The best hair dryers for every hair type, approved by editors and experts
Hairstylists recommend the best blow dryers for a salon-worthy finish right at home.
Shark HyperAIR Fast-Drying Hair Blow Dryer
$129.00
$179.00
With variables like the number of power levels, attachments and heat controls, it can be difficult to know which hair dryer will give you the best results for your specific hair type. Regardless of whether your hair is thick, straight, wavy, curly or coily, the following key elements are most important to keep in mind when exploring your options, according to our experts:
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
It’s no surprise that the Dyson Supersonic tops our list, considering it has all the key factors our stylists say are most important. It comes with five styling attachments, including a diffuser, styling concentrator, flyaway attachment, gentle air attachment and a wide-tooth comb, which makes it ideal for all hair types, according to the brand.
“It prevents heat damage by [self-regulating] direct heat on the hair strands, eliminating frizz and providing high shine, which is crucial when it comes to getting the perfect blowout,” says celebrity hairstylist Courtney Foster. In fact, the Supersonic checks the temperature over 40 times a second to prevent damage to your hair, according to the brand. “I doubted that a hair dryer could be a game-changer, but the Dyson made me a believer,” says NBC Select editorial director Lauren Swanson. “I actually can see a positive difference in the health of my hair since using it.”
This T3 AirLuxe comes recommended by Foster because it’s great for all hair types and has a compact, sleek design. It has five heat settings, three speed settings and comes with a paddle brush, a round brush, a drying concentrator that provides a wide airflow to help your hair dry faster, and a styling concentrator to focus air on one section at a time. If you want a diffuser or smoothing comb, you’ll need to purchase it separately.
This hair dryer’s dual optical sensors recognize hair thickness and texture and automatically set the appropriate airflow and temperature settings for you, according to Shark. Otherwise, you can manually shift between its three heat and three airflow settings, based on your preference. By combining high-velocity heated air with ionized air, the HyperAir is fast-drying and achieves smoothness and shine without the frizz and flyaways, according to the brand. It comes with an IQ 2-in-1 concentrator attachment to focus airflow on one area. The Shark has a 4.6-star average rating from over 100 reviews at Walmart.
Brush dryers have gained popularity because they simplify the drying process by simultaneously brushing and styling your strands, says Foster. Last year, Shark expanded its lineup with the Speedstyle (a traditional hair dryer) and the Smoothstyle, a 2-in-1 hot tool. This is a great option if you’re looking for a lightweight dryer that’s easy to use and can give you both straight and bouncy hair, says NBC Select editor Lindsay Schneider in her review of both products after receiving them from the brand. You can use the Smoothstyle on wet hair mode to dry it off, or on dry hair mode, which activates the heated ceramic plates to style your strands, according to the brand.
This Revlon tool is a favorite of NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio, who uses it to achieve a salon-worthy blowout. “It does a fantastic job for the price — I have very flat, fine hair, and it actually gives me a good amount of volume,” she says. The tool has nylon and tufted bristles designed to detangle and get close to the roots to create volume, according to the brand. Revlon’s One-Step has three heat and three speed settings, along with a cooling feature to help your style last longer. It has both ionic technology to dry your hair quickly, as well as ceramic to distribute heat evenly, according to the brand.
“It’s the ease of using it that makes it attractive, and it gives you that salon finish,” says Karla Marabello, owner of K’Bello Organic Hair in New Jersey. The Revlon One-Step is also great even for those with thick and curly hair, she says.
This Conair tool is a favorite of Foster’s because of its powerful ion generator that reduces frizz. This model has a 1.5-inch titanium ceramic-coated barrel that distributes heat evenly, and its ionic technology ensures a no-frizz blowout, according to the brand.
At 2000 watts, this hair dryer is one of the more powerful ones on our list, making it a good option for people with thick, coarse hair, experts say. Foster uses this hair dryer in her salon and recommends it to her clients because it dries hair faster, resulting in less damage, she says. The Babyliss is also one of Marabello’s favorites, too: “I love it because it is super lightweight and I can go all day blowing out and [won’t] have an ache in my shoulder,” she says. The ionic dryer comes with two concentrator nozzles, and you can purchase the diffuser separately.
