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GH Beauty Lab testers found this lightweight Olivia Garden blow dryer dried hair quickly, thanks to its robust airflow and temperature yet didn't feel hot on the scalp, making it ideal for those with fine or thin strands. It was easy to hold and operate and received a perfect score for maneuvering attachments, plus has a generously long cord. But with so many brands on the market and seemingly endless factors to consider, from your hair type and concerns to each blow dryer's technology and your desired features, it can be tricky to know where to start.
Best for Damaged Hair
10 Best Hair Dryers for Every Hair Type to Buy in 2022 - Prevention Magazine
10 Best Hair Dryers for Every Hair Type to Buy in 2022.
Posted: Tue, 10 Mar 2020 07:00:00 GMT [source]
It does all of this while reducing and preventing damage, earning it our ‘Best Overall’ award. We tried it out for ourselves and loved the powerful, even airflow and quick drying time that felt pretty effortless. We also think it’s very good value for the amount of clever tech it offers. To minimize heat damage, look for tools that feature multiple temperature settings because high heat isn't always necessary—especially for fine hair types. If you have the time, low heat is best for stymieing damage caused by heated hair tools, and don't forget to prep with a heat-protectant. You might already be using one, though, as many leave-in products include protective ingredients.
Hot Tools Turbo Ionic Salon Dryer
The tool was also lightweight and the attachments are simple to put on and take off, though sound evaluations found it to be noisy. It is “lightweight but powerful, easy to hold and use," one noted. "Gives a great, strong airflow but not overpowering," another said. This compact model from Hot Tools earned near-perfect scores for drying speed in GH Beauty Lab testing and ranked high for strong airflow, yet is a more affordable pick at a fraction of the cost of other dryers. Testers loved its smaller, easy-to-store size and that it left their hair less frizzy.
GHD Air Professional Performance Hairdryer
The only downside is that it does feel slightly heavier than some models we tested, and it doesn’t come with any additional attachments for different hair textures. From red light technology that promotes healthier hair, to negative ions and red light therapy to reduce damage, this lightweight and foldable dryer is packed full of clever features. We love that it has intelligent heat-control technology, making it an excellent choice for those with fine hair that can't handle as much heat. It’s also very sleek and pretty with gold accents, so it’s as easy on the eye as it is on the hair. When it came to testing it in our lab, we found it to be very quiet yet very efficient.
Best Overall: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Finally, each hair dryer's noise emission level may also be determined via the third-party certifier Quiet Mark, which issues a star rating (1 star, Poor/Loud; 2 stars, Average; 3 stars, Good/Quiet) based on recorded sound level tests. The winner of the GH Beauty Lab's travel hair dryer test, Drybar’s top-of-the-line dual voltage model delivers fast-drying power in a portable package. It scored perfectly in Lab evaluations for having easy-to-use controls, dried hair samples fast and had strong airflow.
While there is general research on these technologies, little data is available on their benefits in the context of hair dryer design. Each of the top-tested hair dryers in the GH Beauty Lab's most recent test has a cold-shot button, which can help to close the hair's cuticle and lock in the style, preventing frizz once you're finished drying. Note, though, that the cord doesn't come with a tie and the buttons can be difficult to reach. All of the hair dryers I've owned have done their job for a fraction of the UltraLight Speed Dryer's price, but they were all relatively heavy and took a long time to dry my hair. Now my happiness partly derives from no longer having to hold a heavy hair dryer over my head for 15 minutes or even longer every day.
They also gave it points for the strategically located control buttons and easy-to-use cool shot button. Though it was loud in Quiet Mark sound testing and is the priciest of the most recent test winners, it comes with a 10-year motor-life warranty and a storage bag. That said, it doesn't include a diffuser, so it may not be the best pick for those with curly hair. The Remington Pro Wet2Style™ Dryer is one of the less expensive options on our list but stands out as a firm favorite. Intuitive and easy to use, we think it’s a quality device that works well with three different heat settings and a pre-straighten tool for sleek looks. We tested this specific tool in our lab and loved the smoothness it gave our hair – we also think it’d be a great way of refreshing a style in between washes.
