The best hair dryer for expert styling at home—from top-rated brands like Dyson, Shark and GHD

The hair dryer is an essential beauty tool, used by almost everyone. So it follows that finding the best hair dryer for your needs will make day-to-day grooming a whole lot easier.

According to the Philips Global Beauty Index survey (opens in new tab) 76% of women use a hair dryer at home (from a study of 12,000 women across the globe), so unsurprisingly the range of hair dryer options is huge—the only equivalent challenge is seeking out the best hair straighteners. Models range from simple, lightweight styles to powerful, high spec options like the Dyson Supersonic. Consider this your expert guide to finding the right model for you. 

How to pick the best hair dryer, by pro stylists 

Selecting the best hair dryer means assessing its features and how they will work for your hair. 

• Heat and speed: Don't assume more is more. "A bad habit most of us have is to turn the dryer up to the fastest and hottest setting—that can cause damage, overheating the cuticle and frazzled, dry ends," says Syd Hayes Babyliss Ambassador and Session Stylist. If you have long or thick hair try to accelerate the styling process with more power, rather than heat. Cooler temperatures work best for color-treated or brittle hair  to minimize heat damage and frizz. 
• Attachments: The key is selecting the right shape. "If you’re after a salon-worthy blow dry full of volume the narrow styling nozzle is the attachment for you," explains Dafydd Thomas, ghd global head of education. "The wide styling nozzle is great if you want to blow dry your hair smooth, quickly, as it covers a larger surface area. A comb styling nozzle is perfect for adding additional volume and shape whilst not disturbing natural movement. If you’re looking to enhance and define natural curls, the best diffusers for curly hair will allow you to cup your hair for a natural finish."
• Practical features: Specs like cord length aren't seductive, but they are important. Think about your habits—if you dry thick hair into salon-style flicks every day, make sure your dryer is light and has a swivel cord you can turn without tangling. If your dryer will be in a drawer for half the week heavier is ok, but a robust dust filter is a good shout. Need the best hair dryer for the whole family? Look for gentle temperatures and a vent that comes off easily for cleaning. 

Several variants that we tested didn't make the final cut. We found that the cordless and bonnet hair dryers we tried did not live up to their promises, and therefore could not feature in our best hair dryer edit.

Want more information on the types of dryers, hair dryer power or if you need a cold shot? You'll find everything you need to know in our FAQs at the end of this best hair dryer guide. 

The best hair dryer, as reviewed by our beauty team

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: not everyone has this much money in the budget, and you certainly don’t need to spend this much to buy a quality hair dryer (there are plenty of excellent lower-priced choices on this list). But, if you are planning to make a sizeable investment, it’s easy to see why the Dyson Supersonic has a devoted fan base.

As you’d expect from the brains that managed to turn vacuum cleaners into a bonafide status symbol, the spec is impressive. The main selling point is power, generated from a 13-blade digital motor, positioned not in the head of the dryer, as is the industry norm, but in the handle. Said motor sends 13 liters of air per second up to the head, which is then multiplied to 41 liters and checked 20 times per second to maintain a precise temperature. The aim is fast, controlled drying and styling without the damage of extreme heat. The dryer runs at a relatively low 1600W, proving bigger isn’t always better when it comes to power.

And what’s it like to use? Impressive. Considering how much technology the Dyson packs in, the experience is pleasingly pared back, with three speed controls and four heat, plus a cold-shot button. Tap the power button and it whooshes right to full speed, not a second wasted warming up, plus it’s noticeably quiet and a dream to control, thanks to that handle-based motor (why didn't anyone think of that before?). 

The dryer has also had an update with a new flyaway attachment designed to replicate the effect of a professional blow dry using a round brush. The curved shape of the attachment looks a little bizarre on our hair dryer stand (Gonzo from The Muppets' nose came to mind) but it delivered on performance, using the Coanda technology of the Dyson Airwrap to separate longer hairs from flyaways and delivering a smooth finish. Other attachments include a Smoothing Nozzle, Styling Concentrator, Diffuser, Wide Tooth Comb, and Gentle Air Attachment. They attach magnetically, which is handy when you snap them on, less so when they on occasion click back off of their own accord. We also managed to loosen the little vent at the base of the handle after a couple of months of continuous use, but needless to say, we're nitpicking. It's not easy finding negatives here. 

