obsessive tester
By Shanna Shipin, a Cut Shop contributor who covers beauty and lifestyle
Photo-Illustration: Images courtesy the retailers
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Air-drying your hair is great and all, but sometimes you just want a good blowout. To find the best hair dryer out there, the Cut’s beauty team spent months testing them on our frizz-prone hair and spoke to a few experts who shared some of their favorite dryers and some tips on how to make the most of an at-home blowout. Plus, most of our top picks are ideal for people with 3A curls, as tested on Cut Shop contributor Shanna Shipin.
So, you’re looking for the best hair dryers?
➼ FAQs
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true options
➼ Our experts
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Our top picks:
The Best Dryer for a Voluminous Blowout
Photo: Shanna Shipin
Pros: Streamlined design, eight-foot rotating power cord, Goldilocks power (1,200 watts)
Cons: Single head with no attachments, the larger shaft can be unwieldy for smaller hands
T3 is a trusted name in the hot-tools game for a reason. You may be familiar with the brand for its supersmart hair straighteners (which we covered in our guide to the best flat irons), and this latest launch won us over immediately. It’s the fastest way to a ’90s-inspired bouncy blowout without needing a million attachments. There’s virtually no learning curve, and this model was among the fastest-drying tools we tested on this entire list. Notably, the brush is particularly effective on (and friendly to) curly and frizzy hair. Typically, hot-tool attachments neglect to offer boarlike bristles — crucial for smoothing out coarser strands — but T3 engineered this head to include “SmoothGrip bristles” that achieve a good amount of tension without snagging. This blow-dry brush uses the same IonFlow technology as all of T3’s dryers, which means the ceramic head delivers even and consistent airflow to prevent hot spots and damage.— Shanna Shipin, Cut Shop contributor
The Powerful One
Photo: Shanna Shipin
$209
Pros: High power (1,875 watts), sleek design in eight colors
Cons: Expensive, one attachment included (standard nozzle), on the heavier side (1.7 pounds)
This dryer blasts a powerful airflow that travels at 75 mph through a professional contoured nozzle for smoother, shinier, frizz-free hair. This tool is a favorite of hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos. It’s a little heavy at 1.7 pounds but comes in unique colors like this plum shade with gold accents that looks like Iron Man in hair-tool form. When the Cut Shop tested it, the team was impressed with its extra-large diffuser (a surprisingly rare feat) and its ability to leave curls beautifully defined and frizz free. — S.S.
The Worthy Splurge
Photo: Shanna Shipin
$600
Pros: Six attachments for versatile styling, lighting-fast drying, tidy (albeit large) storage case, great gift idea, launches in limited-edition colors
Cons: Very expensive, learning curve
We know this tool costs the better part of a grand, but hear us out: It will change your life. Dyson said “complete” and meant it when it pulled together six attachments (which actually all do different things) into this lightweight universal styler. The new set comes with an improved smoothing dryer head that uses the brand’s signature Coanda drying technology to gently air-dry, but the best part has to be the reengineered curling barrels. The original Airwrap required changing heads for different curl directions, but with these barrels, you just turn the top dial to alternate curls. (This goes a long way when you want to get your hair done fast or if you have longer hair.) Typical blow-dryers are pretty one note, but the Airwrap? It smoothes, straightens, bounces, and waves in record time. — S.S.
The Versatile One
Photo: Shanna Shipin
Pros: Four temperature settings, three attachments (oval and paddle brushes, a concentrator nozzle), lightweight (less than a pound)
Cons: Expensive
Drybar released this multitasking blow-dryer in early 2022 to immediately positive reviews. It has since won some pretty prestigious beauty awards, and customers love that it distributes heat evenly, has easy-to-use controls, and — with three nozzle options — lets you style your hair in a ton of different ways. It’s perfect for people who have a bit of experience with blow-drying at home, especially since the body of the tool can get a bit hot. But perhaps the best selling point is that it blasts such precise, high heat that you can reap the benefits of a hard-earned blowout four to five days after you put in the work — as seen in the image above. —S.S.