For those with curly hair who want a high-quality hair dryer without breaking the bank, consider this NBC Select staff favorite. “After towel drying my hair to remove excess water, I diffuse it with this tool, which dries my curls while giving them volume and shape in 10 minutes or less,” says NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin, who has 3a/3b curls. Using the heat settings, she uses the hot air to dry and the cool shot button to help set her curls right after. “I’ve owned it for about a year, and it’s still in perfect condition,” says Malin.
The Ghd Helios uses ionic technology, which means it can dry long, thick hair quickly without damaging it, according to our experts. It’s also lightweight at just 1.7 pounds, and has an ergonomic design, making it easier to style your hair, according to the brand.
Marabello says a lighter, smaller dryer like this one is best for clients to use on their own because they can more easily maneuver the brush. One caveat, though, is that it comes with only one attachment — a contouring nozzle — but the brand has a compatible diffuser, which is available for purchase separately.
Weighing less than a pound, this travel blow dryer is a favorite of Schneider’s when she wants to dry her 2b/2c, sometimes 3a, curly hair straight. It’s also easy to store because it comes with a dust bag, can fold in half, takes up less space than traditional dryers and has a detachable nozzle, says Schneider. If you plan on fitting this in your luggage, the dryer also has dual voltage for overseas travel, according to the brand.
Ideal for both straight and curly hair, this dryer is lightweight at just one pound and comes with an air concentrator attachment, which allows you to concentrate the heat on sections of hair without damaging the integrity of your curls, according to the brand. Its tourmaline ceramic technology helps seal in moisture and prevent frizzy hair, experts say. Other attachments include the brand’s Double-Layered Detangler Pik and Single-Layered Detangler Pik that help smooth and straighten hair, according to Kiss. It also comes with a removable filter, which Lothrop says is important to clean regularly.
If you don’t need many attachments, this hair dryer is for you. Suitable for all hair types, this tool can add more volume with less frizz and more shine, according to the brand. Reviewers say that this lightweight option, which has a 4.5-star average rating from over 3,500 reviews on Amazon, dries their hair (no matter the type and texture) faster than other alternatives they’ve previously tried. Also, if you notice your airflow isn’t as powerful, all you have to do is remove the rear filter to remove any buildup, making it easy to clean, according to Conair.
This ceramic ionic hair dryer is designed for all hair types and has nearly all of the features our experts recommend for a smooth finish without the high price tag. It also has a 4.5-star average rating from over 10,000 reviews on Amazon. It comes with a diffuser to straighten hair, a concentrator to maintain curly hair, a straightening comb to manage frizziness and a holder for easy storage, according to the brand. Weighing just 1.45 pounds, it’s also easy to take on the go, and it has a removable filter for easy cleaning.
This lightweight dryer weighs a little over a pound and has a 4.7-star average rating from 100 reviews at Pattern Beauty. A great option for those who have curly, coily or tight hair textures, the diffuser attachment works to define curls and set styles like bantu knots, braids and waves, while the brush attachment detangles the hair while keeping curls intact, according to the brand. If you want to add volume, consider using the wide tooth comb attachment, or use the concentrator nozzle attachment to focus on the roots and small sections. To keep your dryer in good condition, don’t forget to clean the filter and wipe away any product residue, like leave-in conditioner or a heat protectant, according to the brand.
Bellissima’s Diffon Supreme Ionic XL has a large diffuser bowl that’s perfect for long and thick hair. It also helps reduce static and frizz, according to the brand.
“It usually takes me hours or even a full day to air-dry my hair after washing, but with this diffuser, I was able to dry my hair in less than an hour while still avoiding the heat damage,” says NBC Select associate SEO reporter Ashley Morris, who has never used a diffuser until getting this as a sample from the brand. “I like to use it on my braid-outs — after washing my hair, I’ll braid it down while it’s still damp and then use the diffuser to dry it in the braids, which helps my hair hold its shape when I take the braids out.”
Below, I explain how to determine which hair dryer is best for you.
With many different hair dryers on the market, these hot tools are divided into categories based on their materials and technology, which influences how fast your hair dries, how it dries and the aesthetic benefits of it depending on your hair type. The four main types include ceramic, titanium, ionic and tourmaline. Here’s a look at the science behind each:
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Bianca Alvarez is a former associate reporter at NBC Select who covers beauty and wellness, including recent articles on the best shampoo bars and detangling sprays. For this piece, she compiled a list of NBC Select staff favorites and highly rated options that align with expert guidance.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