On balance, the Dyson Supersonic experience is pretty peerless—as to whether you have $400 to spend, we’ll leave that up to you. And the brand does occasionally throw Dyson hair dryer deals our way, too.

See our full Dyson Supersonic hair dryer review

When GHD launches a product, we pay attention. This brand seems to know our hair goals even before we do. 

The latest dryer launch from the innovative brand, the GHD Helios Professional Hair Dryer, certainly promises a lot. Namely, that it's the brand's lightest, fastest professional dryer and will bless your 'do with 30% more shine than whatever you're drying with at the moment. 

First impressions are good. It looks a little sleeker and sexier than previous ghd models and there are five colors to choose from—black, ink blue, powder pink, white, and, our personal favorite, plum with gold accents. The casing is matte with a nice velvety texture. And although at 1.72lb/780g, it isn't the lightest option we tested it feels nimble due to its ergonomic design with the weight balanced fairly equally between handle and head.

The Helios also includes user-friendly settings: two speeds, two heats, and one cool shot button. This might seem a little on the simple side, but honestly how many options do you really use? 

Beyond good looks, the GHD Helios offers solid performance from a light, brushless motor that boasts airflow of 120kph. You can certainly feel that power when you flick it on to full heat and speed. The dryer roars into action, albeit in a relatively low-key way, then releases negative ions to smooth as you dry (and what are ions, you ask? Check out the cheat sheet at the bottom of this article). Woman & Home Group Beauty Director Sarah Cooper-White says this dryer gives her the sleekest, fastest blow-dry she’s ever managed at home. 

Overall, the GHD Helios is a brilliant all-rounder. It features incremental improvements on previous models, but nothing that will alienate or annoy fans of the brand. This powerful tool makes for a satisfying and ultra-speedy—if not 100% silent—drying experience.

See our full GHD Helios hair dryer review

Call it the tech takeover of beauty, call it pink tax—whatever’s happened, it’s fair to say the cost of all the best hair dryers has been on a steep incline for a few years now. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find something great at a price that doesn’t require a few deep breaths before you hit “add to cart.” Like the Remington Thermacare Pro 2400.

After testing many hair dryers costing north of a tonne, it’s tricky to approach a model at half the price without making assumptions about its comparative performance, but the Thermacare Pro 2400 blew those misconceptions away. 

It looks the part, with nice cream and metallic casing that feels a smidge plasticky, but pleasant enough in the hand. The technical spec matches up to its pricier counterparts in some ways; it’s got ionic technology and a ceramic grill for even heat. The motor sends out 90km/56mi of air per hour and boasts a quieter experience and twice the lifespan of the brand’s previous models.

As well as three heat and two speed options, there’s a cool shot and a booster button that ramps up the airflow for fast rough drying. This feature did make the dryer noisier, but it was nothing to warn the neighbors about. It comes with two styling nozzles and one diffuser, a generous offering at this price, and gave a nice daily blow-dry in as much time as you would expect from any dryer.

One minor gripe: It would be nice if the nozzles were white, not black, as they looked a tad out of place stuck on the end there, but as with any hair dryer aesthetics are far less important than performance and this performs very well indeed. If you want something decent-looking, fast, and reliable that doesn't require you to take out a second mortgage, this could be the best hair dryer for you.

If you ask a room full of hairstylists to name their best hair dryer, expect Parlux to win the majority vote. This Italian brand has amassed a fierce cohort of professional fans, and, after testing its merits, we can certainly see why.

Aesthetically, this is amongst the few dryers that could reasonably be described as sexy. It comes in 10 colors, from inky matte black to bright corals and yellows. (We tried the peacock-like jade.) 

Design-wise, it's small, sleek, and incredibly light. In fact, it's only slightly heavier than the travel-centric GHD Flight. Despite its diminutive size, it boasts a muscular 2250W of power which you’ll notice right away, especially when drying thick hair—no achy arms.

Looks and feel aside, the Parlux Alyon includes plenty of useful features. The heat and speed options are practical and uncomplicated—simply flick the switch on the side of the handle and off you go. This proved surprisingly handy for mid-dry temperature adjustments as we were able to intuitively use our thumbs instead of having to pull the dryer away to see which button we were pressing. Small things like that make a big difference when you use a tool every day.  

The Alyon also helps prevent frizz and damage with ionic technology, while the K-Advance Plus motor promises powerful airflow and a lifespan of at least 3,000 hours. Additional touches include two smoothing nozzles in the box, plus a tactile cool button that has a satisfying click. 

