Anyone with curly, coily or wavy hair will know that it can take some trial and error to get your routine perfectly tailored to your hair type. I spent years neglecting my own waves and resorting to the straightener day after day, until one of the best hair dryer diffusers (and a whole host of the best wavy hair products) entered my life.
If you're not already familiar, a hair diffuser is a rounded, bowl-shaped attachment with prongs that works to distribute heat more evenly across the head. Why is this so good for curls and waves? Well, it helps with volume, definition, frizz control, and reduces drying time. The shape of it also means that it holds your curls or waves in their shape whilst they dry, so they will have more bounce too.
"Diffusers are great for drying your hair quickly and gently," explains T3 Co-founder Julie Chung. "The cool air shot on our drying tools also locks in style and minimises frizz, especially as heat and humidity tends to create more frizz and affect the longevity of your style."
You probably already have one of the best hair dryers for curly hair in your possession, but I would argue that no tool is quite complete without a diffuser attachment. Whilst some hair dryers come with diffusers built in, others offer separate accessories that you can add onto the tool you already have.
Best hair dryer diffusers: Quick shopping links
- Most affordable diffuser attachment: £9.49 at Amazon
- Best all-rounder diffuser dryer: £230 at Amazon (save 18%)
- Best built-in diffuser: £149.99 at Boots
- Most sleek diffuser attachment: £24.95 at Beauty Bay
- Best everyday diffuser dryer: £24.99 at Amazon (save 17%)
What to look for when choosing a hair dryer diffuser
There's no huge secret behind choosing a good diffuser—most models have a similar design and function. However, the way you attach the diffuser, how it interacts with your current hair dryer, and its technical settings are what you want to look at. Ensure you're choosing a diffuser that's compatible with your current hair tools, and offers all the features you need (e.g. a cool setting, different speeds, lightweight material etc.)
Revlon Smoothstay Coconut Oil-Infused Hair Dryer
I have had my Revlon hair dryer for the best part of a decade, and it has never let me down. I love how strong the airflow is and how quickly it gets my hair fully dry, plus this particular model delivers on shine thanks the oil infused technology. It comes with a diffuser attachment, but you can also take it off if you're doing a different style, or use the nozzle for a straight blow dry. It does only have two speed settings, but the second one is more than powerful enough for my thick hair. For the price point, this is a very worthwhile investment if you want both a diffuser and hair dryer.
Bellissima Italia Diffon Supreme Hairdryer
If you only ever diffuse your hair and have no interest in a regular hair dryer, this Bellissima model is one of the only products on the market to provide that. It's a hot air diffuser that combines a diffuser and a hairdryer in a single tool. Digital heat control prevents it from overheating and causing damage, and it has different speed and heat settings to tailor it to your needs. Using Supreme Curl Flow technology designed by curl experts, it's definitely the most technical diffuser you can invest in, and the results show it. I really feel like my waves look a lot more healthy and uniform after using this particular diffuser.
T3 Afar Diffuser
If you like all your hair tools to look good as well as function beautifully, this diffuser does exactly that. I'm a sucker for the soft pinky colourway, but the main thing I love is how wide this diffuser is. The wider, the better in my opinion—it works wonders for my thick hair that needs maximum surface area. It's light and easy to attach, but the downside is it's compatible with T3 hair dryers.
Shark FlexStyle 5-in-1 Air Styler & Hair Dryer
If you're starting from scratch and want to invest in a tool that can diffuse, curl, straighten, and give a bouncy blow dry, this is the tool to go for. I use my FlexStyle for pretty much everything, and the diffuser in particular is one of my favourites. This is mainly because it has a very strong airflow, but it also doesn't cause heat damage. With three heat and airflow settings and a cool shot button, it pretty much guarantees well set curls that last.
Lily England Deluxe Hair Dryer with Diffuser
"What I like the most about this dryer is that it’s functional and also kind to your pocket (because, hello cost of living crisis). I was surprised by how lightweight and quiet the dryer was. It has both a nozzle and a nice size diffuser, and a very handy hanging loop, which I wasn’t expecting considering the price point. It dried my hair rather quickly and with minimal frizz. It would make a really nice first hair dryer." - Jeanette Nkwate, Beauty Contributor
Universal Hair Diffuser Attachment
If you want a cheap and cheerful diffuser attachment that you can slot onto the hair dryer you already own, this is a good option. It's the first diffuser I invested in and it's done well considering how affordable it is. It's lightweight, easy to use and really does fit over any hair dryer on the market. It doesn't deliver as bouncy or shiny waves and curls as some of the pricier models I have, but it's a good starting point if you don't want to break the bank.
