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Best hair dryers, tried and tested on different hair types
Is it worth buying the pricier Dyson hair dryer, or can a Shark hair dryer or a cheaper model blow you away?
Is a Dyson hair dryer worth it? We tested hair dryers from popular brands, including Babyliss, GHD, Shark and more, to see whether it's really worth paying more than £300 for a Dyson or whether there's a cheaper alternative out there.
The hair dryers we tested cost from £20 up to £400. We've found a handful of models that are head and shoulders above the rest, which we've given our Best Buy recommendation.
The best hair dryers produce brilliant drying and styling results according to our diverse panel of testers with hair types from 1 (straight) to 4C (tight afro curls) who tried each of the hair dryers. They're also powerful, energy efficient and easy to use.
How our tests find you the best
Styling and drying
Hair type matters when it comes to picking the perfect dryer. That’s why we test on every structure, from straight strands to tight curls.
Wind speed
Looking for a speedy blow dry? We measure wind speed with an anemometer, so we can tell you which are the most powerful hair dryers for busy mornings.
Weight and size
Fed up with hotel hair dryers? We list the weight, size and cable length of each dryer so you can find one that fits perfectly in your luggage.
We also test
Ease of use, noise, energy use and versatility.
The best hair dryers
Only logged-in Which? members can view the hair dryer test results below.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
| Hair dryer | Price | Score | Drying | Styling | Ease of use | Number of attachments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations. Unlock tableFirst month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time Already a member? Log in | 90% | |||||
| 85% | ||||||
| 82% | ||||||
| 73% | ||||||
| 71% | ||||||
| 66% | ||||||
| 62% | ||||||
| 61% | ||||||
| 58% | ||||||
| 57% | ||||||
| 56% | ||||||
| 53% | ||||||
| 53% | ||||||
| 49% |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations.
Unlock tableFirst month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time
Already a member? Log in
Date tested: August 2022 and July 2024. Page last checked: April 2025. We're not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
The hair dryers we tested
All the hair dryers we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best hair dryers from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
Babyliss Rose Lustre 2400W Hair Dryer
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories Concentrator nozzle
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 470g, 215cm cable, cool shot button
Cloud Nine The Airshot Hair Dryer
Most recently tested August 2022
Accessories 2 concentrator nozzles
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 578g, 255cm cable, cool shot button
Dyson Supersonic
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories Diffuser, flyaway attachment, gentle air attachment, styling concentrator, wide-tooth comb
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 3
Need to know 490g, 256cm cable, cool shot button
Dyson Supersonic Nural
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories Diffuser, flyaway attachment, gentle air attachment, styling concentrator, wide-tooth comb
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 3
Need to know 490g, 256cm cable, cool shot button, scalp protect mode that automatically adjusts temperature depending on proximity to scalp
GHD Air Hair Drying Kit
Most recently tested August 2022
Accessories Diffuser, narrow concentrator nozzle, round brush, 2 sectioning clips
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 573g, 280cm cable, cool shot button
GHD Helios Professional Hair Dryer
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories Concentrator nozzle
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 590g, 286cm cable, cool shot button
Mark Hill Style Addict Perfect Blow Dry Kit
Most recently tested August 2022
Accessories Concentrator nozzle, round brush, 2 sectioning clips, 4 rollers
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 470g, 290cm cable, cool shot button
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Panasonic EH-NA65CN Nanoe Hair Dryer
Most recently tested August 2022
Accessories Concentrator nozzle, quick dry nozzle, diffuser
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 3
Need to know 535g, 265cm cable, cool shot button
Parlux Alyon Hair Dryer
Available from Look Fantastic (£168) (Out of stock)
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories 2 concentrator nozzles
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 600g, 300cm cable, cool shot button
Remington Hydraluxe AC8901 Hair Dryer
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories 2 concentrator nozzles (wide and narrow), diffuser
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 650g, 244cm cable, cool shot button
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Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories Concentrator nozzle, diffuser, rapid gloss finishing Tool, quick smooth brush, express touchup brush, storage bag
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 3
Need to know 430g, 240cm cable, cool shot button
The Hair Lab by Mark Hill Professional Hair Dryer
Available from Boots (£59.99)
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories Concentrator nozzle, diffuser, wide tooth comb
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 810g, 294cm cable, cool shot button
TRESemmé Salon Power 2000W Hair Dryer
Most recently tested July 2024
Accessories Concentrator nozzle
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 340g, 175cm cable
TRESemmé Smooth Shine Power 2200W Hair Dryer
Most recently tested August 2022
Accessories Concentrator nozzle
Temperature settings 3
Speed settings 2
Need to know 358g, 230cm cable
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How we test hair dryers
Unlike other hair dryer reviews you'll read online, each of our testers spent time using all those we test, rather than just one or two of them. This is so that they can fairly compare each model and put the results in proper context.
We're careful to make sure that the 10-person panel we recruit has people with a wide range of hair types, from 1 (straight) to 4C (tight afro curls). Our testers give each hair dryer scores for styling, drying, ease of use and, ultimately, they tell us which one is their favourite.
We regularly revisit the hair dryers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do.
In addition to the hair dryer panel test, we conduct the tests below on each model:
- Wind speed With an anemometer we measure the maximum wind speed of each hair dryer. The most powerful blows hot air at 35mph, while the weakest can only muster 10mph.
- Weight The heavier the hair dryer, the quicker your arm will get tired when holding it above your head to dry your hair, so we weigh each one. The heaviest weighs 810g compared with the lightest at 340g.
- Cable length You'll want a long cord if you like to hold the hair dryer up to a mirror as you style, so we measure the length of each cable. You can get a three-metre reach with the longest cable we found and just 175cm with the shortest.
- Energy use The most energy-guzzling hair dryers use almost twice as much energy as the most efficient. If you use your hair dryer for two hours every week, you'd save just over £29 a year on electricity with the most efficient hair dryer compared with the least efficient.
- Noise With a Decibel (dB) meter, we measure how noisy each hair dryer is. The quietest is a pleasant 78dB, but the loudest goes up to 104dB. That's the difference between the noise of a vacuum cleaner and a motorbike.
- Versatility We look for hair dryers with a range of useful attachments, such as a diffuser, brushes or concentrator nozzles, plus a good range of speed and temperature settings.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
What's the best hair dryer for curly hair?
It's important to consider the attachments when choosing the right hair dryer for your hair type.
If you have curly hair, you may want a diffuser attachment to maintain your curls while drying. If you have very tight curls or afro hair, look for a wide-tooth or 'pik' comb attachment if you want to smooth the hair.
Sign up to Which? to find out which hair dryer our testers with tight curls and afro hair chose as their favourite.
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How powerful does a hair dryer need to be?
A key misconception about hair dryers is that the higher the wattage, the greater the heat the hair dryer will be able to produce and the quicker you'll be able to dry your hair.
This wasn't the case in our testing. Some of the most energy-efficient (lowest wattage) hair dryers we tried out were also the best for drying and styling, according to our testers.
What does a hair dryer diffuser do?
The prongs on a diffuser hold up sections of your hair in order to add volume to the roots. They also reduce the ferocity of the air flow, which gives definition to curls.
It takes longer to dry your hair using a diffuser, which can make it a bit time consuming for everyday use.
How to use a diffuser on a hair dryer
- Once you've got your desired curl pattern in your wet hair, place a small section of hair in the diffuser, turn it on a low heat and speed setting, and move it up towards your scalp.
- Tilt your head to one side when diffusing for extra volume.
- Stop once your hair is around 80% dry so it can be left to air dry.
- Avoid touching your curls too much once diffused, too, so you don't break them up.