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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong
Who doesn’t love a fresh, bouncy in-salon blowdry?
While there’s no real substitute for a professional job, having the right tools at home can certainly help when it comes to volume, shine, bounce, and definition. Your hair dryer is front and center, but there are definitely some key features to look for, especially when it comes to professional standards.
Byrdie Researched & Approved
Thanks to its lightweight, quiet design, the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer has become the go-to favorite among stylists (and Byrdie editor Jesa Marie Calaor), which is why it tops our list. If you’re in the market for a less expensive option, we recommend the Turbo Power Twin Turbo 3200 Hair Dryer for its effectiveness.
“When looking for a professional blow dryer you want to look for a few things: the weight, ergonomics, and heat settings are all important,'' says Global Artistic Director of Pureology, Jamie Wiley. Wiley also explains that functions and controls—like cool shots and speed settings—are also important as they enable you to dry and smooth the hair with ease without any damage.
So whether you’re an avid heat styler or simply want to buy a quality, salon-worthy tool to have at home, we’ve asked some stylists to share the ones they not only recommend but use on clients themselves.
Below are the best professional hair dryers recommended by the pros.
Best Overall
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
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Dyson
Versatile styling options
Lightweight
Quiet
Expensive
Who else recommends it? Today, NBC News, and Vogue all picked the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
What do buyers say? 85% of 3,900+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 5 stars.
Wiley calls the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer gold class and we have to agree with her: “It’s lightweight, quiet, and measures the air temperature over 40 times a second to protect the hair from damage. I also find it creates intense shine, and the six attachments are really handy.”
Price at time of publish: $599.99
Max Temp: 100 degrees | Features: Temperature control, six attachments, cold shot, multiple heat and speed settings | Wireless: No
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Byrdie / Ashley Rubell
What Our Editors Say
"Since launching in 2016, the Dyson Supersonic has captured the attention of beauty pros—and it makes sense. Its innovative design (its quiet motor and ability to dry hair mega-fast) has totally transformed the experience of drying my thick, medium-coarse, wavy hair. It takes about four minutes and 16 seconds to totally dry my hair (as opposed to the 15 to 20 it takes with the average hairdryer). Better still: is the shine and soft texture it leaves my waves." — Jesa Marie Calaor, Editor
Best Budget
Turbo Power Twin Turbo 3200 Hair Dryer
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Lightweight
Durable
Reduces frizz
Noisy
Small but mighty, this dryer is simple but effective for anyone wanting to smooth and shape their hair with ease. One Amazon reviewer even says it’s the “best investment they’ve ever made, even compared to more expensive options.”
Price at time of publish: $120
Features: Two heat and speed settings | Wireless: No
Best Drugstore
BaBylissPRO Rapido Dryer
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Courtesy of Ulta
Lightweight
Reduces frizz
Quiet
Buttons dig into your hands while using
Fun fact, this motor is actually designed by Ferrari, so you know it’s got some power to it. The idea behind this BabylissPRO dryer is a quick, shiny blow-dry—thanks to increased airflow and ionic technology. It also weighs less than 1 pound, so it won’t put pressure on your wrist.
Price at time of publish: $199.99
Features: Two attachments, six heat and speed settings | Wireless: No
Best for Volume
T3 Cura Luxe Professional Ionic Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Bloomingdale's
Lightweight
Dries hair quickly
Softens hair
Expensive
“The Cura Luxe is a full-sized dryer and has a volume boost switch where I can turn off the negative ions if I am looking for more of a full finish,” says Lopez. I also love that it’s still super lightweight for a full-size dryer, plus comes with two different concentrator attachments and a diffuser attachment.”
Features: Built-in ion generator for shine, three heat and two-speed settings, cold shot | Wireless: No
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Byrdie / Ashley Rubell
Best Compact Size
T3 Fit Dryer
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Lightweight
Travel-friendly
Quiet
Doesn't dry as quickly as bigger dryers
The compact dryer, fortunately, doesn’t skimp on power, so it’s great for anyone who travels frequently or likes to style their hair on the go. Lopez notes, “the Fit Dryer is what I love to recommend to people because it’s a small dryer, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space in your home or your kit, but it’s still the power of a full-size dryer. It has a lock-in cool shot and has multiple heat and speed settings."
Price at time of publish: $149
Features: Three heat and two-speed settings, small light design | Wireless: No
Best for Religious Styling
Sam Villa Artist Series
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Durable
Quiet
Dries hair quickly
Cord tangles easily
Sam Villa’s Artist Series dryer is a hairdresser trade secret. With an Italian-designed motor designed to outlast its competitors, this is a great buy for anyone who blowdries religiously and wants their tool to last.
Wiley says, “it’s compact and has a lighter motor plus comes with three attachments, including a diffuser, small nozzle, and larger nozzle for larger surfaces and faster drying. You can control your temperature and speed with easy-to-use buttons, too."
