The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (2024)

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Tested both in the salon and at home, these are the best hair dryers of 2024, as recommended by celebrity hair stylist Timothy David

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Emily Peck

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If you’re keen to create thebest hair style trends, you’ll need the best hair dryer. The latest designs help you recreate salon-style hair at home, protecting your colour, preserving the shine and moisture and, in some cases, even giving you a facial in the process. To get the best results, you’ll need to find the right design and attachments to suit your hair type. Hair dryer diffusers cantame frizzy hair or define curls you never knew you had, while the hair dryer brushes or concentrator nozzles can help you achieve super smooth results, fast.

Some of the most coveted hair dryers are from Dyson and its American competitor Shark, both better known for theircordless vacuum cleaners. In the last year, big name GHD has streamlined its collection with its much-talked about hot air styler that both blow dries and styles hair at the same time. In our round up we’ve included a range of premium and budget designs to suit all hair types. If you’re pushed for time, here are the top five:

What are the best hair dryers of 2024? At a glance:

What should you look for in a hair dryer?

The best hair dryers now also have variable heat and speed settings for quick yet gentle blow drying and technology that helps to nourish hair andimprove hair volume. Specific modes for scalp care and ‘cool shot’ blasts for setting your style are also useful features to look out for. Choosing a hair dryer that is lightweight and comfortable can also be a dealbreaker. Nobody wants to feel like they’re weightlifting while styling their hair in the morning.

Hair dryer design has improved dramatically in recent years. User-friendly designs have long cords, comfortable handles and magnetic nozzles that make it easier to attach and detach (particularly when hot) and make all the difference. “There’s some interesting new hair technology available,” says celebrity hair stylistKatie Allen.

“In scalp mode, the Dyson Nural uses infrared technology to measure the distance of the machine and the hair to adjust the heat automatically to protect and retain moisture. Companies are offering more useful attachments too with those for flyaway, blow-drying and diffusing all types of curls and waves as standard. Two-way diffusers – one for gently drying without disturbing the natural shape and texture of your hair, and the other for defining curls and waves.”

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How I tested the best hair dryers for 2024

For each hair dryer, I rated them on performance and design. I tried the hair dryers at home on my own thick, wavy hair – alternating between settings and attachments for straightening and defining my natural waves. I measured how noisy each hair dryer is (using the Decibel Meter smartphone app on the highest setting) and tried them on my own kid’s hair to see how versatile, gentle and effective the designs were for the whole family.

I also asked for the help of celebrity hair stylistTimothy David, who has worked with top actors such as Gillian Anderson, Grace Jones,Saoirse Monica Jackson and regularly styles hair for film and TV. Timothy put the hair dryers to task in his London salon on a range of his private clients with Type 1 (straight), Type 2 (wavy), Type 3 (curly) and Type 4 (kinky or coily) hair types.I asked him to comment on how useful the speed and heat settings, the weight and handling of each design, and how effective he thought the attachments were for all hair types.

Best hair dryers

1. Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

£399.99, Dyson

Best hair dryer overall,10/10

We like: its scalp protect mode and flexible attachments

We don’t like: no hook or storage bag in the kit

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (1)
  • 1600 watts
  • Uses Dyson’s NuralTM sensors
  • 3 speed and 4 heat settings plus a cool shot
  • Wave + Curl diffuser, gentle air attachment, styling concentrator, wide tooth comb, flyaway attachment

A great feature of Dyson’s Supersonic Nural design is the scalp protect mode. It uses infrared technology to assess how far away the hair dryer is from your head and automatically adjusts the settings to protect your scalp and hair health. This is designed to enhance natural shine and improve scalp moisture retention so your hair doesn’t dry out.

Design-wise, this dryer is a head turner and taking it out of the box was quite an event. I tried the stylish Ceramica patina / Topaz edition with a clear cap end that allows you to see the tech inside.

