I test hair dryers for a living and the only one I actually use is the Dyson Supersonic

The Dyson Supersonic is easily one of the most famous hair dryers on the planet. Really the only tool I can think of causing as much furore is its successor, the Airwrap. Now, I won’t pretend it isn’t expensive, but it's so good that I definitely consider it to be the best hair dryer out there. 

As a beauty editor I test a lot of hot tools as part of my job and I’ve tried dozens of hair dryers over the years, from the biggest names in hair styling to smaller under-the-radar brands. When I’m not testing and reviewing other dryers, Dyson’s is the one that I use most regularly in my own styling routine. 

I’ve shared my honest Dyson Supersonic hair dryer review below.

Firstly, a bit about what comes in the box with the Dyson Supersonic. As part of the usual £329.99 price tag, you get five different magnetic attachments that cater to different styling needs: a diffuser, a comb, a concentrated nozzle, a gentle air attachment and a flyaway tool. I've given a brief overview of what each one is designed for below.

• Diffuser: A bowl-shaped attachment for drying curly and wavy hair.
• Comb: A wide-tooth comb attachment for drying coily and curly hair.
• Concentrated nozzle: Concentrates the air into a narrow blade for focused styling. 
• Gentle air attachment: Makes the hair gentler and cooler, designed for sensitive scalps or very fine hair.
• Flyaway tool: Flattens any flyaways for a smoother finish.

Most of the time I’ll go one of two routes when styling my hair post-wash; either I’ll smooth it out while drying, or I’ll diffuse and wear it naturally curly (my hair is a mix of types 2C and 3A). If I’m blow-drying it smooth, I’ll use a 2-in-1 hair dryer brush as I’m nowhere near dextrous enough to get as good results with a separate brush. There’s a reason blow drying is an art that hairdressers have spent a lot of time learning to master.

Where the Dyson Supersonic fits into my routine is with the diffuser attachment when I’m drying my hair curly. It is on the small side, but I find that it dries my curls with great definition—and I know that several other beauty editors with curly hair will agree that it's one of the best hair dryers for curly hair.

It’s not just beauty journalists who love this combo, however. As part of my job I chat to a lot of hairdressers about hair trends, styling hacks, product recommendations and co. Many of them have told me the Supersonic, when paired with its diffuser, is their tool of choice for drying curly hair because of the gentle airflow and well-designed attachment. 

Although the diffuser is the attachment I use most often, they are all very well designed. Because they're magnetic, they secure on to the dryer well without slipping off easily and they can also rotate, which is useful if you want to adjust you're styling at the angle, for example. The flyaway attachment is also wow-inducing—trust me when I say it can flatten flyaways for a smooth finish like nothing else, either straight after styling or as a general refresh.

 Another talking point is the power. If you’re somebody for whom time is of the essence when drying their hair, Dyson’s dryer really is impressively powerful. Use the demo Supersonic next time you’re passing John Lewis, for example, and you’ll see what I mean.

Let's quickly touch on the price, because I know that it's incredibly expensive. You probably already knew that the Dyson Supersonic costs a lot of money. I am in no way going to suggest that a price tag of more than £300 constitutes an affordable hair dryer. 

What I will say is that on top of its impressive technology, the Supersonic is very well-equipped with attachments. There are multiple brands out there that upwards of £20 each for separate attachments like a diffuser or comb attachment, which significantly adds to the overall. With the Supersonic, you get five attachments mentioned above as standard. (There is a bundle that only comes with the concentrated nozzle, which costs £30 less.)

No beauty product is worth a massive financial strain to get your hands on it, but if this dryer sounds like it would work well for you and you can afford an investment, then I don't think you'll be disappointed.