The 13 Best Hair Dryers to Buy in 2021 – Reviews and Buying Guide

If you’re like most women, a hair dryer is a big part of your morning routine or at least the key to getting those gorgeous hairstyles you rock on date nights or girls’ night out. It used to be that hair dryers were literally just for drying hair.

But now, thanks to hairstylists and celebrities, we’ve learned there is so much more you can do with them. From curling to straightening and major blowouts, a hair dryer can be a girl’s best friend.

But instead of just picking up any old hair dryer at the store, make sure you have the right one for you. After all, you want to look amazing, right?

 

In a hurry? Here are our top picks.

 

1. REVLON 1875W Lightweight + Compact Travel Hair Dryer

You can’t beat a hair dryer that’s only $10. For the woman who wants to both save and splurge on her favorite beauty products, the Revlon Compact Hair Dryer is a contender. Choose between sleek black, bright yellow, or a flirty pink.

What is unique about the Revlon Hair Dryer is that there’s a special button dedicated to giving your hair a “cold shot,” a blast of cool hair to lock in your final look.

There are only two heat settings which make the Revlon Hair Dryer both easy to operate and minimalist. If you travel for work, or even just up town to your best friend’s, a lot then you’ll love its compact size.

 

2. Conair Pro Styler Ionic Conditioner Hair Dryer

If your hair type is frizzy, the Conair Pro Styler might be for you. Style yourself up in the morning with a snappy black or bright blue hair dryer. The tourmaline ceramic feature is the secret to banishing frizz, a must for any perfect look.

The Conair Pro Styler also has that extra cool “cold shot” button, a must for any woman’s hair dryer. A helpful concentrator nozzle attachment is included with this hair dryer; it’ll come in handy when you want a smooth, sleek look for the day.

At $26, the Conair Pro Styler is still an affordable choice. It’s three heat and two-speed settings ensure its a perfect fit for pretty much all hair types. Couple all of this with the extra long cord and smart filter for keeping the product clean – why wouldn’t you choose this hair dryer?

 

3. Remington D3190 Damage Control Hair Dryer

How would you feel about creating your daily hairdo with a pretty purple hair dryer? Well, with the $18 Remington, you can fight frizz and get shiny hair in style. Another ideal hair dryer for frizzy hair, the Remington is a ceramic hair product that mixes ceramic, ionic, and tourmaline for super-fast drying time.

The Remington comes with not just a concentrator for smooth hair results, but also with a diffuser, a handy tool to have when you want perfect curls or waves.

This hair dryer is known for its fast heat up time and multiple fan speeds, great for creating all types of hairstyles.

 

4. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Hair Dryer

In the world of hairstyling, Babyliss is a well-known maker. It’s a bit spendier at $80, but many women would agree that you often get what you pay for in the hair world. 2000 watts is where fast styling is made possible, plus it’s made using titanium, a gentle material on hair.

For those women who get tired of hand cramps during styling time, you’ll love how lightweight it is. One thing you won’t have to worry about with the Babyliss is overpowering air. There’s a gentle even heat flow and six heat settings to suit all hair types.

Use the concentrator on thick or coarse hair – it will give you smooth locks. Seal your style with a blast of the “cool shot.”

 

5. TREZORO Professional Ionic Salon Hair Dryer

Now instead of just having rose gold hair, you can have a matching hair dryer! The Trezoro Hair Dryer comes with two concentrator nozzle attachments in different sizes. Three heat settings and two air speed settings mean you’ll have lots of fun playing with the right combination that’ll help you achieve your favorite look.

The $50 Trezoro has a removable filter to prevent hair from getting sucked into the fan, a fear many women have when dealing with hair dryers. The filter will also keep your hair dryer lasting longer. For powerful hair drying and a great final look, you can rely on the 2200 watts and ionic design.

 

6. NITION Ceramic Negative Ion Diffuser Hair Dryer

A royal gold or traditional black Nition Hair Dryer puts bad hair days to bed. The $40 machine suits oily, dry, curly, normal, and straight hair. The Nition features three heat settings and comes with three attachments: a diffuser, comb, and concentrator.

Another benefit of the $40 Nition is that it’s not crazy noisy like many other hair dryers yet still produces strong drying power. Nition’s maker boasts that the air outlet grill is “infused with Nano Silver, Argan oil, and Tourmaline,” all elements that restore hair moisture as well as work to make it soft and shiny.

Use the comb to add volume, and the diffiuser and concentrator to rid hair of frizz for all day perfect hold.

 

7. Kaleep Negative Ion Hair Dryer

The Kaleep Negative Ion Hair Dryer will be ideal for women of color with black natural hair. Not only does it fight frizz, it comes with a styling pik, diffuser, and concentrator. The styling pik is a common hair tool for women with natural black hair. It will comb and add volume to hair without damaging it. 

