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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong
In an ideal world, we’d be getting a professional blowout every day at home by our on-call stylist, followed by a massage from our in-house masseuse. But we digress. The point is, for most of us, regular blowouts just aren’t a thing. And no matter whether you’re attempting to re-create a salon-worthy blowout in your own home or just want to get your hair dry, a good blow-dryer is invaluable. Your options are endless, from basic drugstore buys to high-end models boasting all the bells and whistles imaginable.
Byrdie Researched & Approved
Although the T3 Cura Luxe Professional Ionic Hair Dryer is admittedly pricey, it gets the job done quickly, making it worth the splurge and our top pick. Our at-home tester says that “this dryer is an upgrade you won’t regret.” If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, we recommend the Conair Quick Styling Salon Hair Dryer because it fights frizz and helps keep hair smooth.
Ahead you'll find the best blow-dryers out there, with something for every haircare need—and every budget.
Best Overall: T3 Cura Luxe Professional Ionic Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Bloomingdale's
Adds volume
Quiet operation
Dries hair quickly
Expensive
This is definitely one of the pricier tools of the bunch, but it's well worth the investment. Among some of the noteworthy features are five heat and two speed settings, a switch that allows you to turn the ionizer on and off depending on how much texture and volume you want, and an automatic pause sensor that stops the dryer when you release the handle. It’s been a mainstay in our haircare routine for years (with no signs of wear and tear), which should make you feel a bit better about shelling out the big bucks.
Features: Digital IonAir, 5 heat and 2 speed settings, ion generator, auto pause sensor, volume boost switch, lock-in cool shot, 2 drying and styling concentrators, 9-foot cord | Wireless: No
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Byrdie / Ashley Rubell
What Our Testers Say
"If blowouts are your jam, this dryer is an upgrade you won’t regret," she said after testing this product. "It's an investment that'll end up saving you money over time." — Ashley Rubell, Product Tester
Best Luxury: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
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Ulta
Prevents heat damage
Dries hair quickly
Lightweight
Quiet operation
Expensive
For those ready and willing to invest some big bucks in a hot tool, this is the one to purchase. The brand known for creating the Rolls-Royce of vacuums has done the same with the blow-dryer, virtually upending the category entirely. This high-ticket tool has all kinds of tech features: a sensor that measures the temperature 40 times per second to prevent heat damage and a high-velocity jet of air for faster drying. The motor sits in the handle, making it extremely lightweight, and it’s also super quiet. We're not surprised so many pro stylists love it.
Max Temp: 212 degrees | Features: 5 magnetic styling attachments, cool to touch, ionic technology, 3 speed and 4 heat settings | Wireless: No
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Byrdie / Ashley Rubell
Best for Thin Hair: REMINGTON Pro Hair Dryer with Pearl Ceramic Technology
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Affordable
Conditions hair
Nonslip grip
Not for international travel
Thin and fine hair is naturally prone to more breakage and damage, and daily drying can only exacerbate the problem. Enter the beauty of this choice, which has crushed pearls infused into the barrel. (Stay with us here.) Heat-activated technology transfers micro-conditioners through the airflow so hair stays extra smooth, soft, and silky.
Features: Pearl ceramic technology, 40% faster airflow, 3 heat and 2 speed settings, cool shot, removable filter, 2 styling attachments | Wireless: No
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Byrdie / Ashley Rubell
What Our Testers Say
"My hair was softer and smoother in mere minutes." —Ashley Rubell, Product Tester
Best for Frizzy Hair: Wazor Infrared Lightweight Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Amazon
Affordable
Reduces frizz
Lightweight
Reviewers note a short lifespan
Ionic technology is a great choice for tamping down errant frizzies. These days, you can find it in almost every dryer out there, but this one deposits an even higher number of ions than others to completely smooth your strands. There are also three heat and two speed settings, allowing you to customize exactly what you need based on your hair type and texture.
Features: Infrared drying technology, ionic technology, 2 speed and 3 heat settings, removable filter, 1 styling attachment, cool shot button, hang ring | Wireless: No
Best for Curly Hair: DevaCurl DevaDryer and DevaFuser For All Curl Kind
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Dermstore
Designed for curly hair
Adds volume
Reduces frizz
Reviewers note its lifespan isn't long
As any curly-haired woman will tell you, blow-drying is a little bit of a different beast when your hair isn’t straight. This set by DevaCurl comes with two devices. There’s a more traditional type blow-dryer with all the features you need. But what’s really worth calling out here is the unique hand-shaped diffuser that scrunches curls to keep them intact and fluffy, but never frizzy.
Features: Ionic technology, hand-shaped DEVAFUSER with 360-degree airflow, 3 heat and 2 speed settings | Wireless: No
Best for Natural Hair: RUSK Speed Freak Ceramic and Tourmaline Professional 2000 Watt Professional Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Amazon
Adds shine
Reduces frizz
Great for thick hair
Heavy
Blow-drying natural hair, which tends to be thick and coarse, often requires a bit more heavy lifting. Whereas many blow-dryers top out at 1,800 or 1,875 watts, this is even more powerful, coming in at 2,000. It also uses far-infrared heat to speed up dry time—which is always a good thing when you have thicker hair.
Features: Ceramic technology, tourmaline technology, 1 styling attachment, cold shot, removable filter, 3 heat and 2 speed settings | Wireless: No
Best High Speed: Bio Ionic 10X UltraLight Speed Dryer
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Courtesy of Sephora
Dries hair quickly
Seals cuticle
Adds shine
Expensive
The motor on this guy is 50% more powerful than those of standard dryers, meaning you can go from wet hair to dry hair in less than 10 minutes. (Still, the motor also somehow manages to use 75% less energy than others. Go figure.) It also uses volcanic rock minerals to help completely seal the cuticle of the hair for maximum shine and smoothness. Again, go figure.