It has a satisfying weight, balanced handle and generously long cord, but no hanging hook or storage bag in the kit. There are five useful attachments for straight, flyaway, wavy, curly and coily hair. I enjoyed going out of my straight-hair comfort zone to use the diffuser and define my waves. At 85.4 dBA on its highest setting, it’s not too noisy. It’s clever too. The pause feature that deactivates the heater and decreases airflow and noise when you place it on a flat surface or stop moving it is a nice extra. Each styling attachment is also set to an optimal heat and speed setting, and if you change it, the hair dryer will remember your favourite setting for the next time you use that attachment.

Timothy was impressed by the powerful and flexible performance of the Nural. “The heat and power range is great and it isn’t too heavy,” he says. “I love recommending the scalp mode to my clients. When activated, the dryer automatically reduces heat as it moves closer to the scalp. You can see the colours change from cool blue, to yellow, orange and red the hotter it gets.

“The position of the cool shot is good for blow dries too and the attachments work well for coily and curly hair. If I’m going to be picky, the thin concentrator doesn’t produce as smooth results as some other hair dryers I’ve tried. And while this is an expensive hair dryer, the overall quality is excellent.”

£399.99

Price at

Dyson

2. Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer

Currently £66.66, Remington

Best value hair dryer,8/10

We like: wide head for fast results and generous heat and speed combinations

We don’t like: its head gets very hot and it’s a little top heavy

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (2)
  • 2,000 watts
  • Ionic system
  • 6 heat and speed settings and high speed and low speed cool shots
  • Flyaway tamer, a slim styling concentrator, gentle drying diffuser, curl defining diffuser attachments

Great value sub £70, this hair dryer with a ‘double ionic system’ which emits up to 80 million ions per drying session. It has an above average 2000-Watt motor that can generate air speeds of up to 120 km/h for fast results. It works with a ‘Thermocare Sensor’ that continuously regulates the air temperature to protect your hair against extreme results.

While I found this design a little top heavy and not the most comfortable to hold, it produced a quick blow dry. The results were surprisingly smooth and I managed to dry my long, thick, wavy hair in under six minutes. I really appreciated just how much extra airflow this managed to provide while I was blow-drying my hair. This was due to its extra large concentrator nozzle that – at 9cm wide – is noticeably larger than your standard design.

The design has eight speed and heat settings in total including a cool shot with high and low speed setting. It took me a while to work out all the options as the controls aren’t the most self explanatory. While it was effective when I needed a fast and high heat, the head gets very hot after use, but the attachments connect smoothly. Noise wise, it’s around average and I measured it at 86 decibels on the highest setting (for context, the Dyson Nural was 85.4 dBA).

Timothy was impressed by the good-value offering of this hair dryer, which comes with four attachments including a flyaway tamer, a slim styling concentrator, a gentle drying diffuser and a curl defining diffuser. “It has a good choice of speed settings, but I found that the cool shot took a while to cool down from heat,” says Timothy. “I found it easy to use and compact and its shape is very of the moment. The diffuser is a very good size and works well for most hair types.”

£66.66

Price at

Remington

3. Parlux Digitalyon Light Air Ionizer

£162.95, Parlux

Best lightweight hair dryer, 9/10

We like: powerful, quiet, lightweight and easy to use

We don’t like: no diffuser in the box

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (3)
  • 2,400W
  • Ionic technology (see FAQ below for how ions help prevent frizz)
  • Two speed and three temperature settings, plus cool shot
  • Two concentrator nozzles included

This very distinctive looking grey and black hair dryer is noticeably lightweight compared to the others we tried and comes with ionic and ceramic technology, which is ideal for creating a very smooth blow dry. It worked particularly well on wavy hair, leaving a frizz-free finish in a very short amount of time.

At 2,400 watts, its new digital motor is powerful and has two speeds and four temperature settings you can use. As it can get quite hot quite quickly, you may need to take extra care when drying young heads. It has Parlux’s patented ‘Hair Free’ system, though, which reassuringly traps stray hairs before they enter the motor.

It’s surprisingly quiet given the power, measuring around the 84 decibel mark on its highest setting. “Overall, I think this model is fantastic for all hair types as it is very light and easy to work,” says Timothy. “I really enjoyed using it in my salon on all my clients and I didn’t get any hand ache, as it’s so light to hold. It comes with two concentrator heads to suit different hair types and works particularly well for smoothing out curls.”

