The 17 Best Hair Dryers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold Ionic Hair Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Features

  5/5

• Drying Performance

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Value

  5/5

Though we tested this hair dryer last year, we still love this budget-friendly tool. This sleek dryer from Hot Tools scored a solid five stars across all testing categories — it’s the only one to achieve a perfect score in this entire roundup. The styling tool has 2,000 watts of drying ability (in other words, it’s incredibly fast) and a plethora of features, such as multiple speed and heat settings, a turbo boost button, and a cool shot and ionizer switch to amp up the volume or smoothness of your hair. It also includes two extra concentrator nozzles. We were the most impressed by this product — it was our favorite by far.

We put this dryer to the real test by trying it out on a humid day in New York City (the ultimate recipe for frizzy strands) and were still met with fabulously shiny results. A blowout took just about 20 minutes with this Hot Tools dryer, which is great for the busy lives we lead. Best of all, this hair dryer is made for use on all hair types — but with the addition of the diffuser attachment, it’s even easier to smooth frizz and style your curls. Some of the styling settings may be confusing at first, but it’s worth investing the time learning so you can get salon-level results at home.

For a very reasonable price, this hair dryer had all the perks of some of the most expensive hair dryers. Being one of our most budget-friendly (and best-performing) dryers of the day, we had to give this tool a solid five-star approval.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 2.75 lbs. | Wattage: 2,000 | Settings: 4 heat / 3 speed / cool shot / turbo / volume or smooth | Attachments: 2 concentrators, diffuser

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Laifen Swift Special Hair Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Features

  4.5/5

• Drying Performance

  4.5/5

• Overall Look

  4.9/5

• Value

  4.9/5

We’ve seen our fair share of hair dryers in our day (and done above and beyond testing to bring you the best ones), but our jaws collectively hit the floor when we tried Laifen Swift Hair Dryer. We tried the “Special Version,” which comes with two concentrators and a diffuser. Shaped like the Dyson Supersonic (but at a much more affordable price), this powerhouse tool took our strands, whether we had type one hair or type three curls, to smooth, carefully styled blowouts in nearly half of our typical dry times. And despite having several rounds of testing with all-new products since we first encountered this one, we keep coming back to it as a tie for the best overall.

We took these home to test for a bit longer, to see if the Laifen performed as well as it did in the lab over weeks of regular use. Due to its convenient, lightweight design and maneuverability, we could immediately tell how much we would love incorporating this tool into our routine. We did wish the instructions had a little more beef to them (the futuristic tool is a little confusing for old-school hair dryer users), but the machine felt intuitive enough to figure out. It was effortless to magnetically snap on our attachments, remove them, and do all of our blow drying in between. We just wish the dryer was compatible with curling attachments as well. The nearly 6-foot-long cord made it easy to float around our bathrooms as we styled our hair and the volume was so low that we could watch a show and chat with our loved ones simultaneously (not kidding, we did this). 

From its effective airflow and heat levels to its sleek, salon-worthy results and continuously shortened dry times, every aspect of this dryer remained consistent over the four-week testing period. We wish we could add a curling iron attachment to transform it into our own personal Airwraps, but that’s only because we see how very versatile this tool can be. If our stylists are saying that they want to replace their professional dryer with this one, then we think you need to switch out your old one, too.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 0.89 lbs. | Wattage: 1,600 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot / auto-cycling (long press) | Attachments: 3

Best Budget

Conair Hair Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  4/5

• Features

  4/5

• Drying Performance

  4.9/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Value

  5/5

Smooth and voluminous hair has never been as attainable as with Conair’s hair dryer. Built with dual ion therapy and ceramic technology to preserve the natural nourishment of your hair, this product works overtime to produce professional results for an extremely low price.

Thanks to the powerful shot and high wattage, when we tested this model, we got fully dried hair in just four minutes (high speed and low heat settings, if you want to recreate). We loved how smooth and soft our strands looked and felt after tacking on the concentrator and appreciated the option to choose from one of these two styling heads to achieve our desired look.