Features: Bio Ionic Moisturizing Heat technology, cool shot, 1 styling attachment, adjustable heat and speed settings | Wireless: No
Best Lightweight: Varis Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Walmart
Lightweight
Quiet operation
Conditions hair
Expensive
If you don’t particularly feel like turning your styling routine into an arm workout, try this blow-dryer. Despite the fact that it is a full-size, pro-grade, 1800-watt dryer, it weighs less than one pound. We also appreciate the extra-long 14-foot power cord and its super quiet volume.
Features: Hydroionic crystal technology, 1 styling attachment, adjustable speed and heat, 14-foot cord | Wireless: No
Best for Blowouts: Drybar Buttercup Blow-Dryer
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Amazon
Reduces frizz
Adds shine
Lightweight
Reviewers note its lifespan is short
Admittedly, all of these blow-dryers are great for at-home blowouts, but this one really takes the cake. (After all, who better to come up with a dryer great for blowouts than a major blowout bar?) It lets you score a ultrasmooth, frizz-free style quickly and even comes with two different concentrator attachments to customize airflow.
Features: Ionic technology, 9-foot cord, 3 heat and 2 speed settings, 2 styling attachments, cool shot lock | Wireless: No
Best Brush: Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer
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Amazon
Affordable
Comes in various colors
Reduces frizz
Reviewers note it can overheat quickly
This hot tool hybrid has somewhat of a cult-like following, and for very good reason. The oval-shaped brush simultaneously dries and styles your hair, thanks to a combo of ionic technology plus both nylon and boar bristles. It delivers just the right amount of smoothness, volume, and bend at the ends.
Features: Nylon pin and tufted bristles, 3 heat and speed settings, cool shot, ion generator, ceramic coating, 6-foot swivel cord, cool tip | Wireless: No
Best Drugstore: Conair Quick Styling Salon Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Walmart
Affordable
Ergonomic design
Comes in various colors
Loud operation
Another excellent—and very affordable—choice, this boasts a pro-level alternating current (AC) motor. It also has ionic technology to combat frizz and keep hair smooth as well as ceramic technology for even heat distribution. Also nice: It comes with both diffuser and concentrator attachments.
Features: Ionic technology, removable filter, 2 styling attachments, blowout brush, cool shot, 3 heat and 2 speed settings | Wireless: No
Best Ionic: CHI Touch 2 Dryer
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Reduces frizz
Easy to grip
Lightweight
Expensive
Ionic technology is choice for helping to smooth out hair and keep it frizz-free, though sometimes it can make fine hair a bit too flat. That’s why we appreciate that this fancy pants pick features a touch screen design that lets you control the ionic element, dialing it up and down as needed. The touch screen also lets you adjust the speed, the temperature, and even the cool shot button.
Features: 2.4-inch touch screen control, 3D ion generation system, CHI ceramic technology, 2 styling attachments, 11-foot power cord, cool shot, adjustable speed and heat settings | Wireless: No
Best Travel: Amika Mighty Mini Ionic Dryer
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Amazon
Travel-friendly
Lightweight
Great for short hair
Reviewers note it can overheat quickly
Forget relying on those dinky mini dryers in the hotel bathroom or the locker room of the spin studio. Pack this portable pick to ensure a good blow-dry anytime, anywhere. It’s small enough to easily fit into any suitcase or gym bag but still packs as big of a punch as its larger counterparts. Plus, it comes with two equally portable attachments and a convenient travel pouch.
Features: Tourmaline technology, infrared heat, 2 styling attachements, travel bag, 2 speed and heat settings, dual voltage | Wireless: No
Best for Extra Shine: GHD Helios 1875W Advanced Professional Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Sephora
Comes in various colors
Adds shine
Ergonomic design
Not ideal for fine hair
The latest from this big-time hair tool brand boasts a special new kind of aerodynamic technology, which makes for not only a faster dry time but also up to 30% more shine. The unique contoured nozzle also results in smoother and more even airflow, so hair stays in alignment. Translation? Extra shine. The array of five fun colors you can choose from is just the icing on the cake.
Features: Brushless motor, Aeroprecis technology, cool shot, 9-foot cord, 1 styling attachment, adjustable speed and heat settings | Wireless: No
What to Look For in Hair Dryers
Weight
There’s nothing more frustrating than having to take breaks from blowing out your hair because your dryer is testing your arm muscles. Weight is a factor to consider when you’re looking at different hair dryers. A typical hair dryer will weigh a couple of pounds, so be cautious about purchasing a dryer that has a substantially higher weight listed.
Heat Settings
There are hair dryers that come with up to five heat settings and others with only two. If you prefer warm versus hot air—or even cool air—pay close attention to the dryer’s features. Of course, lower-temperature air will cause less damage.
Speed Settings
If you have thicker hair, you can benefit from a higher-powered hair dryer capable of cutting down your drying time. Aside from that, dryers can come with a more diverse set of speed settings, whether that be two or three. This is convenient if you find higher speeds make drying your hair more difficult.
Cord Length
Do you find yourself standing or sitting when drying your hair? Is there an outlet conveniently located for plugging in your dryer? Cord length is important to maximize your comfort, given that drying your hair can take a whole lot longer than you’d like. While you can use an extension cord, it’s easier to take a look at the length of a dryer’s cord to simplify things.
Technology
People swear by different hair-drying technologies. There are dryers with ionic technology, pearl ceramic technology, infrared technology, tourmaline technology, hydronic crystal technology, Aeroprecis technology, and the list goes on. To make matters more complicated, the technology of the dryer often pairs better with select hair types. For example, ionic technology is ideal for frizzy hair.
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 hair dryers from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.