The hairdryer is compatible with the Parlux Magic Sense diffusers, which each cost an additional £34.95. Timothy enjoyed using these to dry Type 3 and Type 4 hair. “I’m a big fan of this hairdryer brand, but the only thing I would point out is that you’ll probably want to keep it on a medium heat, as it can get quite hot on a higher setting.”

£162.95

Price at

Parlux

4. Cloud Nine The Airshot Pro

£299, Cloud Nine

Best hair dryer for easy handling, 9/10

We like: its magnetic attachments and self-cleaning feature

We don’t like: only two attachments in the box

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (4)
  • 1600 watts
  • Ceramic coated filter with infrared heat
  • 3 speed and 4 heat settings including a cool shot
  • Precise-Drying nozzle, Diffuser attachment

The Cloud Nine The Airshot Pro has three speed and four heat settings including a cool shot. It’s finished in an attractive matt black finish and comes in a compact box with two magnetic attachments. I’m a big fan of Cloud Nine The Wide Iron hair straightener and this seems like a nice accompaniment.

A long three metre cord allowed me to move around freely while styling hair. I really like the size of this hair dryer, which isn’t that dissimilar to the Dyson Nural in shape. At 0.44kgm it has a nice weight to it, although I think its compact size makes it a good option for travel.

On the Cloud Nine website it notes that it has got a quiet motor, and while it may be meek on the lowest settings, I measured it at a lofty 88.9 dBA on the highest speed and heat mode. I found the controls a little annoying at first as it took me a while to find out how to get the cool shot blasting – the trick is to hold down the temperature sign and I found it cooled quickly.

The filter of this hair dryer has a ceramic coating to allow a burst of infrared heat in to the airflow to provide softer, smoother hair drying. I enjoyed the simplicity of this design and how easy it was to attach the concentrator and diffuser attachment that both rotate 360 degrees. It left my hair smooth and frizz free after use.

“I think this hair dryer is great value for money,” says Timothy. “I like how powerful it is and the feel of its weight and shape in my hand.Its self-cleaning mode thatblows air in reverse to get rid of dust build-up and keep the hair dryer in good condition is a nice touch. Although the diffuser isn’t huge, it seemed to gather up hair nicely and did a good job at defining waves and curls.”

£299

Price at

Cloud Nine

5. GHD Helios Professional

£179, GHD Hair

Best hair dryer for curly hair, 9/10

We like: the simple settings, lightweight feel and premium finish

We don’t like: large design takes up storage space

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (5)
  • 2,200W
  • Ionic technology
  • Two speed and two temperature settings, plus cool shot
  • One concentrator nozzle included

The Helios feels nicely balanced and lightweight and, with its premium finish, we can see why GHD is a popular brand name. With an average 88 decibels in noise, it’s not the quietest model we tried, but we were impressed at how quickly it dried our hair and how bouncy it felt afterwards.

“There are two speed settings and two heat settings as well as a cool shot, which all come in useful for blow drying,” says Timothy. “I didn’t find this powerful enough on very curly hair, but overall I think it’s a good way to create volume.” It comes with one concentrator nozzle included in the box, and you can also team it with the GHD Helios Hair Dryer Comb Nozzle, (£25), which works particularly well on textured, curly and coily hair types.

£179

Price at

GHD

6.GHD Duet BlowDry Hair Dryer Brush

£379, GHD

Best hair dryer for blow dries 9/10

We like: it works well to give medium-to-long hair bouncy blow dries from wet hair

We don’t like: it’s expensive and you’re limited to blow dries

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (6)
  • 460 watts
  • Heat-Air Xchange Technology / Brushless digital motor
  • 1 on/off setting
  • Heated blow dry barrel

This is a 2-in-1 hair dryer and brush that has been designed to provide bouncy blow dries from wet hair. Its shape and finish is specifically designed for blow dries and it looks and feels premium in design. There’s one setting to choose from and one heated barrel plate and I found it comfortable to hold and easy to use. In the box you also get a small cleaning brush and a heat-resistant storage bag, which keeps things neat.

