If you need to quickly dry your hair at home or want a professional blowout every time, you’ll appreciate the need to shop for a fast and easy hair dryer that gives you professional blowout every time.
Our Top Rated Hair Dryer Picks
These are the top best hair dryers to buy in 2023:
- Best hair dryer overall: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
- Best affordable hair dryer: Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer.
- Best blow dryer with diffuser for curly hair: Devacurl DevaDryer and Devafuser.
- Best for shiny hair: Harry Josh Pro Tools Dryer 2000.
What is the best blow dryer?
After countless hours of research, trials and testing of a wide range of blow dryers, the Best Hair Dryer is the Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer. This is because it is suitable for blowing all hair types, has an effective heat range, compact size and strikes a balance between price and performance.
Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer
Best affordable hair dryer
Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer is the best true affordable hair dryer for shiny frizz-free blowouts.
This Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer is the best mid-range and affordable hair dryer we’ve tested in 2023. It features a powerful 1875 watts motor and Ionic Technology that gives you a shiny blowout with less frizz. Read full Drybar Buttercup review.
| Power consumption | 1,875 Watts |
| Best for | Fine hair, Shiny hair |
| Feature | Ionic Technology, With Cool Shot |
| Where to buy | Amazon US, UK, CA | Drybar | Sephora |
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Best hair dryer for a professional blowout
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is the best professional hair dryer for a quick professional blowout at home.
The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is the best all-around hair dryer for a professional blowout at home. Itâs more expensive than other blow dryers, but hundreds of hair stylists agree itâs worth every penny. Read full Dyson Supersonic review.
| Power consumption | 1,600 Watts |
| Hair type | Wavy, Frizzy, Curly |
| Material | Plastic |
| Where to buy | Dyson | Amazon US, UK | Sephora |
The best hair dryer will help you achieve frizz-free locks in record time. That means a high wind speed and generous temperature range.
How we researched and picked
To find the best, we consulted three professional hair stylists, then measured and tested the 14 most popular blow dryers ourselves. In the end, we found four top picks that achieve the best results on most hair types.
This is the same process we use to review most of our beauty related products, like red hair dyes. Our beauty specialist accompanied by expert hair stylists tested and reviewed various hair blowers and have shortlisted the top best hair dryers for beautiful fine thin hair in 2023.
After testing different hair dryers and hair blowers to find and compare the best red hair dryers in 2023 that will give your hair a quick and balanced dry and also great value for your money, weâve taken time to also show you the important factors you need to consider when buying a hair dryer. This reviewed list has been carefully researched and reviewed by our beauty specialist with help from local hair salon owners, so you will find it well researched and in accordance with the latest trends.
Here then is a reviewed list of the best hair dryers:
Best hair dryer overall: Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer
Wattage: 1,875 watts | Dimensions LxWxH: 10 x 4.5 x 12.5 inches | Features: Ionic Technology
Why we picked it
Decent performance and results
The Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer produces gorgeous results and offers some nice design touches. It scored well both in temperature (with a great range of 70â200 degrees) and performance. Our testers found that after using the Buttercup, their hair felt fuller and had less frizz. There were mixed results on whether it improved shine, but their hair did feel much softer.
Unique concentrators
We loved the Buttercupâs two unique concentrators. They come with the standard flat edge on one side, as well as a scalloped edge that our testers found useful in making sure the heat was dispersed evenly across the hair. The diffuser, called âThe Bouncer,â costs extra, but we found it easy to attach, with a bowl wide enough to handle large curls without swallowing up shorter or thinner hair.
What you should know and points to consider
Low wind speed
The Buttercupâs biggest flaw is wind speed: it only reaches 38 mph. That’s faster than all of our budget dryers, but still on the slower side – not great for very thick or coarse hair. Even though our testers loved their results, they werenât impressed by the lower speed.
Best professional blow dryer: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is a powerful blow dryer engineered to protect hair from extreme heat damage and features a really fast hair drying technology to give you a quick professional blowout. This small but powerful hair dryer from Dyson can help you create a salon-worthy blow out in record time.
Wattage: 1600 watts | Speed settings: 3 | Weight: 1.5 lb / 697g | Heat settings: 3 | Dimensions LxWxH: 15.3 x 13.8 x 3.7 inches | Cord length: 9.1 feet / 2.8 meters
Why we picked it
Advanced design.
The Dyson has a top-of-the-line motor which produces its chart-topping 65 mph while being quiet enough to hold a conversation. It has one of the widest temperature ranges of all tested dryers, and contains a microchip specifically to self-regulate its heat levels, going above and beyond to protect your hair from damage. That combination of speed and heat saw rapidly reduced dry times: one tester cut her time in half.