The best part about this dryer, however, was its fairly low price for the superb quality — you usually can’t even find standalone dryers for this amount. Though we wish this was a little easier for our left-handed friends to use (the buttons are easier for right-handed users to work with), we still think this was a standout styling tool. Whether you use this hair dryer with or without the attachments, you will surely get a fast and smooth blowout.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 2.4 lbs. | Wattage: 1,875 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser

Best for Beginners

Revlon Airflow Control Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  4.8/5

• Features

  4.6/5

• Drying Performance

  4.7/5

• Overall Look

  4/5

• Value

  4.7/5

If you’re just starting on your hair-styling journey, then you may feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of dryers (and the prices they go for) on the market today. That’s why we breathed a sigh of relief when we tried this little tool from Revlon — a compact, lightweight, easy-to-pack dryer with a tapered concentrator built onto the end that packs a total punch. We liked being able to twist the nozzle vertically and horizontally to direct the (powerful!) airflow exactly where we wanted it, which ended up drying our strands surprisingly fast, despite its size. 

While it may not be the best option for quick-drying a whole head of hair (a tool with a circular opening and less concentrated airflow may do this better for you), this dryer is a game-changer when it comes to styling. Whether you’re trying to give your hair some shape with a round brush or pump up the volume at your roots, this tool is here to help you achieve the at-home blowout of your dreams — all at a fraction of the price of a trip to the salon. Add a few spritzes of texturizing spray and you’re good to go.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 2.07 lbs. | Wattage: 1875 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Diffuser

Best Professional

Olivia Garden High Performance Professional Hair Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Features

  4.5/5

• Drying Performance

  5/5

• Overall Look

  4.7/5

• Value

  4/5

If there’s one thing we could all agree on, testers and hairstylists alike, it is that this sleek tool from Olivia Garden is the one to go for if you want a salon-quality blowout. In general, this dryer — equipped with three airflow speeds and three heat settings — could dry our hair and smooth our strands into shiny, volume-boosted styles in record time. It has a thin design that makes it easy to maneuver, plus it’s also lightweight and easy to hold so your arms won’t be exhausted by the end of the blow dry.

We were impressed with its strong airflow for its small size, and we appreciated that it dried our hair effectively without burning our scalps. Plus, the buttons were placed in easy-to-reach areas (but not easy to accidentally press mid-style), which made our lives a whole lot easier. You can even lock your settings with the simple switch of a button, so if you accidentally lose your grip, you won’t have to worry about unwantedly switching temperatures or speed settings. 

We tested all of our dryers across hair types 1 to 4, and we do mean it when we say this dryer is best for professional-level blowouts — but if you want to dry your natural curls, then this may not be the one for you. The diffuser didn’t deliver the dried coils we were going for on Type 3 and 4 hair, which is tricky for someone who wants the duality of styling their hair straight on some days and sporting their natural curls on others.

But if a voluminous blowout is what you’re going for, then you shouldn’t think twice about the High-Performance dryer from Olivia Garden. 

Hair Type: All | Weight: 0.81 lbs. | Wattage: 1,875 | Settings: 3 heat / 3 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser

Best Investment

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  4.5/5

• Features

  4.7/5

• Drying Performance

  4.9/5

• Overall Look

  4.9/5

• Value

  4.9/5

Easily the celebrity of the group, the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is the one that has us talking. It more than meets the high-quality standards we come to expect from Dyson vacuums and other products. Outside of its impeccable drying time (between five to 10 minutes, depending on hair type) and inventive design, the standout for this product was the five attachments that came with this high-tech hair dryer.

Inside the box, you’ll find a diffuser, gentle air attachment, wide-tooth comb, styling concentrator, and flyaway attachment — all of which can be joined together magnetically. It’s also completely customizable, thanks to four heat and three speed settings. Once we spent some time with the machine and got the hang of the attachments, we were blown away by how quickly and effectively we achieved the customized blowouts of our dreams. 

The only question is — how exactly do you use those magical attachments? If you own the coveted Dyson Airwrap, you may be accustomed to the brand’s advanced fixtures, but if you’re a novice like us, you may be a little confused by the attachments upon first use. In this case, read the instruction manual before crafting your ideal blowout.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 1.8 lbs. | Wattage: 1,600 | Settings: 4 heat / 3 speed | Attachments: Flyaway attachment, styling concentrator, diffuser, gentle air attachment, wide-tooth comb

Best for Thick Hair

BaBylissPRO Porcelain Ceramic Carrera2 Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  4.5/5

• Features

  4.6/5

• Drying Performance

  4.2/5

• Overall Look

  3.8/5

• Value

  3.3/5

Drying your hair can be tedious for people with any hair type, but no one knows the struggle more than someone with thick tresses. However, the BabylissPRO Porcelain Ceramic Carrera2 was a superstar when it came to drying our voluminous hair (and it cut the time down significantly). This powerful airflow was a game-changer in the mornings when we needed our hair done quickly, shortening the dry time sometimes completely in half on several hair types, from 1B to 4B. We liked how ergonomic this tool was and how its cord wasn’t unruly or too short, allowing us to walk around the bathroom as we styled our hair. Another plus was this dryer’s ambidextrous buttons, which are centrally located and easy for right-handed and left-handed people to access without accidentally switching the settings.