They gave it top marks for its easy-to-reach controls and comfortable shape, and both Lab assessments and consumers found it to be quiet. According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any ionic hair dryers from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at and we will evaluate the product ASAP. We loved the ease and simplicity of this dryer during testing, and the temperature and power settings are super ease to switch between.
Paul Mitchell Neuro Light Tourmaline Hair Dryer
Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser hair dryer worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet. The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has been testing hair tools, including hair dryers — plus hair dryer brushes and travel hair dryers — for over a decade. In the GH Beauty Lab's most recent test, scientists evaluated 41 hair dryers over eight weeks (for a total of 320 hands-on testing hours), recording 2,244 data points to determine the winning models. Lab pros found it lightweight and "very comfortable to hold with easy-to-reach controls." Though it was slightly more noisy than others tested, it can also double as a travel hair dryer due to its smaller build.
“Cute and compact, yet powerful and well made, it's also light and nice to hold,” one expert evaluator raved. “I like pretty much everything about it," another said, but it does lack a diffuser. In GH Beauty Lab testing, we take into account each hair dryer's weight, the length of its cord and its noise level, which can affect ease of use.
With every other hair dryer I've used, it usually takes me a minimum of 15 minutes to dry my hair, but this UltraLight Speed Dryer can completely dry my hair in as little as three minutes. We rated this dryer high; it's all due to its power and ability to leave thick hair smooth and shiny. Even on a medium heat setting, it still made light work of thicker heads of hair with a duo of ionic and high-velocity heated air. We also noted how high-tech and luxurious it feels, so its affordable price tag came as quite a surprise.
We also noticed significantly fewer flyaways which surprised us given how quickly it dried our hair. It is an expensive purchase, but if it answers your main concerns and you blow-dry your hair regularly, it’s a smart investment. Many hair dryers come with (or are compatible with) attachments that allow you to tailor your blow-out experience to your needs. Abergel noted that, for example, using a concentrator nozzle that precisely hits hard-to-reach areas is key to achieving salon-level results.
My hair is fairly straight, so I don't have to do too much work to style it the way I want. But because it's on the thicker side, it's typically a hassle to get it completely dry either way (and no, apparently it doesn't matter how long or short my hair is — it still takes forever to dry).
“This is the most user-friendly ionic tool for at-home blow drying that has come onto the market in a while,” says Tardo. If you want a professional dryer that’s not overly complicated, Kristin Ess has lots to get excited about. We love its lightweight design that features brushless motor technology (designed to help style large sections of wet hair quickly) and a heat-to-wind ratio that works particularly well on thick and/or curly hair.
“I especially love the pre-straighten tool which I used to style my hair. It also runs very quietly so won’t disturb anyone else on those early mornings. Our main bugbear was that the temperature controls are slightly limited (there are only two) and we would have liked more to cater to different hair textures. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Catherine Hufton is a London-based lifestyle journalist and has been a contributing writer and editor for Byrdie since 2022.
Cosmetic chemist Ginger King previously told Allure readers to look for heat-protecting products whose formulas feature ingredients like meadowfoam seed oil and VP/DMAPA acrylates copolymer. Familiar additives like aloe and argan oil help, too, sealing the hair cuticle for extra defense. A game-changer on the market, this one-of-a-kind Dyson design (the motor is in the handle!) dried hair faster than any model in the history of GH Beauty Lab hair dryer testing. In Lab evaluations, it dried an eight-inch hair sample in only 54 seconds and had strong airflow. "A high-quality hair dryer usually comes with advanced features that result in faster drying times, reduced frizz and overall improved hair health," says Cynthia Alvarez, a Biolage celebrity hair ambassador in Los Angeles. ✔️ Adjustable heat and speed settings, which allow you to customize the level of heat and power the hair dryer emits according to your hair type and preferences.
