Significantly smoothed their hair and cut their drying time down.
Type 3A: The lowest heat setting was strong enough to dry their thick, dry hair quickly.
Type 3B/C: The airflow was not as strong as this tester would have preferred.
Doesn’t smooth hair well
Another favorite from Conair is the Drying Wand, which we thought was a comparable, yet more budget-friendly alternative to the pricey Dyson Airwrap and Shark FlexStyle. The wand itself acts as a fast-drying hair dryer, and its slim body is easy to pack in a suitcase or carry-on luggage. Additionally, its styling attachments are useful and easy to switch out, making at-home blowouts easy to do. We mostly loved the volumizing and detangling tools, the former boosting body across all hair types, and the latter carefully combing through curls and coils.
Though the dryer uses anti-frizz technology, this tool is not ionic, which means that it didn’t leave all of our testers’ hair as smooth as some of the others (testers with straight and wavy hair saw more success than those with curls). However, we still think this is a great option in lieu of the pricey, premium models that this wand imitates.
Hair type: All | Ionic: No | Wattage: Not listed | Settings: 3 heat, 3 speed, cool shot | Attachments: Detangling comb, straightening comb, volumizing brush
Type 1A/B: Fully dried their hair in about 10 minutes, which was “faster than any other hair dryers” they’ve tried.
Type 2A/B: Their hair looked a lot smoother than before — a result of its anti-frizz technology.
Type 3B: Drastically cut down drying and styling time, combining both into one 30-minute process.
With its adjustable settings and ionic technology, this low-priced dryer is a great choice for anyone with fine hair. Its basic design and lightweight body made this model easy to maneuver, keeping arm fatigue at bay while we dried our hair, which happened at a surprisingly fast pace for those with fine hair. Testers with thick hair thought that the airflow was average compared to the expensive models they tried, but they did appreciate the boost in shine and smoothness that this tool delivered. (One’s even planning to recommend it to their mom.)
While we wish it came with a better diffuser (this one didn’t give our hair as much volume as some others did), this dryer is still a good option for anyone looking for a basic hair dryer that is fine hair-friendly and doesn’t create extra heat damage.
Hair type: All | Ionic: Yes | Wattage: 1875 | Settings: 3 heat, 3 speed, cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser
Type 1B: Their hair looked “less frizzy than usual” and dried a few minutes earlier than it would normally.
Type 2B: They ended up with a bouncy, shiny blowout with the concentrator and defined waves and curls with the diffuser.
Type 3A/B: The diffuser delivered smoother curls while the concentrator gave them a shiny blowout minus the smoothness.
Can get very hot on scalp despite protective modes
There wasn’t much we didn’t love about this fast-acting hair dryer from Shark. From its lightweight design to the powerful airflow, this tool delivered sleek and shiny strands in no time — especially when used with one of its many attachments. Testers especially loved the finishing tool and smoothing brush, noting that while this dryer can stand on its own, “the smoothing attachments take it to the next level.”
We do wish that it came with one round brush attachment for volume, but if frizz-taming is what you need, then these attachments will deliver. Also, a word to the wise: make sure to manually enact “Scalp Shield” mode when drying close to your skin, or else it can feel too hot.
If you want something similar to the Dyson Supersonic but don’t want to spend that much, the Shark SpeedStyle is a great alternative.
Hair type: All | Ionic: No | Wattage: 1750 | Settings: 3 heat, 3 speed, Scalp Shield mode | Attachments: Smoothing brush, concentrator, finishing tool
Type 1A: So quick-drying that they needed to use the lowest settings to style.
Type 2B: Achieved dry hair in a little over 10 minutes — an impressive feat for their thick locks.
Type 4C: Quickly dried their hair, smoothed frizz, and boosted volume without being too hot or damaging.
Customizable heat and speed settings
Some found the dryer heavier than others
Compact and easy to maneuver, this hair dryer from Remington has a sleek, stout body that makes it easy to add attachments, store, and pack in your travel bag. We appreciated its strong airflow and several heat and speed settings, which made each styling session a personalized experience depending on hair type and texture. While testers with fine hair had faster drying times than those with thicker hair, everyone got smoother, sleeker, and shinier strands as a result.
The diffuser and flyaway tamers were both proficient in controlling strands gone awry and helped dry our hair evenly. Though this dryer goes for just over $50, we think it’s worth a lot more for its functionality alone.
Hair type: All | Ionic: Yes | Wattage: 1875 | Settings: 8 heat and speed, cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, flyaway tamer, diffuser
Type 1B: Dried their hair in under ten minutes and the flyaway tamer smoothed their strands to the ends.
Type 2A/B: Ionic technology did not lessen their dry time, but they saw “60 percent less frizz” than normal.
Type 3A/B: The diffuser’s unique cup shape granted sleek, defined curls that didn’t separate.
Styling long hair can be a chore, but this long-barreled multi-styler was more than up for the challenge. One tester achieved a “big, Texas blowout” in 45 minutes without feeling arm fatigue, though they could do a simple dry job in just 15 minutes — taking their hair from wet to styled in much less time than their usual dryers would have.