Though it was very easy to work our magic with this dryer, we wished it was a tad lighter, as many of the others we tested had a more weightless feel. However, we never experienced wrist or arm pain when using this dryer, so perhaps we’re just being picky. Ultimately, our locks came out looking vibrant and sleek (and most importantly, they dried quickly despite the thickness). If you have fuller hair, don’t work harder for your hair dryer — make that tool work harder for you.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 2.25 lbs. | Wattage: 1,900 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator

Best for Thin Hair

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  3.9/5

• Features

  4/5

• Drying Performance

  4.2/5

• Overall Look

  4.3/5

• Value

  4/5

It’s not a walk in the park for people with thin hair to get a good blowout (and forget a voluminous one), even after plying their tresses with revitalizing shampoos for thinning hair. However, the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dryer delivers impressive blowouts with volume, curls, and more for you beauties with fine hair. This hair dryer’s high torque motor and powerful 2,000 watts of power make this a machine that can cut through the noise (without being irritatingly loud) to leave you with a blowout that’s sleek and shiny in record time, despite hair density. We saw voluminous results in minutes when we dried our thin strands in sections (parted in thirds for better observation).

This dryer was easy to handle and maneuver and the buttons were easy to use and reach to switch up the speeds or heat settings, which we loved. We found ourselves wishing that the cord was a little longer so we could get closer to the mirror, flip our hair around, and do all the gymnastics needed to get a full blowout. Luckily we didn’t need all of that when it came to this specific model, as we secured a bouncy, curly style in a little over 20 minutes that left our thin hair looking extra glam. 

Hair Type: All | Weight: 1.92 lbs. | Wattage: 2,000 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator

Best for Natural Hair

Pattern Blow Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  4/5

• Features

  4/5

• Drying Performance

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Value

  5/5

Gone are the days when blow-drying your hair meant straightening it. Instead, Tracee Ellis Ross’ breakout haircare brand, Pattern, has created the ideal hair dryer for accentuating natural curls and celebrating the hair you were born with. Our expert stylists raved about how easy it was to grip and maneuver with this soft brown-hued tool, from the slim handle and setting switches to its four styling attachments: a diffuser, wide tooth comb, brush, and concentrator nozzle. We appreciated its strong airflow yet moderate temperature, which worked well with our testers’ curls and helped mold them into their natural shape rather than causing frizz. Though we tested this dryer on various curl types, we even noticed sleek and enhanced texture on 4C coils, further proving the curl-protecting prowess of the Pattern Blow Dryer.

We did think that this tool felt a little heavy in our hands, especially after styling our hair with the several (yet incredibly useful) attachments, which we used to diffuse, pick, stretch, and style our testers’ coils. It’s worth noting that this is not the best tool for straightening your hair, but it does its job phenomenally when drying natural curls. So if you want an everyday look that doesn’t involve straightening, this is your dryer — and we think it’s worth every bit of its higher-end price tag.

Hair Type: Curly, coily | Weight: 1.12 lbs. | Wattage: 1,875 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Diffuser, wide tooth comb, brush, concentrator nozzle

Best for Frizz

BondiBoost Sonic Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Features

  4.7/5

• Drying Performance

  5/5

• Overall Look

  4.9/5

• Value

  3.5/5

We know the feeling of drying our hair and getting poofy results all too well, but you can kiss your frizzy strands goodbye with the BondiBoost Sonic Hair Dryer. Testing this dryer on all hair types, from straight to bouncy curls, resulted in smoother locks from just one blow dry — no product necessary.

We can credit these glassy results to the dryer’s enhanced airflow, which is generated with advanced ion technology to reduce frizz no matter your hair type. The dryer was light as air, clocking in under one pound and moving effortlessly with every flick of our wrists. We noticed that it could dry our hair very quickly across hair types, even at its lowest heat setting (great for less heat damage). 