The blow dryer has a controlled airflow and is designed to enhance shine and give you results that last up to 24 hours. It has one on/off switch but has two heat sensors that monitor the surface temperature 400 times per second so you have a consistent temperature across the barrel and bristles.

I normally struggle with blow drying my hair myself using a brush, but this design made it surprisingly easy. I really enjoyed using it on my medium length hair. It takes a few seconds to start up and turn off and I thought it sounded like a small engine revving up when I first turned it on. That said, it’s not too loud in use and I measured it at an average 83 decibels on the app.

“This hair dryer works much like the Revlon (below), but it’s rather more sophisticated and powerful in its design,” says Timothy. “You’re meant to be able to use it from wet hair, and while I found it comfortable to use, I would prefer to use it to finish off a style rather than use it on wet hair. That said, it did well to quickly blow dry long, straight and wavy hair. I think anyone with short hair may find the barrel a little too big. But should you wish to invest in a tool that specifically blow dries, I think this is a great high-tech add-on for longer hair.”

£379

Price at

GHD

7. SharkSpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer with Storage Bag [HD352UK]

Currently £139.99, Shark

Best hair dryer for versatile attachments, 8/10

We like: the flexibility of the attachments making it suitable for all hair types

We don’t like: the on-off button is a little awkwardly positioned

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (7)
  • 1700wwatts
  • Ionic technology
  • 3 heat and 3 speed settings and a cool shot
  • RapidGloss Finisher, QuickSmooth Brush, Turbo Concentrator, Express Touchup Brush, DefrizzFast Diffuser

This hair dryer is a 5-in-1 design with attachments that focus on achieving less frizz when drying. It features an ioniser that releases negative ions to achieve healthy looking hair.

For its price - compared to other premium designs on the market - this design has a lot to offer. At first I was a little overwhelmed by just how many different attachments were included, but Shark makes it easy to understand how to get the best from them with a leaflet in the box.

Each attachment clicks on smoothly and the overall design is slim and feels light. The hair dryer never gets too hot, but it istheloudest I tried – measuring 95.9 decibels on the highest setting.What’s interesting is that it shows you where to hold the attachments when removing them, so as to not burn your fingers. I felt like this was a thoughtful touch as this isn’t something I’d come across before with other brands.

After using the Turbo Concentrator attachment to dry my hair I finished with the RapidGloss Finisher. This is designed to smooth frizz and flyaways and I found that this worked well on my wavy hair. I imagine the Express Touchup Brush would come in useful for adding volume to thin hair and taming fringes too.

While I enjoyed trying out the Quicksmooth Brush, which is there to dry, volumise and smooth all at once, I found it a little awkward to achieve the blow-dried results I wanted on my own hair. The DefrizzFast Diffuser is a really good size for long hair too and I managed to get a good section of my hair inside each time I wanted to create a more defined curl look.

“The hair dryer is very powerful and good for all types of hair,” says Timothy. “For tight coil curls I felt I was able to smooth the hair out, but not fully, however.I love the options of airflow here. I also like how lightweight the hair dryer is, but the on/off is a little awkward so not the easiest to use when you’re in a hurry. While I’m not sure you’d need all the attachments, I enjoyed how smoothly they clicked into place and I like how much variety you have here for curls, waves and straight hair.”

£139.99

Price at

Shark

8. Panasonic Nanoe Moisture and Mineral hair dryerEH-NA0J-N895

£229.99, Panasonic

Best hair dryer for shine, 8/10

We like: the scalp and skincare benefits

We don’t like: it’s expensive and there are only two attachments in the box

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (8)
  • 1600w
  • Panasonic’s Nanoe MOISTURE+ technology
  • 2 temperature settings, 4 Modes (Hot Cold Alternating/Hair Tip Care/ Scalp/Skin), 3 speed settings
  • Concentrator Nozzle,Diffuser,Built-in Quick Dry Nozzle

Just like the Dyson, this Panasonic hair dryer has its own scalp setting to protect your head when in use. It comes with Panasonic’s own ‘nanoe MOISTURE+ and Mineral’ technology that is designed to hydrate the hair, adding moisture, reducing static and frizz and enhancing the appearance for sleek and smooth results.

