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Boutayna Chokrane
Gear
Ready to ditch your clunky hair dryer? These top-tier models bring the heat without the damage.
All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
Best Overall
L’Oreal Professionnel AirLight Pro
Read more-SOURCE-Amazon.jpg "The Best Hair Dryers That Put Your Old One to Shame (4)")
Best Budget
Conair InfinitiPRO by Conair SmoothWrap Hair Dryer
Read more
Best Blowout Brush
Drybar The Triple Shot Interchangeable Blow-Dryer Brush
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Best Professional Hair Dryer
Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer
Read more4
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7
Most hair dryers suck. No judgment, but if your hair dryer is leaving you with frizz, static, or a singed scalp, it might be time for an upgrade. The problem is that finding the right one for your hair is a nightmare. There are tons of options, ranging from cheap drugstore models that barely last a year to smart dryers that cost as much as a month’s rent. And somehow, the middle ground, which is the sweet spot of affordability and performance, feels impossible to find.
I’ve owned my fair share of duds: dryers that promise salon-worthy blowouts but underdeliver, models that sound like jet engines, and others that leave my hair feeling crispy. But I’ve also found some true standouts—dryers that work fast, keep heat damage to a minimum, and make hair styling easy for the average civilian.
I put the latest and greatest to the test, and these are the ones worth your money. Be sure to read our other hair care guides, including the Best Hair Straighteners, Best Curling Irons, and the Best Dry Shampoos.
Updated February 2025: We've overhauled this guide.
| Next Up |
|---|
| I’ll be testing the Laifen SE for $130, Paul Mitchell Neuro Dry+ Folding High-Velocity Hair Dryer for $250, and T3's new Aire IQ, an intelligent hair dryer for $400. |
Ian Gavan/Getty Images
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Terms to Understand
Concentrator nozzle: This attachment narrows airflow for precise styling, making it ideal for straightening or sleek blowouts. It's also useful when sectioning hair, working with a round brush, or drying bangs. For best results, dry hair partially before using to minimize the risk of heat damage.
Diffuser: A diffuser disperses airflow to enhance natural texture without disrupting curl patterns or causing frizz. While it's most effective for curls, it can help tame frizz-prone hair of any type.
Cool shot button: Many dryers feature a cool shot button that blasts cold air to set your style and smooth any flyaways. It's a small touch that makes a big difference in the longevity and finish of your hairstyle.
Ionic hair dryers: Ionic dryers release negative ions that break down water droplets, speeding up evaporation and drying time. This also helps control frizz and boost shine. But as Abra McField, founder of Abra Kadabra Hair and Healing, notes, if you have fine hair and want more volume, you may not like ionic dryers.
Tourmaline: This gemstone is used in some hair tools to emit negative ions and infrared heat, as seen in models like the Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus. The infrared heat is a popular choice for people shopping for fast but gentle-ish dryers.
Ceramic: Some hair dryers are designed to evenly distribute heat and prevent hot spots. These tools are often seen as gentler options.
Motor type: There are three main types of motors in hair dryers: AC (alternating current), DC (direct current), and brushless. AC motors are more powerful and last longer, while DC motors are quieter and lighter. Brushless motors are newer and more expensive, but they also offer long-term reliability and energy efficiency.
What Features Should I Look for In a High-Quality Hair Dryer?
Weight: A lightweight dryer can make a big difference, especially if you're styling your hair daily. It reduces hand strain and provides better maneuverability, making the drying process more comfortable.
Heat and speed settings: These settings determine both the temperature and airflow of your dryer. More adjustable options allow you to personalize your experience and exercise greater control over your hair. Personally, I find a cool shot button or setting a must for locking in my hairdo because I almost never use hairspray.
Power: The power of a dryer is mainly dictated by its wattage, typically ranging from 800 to 2,000 watts. Higher wattage means faster drying times and more heat, but it can mean a heavier dryer and higher energy consumption.
Attachments: Choose one that comes with useful attachments, such as concentrator nozzles or diffusers, depending on your hair type and texture.
Best Overall
Photograph: Ulta Beauty
L’Oreal Professionnel
AirLight Pro
The L’Oréal Professionnel AirLight Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the fastest hair dryer I’ve tested that doesn’t rely on scorching heat to get the best results. Instead, it uses near-infrared light, powerful airflow, and controlled heat to dry the hair while retaining its moisture. L’Oréal claims this keeps hair 33 percent more hydrated and 59 percent smoother than traditional dryers. I have type 2A hair and I get a frizz-free blowout in about 10 minutes.