We did think its switchable heat and speed settings were a little confusing, as the BondiBoost features a smart memory function that remembers your pre-selected settings to replicate your style every time. If you’re set in your ways, you may love this feature, but if you need to switch it up, this could involve a bit of a learning curve. However, we thought this machine produced some of our smoothest results, so we weren’t dissuaded by these unconventional features.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 0.77 lbs. | Wattage: 1,875 | Settings: 4 heat / 3 speed / cool shot / smart memory | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser

Best for Shine

Hot Tools Ceramic Ionic Dryer

Who doesn’t love an extra dose of shine sans heavy hair products? Enter the Hot Tools Professional Turbo Ceramic + Ionic Lightweight Dryer, a model we tested last year and loved so much that it deserved a spot on this year’s list, too.

We thought this dryer made our hair significantly less frizzy than the others we’d tried, which is incredible for its low price tag. The box comes with a diffuser, comb attachment, and concentrator nozzle — a stunning amount of extras for a tool that performs this well. After just four and a half minutes, we had half of our long hair completely dry, which was record timing for us. We loved its long cord for easy access and worry-free plug-ins, too.

However, we figured that for such a sleek machine that shapes even shinier strands, we’d love the packaging a little more — but we’re not huge fans of this jewel-toned look that it has going on. But if aesthetics aren’t top of mind (besides for your hair, of course), it’s a minor complaint that should be overlooked for this hair dryer’s amazing price and even better blowouts. 

Hair Type: All | Weight: 1 lb. | Wattage: 1,875 | Settings: 3 heat / 3 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Diffuser, comb, concentrator nozzle

Best for Damaged Hair

Chi Hair Dryer

Let’s face it, everyone’s hair has at least a bit of damage that could benefit from a hair mask treatment now and then. Everyone also needs a hair dryer that can fit their needs, and heat- or dye-damaged hair is no exception. The CHI Lava Hair Dryer is an excellent choice for someone who wants to give their strands a little extra TLC, as this tool is specially made with a volcanic and ceramic stone heater that is designed to produce effective yet gentle heat while in use — resulting in a lot less damage.

Thanks to its lightweight design, we appreciated how ergonomic the hair dryer was, never making our wrists feel tired or sore. Its svelte frame is even small enough to be packed into a weekender bag (because let’s face it, the hotel hair dryer is not winning any awards). It also includes a long cord so you can easily plug it into hard-to-reach outlets.

We wished the price were a little lower, as it has pretty standard settings (low, medium, and high heat, plus a cool shot), but we can understand its price tag is due to its volcanic and ceramic materials. All in all, we appreciated this dryer for damaged hair due to its built-in protection and add-on attachments that can be utilized for an even gentler dry — but at the end of the day, this sleek machine can be used for any hair type that needs a more mellow styling process.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 1.34 lbs. | Wattage: 1,100 | Settings: 3 heat / cold shot | Attachments: Smoothing comb, air concentrator, diffuser 

Best Quiet

Hot Tools Pro Artist QuietAir Power Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Features

  4.3/5

• Drying Performance

  4.5/5

• Overall Look

  4.5/5

• Value

  3.9/5

If you’re often tiptoeing around your house in the early hours to get ready for the day, you probably cringe at the whoosh of a hair dryer. We were pleased to discover that the QuietAir dryer from Hot Tools was so hushed that we could simultaneously watch our favorite shows without turning on subtitles (a huge win in our book). Its specialty motor is guaranteed to produce powerful airflow while remaining 30 percent quieter than the standard hair dryer, making this essential for everyday life. Better yet, its compact, lightweight design means you can easily take it on the go. 

Across every hair type we tried this tool on, we noticed smoothly styled strands in a generally shorter amount of time than we typically log with a blow dryer. What sealed the deal was how light this model was, never fatiguing our arms as we styled and switched easily from one setting to another with the centrally-located buttons.

What would have made our lives a little easier is an included comb attachment for drying our curls, but instead, we had to opt for a paddle brush. The included diffuser and concentrator were fantastic additions to this whisper-quiet tool, but they were a little hard to secure in place at first. However, once we got the hang of this machine, we loved the easy, fast, and ultra-quiet way to achieve our at-home blowouts.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 2.3 lbs. | Wattage: 1,875 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser

Best Lightweight

Conair InfinitiPRO DigitalAIRE Hair Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  3.8/5

• Features

  4.7/5

• Drying Performance

  4.3/5

• Overall Look

  4/5

• Value

  4.5/5

We all know how much of an arm workout drying your hair can be, so we love the featherlike InfinitiPro by Conair DigitalAire dryer. At 1.2 pounds we found this ultra-slim machine to be very easy to handle and non-tiring on our joints (because we should be saving the weightlifting for the gym, not our bathroom countertops).