The ceramic-coated attachment heads were instrumental in the smooth, sleek styles that each tester, no matter their hair type, was able to achieve. However, we did notice that type 1 (straight) hair didn’t hold curls as well as other textures did. With its air-curling attachments, this tool mimics the look of the Dyson Airwrap. Though it has a lower price than the Dyson, it’s still pricey enough that we’d prefer to buy it on sale.
Hair type: All | Ionic: No | Wattage: 1500 | Settings: 3 heat, 3 speed, cool shot | Attachments: 2 curling barrels, concentrator, oval brush, storage tote
Type 1A/B: The long attachments helped this tester with long, straight hair attain a bouncy, “really smooth” blowout.
Type 2B: They achieved a smoother result with more volume and likened it to their Dyson Airwrap.
Type 3A: Delivered bouncy, lush curls with lots of shine — though they had to use the cool shot on the top layer to keep frizz at bay.
If you're looking for your next hair dryer, you may like these other PEOPLE-Tested hair care must-haves. Our team of editors and independent testers put each product through rigorous testing to ensure they only highlight the best, and nothing less.
The biggest factor to consider when shopping for a new hair dryer is the type of hair that you have. Oftentimes, straight or wavy hair will require different hair dryer functions (think the strand-smoothing benefits of the Remington One Multi-Style Hair Dryer) than curly or textured hair (the Shark SpeedStyle Pro was our favorite), so identifying your hair type and catering to it will deliver the best results.
While there is no “type” of hair dryer that works best for certain hair types, Marjan puts hair protection at the forefront when it comes to blow drying. Even a few spritzes of a good hair detangler before blow-drying can make a difference. It’s of peak importance that the dryer does “not get too hot, so that the hair health is protected,” says Marjan. And that goes for any hair type.
Every hair dryer comes with its own set of features, but it’s up to you to decide which ones are worth buying. If customizable settings are on your list of priorities, then keep an eye out for tools with several heat and speed settings or special modes, like the Dyson Supersonic Nural and its scalp-protecting technology.
Cool shot buttons and special features like turbo or volume settings are an extra perk, as well. For those looking for a timesaver that delivers smooth and volumized results without extra tools, hot air brushes are another great option.
Many hair dryers will come with a concentrator, but attachments can go as far as wide-tooth combs and flyaway treatments (ahem, Dyson, once again). Marjan points out how versatile your hair dryer can be once you add attachments. “You can use [a] comb attachment to stretch out curls, wide styling hair dryer nozzle for smooth blow dries, diffuser to shape curls, or no attachment for added volume,” she says.
Finding which attachments work for your hair will dictate whether or not you need them in tandem with your hair dryer (plus what other hair products you want to have in your arsenal).
A hair dryer’s wattage indicates how much power the dryer produces, which, in turn, gives you an idea of how long it will take the dryer to dry your hair. A lower wattage means your hair will take longer to dry while a higher wattage will dry your hair faster. That said, you don’t want a dryer with too high a wattage as it can be damaging to your hair. The hair dryers on our list range from 1,500 to 2,000 watts, which is a good benchmark for wattage.
We take our hair dryers very seriously — so much so that as new hair dryers hit the market, we test them, and re-evaluate our previous winners to give you the most up-to-date info on which tools you should buy. We tested 12 of the newest dryers this year (bringing our total to 46, including previously tested) in our lab and at home. We had professional hairstylists use the hair dryers on us before we took them home for long-term testing.
The wattage level on your hair dryer is a great indicator of how hot the blow dryer can get and how quickly it can dry your hair. For the fastest (and safest) results, 1800 to 1850 watts is the sweet spot. However, several products surpass this amount and use 1875 watts without showing any signs of heat damage, such as the InfinitiPro By Conair Hair Dryer and Hot Tools Pro Signature Hair Dryer. But generally, anything 2000 watts or less is safe to use at home. Tools with low wattages will take a longer time to dry your hair, which means our picks at 1600 watts or less (like the T3 Aire 360) may require a bit more time, but your hair may sustain less heat damage in the end. Regardless, always use a heat protectant before you begin styling.
The price of a hair dryer varies depending on the brand, materials, functionality, and attachments included with the purchase. You can nab a great-performing dryer, like the $19 Remington Damage Protection Hair Dryer, or you can splurge on higher-priced tools like the $500 Dyson Supersonic Nural.
There are several attachments and nozzles that a hair dryer can come with, the most popular being concentrators and diffusors. Concentrators funnel the air from the hair dryer onto a targeted area, making it easier to manipulate the hair.
Diffusers, on the other hand, are used to dry and define curls and provide volume. This type of nozzle funnels the air over a wider area than the physical tool’s opening allows for, expanding the hair dryer’s reach and providing a gentler airflow than a direct blast.
Apply a little hair oil to damp hair to nourish, smooth, and add shine to your hair before styling with your dryer.
Alyssa Brascia is a shopping writer at PEOPLE with an expertise in beauty. She has covered PEOPLE’s hair dryer tests for the past two years, analyzing insights from a team of testers who have tried 46 hair dryers in total, updating the article accordingly with the team’s latest findings.
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