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More tried-and-true options
The Fastest Cheap Hair Dryer
$75
Pros: Easy-to-hold rubberized handle, high power (2,000 watts) for low cost
Cons: One attachment (concentrator), heavy (2.2 pounds)
Many of the 9,000-plus Amazon reviews of this dryer include the phrase “half the time” — as in, “I blow-dried my hair in half the time!” Reviewers love how quickly this dryer works to dry hair. At only 2.2 pounds, it’s pretty lightweight, too. —Kathleen Hou, former beauty director
The Best Hair Dryer for Frizzy Hair
$99
Pros: Three attachments, including a diffuser; high power (1,875 watts); nine-foot rotating power cord
Cons: Two speed settings, mid-weight (1.3 pounds)
This dryer comes with a feature called “Nanoe Moisture Infusion,” which allegedly infuses your hair and scalp with 1,000 times more moisture while drying. Although it sounds counterintuitive, it’s meant to make hair smoother and less frizzy. The proof is in the Amazon reviews, where people rave about getting smooth blowouts that hold up even in humid, rainy weather. —K.H.
The Beautiful Snow-White Hair Dryer
Pros: Five heat settings, high power (1,875 watts), good-looking
Cons:Airflow may be too wide for precision styling, two attachments (compatible with diffuser and smoothing comb but must be purchased separately)
I’ve been a longtime fan of T3, and the provided a chic upgrade to an older T3 dryer I’ve been using for many years. It comes equipped with a diffuser, two nozzle options, five heat settings, and three speed settings. It even has an automatic shutoff when you put it down. When I used it on both wet and dry hair on the hottest heat and strongest airflow, it took about 20 minutes to dry my hair and about ten minutes to create a bouncy, frizz-free dry style. My only issue: All switch buttons (the power, heat, and speed) are located on the front of the dryer, so I found it awkward to click back and forth between drying sections of my hair. — Jessica Prince Erlich, former beauty writer
The Best Affordable Hair Dryer
$14
Pros: High power (1,875 watts) for low cost
Cons: One attachment (diffuser), bulky and on the heavier side (1.8 pounds)
For an all-around classic under $30, you can’t beat this one. It has excellent reviews on Amazon, with people praising how well it performs basic tasks. And it’s light — only 1.2 pounds. True, it isn’t as famous or beloved as the Amazon favorite Revlon One-Step, but it’s a lot cheaper. —J.P.E.
Another Professional Favorite
$200
Pros: Lightweight (1.1 pounds), high power (1,900 watts), four temperature settings, nearly ten-foot power cord
Cons: Two nozzle attachments (no diffuser), two speed settings, you have to add on the silencer
Strategist reports that this other Parlux dryer is beloved by one of Paris’s most famous hairstylists, David Mallett, for being light and virtually indestructible. Use it whether you want a smooth blowout or French-girl hair. —K.H.
The Fastest Fancy Hair Dryer
Pros: Lightweight (less than 1 pound), decent power (1,800 watts), energy efficient (the brand claims it uses 75 percent less energy than the average hair dryer)
Cons: One attachment (standard nozzle)
This weighs less than a pound and gives you a frizzless, easy blowout very quickly. The Cut’s former beauty editor Ashley Weatherford once wrote an ode to it in which she said, “It cuts my typical drying time by a third.” Multiple reviewers claim that it works so well that it’s replaced their flat iron. It comes with a nice ten-year warranty. —K.H.
The One With a Cult Following
$34
Pros: Easy to use, lower power (1,100 watts)
Cons: Two heat settings, wider paddle brush makes it faster to blow-dry but a bit unwieldy for shorter hair
This hair dryer is an internet phenomenon thanks to Amazon. It’s currently the No. 19 best seller in its “Best Sellers in Hair Care” section. And the rumors are true: Because it styles and dries hair at the same time, it works very well at delivering salonlike blowouts (particularly for people with especially curly or thick hair). Average dry times range from eight to 12 minutes. Reviewers call it a “game changer.” —K.H.
