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Beauty

The Best Hair Dryers Our Editors Can't Stop Raving About

 

Our best budget buy costs under $20.

As our beauty editor, I'm always looking for ways to minimize my routine and I'll be the first to admit that I would regularly air dry my hair out of sheer laziness. The reality is that air drying can cause thick, textured hair to deal with scalp issues like bacteria, mold, and fungus, while those with fine hair might notice their tresses look limp. The best hair dryers enable styling flexibility by reducing frizz, enhancing shine, and maximizing volume.

Luckily the solution is simple: Blowdrying our tresses with one of these hair dryers could help prevent scalp and styling concerns. Plus, styling with one of the best hair dryers of 2024 promotes smooth and silky straight strands, bouncy and full hair, and keeps our curls and coils popping. These upgraded hair dryers are also lightweight, ensuring they're comfy to use while styling.

The best thing about buying a new hair dryer is that some high-quality models that work wonders actually ring in at super-affordable prices. Several featured winners in this guide are under $100 so you won't have to worry about stretching your gifting budget.

WHAT TO CONSIDER

With hundreds of options to choose from, it can feel like a continuous game of trial and error before you find the best hair dryer that cooperates with your strands. So, to help you shop smartly, I asked Shelly Aguirre, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, and celebrity hairstylist Nycole Jones, an ambassador for Cricket Tools, to spill the tea on what you should consider when shopping for a hair dryer. Turns out, it's all about picking a hot tool designed for your hair type and styling needs.

• Those with thin and flat hair should look at hair dryers that add a bit of volume and substance and gain the most from choosing a ceramic option, which regulates heat to prevent damage to fragile hair strands.
• Curly and coily-haired people looking to enhance their curls should opt for a hairdryer that includes a diffuser. These prong-like attachments help prevent frizz and enhance your hair's natural texture.
• Dull, thick, and frizzy hair will enjoy hair dryers equipped with ionic technology to help your strands retain moisture and provide a smooth finish.

HOW WE CHOSE

Real talk: Every single product featured in any of our content always goes through a diligent testing process. To help you discover the best hair dryers of 2024, our staff tested a slew of options across various price points to ensure you can find an effective product that's within your budget.

When testing these hair dryers, here's what we were looking for:

• How long does it take to dry hair? Nobody wants to spend what feels like hours styling their hair. We considered how long it takes us to achieve our desired style and the results were impressive. Notably, the Remington hair dryer allows one staffer to finish styling her tresses in just 5 minutes!
• Any adjustable heat/speed settings? Unfortunately, all hot tools can cause heat damage with improper use, like using it too frequently or not pairing it with a heat protectant. To help minimize the risk of heat damage, we tested hair dryers with various temperatures so you can accommodate your unique hair type. A good rule of thumb to follow is the thicker or curlier your strands, the higher the temperature you can safely use. Those with thin, fine, straight, or wavy hair can use a lower temperature. For example, the ghd hairdryer maxes out at 149 degrees Fahrenheit.
• How loud is it? There's no such thing as a silent hair dryer, but we considered the relative noise each one emits, and the featured options are all relatively on the quiet side except our best budget buy. And frankly, if you're paying less than $20 for a hairdryer that lasts 17 years, dealing with a noisy tool isn't a bad tradeoff.
• Does it come with attachments? For example, the Shark HyperAIR Blow Dryer comes in two options — straight/wavy hair and curly/coily hair — to ensure you get the attachments that accommodate your hair type. Others, like the best overall pick from Dyson, come with five magnetic attachments, so you can create a variety of styles with a single hot tool.

Best of all, most of these hair dryers have been our editors' go-to favorites for years. Whether they’re brand-new finds or decades-old fan favorites, you can trust that our editors have had first-hand experience testing these blow dryers from one week to years worth of quick dries and at-home blowouts alike. Here are the 10 best hair dryers of 2024 that are undeniably worth owning.

BEST OVERALL

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

PROS

• Compatible with all hair textures
• Frizz-eliminating flyaway attachment
• Incredibly lightweight and comfy to hold
• Magnetic attachments stay in place
• Sleek design

CONS

• None, seriously

You've probably seen the Dyson Supersonic before, and as cool-looking as it is, you probably thought it wasn't worth the hefty price tag — and boy, were you wrong. This hair dryer is a favorite of nearly every celebrity hairstylist and editor with beautiful, silky hair, hence the best overall distinction.

