The $50 Hair Dryer That Rivaled a Viral $400 Model in Our Testing (2024)

With a powerful motor in its handle, we think this innovative dryer is a game-changer. In fact, it dried hair faster than any model in the history of GH Beauty Lab hair dryer testing.

The dryer comes with five magnetic attachments to suit different hair types, including two concentrators, a diffuser, a flyaway smoother and a gentle air attachment. We also like that it has a long cord, helping you reach distant outlets or mirrors and avoiding awkward positioning while styling.

The Dyson is also a favorite among professional hairstylists. "It's pricey but worth it," says Alvarez. "The technology is so advanced, the cord is so long and its three heat and airflow settings make it so efficient. It dries hair quickly, and the smoothing attachment gets rid of frizz without needing a styling product, making blowouts last longer."

However, it is on the heavier side, lacks a cord tie and has buttons that can be tricky to reach. It's also very expensive.

What testers say: Consumer testers with various hair types (straight to curly) and lengths (short to very long) told us they loved this dryer. One tester said, "On the most humid days, it smoothed my hair faster than any dryer I've used." Another added, "The air pressure was great, and it dried my hair faster than usual."

How it performed in our tests: In Lab tests, it dried an eight-inch hair sample in just 54 seconds and delivered strong airflow.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

This compact Hot Tools model earned near-perfect scores for drying speed and strong airflow in testing, all at a fraction of the cost of other dryers.

But while the cord length is ample, it lacks a tie, and users found the included concentrator attachment a bit wobbly. If you're willing to spend more, note that Alvarez is a fan of the brand's Pro Artist Black Gold Ionic Hair Dryer.

What testers say: Testers especially loved its smaller, easy-to-store size and reported that it reduced frizz. "This dryer left my hair with less frizz and more shine," one tester said. "It was easy to use and small enough to store anywhere." Another added, "It dried my hair much faster than usual."

How it performed in our tests: In addition to top drying speed scores, it also received high marks for easy-to-reach controls, a comfortable shape and quiet operation.

We were able to achieve everything from bouncy curls to sleek blowouts with this versatile Shark hair dryer. This compact tool comes with five attachments, including a diffuser, a concentrator, a smoothing brush, a touch-up brush and a shine brush, plus a storage bag.

All testers agreed it left their hair smooth and shiny, with no frizz, and created their desired look. However, some noted it was loud and a bit heavy.

What testers say: "I was shocked at just how quickly I was able to dry and style my thick hair, which usually takes so long," one marveled. A tester with coily hair agreed: "My hair takes forever to dry and this cut the time by 15 or 20 minutes." Users also praised how hair felt "soft and bouncy" after drying.

How it performed in our tests: It earned top marks for fast drying and high air temperature.

Get a smooth blowout fast with this state-of-the-art SRI dryer. Despite its lightweight, compact design with a foldable handle, we found it delivers powerful drying.

Testers loved its easy-to-use magnetic attachments, high-quality construction and wide temperature range. However, some noted that the controls were tricky to operate, and the attachments could get too hot.

What testers say: "It dried my hair in record time — within five minutes!" said one user with long, textured hair. Another shared, "My thick hair dried incredibly fast and looks healthy and shiny. This will be my go-to blow dryer forever."

How it performed in our tests: It earned top scores for quick drying and leaving hair smooth and frizz-free.

Bio Ionic’s hair dryer is powerful yet gentle, making it ideal for damaged or fragile fine hair. Our experts found it comfortable to hold, with easy-to-use attachments and well-placed control buttons, including a convenient cool shot button.

Though it was loud in Quiet Mark sound tests and is quite pricey, it comes with a 10-year motor warranty and a storage bag. However, it lacks a diffuser, making it less suitable for curly hair.

What testers say: One tester praised this model as "sleek-looking" with a "balanced weight and size that’s not too heavy or big but feels powerful." Two others added, "I like that it has three temperature settings," and, "it worked really well."

How it performed in our tests: It had the lowest air temperature at its highest setting, yet still dried hair quickly.

RELATED: How to Fix Damaged Hair

Paul Mitchell is known for its innovative tools, and the Neuro Dry is no exception. It features a digital LED display for heat and power settings and a “clean filter” indicator light. The dryer comes with a diffuser, ideal for drying curly and natural hair.

