Hair dryers are at the heart of all of the best hairstyles, so we've collated the best to ensure you have a good hair day, every day.
They’re a tool that can make or break a hairstyle, so it’s important that the one you rely on for good hair days is one of the best hair dryers that money can buy.
Whilst you might think they were all created equal, we’re here to show you the opposite. They do actually vary quite a lot. Which means you really ought to choose your hairdryer based on your hair type and hair’s needs, as well as things like weight and noise.
Before we continue, is it worth us going over the basics? We think so. We spoke to Ghd’s Global Ambassador, Adam Reed and asked him ‘how do you blow dry your hair?’
How to blow dry hair according to an expert
First thing’s first, resist the temptation to reach for the brush before you dry, as you should never brush your hair while it’s wet.
He advises that your hair is actually 85% dry before you start styling it with your dryer.
‘Style your hair on a medium setting, and only use the hotter setting for the finishing touches,’ he advises. ‘Once you’re done styling, seal the hair using the cool setting for a super-smooth look.’
And, we hate to break it to you, but you’ve probably been drying your hair wrong your whole life. ‘Many women move the dryer back and forth, up and down each section of the hair, or just hold the dryer in one place – that’s wrong!’ says Adam.
‘Continually follow the brush, with the nozzle of the dryer facing in the direction of the brush.’ And the bigger the brush, the better the finish and bounce.
So from a Babyliss hairdryer to a Tresemme hairdryer, with the famous Dyson one thrown in as well. Here is our roundup of the best hair dryers 2018 has to offer.
Best hair dryer for all hair types
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, £299.99, John Lewis
No doubt you’re heard all about the Dyson; it’s arguably the most famous hair dryer in the world. When the Dyson Supersonic first launched, we told you everything you need to know about it. Yes, it’s the most expensive hair dryer on the list, but it just so happens to be the smartest hair dryer on the list. If you have the money it really is worth it. Professionals, experts and beauty editors are obsessed with it. Read our full review.
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Best hair dryers for fine hair
BaByliss SalonLight 2100 Hair Dryer 5568BU, £30, Debenhams
Fine hair doesn’t require as much time to dry as other hair types, but if you’ve got a lot of it it can still be a bit of a task. You need a dryer that doesn’t turn your locks into a haystack, but dries ’em quick.
Enter BaByliss SalonLight 2100 dryer, the model that puts an end to arm-aching hair drying. It’s got a lighter body and longer cable to improve the practicalities of drying and, most importantly, dries hair faster for your convenience. Because who needs hair drying slowing them up in the mornings?
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Best hair dryers for travel
TRESemmé 5549U Travel Hair Dryer, £20, John Lewis
Granted you probably care less about your hair’s appearance on holiday, where you spend most of your time looking like a pineapple with it scrunched atop your head. A girl has more important things to worry about, like soaking up the local culture or getting bronzed up on the beach.
But while you’re not focused on the actual styling of your hair, you still want it dry before you leave your Airbnb. We’re all aware of how much space hair dryers take up, but TRESemmé’s travel dryer is the perfect suitcase space-saver thanks to its folding handle. It also comes with a paddle brush and wide nozzle, so you’re well equipped for that vacay.
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Best hair dryers for curly hair
BaByliss 5548U Dry & Curl Diffuser Hair Dryer, £23, Amazon
In all honesty, the best method of drying your hair to protect those curls is air drying (find out what happened to our Digital Features Editor’s hair when she gave up hair straightening for a week). But when it comes down to it, air drying isn’t always that practical if you’ve not got time to spare first thing in the morning – especially if you have thick hair and lots of it.
Sometimes you just need a bit of a boost from a trusty blow dry, and BaByliss’ Dry and Curl model was designed especially for ringlet-headed ladies. If you have thicker curls, using the accompanying diffuser will help to keep the curls’ shape and bounce while they dry.
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Best hair dryers for thick hair
T3 Featherweight 2 Dryer, £155, Fabled
Arguably the biggest bugbear if you have seriously thick locks is the amount of time it takes to dry them. As well as being a chore that requires endless sectioning and hair clips, the arm ache is often unbearable and a quick office poll tells us most thick-haired girls give up halfway through, or don’t bother with a dryer at all.
While a ‘regular’, powerful hair dryer takes an average of 30 minutes to dry your hair, T3’s Featherweight dryers will have your hair dry in just 7 (on average). Powered with T3 Tourmaline, the healthy infrared heat and negative ions are better for your hair, preventing excessive damage to your locks. So that lengthy drying time, and its damaging effects, are gone.
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Best hair dryers for frizzy hair
Nicky Clarke Frizz Control Dryer, £19.99, Amazon
The frizz ball look? Not so great. A hair dryer will either remedy your frizz or exacerbate it, so it’s important you use one that’s designed to do the former.
The Frizz Control Hair Dryer gives you maximum quality at a good price – and Nicky Clarke is a brand to trust when it comes to healthy-looking hair. The frizz control hair dryer blasts all of your hair styling gripes like frizz and flatness to create a perfect salon-worthy finish.
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Best hair dryers with diffusers
Cloud Nine The Airshot Hair Dryer, £99, Fabled
Diffusers are popular choice for smoother hair as they distribute the air and heat evenly around your locks. It’s ultimately better than. Most hair dryer brands now have the option of buying a separate diffuser, but Cloud Nine’s Airshot dryer comes with two separate nozzles, including a big ol’ diffuser.
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Best hair dryers for straightening hair
ghd Air Hair Dryer, £99, Fabled
When it comes to the world of straightening, we can’t not mention ghd. They’re no doubt the first name that springs to mind when you think ‘straight hair experts’.
Ghd claim that the ‘Air’ is the ‘best blow-dry of your life’, and we’re not going to argue. Maintaining their incredible reputation for salon-worthy styling, they’ve built all of the power and ionic technology into their hair dryer to make sure you get the best results every time, alongside long-lasting healthy hair effects.
The secret to precise, sleek styling is the wide nozzle that comes with the dryer – don’t forget to angle the dryer downwards to maximise its straight styling power.
Among the miracle workers we’ve featured on our list is the ghd hair dryer, which in just a few short years has become every bit as iconic and commonplace as their best hair straightener, the classic IV gold styler.
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Moving on from the classic to the revolutionary – did you know you can now buy a hair dryer and straighteners all in one?
The genius beauty brains at Revlon have literally put the straighteners into the drying nozzle – so if you’re the kind of girl who’s always in a rush, this will.
So far it’s only launched in the US, but we reckon if we hassle them enough it’ll be available in the UK soon enough. Or, if you’re heading to the US any time soon, just pop into your nearest Target and grab one.
Best hair dryers for damaged hair
Toni & Guy Daily Conditioning Hair Dryer, £17, Amazon
If you truly want to repair your hair, we recommend going easy on the blow drying (or giving it up completely for a while) and working one of the best hair masks into your haircare routine.
Thanks to the ionic function, this hair dryer works to ensure your hair is silky smooth and conditioned once blow dried. With variable heat and speed settings, you can easily manipulate your styling session to your needs, but it’s best to keep the heat as low as possible when working with damaged hair. Use the ‘cool shot’ function at the end of styling to help your look last all day.
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Whether you struggle with fine hair or frizz, damaged hair or curls, you’re now equipped with the right dryer for you.
Arm yourself with your heat protection spray and one of the best hair dryers from our round up, and you’ll never have a bad hair day again…