It’s only $45 more than the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer ($430) and cheaper than Dyson's Supersonic Nural ($499)—but it’s also quieter, faster, and more customizable, with settings that work for all hair types. The 11.5-foot cord outstretches any Dyson, Shark Speedstyle, and GHD Helios Professional.
The AirLight Pro is also built to last. L’Oréal Professionnel rates it for a 10-year lifespan of professional use, assuming two hours of daily use, five days a week. It’s repairable and features a filter-cleaning alert and auto-shutoff function, so you’ll know when it needs to be cleaned. Bonus: It consumes 31 percent less energy than a standard dryer, which is great for the planet and your electricity bill.
Side Note: The Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer is essentially an earlier version of the AirLight Pro, using the same patented LightCare technology but with a 600-watt motor (compared to the AirLight’s 1875 watts). The Halo is $126 cheaper at $349, but it’s also designed with a shorter cord and lacks an LCD screen. If none of those traits matter to you, consider the Zuvi.
Specs Weight: 1.7 pounds. Wattage: 1,875 watts. Heat & Speed Settings: Access three heat and three airflow settings on handle. With connected app, customize your own signature settings. Adjust in increments of 5 percent for airflow and 15–20°F. Preset sleek, curly, and coily settings. Attachments: 2 (diffuser and concentrator). Cord Length: 11.5 feet. Cool Shot Button: Yes. Warranty: Minimum 2-year warranty. Best Budget
Photograph: Amazon
Conair
InfinitiPRO by Conair SmoothWrap Hair Dryer
I used the InfinitiPro by Conair SmoothWrap dryer for two years before upgrading to the AirLight Pro. It’s the best budget dryer I’ve owned. In college and grad school, I burned through more cheap Amazon bestsellers than I’d like to admit—most barely lasted a year before fizzling out. But my Conair hair dryer is still kicking.
It won’t revolutionize your routine, but it’s lightweight, reliable, and gets the job done. The high-torque DC motor is powerful, and the three heat and two speed settings are just enough control. There’s also a removable filter to help extend its lifespan. If you need an affordable workhorse—or just something to rough-dry before hair styling—this is a decent dryer that won’t let you down.
Side Note: Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano has tested the InfinitiPro by Conair Hair Dryer for $40, which is another affordable pick. According to her, its lowest setting worked great on her frizz-prone curls.
Specs Weight: 2.12 pounds. Wattage: 1,875 watts. Heat & Speed Settings: 3 heat, 2 speed. Attachments: 2 (diffuser and concentrator). Cord Length: 6 feet. Cool Shot Button: Yes. Warranty: 2 years (limited).
Best Blowout Brush
Photograph: Ulta; Boutayna Chokrane
Drybar
The Triple Shot Interchangeable Blow-Dryer Brush
If I expect a hotel hair dryer in my room, I’ll pack Drybar’s Triple Shot Interchangeable Blow-Dryer Brush. It’s compact, thanks to its three detachable heads, and it comes with a heat-resistant storage bag that fits all attachments, plus my mousse, hair wax, and a few clips. The snap-on heads are easy to swap—an oval brush for volume, a vented paddle brush for sleek styles, and a small round brush for soft curls and waves—but removing them takes a little force (along with the release button). You’ll also want to let them cool before yanking them off.
The Triple Shot works on towel-dried hair, but I still like to rough-dry a little before going in with the hot brush to speed up drying time. Drybar designed the brush with vents to maximize airflow and help with heat distribution. Even on the hottest setting, I can brush from my roots without feeling like I’m burning my scalp. I also appreciate the nylon and tufted bristles, which grip my hair without ripping out strands. I can’t say the same about most hot brushes.
I’ve tested the Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus, and while it has an extra heat setting than Drybar’s and both use ionic technology, I still prefer this one. The vented paddle brush makes it easy to do a lazy blowout—just run it through your hair, and it looks way better than if you left it to air-dry.
Side Note: The Drybar Buttercup dryer ($199), which I'm currently testing, is also fabulous. It comes with two air concentrator nozzles, and both have small notches cut into them so the Buttercup doesn't end up overdrying the hair. Design-wise, the positioning of the two speed and heat controls doesn’t quite work—former WIRED reviewer Victoria Woollaston-Webber says she manages to change at least one of the settings accidentally every time she uses it—but this is a small complaint on an overall recommendation.