The dryer also features a patent-pending HFS “Hair Free System"—a tiny corkscrew within the back vent that catches and prevents hair from getting trapped in the dryer. Though it appears tricky, with a 10-step instruction booklet, this feature is actually quite simple to master. Still, we aren't convinced it deserves such fanfare compared to an ordinary twist-off vent.

See our full Parlux Alyon review

They say don't judge a book by its cover, we say don't judge a dryer by its casing. Because what appears to be a fairly generic, albeit sleek and pleasant-looking device from celeb stylist Nicky Clarke actually hides some pretty interesting technology and features. 

The first and most unique aspect of this dryer is infra-red technology. Here, along with a unique honeycomb-shaped element, it helps to disperse heat evenly. This makes for a kind, gentle hair drying experience without sacrificing blow dry performance, says Clarke. 

And what do we say? Mostly, we're sold. We tested it on fine hair and experienced a gentle and non-scorching feel, even at the highest heat, as well as enjoying the unusually low weight and nimbleness of the model. Our hair was left smooth and dried without static or flyaways, even after rough drying without too much care—perhaps this came down to the ion technology. Did we notice the infrared particularly? No, but we trust it was doing its job of caring for our scalp and hair. Drying time was probably bang on average for a hair dryer of this price, not noticeably quick or slow, but certainly, an impressive showing considering the energy efficiency of the device. 

Looks-wise, you won't get statement 'jazz hands' design from this dryer, and friends may not ask you where it is from if they see it in your bedroom, but it is attractive and contemporary-looking with a velvety black finish. The 3m cord is a welcome touch, as is the smoothing nozzle which did a great job of creating sleek sheets of hair when we tested it with round brushes and a bit more time. Overall this is a strong and thoughtful foray back into premium devices from Nicky Clarke—kind to our hair, kind to the planet, and not too unkind to the wallet. 

Cloud Nine is better known for straighteners than hair dryers. But the brand's top-rated Airshot ticks just about every box in our research criteria and then some. 

The Airshot dryer has similar features to a few other professional dryers in our roster, primarily Parlux and Hershesons. However, it's a notch above in some respects. The main draw? Ceramics and vitamin-infused tourmaline. This clever combo evenly distributes heat and delivers a major ionic boost, imparting noticeable smoothness, frizz reduction and shine even after one use. 

By construction, the Airshot is easy on the eye: The original model is matte black and compact—plus there is a beautiful limited edition Evergreen model if you can get your hands on it quickly enough. It includes two nozzles and switches easily between three heat and two speeds, too. Though sold separately, the diffuser is a step above the usual flimsy numbers included in dryer boxes. It incorporates uniquely shaped contoured 'fingers' that lift and separate curls without causing frizz. Still, given the cost of the dryer, we wish it was included without the extra expense.

Another drawback: The Airshot is a tad bulky and it wasn't even the heaviest dryer we tried. Luckily, there are plenty of features that compensate for this flaw, like its low-pitched motor noise, cool button, and LED indicator on the back of the handle. Whereas the cool button quickly cools down the temperature, the LED indicator lights up as a guide for users. As one would expect with Cloud Nine, this dryer is an excellent, easy-to-use tool that pays more attention to hair health than others within its price category.

First and foremost, let's talk about how this dryer looks. This design team clearly broke free of the modern dryer mold, which usually either aim for ultra-sleek, slim and black, or as close to Dyson as they can without getting in trouble. This however is a chunky, curvy little number in a mix of gloss and matte greige. We love it. If your idea of the best hair dryer is one that's cute and vaguely retro-looking, this will tick your visual boxes like no other. 

Picking it up you'll probably notice what we would class as the only real downside—it's fairly heavy. Not the heaviest on this list but it certainly packs a surprisingly robust weight into its relatively squat form. That aside, this is a dryer that melds convenience and care with ease. The main USP is hydracare technology, which is a sensor that checks your hair as it dries and automatically switches the heat around to prevent damage. This really takes the guesswork away for anyone worried about the dangers of daily heat styling. You don't have to have that function switched on of course. If you prefer to choose your own heat adventure or just want to go full-throttle every time that's very much available to you—although with the power of this device you really shouldn't need to go full pelt. 