This hair dryer is quite an unusual design, but one of my favourites as it’s so light and its attachments click smoothly into place. It comes with a concentrator nozzle and a large and deep diffuser that can get quite a good chunk of hair in for drying in one go. As well as two temperature settings, there’s a comfortable to use hot/cold alternating mode, which ensures you never get that over-dry feel you can sometimes get after drying. I found this to be a good setting for use on my kids too.

I was able to achieve sleek results using this hair dryer every time, and noticed less frizz compared to other hair dryers I used. Continued use of its ‘nanoe MOISTURE+ and Mineral’ technology is meant to reduce split ends and breakage, which is something I’m keen to pursue. It also has a skin mode and while I was sceptical at how I could benefit, I did find that using it for a few minutes after drying my hair left my skin feeling soft – and again not over-dry.

“I like how easy this hair dryer is to use – with nanoe MOISTURE+ and Mineral technology for keeping hair healthy,” says Timothy. “The body of the hair dryer is light and easy to use and it feels balanced in hand. At 86.7 on its highest setting it’s not too noisy either. It is, however, quite pricey, but I think its unique technology makes it stand out from the crowd.”

£229.99

Price at

Panasonic

9. The Hair Lab by Mark Hill Professional Hair Dryer

Currently £29.99, Mark Hill Hair

Best budget hair dryer, 8/10

We like: its price and generous 3m cable length

We don’t like: its attachments get very hot

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (9)
  • 2300 watts
  • Ionic technology
  • 3 speed and 3 heat settings including a cool shot
  • Concentrator nozzle, diffuser, wide tooth comb

With a wattage of 2300, this is one of the most powerful hair dryers in our test. It comes with a good choice of heat and speed settings and atH12 x L43 x D9cm is compact in size. While it’s small, it has a good 1.92kg weight to it that makes it feel premium. I found it to be one of the quieter hair dryers in our test – measuring 81 decibels on its highest setting.

The design is traditional in shape and reminded me of the larger GHD Helios. For its price, I think this Mark Hill Hair dryer is great value as it has a good choice of heat and speed settings and a useful number of attachments. It also comes in an attractive presentation box.

I found that the speed and heat settings were easy to switch between and conveniently positioned on the handle. It’s powerful and I managed to get my medium length hair dry within five minutes when using the most powerful settings. Its attachments do, however, get quite hot in use and I needed to let them cool for a bit before interchanging between the concentrator nozzle, diffuser and comb.

“This is a very affordable hair dryer with a familiar shape and good spec,” says Timothy. “I think it would be very easy for most people to use and a great option for achieving smooth hair. While it doesn’t have as many attachments as its competitors I think that for its price, you can’t really go wrong.”

£29.99

Price at

Mark Hill Hair

10. Revlon One-Step Volumiser Plus

Currently £41.99, Amazon

Best hot brush, 8/10

We like: 50 percent less heat exposure compared to its predecessor

We don’t like: the handle isn’t as easy to hold

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (10)
  • 1,100W
  • Ionic technology
  • Three combined speed and temperature settings, plus cool shot
  • One removable ceramic titanium 6.4cm barrel head included

An upgrade on the popular Revlon One-Step Volumiser, the Plus model claims to give you 50 percent less heat exposure and has the technology built in to create shinier results. It’s aimed at those who want to easily create a bouncy blow dry at home and we found it fuss-free and easy to use. It measured around the 90-decibel mark on its highest setting, so can get quite noisy.

It did well at smoothing out wavy hair at home. It does, however, only have one head, which may make it a little too large for some hair types as one size doesn’t always fit all. On the plus side, it’s light and compact enough to fit into hand luggage.

“Designed as an alternative to a hair dryer and brush, this combines the two and worked well when finishing a client’s bob,” says Timothy. “As a professional I wasn’t able to get as much tension for smoothing out the roots as I’d like. For overall smoothness, I would prefer to use this in addition to a hair dryer and brush, to finish off the hair.”