Specs Weight: 4.13 pounds (including all attachments). Wattage: 110 watts. Heat & Speed Settings: 3 heat, 3 speed. Attachments: 3 (vented paddle; small round; oval brush) Cord Length: 9 feet. Cool Shot Button: No. Cool setting instead. Warranty: 2 years (limited). Best Professional Hair Dryer
Photograph: Amazon
Dyson
Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer
The Dyson Supersonic Nural (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the best hair dryers on the market, but it’s also one of the priciest. It has three speed settings, three heat settings, and Dyson’s signature Air Multiplier technology, which triples airflow for faster drying without sacrificing hair health.
Best of all, the dryer is packed with useful intelligent features I didn’t know I needed in a dryer until I used it. The Scalp Protect Mode features a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor and infrared beam to detect when the dryer is too close to your scalp, automatically dropping the temperature to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. There’s a Pause Detect feature, designed with a motion-sensing accelerometer that knows when you set the dryer down, reducing airflow and noise. It also features Attachment Learning—a first for Dyson—using magnetic IDs to recognize which of the five attachments you’re using; it then tweaks the settings for optimal performance. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano particularly loves the reengineered diffuser, which now has a removable prong system to create a vortex of air around curls, speeding up drying without sacrificing definition. The Supersonic Nural is also available in many colorways. If you’re after a splurge, this one’s a no-brainer.
Specs Weight: 1.8 pounds. Wattage: 1,600 watts. Heat & Speed Settings: 4 heat, 3 speed. Attachments: 5 (wave + curl diffuser, styling concentrator, gentle air attachment, wide tooth comb, flyaway attachment). Cord Length: 8.6 feet. Cool Shot Button: Yes. Warranty: 2 years.
Best for Sensitive Scalps
Photograph: Sephora
Shark
SpeedStyle Pro Flex Hair Dryer System
If you've been eyeing the Dyson Airwrap (8/10, WIRED Recommends) but are not so keen on the price tag, let me point you toward the Shark SpeedStyle Pro Flex, which is an excellent and more affordable dupe. Unlike the Airwrap, it’s a hair dryer and styling tool with four versatile attachments: a styling concentrator, a quick-smooth brush, a frizz-fighter tool, and a defrizz fast diffuser.
Shark claims it’s dermatologist-approved for scalp protection due to the Scalp Shield feature, which automatically adjusts the heat to protect sensitive skin. The temperature regulation system measures heat 1,000 times per second to ensure it never exceeds 230 degrees Fahrenheit. Paired with its high-velocity airflow (0–100 mph in under a second), the Shark SpeedStyle makes for a quick and gentle drying experience for all hair types. It’s also practical, with a folding handle that makes it easy to stash in a drawer or bag for travel.
The one downside is that Shark Beauty doesn’t include a storage bag, but the brand sells a soft neoprene one for $42 if you’re willing to spend extra.
Specs Weight: 1.57 pounds. Wattage: 1,750 watts. Heat & Speed Settings: 3 heat, 3 airflow settings. Attachments: 4 (QuickSmooth brush, DefrizzFast diffuser, FrizzFighter finishing tool, styling concentrator) Cord Length: 8 feet. Cool Shot Button: Yes. Warranty: 2 years. Best for Curls
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Pattern
Blow Dryer
The Pattern Blow Dryer comes from a company owned by Tracee Ellis Ross, and the entire focus is all about curls, curls, curls. There are a few curl-specific features that make this dryer so darn great. Even at its highest setting, it doesn’t get quite as hot as other dryers, which helps prevent damage (something all curly-haired people should strive for). The four included attachments—a diffuser, a wide-tooth comb, a brush, and a concentrator nozzle—can be locked in place either vertically or horizontally, which makes it easy to target different areas of your hair for specific styling needs. As one example, I like to use the concentrator nozzle to target my roots without messing with my curls at my mid-lengths and ends.
The buttons are foolproof—choose from three heat levels, two airflow levels, ions on or off, and a cold shot button. And finally, I love the diffuser, as mentioned in our guide to the Best Diffusers for Curly Hair. All in all, this dryer is easy to use and gentle on your mane, and it’s easy enough to hold that your biceps won’t give out if you’re spending a long time getting your hairstyle just right. —Louryn Strampe
Specs Weight: 1.12 pounds. Wattage: 1,875 watts. Heat & Speed Settings: 2 heat, 3 speed. Attachments: 4 (brush, wide tooth comb, concentrator nozzle, and diffuser). Cord Length: 7 feet. Cool Shot Button: Yes. Warranty: 2 years.