This lightweight, fast-drying tool prevents extreme heat damage to help protect the shine and uses negative ions to reduce static in hair. Hence why I'm so obsessed with my Supersonic and wrote a solo 10/10 review hyping it up.

The Supersonic helps me achieve a salon-quality blowout at home. It's made with a powerful V9 motor and uses Air Multiplier technology to dry my hair quickly without heat damage. Plus, the variety of attachments is also important to me because it allows styling flexibility for all hair textures.

The Supersonic comes with five attachments that stay cool to the touch, even when styling. My personal favorite attachment is the detangling comb, which is ideal for textured hair like mine. The fan-favorite smoothing nozzle creates a silky-smooth look that makes your hair feel light as air.

DYSON SUPERSONIC REVIEW

Key Specs

Heat settings 3
Speeds 3
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) 79, which is less than a dishwasher
# of Attachments 5

BEST BUDGET BUY

Revlon Essentials Volume Booster Hair Dryer

PROS

• Comes with 2 attachments
• Great for frizzy hair

CONS

• Short cord

Save the big bucks for hair serums because this top-quality pick is less than $20, a total steal. This option from Revlon covers all the bases with multiple heat settings, a cool shot button, and an included diffuser. Plus, it uses ionic technology to smooth hair and reduce frizz.

This lightweight hair dryer is an affordable, reliable, and low-maintenance hot tool that earned major snaps from Christine Anderson, our executive director. She recommends this dryer for those who usually air-dry their hair but occasionally need a quick dry.

“I purchased this hair dryer back in college and 17 years later it’s still kicking. I love a product that can last nearly two decades without a loss in performance," she says. "I’m not a daily shampoo person, so I probably only blow-dry my hair once a week. If your haircare regiment is low maintenance and you just need a reliable blow dryer for occasional use, the Revlon Essentials is the tool for you.”

Key Specs

Heat Settings 3
Speeds 2
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) Not listed
# of Attachments 2

BEST DYSON DUPE

TYMO AirHype

PROS

• Includes a lightweight travel pouch
• Super lightweight full-sized hairdryer

CONS

• Attachments can fall off easier than the Dyson

I love my Dyson and have been loyal AF to it since 2020, but if you've only got $200 to spend, the popular Tymo Hypeair is a giftable alternative. I do think the Dyson is a stronger, more robust product, especially since I've been using it consistently for four years, but the TLDR is if you've got a more limited budget, don't need many attachments, and don't have thick or textured tresses, the Tymo is your best gift idea. That being said, here are a few notable comparisons to help you confidently figure out which hairdryer to purchase.

The Tymo comes with three attachments – an adjustable diffuser, comb, and smoothing nozzle — while the Supersonic comes with five. If you or your giftee don't have a sensitive scalp, thin hair, or don't care about frizz then the Tymo might be the best pick. Otherwise, the extra Dyson attachments would make it a winning gift idea.

You should also consider your loved one's hair texture as the higher temperature will help smooth curlier and cooler tresses with ease. Both hairdryers feature three pre-set temperatures and a cooling setting, but Dyson's amps up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit while the HypeAir maxes out at 210 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a very minimal difference and likely won't make a huge impact for most, but if someone has thicker or textured hair, the extra heat is more beneficial for smoothing and styling their hair.

One of the biggest selling points for the Supersonic is its weight. At just 1.8 pounds, I can comfortably style my tresses without my writer's wrist or arm feeling tired. Most impressively, Tymo's supercharged hairdryer is around 0.84 pounds (380 grams), which is incredible for a full-sized hairdryer.

Overall, if you're shopping for a relatively cost-effective hairdryer that boasts impressive tech like ion charge and self-adjusting temperatures, opt for the Tymo. Regardless of which hairdryer is in your budget, both powerful hairstyling tools are worthy of use.

Key Specs

Heat settings 3
Speeds 3
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) 69, which is less than a vacuum
# of Attachments 3

BEST TRAVEL HAIR DRYER

ghd Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer

PROS

• Foldable design is perfect for travel
• From a celebrity- and hairstylist-loved brand

CONS

• Doesn't come with a diffuser

The Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer truly deserves a round of applause for its on-the-go frizz-fighting abilities. This ghd hair dryer works for all hair types, no matter how thick, curly, or thin your strands may be. I find that it's particularly helpful for days I want to rough dry my hair to achieve big, bouncy hair. Don't worry: For those of us who prefer smooth and polished tresses, the ghd Flight+ is equally capable of creating a smooth and sleek look when paired with the right hair brush or comb.

