Waiting for your hair to dry can feel like watching paint dry, but investing in one of the best hairdryers available makes it easy to achieve a salon-quality blowout in minutes. Whether you have thick, bouncy curls or hair that’s more on the good side, there are a few essential factors to consider when selecting a drying tool, apart from just its price. “Some of the main things I look for when purchasing a hair dryer are the reviews,” Sebastian Professional top artist Angel Cardona tells BAZAAR.com. “Does it help to reduce frizz and have a strong airflow? What attachments does it come with, and is the dryer lightweight and ergonomic? I also consider how powerful the hair dryer is—the wattage is a good way to indicate that.”
While many of the best hair dryers are made with a bevy of bells and whistles, ultimately, professionals say that what’s considered a suitable hairdryer comes down to your individual hair needs. “Consider what the most important feature of a hair dryer is for you and how it will make your routine quick and easy,” Anna Kimble, director of events and education at Drybar, says. “Having a customized temperature and speed settings with multiple attachment options allows for the perfect blowout experience for your hair type. If frizz is a concern, look for a dryer with ionic technology that helps fight it while adding overall shine. For longer and thicker hair types, I recommend looking for dryers that are more lightweight to avoid arm fatigue, with a powerful motor to speed up their drying time.” And when it comes to the actual process of drying your hair, Kimble recommends spending the most time on your roots (as they usually take the longest to dry), less time on the mid-shaft section of the hair, and the least amount of time on your ends to minimize heat damage
For a few recommendations on the most powerful hair dryers that are actually worth the buy, we consult a few more experts on their favorite picks for the fastest, most efficient blow-dries yet. Scroll on for faves from brands like ghd, Dyson, and more.
Aloxxi artist Rocco always recommends this beloved dryer from Dyson to his clients with thicker or textured hair types since it contains up to four heat and three airflow settings, plus a smoothing nozzle for a sleek finish.
You won’t have to worry about a curly blow-dry with this versatile dryer that contains two nozzle options—either wide or narrow—to concentrate its hot air where you need it most seamlessly.