Best for Thick Hair
Photograph: RevAir
RevAir
Reverse-Air Dryer
The RevAir has legitimately changed my life. It's the only thing to dramatically cut down on drying and styling time—and damage—when I want to wear my curls straight. I've been obsessed with the RevAir since trying it in 2021, and the 2022 version is smaller and lighter than the original, but it's more expensive and still a large device you'll need to store.
After sectioning your wet or damp hair, you feed each section into the wand, like a vacuum, and the device dries and straightens in one step. Tiny openings at the tip of the wand direct air out to dry your scalp, while the rest of your hair is dried with air going down, so you don't get frizzy. Crazy, I know, but it works. Wet curls went in, and dry straight hair came out in around 30 seconds. I still had to use a flat iron to smooth my hair, because its natural state is a puff, but I used the RevAir on a friend whose curls are soft, fine, and down to her hips. She didn't have to use a flat iron at all. If I could splurge on one product for the rest of my life, it would be this. —Medea Giordano
Specs Weight: 8 pounds. Wattage: 800 watts. Heat & Speed Settings: 2 heat, 7 tension settings. Attachments: N/A. Cord Length: 6.5 feet. Hose length is 5.5 feet. Cool Shot Button: Yes. Warranty: 1-year warranty.
Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Amazon
Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus for $70: The Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus has a 2-inch, oval-shaped hot brush barrel that dries and styles hair at the same time—not to be confused with the original One-Step dryer, which was recalled in the UK in 2020 over safety reports of overheating. The Plus is a close runner-up to Drybar's hot brush, with its four heat settings (low, medium, high, cool) and detachable design that makes storage much easier. I have fine hair and this is one of the few hair tools that gives me the frizz-free bounce I love, thanks to its ceramic titanium tourmaline technology that delivers 50 percent less heat exposure.
Hairitage Comin' Hot Dryer for $40: Hairitage’s Comin’ in Hot Hair Dryer is compact at 1.6 pounds and costs just $40. The basics are covered: two speeds, three heat settings, and a cool shot button. It only comes with an air concentrator nozzle, but you can purchase aseparate diffuser for curlsanda comb attachment. The add-ons are frequently out of stock, though, sometimes for months at a time.
Hot Tools Pro Artist Quietair for $120: The Hot Tools Pro Artist Quietair is certified by Quiet Mark, an independent organization that assesses how much noise pollution household products produce. While the price is technically $120, it's almost always discounted to around $60 on Amazon, so you don't have to splurge. The reduction of sound isn't a reduction of capability. The high-speed setting will blow the dryer right off your counter if you set it down. It has three heat settings and two speed settings, plus a cool shot button.
Panasonic Nanoe Hair Dryer for $160: This dryer comes with a concentrator nozzle and diffuser attachment in addition to its removable oscillating head that mimics the back-and-forth motion you make with your hand. There are three heat settings and two speed settings, which is the minimum standard. Panasonic also claims the dryer uses electrostatic shock to disperse water molecules into tinier nano-sized particles, which might reduce hair damage. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano tested the compact version for $100, which she says makes for a great travel hair dryer.
Gama iQ2 Perfetto for $330: The iQ2 includes an auto-clean function to automatically turn off should it overheat (it did not do this in testing, thankfully). There's a setting lock so you can dry your hair without accidentally changing the speed or heat. Plus, it comes with a silicone thermal mat that puts the dryer into standby mode when you place it down, turning it back on when you pick it up. This is helpful if you're sectioning off strands, and frequently have to put the dryer down. But it's expensive, and the microperforated magnetic mesh filter cover tends to fall off.
Accessories to Try
Photograph: Kat Merck
Use a heat protectant spray before blow-drying. The Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer is our favorite, but we also love the R+Co Hot Spell Thermotech Blow Out Balm for curly or thick hair. For more recommendations, check out our guide to the Best Heat Protectant Sprays.
Get a quality hair towel to avoid frizz and breakage. A regular body towel is too rough on hair, especially fragile curls. A plain old cotton T-shirt works great for drying, and you likely have one in your closet that you no longer wear. You'll find specific hair towels anywhere you shop for hair products, but former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano recommends TO112's Bamboo Wrap ($39).
Boutayna Chokrane is a product writer and reviewer at WIRED, covering consumer products and online trends. She specializes in fitness equipment, beauty tech, apparel, and more. Before joining the Gear team, she was a music editorial fellow at Pitchfork. She also worked as a freelance journalist, covering fashion, arts, and ... Read more
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