The Investment Hair Dryer
$330
Photo: Courtesy of the vendors
Pros: Five magnetic attachments (including diffuser, comb/pick, and flyaway finisher), good-looking, four heat settings, mid-wattage (1,600 watts)
Cons: Expensive, on the heavier side (1.8 pounds)
Yes, this dryer is expensive, but here’s why it’s worth it: First, if you’re not one to frequent blow-dry bars and prefer a DIY style at home, this tool will completely dry your hair three times as fast. If you are a regular salongoer, it will pay for itself after ten blowouts. With my usual dryer, it takes me 30 minutes to dry my hair from start to finish. With the Dyson, I’m done in ten — and it looks good!
The dryer is powerful yet quiet and remains cool to the touch courtesy of what the company calls “heat-shield technology.” Even on the hottest power setting, I never burn my scalp. I found myself reaching for this one again and again throughout the testing process. It has magnetic attachments and a sleek carrying case for travel. Dyson has successfully turned a dreadful chore into a task I don’t mind doing. And it’s a favorite of many stylists, Bashir included. She loves how quiet and lightweight the supersonic is and remains impressed with how great the diffuser is at radiating hot air without blowing hair out of place.—J.P.E.
The Best Hair Dryer If You Hate Flat Irons
$108
Pros: High power (1,875 watts), compact, includes collapsible diffuser (universal and can be used on most dryers), lightweight (one pound)
Cons: Learning curve to dry without a handle, intended for professional use
To hold this one-pound, handleless dryer, you actually grip the barrel itself. Don’t worry, a protective rubber coating keeps it from getting too hot to touch. It does take some getting used to, but once you adjust, the control you achieve is a godsend for taming unruly roots.
After going to bed with wet hair (including four inches of root regrowth from my last keratin treatment), I woke up with a curly, frizzy crown that would normally require the attention of a flat iron. —J.P.E.
The Best Hair Dryer for Travel
$97
Pros: Mid power (1,600 watts), folding handle for easy storage
Cons: Two heat and speed settings, short power cord (five feet)
Sephora and Ulta reviewers love this dryer because it’s foldable and dual voltage, making it perfect for travel. Even though it’s small and lacks a temperature setting, it doesn’t get super hot, won’t dry out your hair, and isn’t very loud. It’s bright yellow, if you like that sort of thing. Compared to the other travel blow-dryers, it doesn’t feel flimsy, and it works well enough to continue using at home, too. —K.H.
The Best Travel Dryer With Multiple Settings
Pros: High power (1,875 watts)
Cons: Two speed settings, two attachments (but does include a diffuser), on the heavier side (1.9 pounds)
Unlike most other smaller on-the-go dryers, this option from Kim Kimble offers two speeds and three heat settings for optimal styling. You know it was made with a professional grade of mind, being lightweight and easy to use. —Brooke LaMantia, Cut Shop Contributor
The Best Hair Diffuser for Curly Hair
$125
Pros: High power (1,875 watts), includes a diffuser and comb/pick for curly hair, compact design, super-lightweight (13.4 ounces)
Cons: Concentrator may be too wide for precision styling
This dryer is a game changer for anyone with curly hair or hair that loves to lie heavy and flat at the roots. Not only does it come with a larger diffuser, but it also comes with a hair-dryer pick that I use to boost up my roots and get the hair away from my scalp. It helps me avoid the dreaded triangle head that I’m constantly avoiding with mid-length curly hair. I prefer this method over bending forward and shaking my hair out (one-way ticket to Frizz City) and I don’t think I’ve owned a dryer that has a pick as a standard. The dryer itself is less than a pound, which is super-helpful for low-heat styling. And don’t skip out on the popular Paddle Brush if you catch it in stock —it’s like a scalp massager meets detangler and feels so good on your head. —S.S
The Quality Pick
$95
Pros: High power (2,000 watts) for low price, six speed settings
Cons: One attachment included (standard nozzle)
Barbarick’s pick is this mid-size dryer from BaBylissPRO: “It’s a powerful dryer for a fair price.” She says that while Dysons are fun to use, “they don’t last long” and echoes the other pros who prefer Parlux in the studio. The BaBylissPRO Nano is larger and covers more surface area but it clocks in at just under two pounds, so it shouldn’t give your arms too much grief.