£41.99

Price at

Amazon

11. Nicky Clarke Airstyle Pro

£249.99, Nicky Clarke

Best hair dryer for small and lightweight design, 8/10

We like: the super slim design and powerful motor

We don’t like: the attachments get very hot in use

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (11)
  • 2000 watts
  • Infrared and ionic technology
  • 3 heat and 3 speed settings plus a cool shot
  • Aircurl styler, concentrator nozzle, curly hair diffuser

The main body of this hair dryer weighs just 350g, which makes it light and easy to store. It comes in an attractive presentation box, which I think would make for a great gift. It has a very stylish control panel that comes with a useful lock button so you can’t accidentally knock the heat and speed settings while you’re using it.

I found it powerful and the air felt very streamlined through the concentrator nozzle, which helped me produce smoother than normal results. It’s quite loud in use and I measured it at 89.99 decibels on its highest setting.

“This achieves great results for curly and straight hair,” says Timothy. “The diffuser is a good shape and works well and its aircurl styler was fun to use on straight hair to achieve lovely light curls and waves. It did, however, get very hot, so I would use it on the lowest setting to avoid heat damage. At 2.8m, the cord length is generous so I could walk around freely while styling and I think its self-cleaning function is useful for anyone who regularly forgets to clean the filter.”

£249.99

Price at

Nicky Clarke

12. Babyliss Rose Lustre 2400

£38, Boots

Best hair dryer under £50, 7/10

We like: the simple styling and easy to access controls

We don’t like: the handle feels slippery to hold

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (12)
  • 2,400W
  • Ionic technology
  • Three heat and two speed settings, plus cool shot
  • One concentrator nozzle included

Nicely packaged in a compact box that could make a good gift, the BaByliss Rose Lustre 2400 comes with ionic frizz-control and ceramic technology to smooth hair. While it felt quite slippery to hold, it was one of the lighter dryers we tried. Its noise level was average too – measuring 86 decibels on its highest setting. With price, noise and variety of settings in mind, it makes a good option for family use and it didn’t give us arm ache when trying it out at home.

“This is a great budget hair dryer that has a lot of good features you’d expect to find on a premium model,” says Timothy. “I wouldn’t use it professionally, as I didn’t feel enough difference on the heat controls, but it does have everything you need for a successful blow dry. I would stick to medium heat for the best results as the highest setting can feel quite hot.”

£38

Price at

Boots

13. Revamp Progloss Pro Define Perfect Blow Dry Volume & Shine Air Styler

£59.99, Boots

Best hair dryer for extra volume, 7/10

We like: works on short and longer hair alike

We don’t like: basic design that won’t work well from wet hair

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (13)
  • 900W
  • Ionic technology
  • Three heat and speed settings
  • One ceramic barrel head

With a ceramic barrel with four ionic jet emitters, the Revamp is designed to smooth, detangle and add shine and volume to hair as you use it from root to tip. While it’s just as compact as the similarly functional Revlon One Step Volumiser Plus, it’s slightly heavier and at 95 decibels on its highest setting, slightly louder in use. It comes with three heat and speed settings with High, Low, Cool and Off indicators on the handle.

We think it works particularly well on hair that already has a bit of a wave in it, smoothing it nicely and adding volume at the roots. “While I really liked using this brush for finishing off hair, I would use it after a hair dryer and brush,” says Timothy.

£59.99

Price at

Boots

14. Hershesons The Great Hairdryer

£295, Hershesons

Best light hair dryer, 7/10

We like: how fast, light and comfortable it is to hold

We don’t like: the price

The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (14)
  • Three speed and three temperature settings plus cool shot
  • Oxy Active Technology for smooth results
  • Two concentrators, diffuser and stand included in the presentation box
  • 2000 Watts

With their ‘Great Hairdryer’, Hershesons claim to have found ‘the lightest, most powerful and efficient dryer on the market’. It comes in a blue tin box with a diffuser, two concentrator nozzles and a stand included and at 295g, it weighs less than a can of Coke. It’s also very slim. This makes it a great travel companion, as well as limiting arm-ache when you’re using it.