Above all, ghd made the perfect travel hairstyling companion for ensuring your tresses look fabulous whether you're doing a day trip or a week-long vacation. (Lucky you!) Notably, the 240 and 120 voltages ensure this hairdryer works in the US and abroad. Plus, it comes with a lightweight, handy case to protect your new gift from getting scratched or dented during long-haul flights or from airline baggage workers who don't treat suitcases with TLC.

I'm also obsessed with the foldable handle that ensures I can experience the benefits of a pro-grade, full-sized tool without worrying about it taking up significant room in my carry-on bag.

Key Specs

Heat settings 2
Speeds 1
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) Not listed
# of Attachments 1

BEST DESIGN

amika The CEO 360° Lightweight Powerhouse Hair Dryer

PROS

• Ergonomic shape
• Compact design

CONS

• Relatively limited attachments

Amika's groovy Barbiecore design is absolutely gorgeous, and its aesthetic is undoubtedly the best-looking of our featured winners!

But what I appreciate most is that Amika perfectly blends form with function to create The CEO 360° hairdryer. It boasts an ergonomic design, and the handle is equipped with a cushiony grip for maximum comfort when styling. As a bonus, this hairdryer only weighs 1.45 pounds, so my arm doesn't get tired when styling.

I also totally love its positive and negative ion settings. Positive ions help volumize hair when styling and enable the nutrients from my hair mask to penetrate even deeper. While the negative ion setting seals in hydration and eliminates frizz.

It comes with two concentrator nozzles that make styling a breeze. The wide nozzle is ideal for thick and long hair as it emits a greater airflow that dries hair more rapidly than the narrow nozzle. I like both attachments, but if I could only use one, then it would be the narrow nozzle because the concentrated airflow helps give a more polished finish to my short, textured strands. It also provides more control over the styling area, so if you have bangs, consider it your go-to attachment.

Key Specs

Heat settings 3
Speeds 2
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) Not listed
# of Attachments 2

BEST FOR SHINY, SMOOTH HAIR

Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer

PROS

• Compatible with all hair types
• Supports a woman-owned business

CONS

• Only comes with two concentrators

Made for the pros by the pros, Drybar's Buttercup Blow Dryer ensures the ultimate styling experience. It's a light-in-hand, quick-dry tool that works to not only dry but condition hair with nanobeads that seal cuticles to keep hair healthy and looking smooth.

It's a favorite of tester Zarah Kavarana, who says it's worth the investment for its ability to smooth and shine strands without causing any heat damage or frizziness.

I believe the Buttercup is well worth its $200 price tag because it works on all hair textures, including her natural hair. Kavarana says, "Whenever I can use this sunshine-yellow hair dryer, I can skip using an anti-frizz serum because it’s made with ionic technology. The wider nozzle dries my thick hair fast, but I like to swap in the narrow nozzle when I want extra smooth and sleek hair."

Key Specs

Heat settings 3
Speeds 2
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) Not listed
# of Attachments 1

BEST BLOW-DRYING BRUSH

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer Hot Air Brush

PROS

• Large oval barrel features nylon pin and tufted bristles
• Ionic and ceramic technology

CONS

• Not ideal for short hair

Is it a hair dryer? A brush? Surprise: It's both! This best-selling Revlon hair-drying brush has garnered over 280,000 sparkling ratings on Amazon.

Our art production manager, Bridget Clegg, can't get enough of this brush for creating at-home blowouts that look identical to expensive salon ones. She also loves that this quick styler makes her reach for curling wands and flat irons less frequently.

Former senior service editor Melanie Yates also loves using this iconic hot tool to style her shoulder-length hair. She considers this Revlon brush a “user-friendly device that does the work of two hair tools in just a fraction of the time.”

Our senior commerce editor Cat Bowen is also a huge fan of this hot tool because it effortlessly smooths and shapes her curly hair. Just keep in mind that this viral Revlon hot tool gets very hot. Or as Bowen puts it, "I only use it on low or cool settings because it's hotter than the surface of the sun."