We were blown away (quite literally) by the surprisingly strong airflow that this petite tool was able to generate, whisking some papers off of the desk behind us when we powered it on at its highest speed. Its lowest speed was good enough to get our hair, from type 1B to type 4B curls, dry within 20 minutes. Our strands were smooth and shiny in no time thanks to its internal ionic generator, which helps control our natural frizz and gives us salon-quality shine. Another standout feature was its cord, which was long enough that we could move around the bathroom without having to unplug. It also felt thick and sturdy enough to last a few years without fraying or creasing.

While we adored this dryer for its small stature and lightweight feel, we did think its short handle made it a little too easy to switch button settings accidentally. The buttons were also placed for right-handed users, making this a little tough for lefties, but it was still easy to accidentally hit the cool shot instead of a higher heat due to their proximity. However, after spending more time with the dryer, we got the hang of the handle’s quirks. If you’re searching for a light hair dryer for your gym bag and want something a little smaller and easier to store, but packs plenty of power and temperature settings, the DigitalAire is ideal for you. 

Hair Type: All | Weight: 1.2 lbs. | Wattage: 1,875 | Settings: 3 heat / 3 speed / cool shot | Attachments: Concentrator, diffuser

Best Ionic

Rusk W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  4.1/5

• Features

  5/5

• Drying Performance

  4.3/5

• Overall Look

  4/5

• Value

  3.8/5

The RuskEngineering W8less dryer features a powerful 2000-watt ionic generator that quickly gives us sleek and shiny strands. Thanks to its advanced ionic technology, this ceramic and tourmaline-infused hair dryer eliminated frizz from root to end. Not only did we see silkier strands, but we felt how easy it was to twist and turn this tool around our heads due to its barely-there weight and nine-foot cord, which let us wander around our bathrooms as we dried. And if you ask us, the price is one of the better parts of this tool — where most dryers ring in at a much higher price, this simple but high-quality machine has a reasonable price point.

While we loved so many things about this quick-drying tool, we did think that it tended to run a little too hot — especially on the hottest setting and type 4 hair. Since this type of hair is often drier than others, it can be more sensitive to heat, so we wouldn’t recommend using this high setting on porous or dry hair. In the same grain, we wish this tool was more inclusive with its attachments (such as adding a diffuser), as it’s only sold with a concentrator, which is better for non-curly hair.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 1 lb. | Wattage: 2,000 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cool shot | Attachment: Concentrator

Best for Travel

T3 Afar Travel Size Hair Dryer

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use

  4.7/5

• Features

  4.7/5

• Drying Performance

  4.8/5

• Overall Look

  4.3/5

• Value

  4.8/5

You’ve got your passport and your suitcase ready to go, but why do you feel like you’re forgetting something? Probably because you’re missing the T3 Afar — a sleek, compact tool made for jet-setters who know they can do better than the hotel hair dryer. We loved this dryer’s foldable handle, which makes it easier to pack into a suitcase or carry-on before jumping in the car. Though it’s a bit lighter and smaller than your average hair dryer, it still functions in the same way as a normal model — complete with three heat levels, two speed settings, and a style-securing cool shot.

Our strands looked and felt sleeker and softer than ever when we used this tool, and we found that it got hot enough to effectively dry our hair without making us worry about heat damage. It even performed well on those of us with hair extensions, smoothing and drying our natural strands and our false ones at the same time. Plus, it was incredibly lightweight — our arms and wrists never felt tired while we worked away at our hair. 

While we thoroughly enjoyed using this dryer and the concentrator nozzle it came with, we were curious as to how it would perform with a diffuser on curlier textures if we wanted to dry our hair curly and not straight. Fortunately, there is a diffuser attachment that you can buy from T3 — but it’s sold separately, so you would have to add that on top of this already-pricey tool. Still, we can’t imagine going back to hotel hair dryers after our maiden voyage with this one.

Hair Type: All | Weight: 0.76 lbs. | Wattage: 1,500 | Settings: 3 heat / 2 speed / cold shot | Attachments: Concentrator