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Stylists Pick The Best Hair Dryers of 2024 For Easy Styling and Healthy, Gorgeous Blowouts From Home
Discover the tools to minimize damage and maximize results for preventing split ends, frizz and static.
Looking for a new hair dryer that gets you that salon-quality blowout from the comfort of your own home? Want something that saves you time getting ready but doesn’t sacrifice hair health, volume or shine? What about something that doesn’t break the bank while you’re at it?
As a hair stylist for over ten years, I get asked a LOT of questions about hair health: “How can I repair dry and brittle hair?”, “How do I get rid of frizz and restore shine?”, “What can I do to boost volume and make my hair look fuller?”
Are you surprised to learn that my answer to ALL three of these questions is: Get a better blow dryer?
Your hair is most vulnerable to damage when it’s wet, so if you’re using a mediocre blow dryer made of low-quality materials, you’re stuck in a self-defeating cycle of damaging and re-damaging your hair.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the same scenario: clients come to me with heads of damaged, frizz-ridden hair, hoping there is something I can do to help. The truth is: It’s how you treat your hair at home that will determine its long-lasting health. Especially during this time of social distancing, when many salons are temporarily closed, it is important to invest in a healthy hair routine that you can maintain from home.
This is why it’s necessary to have a salon-quality hair dryer in your hair care arsenal. The modern technology used in these products helps make it possible to gently dry your hair faster, without causing damage, and can support increasing your hair’s strength over time.
What To Look For In a High-Quality Hair Dryer
Below are the FOUR FEATURES your blow dryer needs to have in order to help keep your hair frizz-free, voluminous and healthy, year in and year out.
- Ionic Technology – Ionic dryers break down water molecules that can help cut drying time significantly, allowing hair to retain its natural moisture.
- Red Light Therapy – Infrared light can help stimulate hair growth, and provides consistent heat that dries hair evenly. This prevents the scalp from overheating or drying out. Healthy Scalp = Healthy Hair.
- Ceramic and/or Tourmaline Air Outlet – Cheap products use cheap metals in the grill that overheat and damage hair. Grills that use Ceramic and Tourmaline help provide mild heat that is evenly distributed, giving your hair a smooth, glossy finish.
- Multiple Heat Settings and a Cool Shot Button – Different types of hair call for different levels of heat. If you have fine hair, you don’t need to use the highest heat setting to achieve great results, so blow dryers with only one heat setting force you to do unnecessary damage. A cool shot button is an extra bonus that helps set your hair and seals the cuticle.
To make it easier for you, we tested blow dryers that ranged in function and price and have listed our favorites below! Our TOP PICK can be found for less than $150—and includes all four of the recommended features listed above.
Remember, the quality of your hair is dependent on the quality of your blow dryer, so it’s worth the investment!
Regular Price: $299.99
BLACK FRIDAY SALE: $224.99
The SRI DryQ achieves the perfect balance of affordability and professional quality. Both expert stylists and amateurs loved how the red light therapy, in combination with the ionic technology, helped dry wet hair quickly and left hair looking frizz-free and shiny.
The advanced infrared heating and ceramic air outlet also kept this blow dryer’s air flow super gentle and more consistent – it helps style your hair while you dry it.
The Skin Research Institute is having a BLACK FRIDAY SALE with the BIGGEST discount they’ve ever offered on the DryQ! Click Here to learn more!
PROS:
- Wide range of temperature settings helped achieve stunning styles for numerous hair types
- Cool shot setting helped seal the cuticle for a glossy smooth finish
- Ceramic-tourmaline air outlet evenly distributed heat supporting healthier-looking hair
- Foldable design that simplifies travel and storage
- Ultra-quiet; only 79 sound decibels
- Three attachments that make styling for specific textures easier than other products we tried
CONS:
- Only available online
- Sells out fast; frequently on backorder
Regular Price: $429.99
Everyone knows Dyson hair dryers. The Supersonic has a sleek, aerodynamic design, and its brand has created a great name for itself. We had high hopes for the Dyson but were a little disappointed that it doesn’t include red light technology — especially with the steep price tag.
The Dyson effectively protects from heat damage and comes with five magnetic attachments. However, weighing in at 1.8 pounds, it’s a bit heavier than other smart dryers. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet our expectations in terms of frizz control.
PROS:
- Sleek, aerodynamic, modern design
- Protects your hair from heat damage
- Comes with five magnetic styling attachments
CONS:
- Expensive compared to similar hair dryers (with fewer features)
- At 1.8 pounds, it’s still a little heavier than some of the latest smart dryers released
- No hair-strengthening, red light technology
- Not very effective for minimizing frizz
- Extremely high restock price if returned
Regular Price: $299
Another extremely lightweight design that comes in a very pretty and unique mint green color. We noticed a lot of praise for it’s speed and efficiency that was said to saved time, but many were unable to figure out the heat settings.
The Harry Josh Pro Dry is one of the more expensive products since it comes from a professional brand used by supermodels and actors. The high price point was off putting, especially when you will receive very similar results with products like the SRI Dry Pro at half the price.
It was also hard to discern which was a real Harry Josh product as there are many duplicates and imitation products flooding the market.
PROS:
- Lightweight design comes in a very popular mint
- Multiple speed and heat settings for wide range of hair types and styles
- Customer reviews praised it’s speed and efficiency that saved them time
CONS:
- The motor seemed to stop running after a mere three months of use
- The high price point, especially when other sites were selling very similar products for half the price
- It was hard to discern which was a real Harry Josh product there are many duplicates and imitation products flooding the market.
Final Thoughts on the Best Hair Dryers of 2024
In our quest to uncover the best hair dryers of 2024, the spotlight undoubtedly falls on the SRI DryQ. While reviewing all three hair dryers, the DryQ offered the best features with a better price than the competition.
Not only does the DryQ dry your hair quickly, but it also incorporates advanced technology that’s easy to use. You can precisely control the temperature and airflow, minimizing hair damage while maximizing your styling options. The SRI DryQ also boasts a foldable, user-friendly design that makes it easy to use and travel with.
While the Shark FlexStyle and Dyson Supersonic are also great products, the SRI DryQ’s unbeatable combination of functionality and performance clearly sets it apart. It redefines what we can expect from a hair dryer in 2024. For those in pursuit of hair perfection this year, the SRI DryQ unquestionably takes the crown.