While both home testers and Lab experts found it easy to operate and liked the controls, some found it uncomfortable to hold, and it was one of the heaviest models we evaluated.

What testers say: Testers gave it high marks for minimizing frizz, a top concern for curly hair. One noted that it “added fullness" and another commented that "it seemed to dry my hair quickly."

How it performed in our tests: It earned top scores for drying speed due to its strong airflow and high heat settings.

RELATED: The Best Hair Dryers for Curly Hair

In GH Beauty Lab testing, Cricket’s hair dryer emitted high heat and strong airflow, making it ideal for quickly drying dense or coarse hair. The dryer ranked high for comfort, with easy-to-use attachments and buttons. It also features a long cord with an attached Velcro tie for convenience.

What testers say: “Cute and compact, yet powerful and well made, it's also light and nice to hold,” one tester raved. “I like pretty much everything about it," another said, but noted it lacks a diffuser.

How it performed in our tests: With a temperature of 150°F, it was one of the hottest dryers tested, suitable for thick hair but potentially too hot for fragile or damaged hair (a tester noted that the highest heat setting can feel overly hot, and the cool air didn’t activate quickly).

Drybar’s dual voltage model, our top pick in the GH Beauty Lab’s travel hair dryer tests, offers fast-drying power in a compact design. Though it was the easiest to maneuver and comfortable to hold, it was heavier than some other travel dryer models, and the attachment required more effort to place and remove.

What testers say: "Wow, this is powerful," one tester 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."

How it performed in our tests: It earned perfect scores for its easy-to-use controls, quick drying and strong airflow.

RELATED: Best Travel Hair Dryers

InStyler's ionic hair dryer, featuring a customizable heat dial, stands out for its comfortable grip, easy-to-use buttons and lightweight design. We found the attachments were simple to attach and remove, though it was noted to be noisy during sound evaluations.

What testers say: Two of our Beauty Lab experts noted they “loved” this model. It is “lightweight but powerful, easy to hold and use," one reported. "Gives a great, strong airflow but not overpowering," another said.

How it performed in our tests: A top performer for its strong airflow and fast drying speed.

While this powerful dryer has a strong airflow and high temps, it's surprisingly gentle on hair. Easy to hold and operate, it also earned a perfect score for ease of maneuvering attachments and has a generously long cord. However, the dryer was a bit loud, earning just 1 out of 3 stars in the Quiet Mark noise test.

What testers say: "I like the size and weight and it has quite powerful airflow," one tester noted. "It looks and feels well-made."

How it performed in our tests: In Lab testing, we found this lightweight blow dryer dried hair quickly due to its strong airflow and temperature, while remaining gentle on the scalp, making it ideal for fine or thin hair.

The FHI hair dryer’s unique superslim design and top-notch performance earned it a GH Beauty Award. We also found it to be easy to maneuver and highly effective. Though it was slightly more noisy than some of the other dryers we tested, it can also double as a travel hair dryer due to its smaller build.

What testers say: Testers reported that it was lightweight and "very comfortable to hold with easy-to-reach controls."

How it performed in our tests: Despite its compact size, it delivered strong airflow and dried hair quickly.

This easy-to-handle Bio Ionic dryer was the quietest among GH Beauty Lab's top performers, based on sound level measurements.

What testers say: Despite its strong airflow, testers reported that this tool is very light, though it didn't dry hair as quickly as other models we tested. "Comfortable, quiet and not too hot," one tester commented.

How it performed in our tests: Testers praised it as a "powerful dryer in a small package" and loved how effortless it was to hold.

Wattage

• A hair dryer's wattage determines its power.
• 1,875 watts is the most common hair dryer wattage.
• We recommend a range between 1,500 and 2,000 watts for best results on all hair types.

Attachments

• Attachments can significantly improve different hair textures by altering the air flow.
  
• Diffusers and concentrators are the most common attachments, and may be included with your dryer or sold separately.
• Diffusers are ideal for curly hair as they reduce frizz, define curls and add volume by gently circulating air to the hair ends.
• Concentrators focus the hair dryer's airflow for smooth, sleek styles. Broad, extended nozzles dry thick, long hair faster, while short, narrow ones help tame curly or frizzy hair for a sleek blowout.