Great results at a relatively fast time.
The Dyson excelled in the one test that separates a great hair dryer from the best: Results. If you have straight hair, or if youâre looking for a dryer that can reach those ultra-cool temperatures for damaged and color-treated hair, the Dyson can give you smooth, shiny, frizz-free locks.
Numerous heat settings.
Testers quickly took note of smaller details, right out of the box, and loved the light-up display. It has the most heat settings of our dryers, giving you 12 different combinations of heat and speed to customize to your hair needs. And since the Dyson automatically turns on to the last used setting, you donât have to worry about which heat and which speed you liked, no matter how long between styling sessions.
Things we did not like and points to consider
Not enough heat to straighten thick, coarse curls.
Our one request for the next generation of Dyson? Give us a little more heat. We know itâs possible; a few of our other dryers hit 200 degrees and higher. One tester with thick curly hair saw worse results with the concentrator than with the diffuser – and we know why: the Dyson caps out at 170 degrees, which isnât hot enough to straighten a lot of curls into an epic blow-out.
People with coarse hair, or a lot of hair, will still see shorter dry times because of the Dysonâs super-fast wind speeds, and if you have thin, fine curls, the Dyson can help you achieve a straighter blow-out, though it might not be as fast as the DevaDryer.
It’s expensive.
We canât ignore the Dyson’s $400 price tag. While we do think its functionality and features of the Dyson merit its price, itâs still twice the price of its closest competitors.
Best blow dryer with diffuser for curly hair: Devadryer and Devafuser
If you need a hair dryer that can blow any type of hair quick, the Devadryer is the best hair dryer and blower available for straight and curly hair. The high temperatures of heat generated by the Devacurl DevaDryer hair dryer can help thick or highly textured hair achieve any style of choice.
Where to buy: Amazon | official Devacurl online store
Why we picked it
Impressive heat range.
It has the widest temperature range of all our tested hair dryers â no matter your hair type, it has your back. It came in second only to the Dyson in wind speed, hitting 54 mph â still plenty fast to get your hair dried quickly, and was #1 in terms of heat, reaching 230 degrees at its hottest.
Enhanced diffuser.
A regular diffuser blows air into your hair from one direction. The finger-fronds of the Devafuser not only feature holes on all sides, giving you hot air from 360 degrees, they get that air deep into the curls and close to your scalp. The result? A more evenly produced heat to dry your hair faster. One of our testers with thick, voluminous hair brought her styling time down from 30 minutes to eight.
Compact size.
We also loved how compact it felt, despite being a full-sized dryer. It does weigh a bit more than the Dyson, but all our testers finished drying before their arms got tired. It ranks right in the middle for volume, but in all honesty, we couldnât hear a difference between the DevaDryer and our lower-decibel dryers.
What you should know and points to consider
Minor usability issue.
Like most of our dryers, the switches are on the front of the handle, so youâll have to be careful where you place your fingers and how hard you grip it. Itâs easy to switch back to your preferred setting, but it was still annoying to have to pause mid-styling because we accidentally moved the switch.
Best for a sparkling shine: Harry Josh Pro Tools Dryer 2000
Where to buy: Amazon | Dermstore | Walmart
Why we picked it
Compact size.
The Harry Josh Pro Tools Dryer is tiny, but it packs a punch. Our testers reported seeing smoother, shinier results compared to the other standard dryers they tested, and despite its relatively average wind speed, it cut down the time it took testers to dry their hair compared to their regular hair dryer.
Easy to use.
Itâs also easy to use – the buttons are tucked out of the way on the back of the handle, where your palm sits, so itâs almost impossible to accidentally switch a setting the wrong way. Itâs compact, and with the minty green color, itâs honestly pretty cute.
Things we did not like
Appeals to fewer hair types.
Its biggest flaw is its narrow temperature range: 110 degrees at its lowest and 150 degrees at its hottest. This dryer works best for people aiming for a straighter hair style, with either medium hair thickness or medium hair density. If your hair type falls on either side of those spectrums – very fine or quite coarse, extra thin or tons of hair – approach this dryer with greater caution. It wasnât designed with curly styles in mind, either.
Diffuser sold separately.
When we first saw this dryer up close, we were a little hesitant about whether it was more cute than useful. As it stands, the dryer functions well enough but the diffuser isnât included, and for $30, weâd like it better if it didnât look and feel like a cheap piece of plastic.