As well as a very serviceable 2200w of power, the Hydraluxe Pro's digital motor sends air out at a noticeably impressive rate. This was one of the fastest dryers on the whole list, and although a bit of noise came with that power it was worth it for a four-minute blow dry. Other notable mentions include the three metre cord, an extremely chilly cold shot that you don't have to hold down and three included nozzles (one diffuser and two concentrators) These attach not by the usual annoying click-around-the-edges mechanism but slip smoothly on like the last missing jigsaw piece via a little nub in the center of the attachment. It's little touches like this that really elevate this kind, fast dryer into being one of the best on the market today.   

The hair dryer market, much like the rest of the world, is divided right now. If you want to spend hundreds you're spoilt for choice, equally, there are plenty of bargain models hanging around in the 40 buck basement. But what happened to the middle ground?  Well, for those who want a good, mid-range hair dryer that pays attention to performance and care but you won't need to wait until your next birthday to justify buying, meet the Babyliss Hydro Fusion. 

This powerful, nimble dryer from the salon brand comes with two attachments including a particularly large and robust curl diffuser. It looks good, in pearlized icy blue, and while it may not have the snazzy controls of some of its ultra-luxury counterparts, how many of us can honestly say we really use all those extra features? Aside from how incredibly light it feels, which is noticeable when you pick it up, one of the best things about this dryer is its use of ion technology. Most ionic dryers use negative only, which helps smooth cuticles and break down water to eliminate static and frizz, but this combines those with positive charges that open the cuticle a little to allow moisture into the hair for hydration. 

The dryer does have a slight 'blast' to it so can feel fairly hot at its highest settings, and it's up to you to choose exactly what levels are right for your hair, there's nothing intuitive about it necessarily. But we did achieve a nice, smooth, fast blow dry with the concentrator, and curly-haired testers found the even flow of air through the diffuser excellent for defining curls. This may not promise to set the world alight with its tech, but it is a stylish and reliable everyday dryer that won't break the bank and would never, ever give you arm ache. 

The Dyson Airwrap isn’t going to be for everyone. To begin with, there is the obvious expense. It’s also probably not for anyone who just wants to blast their hair in the most fuss-free manner possible without creating any particular style. If you do like to experiment with your hair, blow drying smooth one day, curling in waves the next then volumizing with a hot brush the one after that, you will very likely try the Dyson Airwrap and wonder where it has been all of your life.

In fact, once you've got the knack using the Airwrap is so enjoyable you might actually start looking forward to your morning blow dry. If you go for the Airwrap Complete, you will get a total of six attachments that cover everything you can imagine doing with your 'do: A dryer attachment that essentially turns it into the Supersonic Dryer (minus the styling nozzles); 30mm and 40mm barrels to create waves of varying degrees of tightness; a round volumizing brush; plus firm and soft smoothing brushes. Each one is neatly clicked and locked into the top of the styler and the world is your hair-shaping oyster!

The technology hinges on a phenomenon called the Coanda effect, a powerful spinning impeller within the tool that creates a pressurized flow of air to attract hair towards the attachment, wrapping it around the barrel or holding it against the brush. Air is then pushed over the strands, combined with highly controlled heat, to dry and style hair without ever subjecting it to the searing temperatures of hot styling tools. You can set the hair using a cool-shot button or just flick it back off and out drops a shiny curl, bouncy wave, or perfectly smoothed section of hair. It really is very satisfying and positively mouse-like in volume compared with your average hair dryer, making this truly worthy of the best hair dryer status.

It is worth pointing out that for the Airwrap's Coanda-effect technology to work (more on that below), the curling barrels do need to be switched between left and right sides, which is a minor inconvenience but one that is more than justified by the rest of the slick user experience.

Most of the attachments are novice-friendly, but there’s definitely a knack for using the waving barrels, which you probably won't master the first time. But we found the sleek sexiness of the device is more than enough motivation to keep trying, and we had nailed it by the third time—after our usual curling wand was starting to look outdated and more than a little damaging in our eyes.

The Airwrap is ideal for travel as it’s essentially every styler plus your best hair dryer in one ultra-slim and lightweight package. As we said, the Dyson Airwrap isn’t for everyone, but if you can invest and are a heavy user of a variety of drying and styling tools, this could replace them all in spectacular style.