Heat & Speed Settings

• Adjustable settings let you customize the level of heat and power to suit your hair type and preferences.
• Our top-tested hair dryers all have a cool-shot button to close the cuticle, lock in the style and prevent frizz after drying.

Weight & Design

• In testing, we take each model's weight into account, since a too-heavy hair dryer can affect ease of use.
• We also measure the length of its cord, since a longer hair dryer cord offers more flexibility.
• We assess noise level, because a loud dryer can be uncomfortable to use, especially for extended periods.

Safety Certification

• Check for safety verification emblems like ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratories), UL (Underwriters' Laboratories) or TUV or SUD (both part of the Technical Inspection Association) on the packaging.
• These certifications ensure the dryer was tested for safety and met requirements.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has been testing hair tools, including hair dryers, dryer brushes and travel dryers, for over a decade. In our most recent test, we evaluated 41 hair dryers over eight weeks (that's 320 hours of hands-on testing!), analyzing 2,244 data points to determine the top models.

Our experts test hair dryers at various price points and power levels (1,500 to 2,000 watts) in the Lab, measuring drying speed on standardized hair samples, airflow force, air temperature, weight, surface temperature and cord length.

Additionally, testers with different hair types (thin, medium, thick) and textures (straight, wavy, curly, coily) assess them at home for ease of use, scalp and hair safety and hair appearance post-drying. Noise emission levels are also rated, with third-party certifier Quiet Mark issuing a star rating (1 star for Poor/Loud, 2 stars for Average, 3 stars for Good/Quiet) based on sound level tests.

Is a ceramic or ionic hair dryer better?

Ionic technology offers visible benefits and is ideal for curly hair prone to frizz and flyaways, says GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann, noting that it reduces static and leaves hair smoother. "In testing, it is easy to see effects when you have ionized technology switched on and off," she says. "Static builds up when you blast air without an ionizer, and with it, the hair is more aligned and appears shinier."

On the other hand, many hair dryers advertise technologies like ceramic, tourmaline or far-infrared radiation, but our testing has found these aren't essential. While research exists, there's little data on their specific benefits in hair dryer design.

What's the best hair dryer for my hair type?

When choosing the best hair dryer for your hair type, focus on finding one with customizable settings. Here are general guidelines for different hair types:

• Curly hair (3a to 4c types): Opt for an ionic dryer with attachments. "A diffuser is essential for embracing natural texture, and a narrow nozzle helps smooth the hair," says Wizemann.
• Thin hair: Look for a dryer with low heat settings to prevent damage. "High heat is unnecessary unless specific styling requires it," Wizemann advises.
• Thick or long hair: Choose a dryer with higher wattage for stronger airflow and heat. "This is ideal for styling thick, dense or long hair," says Wizemann.
• Hair extensions: Standard hair dryers work well for both synthetic and real extensions, says Cleveland.

Which hair dryer is least damaging?

Minimizing hair damage is actually more about the dryer's features and how you use it. "Using the correct heat settings for your hair type is more important than the dryer's technology," says Wizemann. Generally, lower heat generally causes less damage, but since all hot tools can damage hair, it's essential to protect strands. Alvarez advises, "Always prep hair with a leave-in styling product that provides heat protection before blow-drying" to create a protective barrier against heat.

What is the best way to blow dry hair?

Here are celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh's tips for a bouncy, DIY blowout:

• Apply product: Work your leave-in styling product through damp hair from roots to ends, then comb for even distribution.
• Section and start: Divide hair into four parts and dry one at a time. Use the dryer's nozzle to focus airflow while lifting strands with your fingers for volume at the roots.
• Use a brush: Wrap a 1-inch section around the brush and run the nozzle down the hair shaft as you pull the hair taut. Repeat until each section is fully dry.

GH Beauty Director April Franzino has over 15 years of experience in researching, writing and editing hair content. To write this guide, she collaborated with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists, who provided their detailed hair dryer test results, technical insights and more. She also interviewed several professional hairstylists for their expert advice.

GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann oversees testing for all hairstyling tools, including hair dryers. She led the last two GH Beauty Lab hair dryer tests and continuously evaluates new dryer launches as they enter the market.