The 12 Best Blow Dryers, According to Editors and Hair Experts

Table Of Content

• Makeup Products and Ideas
• How we chose the best hair dryers for curly hair
• The Best Hair Straightener
• Harry Josh Pro Tools Ultra Light Pro Dryer 3 piece
• Shark HyperAIR Fast-Drying with IQ 2-in-1 Concentrator
• The best color-depositing shampoos for your hair color
• Best Ulta Products Beauty Editors are Begging You to Try in 2024
• Hair Tools Guide

Specially designed for those with curly, coily or tight-textured hair, the ultra-chic Pattern blow dryer is intended to deliver powerful airflow and less drying time. Its ceramic coating grill aims to deliver heat evenly and thus minimize damage and the Ion switch is said to smooth the cuticle to reduce frizz and enhance shine, as needed. An online reviewer reported back no tangles, with barely any shedding and heat damage.

Makeup Products and Ideas

If you want a diffuser or smoothing comb, you’ll need to purchase it separately. If you're a novice when it comes to blowouts, the Pro Artist Black Gold 2000 Watt Ionic Hair Dryer might sound intimidating, but it's actually as user-friendly as it gets. Balancing a hair dryer in one hand — while using your fingers to maneuver the different modes — and using a styling brush in another is no easy feat, but with this Hot Tools dryer, the whole process is simple.

How we chose the best hair dryers for curly hair

The 18 best hair dryers of 2024, tested and reviewed - NBC News

The 18 best hair dryers of 2024, tested and reviewed.

Posted: Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:04:00 GMT [source]

Two users specifically praised the powerful air pressure and well-regulated heat output, and another raved about the absence of frizz after using this dryer. The only caveats are that some users found it slightly heavy and loud. Foster says this lightweight professional-grade hair dryer packs a powerful punch.

The Best Hair Straightener

Reviewers say it's both lightweight and quieter than other dryers on the market, and cuts down drying time. Plus, the hard bristles on one of the attachments make blow-drying curly hair a breeze. Plus, the concentrator attachment is great if you're looking for a super sleek look. There are several options available to purchase with different attachments, including a wider diffuser.

The price is a little steep, but it works as well as other T3 blow dryers, except that it folds up. The dryer also has auto-dual voltage, meaning it can be used anywhere in the world — so no matter where your travels take you, a sleek blowout will always be available. It's worth noting that the highest heat setting isn't super hot, but it didn't bother us, as it kept us from burning our hair. With a strong, even airflow, it took about 20 minutes to thoroughly dry our hair, resulting in a flippy, bouncy look. The heat and high/low buttons are located on the back of the dryer's head, and to change the heat setting, all we had to do was click a button. While there were only three airflow speed settings, we found these were all we needed to attain soft, sleek healthy-looking hair.

Originally from Southern California, hair stylist Glenn Ellis is praised for his ability to adapt to different hair types and textures. Glenn is just as skilled at taming the most rebellious curls as he is at creating voluminous manes out of lifeless hair. Glenn’s talent and versatility has garnered the attention of the film, fashion, television, and music industries. Staying true to its Dyson name, this flat iron boasts some serious tech.

The best color-depositing shampoos for your hair color

“It prevents heat damage by [self-regulating] direct heat on the hair strands, eliminating frizz and providing high shine, which is crucial when it comes to getting the perfect blowout,” says Foster. In fact, the Supersonic checks the temperature over 40 times a second to prevent damage to your hair, according to the brand. If you've spent any time on TikTok, you'll no doubt have seen this versatile dryer from Shark.

If you have textured or long, thick hair, you may want to opt for a hair dryer with a higher wattage, fine, thinning, or short hair can get away with lower. “A higher wattage hair dryer will typically be more powerful and dry your hair faster,” explains Uehara. For most people who don’t have textured hair, 1800 to 2000 watts “will suffice,” she says. Compact yet effective, this blow dryer dried half of our fine hair in just a few minutes, without ever making us feel like we were frying our hair.

Hair Tools Guide

Although the dryer is equipped with three heat settings and two speed settings, toggling back and forth between the different modes is straightforward, thanks to the grooves in the center of each switch. I'd consider myself a blow dryer beginner (I'm partial to blow dry brushes), but I was able to navigate my way between the heat and power settings without having to pause the drying session or accidentally pressing the wrong button. The accompanying attachments make it one of the best blow dryers for curly hair for creating different looks. Testing hundreds of haircare products each year, the GH Institute Beauty Lab has expertise on all the best hot tools, from hair straightening brushes to hair straighteners to curling irons. Our scientists evaluated 41 hair dryers across price points when testing the best hair dryers. That included measuring drying speed on standardized human hair samples, airflow force, weight, air and surface temperature and cord length.

Overall, we love the results it delivers, but would love it even more if it came with more attachments. Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date. At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. If you have dark hair, are brunette and have red tones in your hair, or have red and brassy tones, consider using a green shampoo because it will counteract the red, says O’Connor.

Unlike on other dryers, the cool-shot button is wide, so holding it down for several seconds isn’t uncomfortable. For the initial iteration of this guide, we timed the models drying a swatch of hair from a wig wetted with 5 grams of water, with the dryers on their highest setting. Ionic technology emits negative ions that break down positive ions, producing static electricity in the hair. This neutralization process can help reduce frizz and flyaways, Holdsworth explains. "Ionic tools work by sending negative ions into the hair, making it more receptive to moisture, which can be especially helpful in humid climates," she adds. No matter what your hair type, finishing with a cool shot is recommended for setting styles and adding a boost of shine.

Blue shampoos are great for blondes with a more caramel highlight and brunettes with orange and brassy tones, says Benson. Blue is the best color for these orange-y tones because it counteracts and neutralizes it, says Byrd. If you've been on skin-Tok, guaranteed you've seen this essence from CosRx.

Despite being slightly heavier than other models, it was hailed as the most maneuverable and comfortable to hold. Our experts marveled at its power, noting its ability to serve as both a travel and a home dryer. Additionally, Drybar's compatible cup diffuser attachment (sold separately) impressed users with its curl-enhancing and frizz-reducing properties. Even when used with other hair dryers, it still delivered excellent results. The Dyson hair dryer, favored by professional hairstylists, stands out with its innovative motor in-handle design.

The RevAir is unlike any other hair-drying, heat-styling tool we’ve tested. For people with Type 3 or 4 curl patterns especially, this vacuum-like device is gentle on fragile strands and can cut down total drying time significantly. One tester, who usually requires two back-to-back appointments with a professional stylist at Drybar, now achieves similar drying and smoothing results with the RevAir in as little as 20 minutes. The RevAir has an exceptionally large footprint compared with most dryers.

Plus, it offers both red light, which is thought to smooth and prevent fine lines, as well as blue light, which can potentially reduce acne-causing bacteria. From kinky to coily, curly hair will look amazing thanks to these dryers. We believe in using the products we recommend just like you would—which is why make it a priority to test products in real-life settings and in our NYC beauty lab.