Ask any parent and they'll agree, drying your children's hair can be a tear-soaked, frustration-filled challenge. Cleverly, Panasonic EH-NA67 Enrich + Family Care aims to solve this issue by creating a light, ultra-gentle dryer that prevents painful, hair-damaging hotspots. 

How? Mainly a clever oscillating nozzle that spreads the heat around rather than directing it in one specific area. This means you can blast away at your loved one's hair free from worry about misjudging the distance or spending too long on one area and receiving a pained squeal in response. This hair dryer also incorporates Panasonic's signature Nanoe technology, which sends tiny moisture particles into the hair to hydrate as it dries. All this hair and scalp-loving tech means this isn't just the best hair dryer for families, it would also be excellent for anyone with over-processed, frazzled hair or a sensitive scalp. In terms of noise and blast, we would call this a solid middle-of-the-pack option—neither noticeably loud or mystifyingly quiet. 

Spec-wise, it's all here. A generous four temperature settings and three for speed. A cool shot, concentrator and diffuser nozzles plus a mighty 2000w of power. It's a little heavier than the brand's previous model the Panasonic Nanoe + Double Mineral It also lacks the handy folding handle of its predecessor making it trickier to transport and slightly less nimble to maneuver when drying. 

Still, if you value your hair's health there's much to recommend this buy. It may not be the sexiest most show-it-off dryer on the list, but it's definitely the kindest. Smart girls know nice beats flash any day.

If you're thinking there's something familiar-looking about this vacuum company's first foray into the hair dryer market, you wouldn't be alone. Still, physical and pedigree similarities aside, the Shark Style iQ Hair Dryer & Styler is no dupe. This smart, high-spec hair tool has bags of unique attributes that help it stand firmly on its own two feet. 

The main schtick is this; the Shark Style IQ aims to merge drying and styling together into one session. It does this by including two clever attachments. One is an adjustable concentrator nozzle that you can use for both rough drying and focused styling with a brush, the other a diffuser with adjustable prongs that can cradle the hair from root to tip to create a curl pattern and dry in one. In testing we found these both uniquely useful for creating defined styles and leagues above the usual nozzles they throw in the hair dryer box. 

As for settings, you can go two very different ways with the Shark. Either use the handy switch on the side to adjust the dryer to your perfect airflow and heat from three options apiece. Or, snap on one of those clever attachments and allow the dryer to select the perfect settings for the hair type that attachment suits. Genius. 

Even when we turned the right up to the top, we didn't feel particularly blasted with heat or noise, yet our hair was dried quickly and smoothly with a lovely shine to boot. This comes down to ultra-powerful, concentrated airflow, which despite the relatively low wattage, allows for fast drying without extreme heat damage. Good old ionic technology helps smooth the finished look and combat frizz, as does a cool shot button. The 2.5m cord is easy to store and should be ample for anyone. 

While this is undoubtedly a luxuriously priced dryer, it repays that investment in luxury features, kindness to the hair and clever touches we're yet to see elsewhere. 

The GHD Flight aims to solve a universal vacation-hair dilemma: Do you use valuable baggage allowance on your powerful but clunky dryer, or take something smaller but accept a substandard drying experience? The answer, says GHD, is neither. The Flight is our best hair dryer for travel as it weighs in at 422g/14 oz, around half the weight of the GHD Air, yet packs in 70% of the power of the larger model. Handily, you can adjust the voltage between 120 for the US and Canada, and 240 for Europe, by sticking a coin in a little groove and flicking it around. 

The controls are fairly simple—two hot settings, one cool, and that’s it. The hottest it will ever get is 65ºC/149°F, which is plenty if you’re vacationing somewhere balmy. Although the cool setting could be a little colder, it still has a decent de-frazzling effect if you use it to finish your blow-dry.

Probably the best thing about the Flight is its physical form—it’s made of lightweight plastic but still looks the part. The handle folds inwards to make it less awkward to pack, and the quoted 422g/14 oz is including the nozzle and cord, so it feels incredibly light. 

Of course, it's not the best hair dryer out there in terms of power—no travel dryer could be—but this comes pretty close. Our reviewer's hair is of the classic “fine but you’ve got lots of it” variety, and we didn’t notice too much difference in drying time or styling effect from our usual best hair dryer. 