The hair dryer has Oxy Active Technology, which is designed to ‘emit active oxygen with anti-bacterial effect for improved colour fixation and shine’. While it was hard to notice whether it did improve colour, we did notice how smooth the results were in our tests.

The Hersheson gives you three temperatures, three speed levels and a cool shot. “It’s very quiet and the attachments are good,” Timothy says. “I particularly like the diffuser, which was great for curly and wavy hair.

“Sometimes I like to hold the hair dryer on its side, instead of by the handle when I’m drying. The Hersheson got quite hot, so this isn’t something I could do. But overall, I’m impressed at how smoothly it dries hair – it’s also nicely designed, compact and light in the hand.”

£295

Price at

Hershesons

Hair dryer FAQs

Which hair dryer is least damaging?

Celebrity hair stylistTimothy Davidrecommends choosing a hair dryer with a good range of heat controls that promises to be gentle on your hair. “Think about how much you will use the hair dryer in relation to how much it costs, and whether it has the right tools for your hair type and what you’d use them for,” he says.

“Hair dryers with ionic technology are good at drying your hair at a faster rate on a lower temperature. They release negatively charged ions that break up water particles, sealing the hair particles to help prevent frizz. Ceramic hair dryers are also good at heating up quickly and distributing heat evenly, protecting your hair from excess damage. Dyson uses infrared technologyto measure the distance of the machine and the hair so it can adjusts the heat automatically to protect the scalp.”

Is it good to use a hair dryer every day and can a hair dryer cause hair loss?

Timothy points out that using a hair dryer every day can be detrimental to your hair health. ‘It’s not good to use any heat tool too much,’ he says. “If possible, try to dry your hair naturally with a good leave-in conditioner at least once a week. If you do need to blow-dry your hair every day I recommend using the right protective products for heat and a good shampoo and conditioner without silicone. I’ve never heard of a hair dryer causing hair loss but pulling too much in a certain area may cause some.”

What hair dryer do the professionals use?

While brands such as Parlux, GHDs and Dyson do tend to be popular for professional hairdressing use, it’s ultimately up to the individual hair stylist what they choose to work with and works for them. “I tend to use a Parlux for everyday use as I like the way it blow dries hair smooth or into beautiful curls. For diffusing hair, I prefer a Dyson,” says Timothy.

What’s the best hair dryer for my hair type?

It’s important to use the right heat setting and attachment to suit your hair type. “Straight hair – particularly if it’s fine – can be quickly damaged by high heat, so a hair dryer with ionic technology and low heat settings can work well,” says Timothy. “A wide tooth attachment is great for smoothing out thick hair too. For wavy, curly, coily and kinky hair types, a hair dryer with a diffuser and low heat and speed settings is a good option. This ensures that regardless of your ethnicity, the hair dryer will protect your hair texture from unnecessary heat damage.”

What’s the best hair dryer for my hair type?

Professional hairdresser Michael Van Clarke shares his expert tips:

  1. “Avoid excessive colouring. One of the biggest problems I see is unnecessary, excessive colour damage – either too much colour or repeated over and over on the same hair. This leaves it thin, fragile and dull. Find a colourist that cares about hair health and who wants your hair to look its best for as long as possible, rather than making you return asap to spend again.”
  2. “Don’t get too close – for too long – when drying hair. Resting the nozzle on your hair for an extended period will guarantee over-drying and damage. Try to keep a one-inch distance between your hair and the dryer and heat-style less often.”
  3. “Steer clear of dehydrating silicone products that smooth the surface and varnish over the cracks in hair. Most silicones are hydrophobic so whilst they make hair look good today, they dry it out in the long run. It may not say silicone on the ingredients list, so look out for the scientific names - cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, trimethicone, or any ‘…conol’ or ‘…cone’ in the ingredients list. Breaking the cycle can be difficult, but you will notice the results.”

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The best hair dryers for 2024, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist (2024)

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