Related: The 9 Best Dyson AirWrap Alternatives That Work Just as Well, As Tested by Editors

Key Specs

Heat settings 3
Speeds 2
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) 70 dcbls
# of Attachments 1

BEST EXPERT-CREATED HAIR DRYER

Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000

PROS

• Less than 1 pound
• Super long cord

CONS

• Cool shot button can easily be hit accidentally

Move over Tiffany Blue. Harry Josh Mint Green is the ultimate status symbol among beauty enthusiasts in the know. Harry Josh is the celebrity hairstylist of choice for supermodels like Gisele Bündchen and Cindy Crawford, but if you've ever seen a Victoria's Secret campaign, it's safe to say you've seen his work.

It might be hard to imagine spending nearly $250 on a hair dryer, but after using this one from celeb stylist Harry Josh’s line of hair care tools, you’ll be hooked like myself and our former beauty and style editor Ashley Phillips. She said, “It works wonders on my naturally straight hair, too, leaving it soft, shiny, and looking like I just got a salon blowout.”

For me, Harry Josh Pro Tools is the gold standard all other hot tool brands should be compared to. Impressively, the ion technology significantly reduces frizz, the motor has a speed of 94 miles per hour ensures my hair dries faster than most, and it's designed to be much quieter than the typical hair dryer. It's super pricey, but the results are honestly that much better. The hair dryer was my first foray into the brand, but it's certainly not my last.

Key Specs

Heat settings 3
Speeds 2
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) 78.6, which is less than agarbage disposal
# of Attachments 1

BEST TECHNOLOGICALLY-ADVANCED HAIR DRYER

Shark HyperAIR Blow Dryer

PROS

• Multiple attachments
• Powerful airflow
• Automatic sensors

CONS

• Barrel can overheat

If you’re looking for a high-tech hairdryer, I couldn't recommend the Shark HyperAIR enough. It’s so techy and reliable that I named it as the best hair dryer in our inaugural 2024 Best New Beauty Awards. HyperAIR is equipped with two sensors that automatically adjust the airflow and heat based on the attachment you use. You can also manually adjust those settings if you prefer.

My frizzy hair is a thing of the past thanks to this powerful hairdryer. It combines a consistent high-velocity heat control with ionized air to style hair quickly and heat up evenly.

This Shark hair tool has a powerful airflow that dries my hair quickly despite temperatures maxing out at 230 degrees Fahrenheit. The lightweight hairdryer — 1.69 pounds — emits negative ions to lock in shine and moisture while minimizing my frizz and static, which is always. win.

It comes with a concentrator nozzle to achieve a salon-worthy blowout from the comfort of your home. Shark also sells a kit with an adjustable diffuser to volumize your curly hair. Choose between longer prongs when working with long or thick hair, while short diffuser claws are helpful for short or fine hair.

Key Specs

Heat settings 3
Speeds 3
Cool shot Yes
Decibels (db) 76, which is less than wiving room music
# of Attachments 2

FAQ

Q: DO HAIR DRYERS CAUSE DAMAGE?

Good news: The biggest misconception about hair dryers is they always cause damage. "Hair dryers do not cause split ends. Not getting your haircut on a regular basis and tons of curling or flat ironing can cause hair to split more quickly," explains Aguirre.

And guess what? Hair dryers are only an issue if you use them incorrectly — aka without a heat protectant and at an extremely high temperature. Your safest bet is to use a lower temp then slowly increase the heat setting when absolutely necessary.

Need another reason to upgrade to a new hair dryer? Using an outdated model can damage your strands, notes Aguirre. “The new technology [found in modern hair dryers] is superb and really does make a difference when it comes to keeping your hair healthy,” she says.

Q: DO EXPENSIVE HAIR DRYERS REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Jones and Aguirre agree that an expensive hair dryer is 100% worth the cost because they offer top-tier functionalities like a powerful motor and multiple heat and speeds settings that will speed up and improve your overall styling game.

If you're working with a tighter budget, don't worry: We researched and found four noteworthy options for less than $40. We also included several midrange options for less than $200, plus a couple of luxe models we will never stop using.

Why Trust Us

Best Products is your no-fail gifting website. Our team of expert editors spends more than 400 hours weekly researching products, conducting hands-on tests, interviewing industry pros, studying market research, reviewing consumer feedback, and writing up our findings into shoppable gift guides and explainers.

Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Best Products. With over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content, including heavily researching and testing hairdryers. And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for her quarterly column, Best New Beauty, and our annual Best New Beauty Awards package.