Price at time of publish: $280
Features: Two-speed settings, three heat settings, cold shot, three attachments | Wireless: No
Best for Thick Hair
ghd Air 1600W Professional Hair Dryer
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Ulta
Great for thick hair
Ergonomic design
Dries hair quickly
Expensive
Designed in collaboration with stylists, GHD’s Air Elite is built to deliver consistent results over a long period of time. It comes with two director nozzles and a diffuser for various styles and hair types. Because of its power, it works a treat to tame thick, unruly hair, too.
“What I love about this blow dryer is that you can switch hands and move back and forth. The ergonomic design gives you maximum control whether you’re right or left-handed and allows you to get into the base of the hair and dry quickly," says Wiley.
Price at time of publish: $199
Features: Three heat settings, two-speed settings, long cord | Wireless: No
Best for Beginners
GHD Helios 1875W Advanced Professional Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Sephora
Lightweight
Adds shine
Reduces frizz
Expensive
GHD’s Helios dryer is a newer launch, and its main purpose is to make a professional blowout doable at home. It’s light but extremely powerful and moves around the head relatively easily. A great choice for anyone who finds blow-drying to be difficult.
Price at time of publish: $279
Features: Increases shine up to 30 percent, has multiple heat and speed settings | Wireless: No
Best for Blowouts
Drybar Buttercup Blow-Dryer
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Amazon
Dries hair quickly
Ergonomic design
Lightweight
Reviewers note motor dies out quickly
Chicago-based stylist Leigh Hardges loves this one because the concentrator nozzle on this dryer “literally pushes the water off of the hair and onto the floor for quick dry time.” The long cord, cute yellow hue, and lightweight, ergonomic design are great features, too, that make a professional weekly blowout possible at home.
Price at time of publish: $199
Features: NanoIonic technology, multiple heat and speed settings | Wireless: No
Best for Bangs
PARLUX 3200 Plus
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Quiet
Smooths hair
Great for fringes
Expensive
Quiet, powerful, and efficient, PARLUX has always been a professional stylist staple, and for good reason. 3200 Plus has two heat settings and a cold shot button, plus two specially designed concentrator nozzles to smooth and manipulate the hair. The narrow nozzle attachment is actually great for fringes as it emits a really small airstream.
Price at time of publish: $180
Features: Two heat settings, cold shot button, two concentrator nozzles | Wireless: No
Best for Dull Hair
Bio Ionic 10X UltraLight Speed Dryer
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Sephora
Lightweight
Adds shine
Dries hair quickly
Expensive
If you have dull, flat, lifeless hair, Bio Ionic’s dryer is actually infused with volcanic mineral technology to close off the cuticle for a glossy, reflective shine. The 1,800-watt motor dries the hair quickly as well, for professional results in less time than it takes to make breakfast.
Price at time of publish: $299
Features: Infuses volcanic minerals into the hair for unmatched shine, lightweight | Wireless: No
Best for Curls
Conair Quick Styling Salon Hair Dryer
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Courtesy of Walmart
Reduces frizz
Adds shine
Affordable
Heavy
Conair’s dryer is made to target frizz and impart serious shine, so it’s really effective when it comes to smoothing, defining, and drying off curls or coiled hair. There’s a diffuser attachment and tourmaline ceramic-coated grille for even heat distribution (and thus, less damage).
Price at time of publish: $34.99 for Black
Features: Three attachments, three heat, and two-speed settings | Wireless: No
Final Verdict
So after much deliberation, team Byrdie unanimously agrees that the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is worth the hefty price tag. It’s versatile, powerful, lightweight, and prevents heat damage—plus the six attachments make it easy to change up your style. Next in line is T3’s Cura Lux Dryer because not only is it reasonably priced, but it’s effective, easy, and builds up some serious volume.
Meet the Expert
- David Lopez is a celebrity hairstylist and beauty expert—not to mention Ashley Graham’s go-to.
- Jamie Wiley is a stylist and Global Artistic Director at Pureology.
What to Look for When Buying a Professional Hair Dryer
Heat and Speed Settings
“Always look for multiple heat and speed settings when buying a dryer,” says celebrity hairstylist David Lopez. “This way, you can customize your blowout experience for your specific hair type.” It will also enable you to cut down on dry time.
Cool Shot
“Having a cool shot option that locks in a style is essential,” says Lopez.
Attachments
Lopez says that at a minimum, you want a concentrator attachment for sleek, precise styles and a diffuser for curls.
Why Trust Byrdie?
Byrdie contributor Emily Algar has short, fine hair, so she always relies on a hair dryer to build long-lasting volume. She has also chatted to experts David Lopez and Jamie Wiley to get some A+ recommendations and help map out what makes a hair dryer stand out.
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 professional 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.
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