Buying Guide: Hair Dryers
What you should consider before you buy a hair dryer
Hair type
If your hair is strong enough to take the heat without being damaged (and needs the heat to get it dry in a reasonable amount of time), make sure your dryer reaches at least 150 degrees, and preferably hotter. Fine, thin, dyed, or damaged? Stay under 150 degrees. If your hair fits multiple of those criteria, stay under 100 degrees – keeping it hot will be more likely to damage your hair in the long run. Knowing what your hair can handle will help you determine just how powerful (heating and speed) you need your dryer to be.
âA hair dryer is a tool, not the be-all and end-all. A good dryer with enough power and the right technology helps to resolve the question of, âHow hard do I have to work to achieve this style?ââ
Erika Jaggars
Jaggars Salon, Seattle, WA
Power: Consider ionic technology
Ions help break water droplets apart into smaller water droplets, so the heat is still evenly distributed through the water on your hair, and reduces your overall drying time.
Ions also cut down on hair frizz and improve hair shine by encouraging your hair cuticle to close. The cuticle opens in heat and humidity – a good thing for conditioning your hair in the shower! But when left open, each hair strand stays rough, and as they rub against each other they start to break – leading to frizz and some hair loss. The cuticle needs to be closed to keep your hair healthy and shining.
Ionic technology does come with one reservation: it does its job a bit too well for straight and fine hair. Our experts agreed that ions were amazing for people with curlier, or damaged hair, but were mixed when it came to whether they would advise it for the straight and fine hair types. Instead, product and technique become more important to get volume.
Care and maintenance: How simple is it to maintain and care for?
Itâs a good idea to clean the filter at least once a month. A dirty filter will slow down the amount of air drawn into the hair dryer, dragging down your wind speed and reducing the lifespan of your hair dryer. Most dryers have a removable filter which gets rinsed with clean, cool water. Just make sure itâs completely dry before reattaching it to your hair dryer.
If you have a non-removable filter, use a soft, dry brush or a small vacuum to remove the dust bunnies. Keep an eye on your fingers though, because some filters have sharp edges.
Methodology: How we tested and reviewed blow dryers to find the best
Temperature
To find out which dryersâ temperature ranges would work for all hair types, we measured each on its lowest and highest settings by holding a giant kitchen thermometer in the direct flow of the dryerâs air for thirty seconds. Most of our hair dryersâ lowest settings reached temperatures that were downright refreshing in the summer heat – 70 degrees in most cases. We donât recommend using your hair dryer as an air conditioning unit, but if your hair is more than one of these things – fine, thin, dyed, or damaged – youâll want those cooler temps.
| Hair types | Ideal temperature setting |
|---|---|
| At least two of the following: fine, thin, dyed, or damaged hair | <100 degrees |
| Only one of the following: fine, thin, dyed, or damaged hair | 100 – 140 degrees |
| Medium texture and thin or dyed hair | 140 – 150 degrees |
| Thick or coarse hair | 150 – 200 degrees |
| Thick and coarse hair | 200+ degrees |
Speed
We used an anemometer (a small device that measure wind speed), set our hair dryers to maximum speed, and watched to see if our contenders could break any land-speed records. The more wind a dryer generates, the faster our hair dries and the less time it spends under the heat. That means thereâs a smaller window for it to get overcooked. It was clear that most manufacturers aim at 45 miles per hour.
Time to dry
We wanted to find dryers that would get us on our way with the look we want as quickly as possible. So, we asked testers to time their dry from start to finish, and looked for not just the speediest dryers, but the ones that reduced each testerâs time the most dramatically.
General quality
Most of our dryers were at least $100; we wanted to see which ones were truly worth it. We looked to see whether the diffusers and concentrators attach and remove, as well as looking into whether this was a dryer, we felt would stick with us for years to come.
We asked our testers to see if their dryers felt too heavy, or too loud, and note how easy the attachments and buttons were to use. The cool shot started to be a dividing factor â some were easy to press, but we had to work to hold others down for the recommended one to two minutes. And while some concentrators and diffusers popped on and off without bending a nail, others, like the GHD Air Professional, almost needed a crow-bar.
Hair drying results
Finally, we asked our testers to evaluate the final product: their hair style. The best dryers will shoulder most of the work in getting our hair into a beautiful, frizz-free, shiny smooth style that was ready to meet the day.
How to Use a Blow Dryer to Blowout Your Hair Like A Pro
Hair Dryer Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some of the frequently asked questions about hair dryers.