If you have extremely thick or curly hair, it might be a different story. (Although anecdotally we'd suggest that you probably wouldn’t want to go near very curly hair with a dryer at the best of times, let alone in hot and humid conditions.) You’ll find it easy to store the GHD Flight away, thanks to its sleek black carry case. We didn’t bother using it on vacation as it’s far chunkier than the dryer itself, and we never have space to spare. If you’re not the sort of person who has to sit on even the best suitcase to get it closed, then you might find it a useful extra layer of protection.

How to shop for a hair dryer—FAQs

How we tested our best hair dryer picks

woman&home Beauty Editor Fiona McKim extensively tested these best hair dryer picks, weighing up every aspect of the dryers, including:

• How they feel in the hand
• Usefulness of controls
• Ease of cleaning
• User experience
• Technical information, including weight, power, and warranty

What are the types of hair dryers?

There are three main types of hair dryers. The best hair dryer type for your hair will depend on the condition of your locks and how long it takes to dry them.

• Ionic hair dryers: One of the most popular features in modern dryers and with good reason. Our hair has a natural positive charge, which causes frizz and static. Ionic hair dryers release a stream of negative ions, which grab onto the positive ones and neutralize them for a smoothing effect. Ions can also help reduce drying time as they break down positive ions in the water in your hair, dispersing it so you can dry for less time on a lower heat, thus reducing damage.
• Ceramic hair dryers: Essentially, hair dryers work by pushing concentrated air over something hot, then said heated air blasts your wet hair dry. The material of the “something hot” affects the efficiency of this process and, to many, ceramic is the gold-standard material. The reason for this is ceramic heats up extremely quickly and evenly, so every iota of air emitted from your dryer retains a consistent temperature and no one section of your hair is frazzling while a surrounding area is out in the cold.
• Tourmaline hair dryers: Another material used for “the hot bit,” tourmaline is a gemstone that’s crushed into a powder then reformed to be used in dryers and other hot tools. The reason it’s so popular is that, when heated up, it generates infrared heat and an ionic charge, both of which help dry hair quickly—with less damage and good smoothing properties too.

How powerful does a hair dryer need to be?

In simple terms, the more powerful a dryer is, the hotter the element will get and the faster it can blow-dry your hair. However, this doesn't take into account technology, such as airflow concentrators and brushless motors, plus extreme heat causes damage, so bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to power. As a general guide, the best hair dryers have more than 1500W of power.

If you have low-maintenance hair and use a dryer every so often, go with a basic, low-power model, whereas if you have thick, unmanageable hair and spend hours creating a professional blow-dry most mornings, it’s worth investing in something with a few more bells and whistles, higher power as well as a higher price tag.

Do I need a diffuser or a cold shot button?

If you have curly hair, yes, a diffuser is a good idea (although some would argue that very curly hair types shouldn't go anywhere near a dryer.) Nonetheless, waiting to air-dry is neither practical nor enjoyable a lot of the time. Knowing how to use a diffuser will allow you to cradle hair as it gently blow dries, rather than forcing the cuticle this way and that, and destroying your lovely natural movement.

And what about the cold shot? For anyone who likes to dry their hair into a particular style, such as using tension to straighten it or a round brush to add in flicks or add root lift, a cold-shot button is essential. This is because the cooler air will set in place whatever style you have just used heat to create.

"When blow drying your hair, always finish with the cold shot, this seals the cuticle to reduce atmospheric damage to the hair and allows longevity with hair styling," says ghd Global Ambassador Adam Reed. "This will also add shine to ensure your hair is looking healthy and its best.”

What hair dryers do professionals use?

That really depends on the professional. Well-known salons often work with specific brands preferred by their big-name stylists, as well as the ones said stylists have relationships with—Dyson and GHD are brands we see a lot in a professional capacity. 

Then there are the hair dryer brands that are widely used in salons and by session stylists on location and shoots but aren't widely available in the places that we would look for beauty tools. These are brands like Elchim and Parlux, whose Alyon model we have named our best salon dryer. 

Ask a professional what they look for in a hair dryer and three themes will emerge: Power, reliability, and ergonomics. That last factor might sound strange, but even if your hair is seriously thick and takes what feels like an age to dry, the average hairstylist still spends ten times longer than you with a hair dryer in their hand on any given day, so the comfort of holding and movement is crucial. 

This is why we often see more compact models, such as the Dyson and Parlux, in the hands of the pros, over powerful but heavier options here.

woman&home thanks Adam Reed, Syd Hayes and Dafydd Thomas for their time end expertise