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FAQs
What should you look for in a blow-dryer?
What should you look for in a blow-dryer?
Power: Brittle hair, frazzled ends, and not-quite-dry strands are the hallmarks of a low-power machine. At minimum (and for those with thin or damaged hair) you’ll want 1,500 watts; those with thicker, curlier hair will want something in the 2,000-watt range; if you see anything above that, you can bet the dryer at hand is intended for salon use.
Standard Features: In terms of features, Michael Dueñas, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Veluer Creative, lists a cool-shot button, adjustable temperature, adjustable airflow, a large mouth nozzle, a slim mouth nozzle, and a diffuser as “must have” features.
Tourmaline and/or Ionic: If you see creative marketing out there, don’t worry too much about it. Sky Barbarick, a Los Angeles–based hairstylist, says you don’t need to get too caught up in the different technologies, but you may want to get an “ionic” blow-dryer if you’re after smoother hair and faster drying. It basically reduces static electricity, so is particularly great for those with unrelenting frizz.
Lightweight: One thing all hairstylists agree on is that you should make sure that dryer is light enough to hold and can dry the hair quickly to avoid extended periods of heat. These tend to be around one pound or 0.54 kilograms. You want a blowout, not a workout.
How do you protect your hair while using a dryer?
How do you protect your hair while using a dryer?
According to expert hairstylists Kim Kimble and Dimitris Giannetos, a heat protectant is a must-have. “The heat protectant ensures that the hair stays healthy against the heat while also making sure your natural hair does not get damaged,” explains Kimble, who recommends applying the protectant to hair that is still damp. Giannetos recommends blow-drying hair when it’s wet or towel-dried because doing so while the hair is dry can easily create split ends.
Did you know your hair dryer has a filter?
Did you know your hair dryer has a filter?
It does, and experts such as hairstylist Marwa Bashir recommend you regularly clean it since “it’s essential in long life for your blow-dryer.”
Should I buy a professional hair dryer, then?
Should I buy a professional hair dryer, then?
It depends on your wants and needs. A professional hair dryer might provide the power and fancy features, but it also might be heavier (both literally and price-wise). We recommend checking off our highlighted points in question No. 1 and creating your own pros and cons list. (Don’t worry: We also noted some pros and cons we noticed with each product below while reviewing so you don’t have to put in all the work.)
I’ve had my hair dryer for so long. How long should a hair dryer last?
I’ve had my hair dryer for so long. How long should a hair dryer last?
Do you still get your coveted blowout when using your trusty hair dryer? If you answered “yes,” then your hair dryer is still going strong. Plus, if you’re regularly cleaning the filter, that can also extend its life span. It all depends if you get a cheaper, mid-range, or professional hair dryer, since the materials with which they are constructed can contribute to their durability.
Our experts:
- Kim Kimble, celebrity hairstylist and natural-hair educator with her own line of tools
- Dimitris Giannetos, celebrity hairstylist
- Marwa Bashir, celebrity hairstylist and colorist
- Kathleen Hou, former beauty director at the Cut
- Erica Smith, former beauty writer at the Cut
- Jessica Prince Erlich, former beauty writer at the Cut
- Shanna Shipin, Cut Shop contributor and former commerce managing editor at Condé Nast
- Michael Dueñas, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Veluer Creative
- Sky Barbarick, Los Angeles–based hairstylist
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