The $42 hair dryer promises low noise, two speed and three heat settings, and a lightweight design. Tourmaline ionic technology works to smooth those locks and add shine. There’s also a handy hang loop so you can tuck it away in your bathroom when you’re done styling. 

Reviews of the Kaleep Hair Dryer rave about its low price and high quality.

 

8. KIPOZI Negative Ion Blow Dryer

Pretty products just make hair styling more fun and that’s certainly true of Kipozi’s Hair Dryer, available in black or a snazzy gold. Use it for dry, normal, thick, and fine hair. The Kipozi Hair Dryer also features its own two speeds and three heat settings along with the popular cool shot button to lock in style. 

It’s the ionic technology and quiet yet strong airflow that will give your hair the pampering it deserves. This product comes with a concentrator and diffuser and also has that fancy removable filter to keep your hair’s best friend clean and functioning. For women with curly hair, this is a must if only for the diffuser’s long prongs for thick hair. 

Overall, an easy-to-handle product at an affordable price makes it a winner.

 

9. Rusk W8less Ceramic and Tourmaline Hair Dryer

This trusty hairdryer from Rusk comes with a super-fast air stream for quick drying times, but with no damage to your hair.

Its simple ceramic-tourmaline design makes it not only easy to use but easy on your hair!

Ceramic discharges negative ions as the dryer works, sealing your hair, and leaving you with shiny results. 

This dryer has the option of a cool shot if you feel more comfortable finishing off your sections with cool air to lock in your moisture and do away with flyaway hairs, which can help to keep your hair healthy and full.

Best of all, it won’t break your bank! Affordability and effectiveness in one? It’s truly a great deal.

 

10. Conair Infiniti Pro Hair Dryer

Conair is known for getting it right when it comes to hot tools, and they’ve done it again with this simple hairdryer.

This dryer is comfortable and easy to use, with a design that’s tailored for the best user experience possible.

Armed with ionic technology, this dryer works through any hair type quickly with the best results.

You won’t need to worry about heat damage and split ends any longer – who said you had to pay a price for using heat?

 

11. Bio-Ionic Goldpro Hair Dryer

Are you ready to do away with your old, useless hairdryer and dry your hair in zero time? Thanks to the Bio-Ionic Dryer, your dreams can now be a reality.

This salon-style dryer is sleek and lightweight and delivers the results that you’re looking for.

Its 24 k gold barrel brings spectacular news: even heat distribution and professional-grade heat conduction for stellar drying capabilities!

With zero damage and powerful frizz-fighting skills, the Goldpro might possibly be the hairdryer that you never knew you needed.

 

12. NuMe Signature Hair Dryer

 

Small and light but sturdy with a powerful punch, this hair dryer from Nume is a great choice for those who are always on the go and need styling tools that can stand up to their wanderlust lifestyle. It’s the definition of travel-friendly!

It’s size and simplicity also makes it the top choice for those who are new to using hairdryers and need something that’s easy to manage.

A large hairdryer might be a bit more intimidating, but the Nume Signature Dryer is the right choice for all ages and experience levels. 

Infrared heat penetrates deep into the hair strand to dry from within, and the air stream delivers steady, controlled heat that won’t dry your strands. Smoothness and shine are always attainable with this trusty dryer!

 

13. Deva Curl Hair Dryer

The Deva Curl brand has made a marvelous name for itself in the hair industry. Aimed at those with wavy, curly, coily and kinky hair,

Deva Curl’s products are here to keep textured tresses hydrated and healthy… and their hairdryer is no different!

This cute and creatively designed hairdryer is the favorite of many curly-haired guys and girls.

It’s easy on your hair but surely does the job well in drying or stretching hair, and leaves hair soft to the touch and super shiny.

Other blow dryers may not have worked for your textured hair, but there’s no need for you to worry any longer! Deva Curl definitely has it covered.

 

Buyer’s Guide: Things to Consider When Buying a Hair Dryer

You might think that the price is the only thing you need to consider when you’re on the hunt for a new hair dryer. But there are other factors to consider to make sure you don’t end up with a product you hate or that doesn’t work with your hair type.

• Design: is it easy to handle and hold? Consider how long you spend styling your hair in the morning, then look at the weight of the hair dryer. Make sure you won’t end up with a sore arm after only a few minutes, especially if you’ll be doing a lot of blow outs.
• Travel: if you travel for work or for leisure pretty regularly, it will be helpful to have a hair dryer you can easily pack into your bag without it taking up too much space. Look for words like “compact” or “travel-friendly” when researching hair dryers.
• Hair Type: does the hair dryer work for all hair types or only a select few? Some makers cater to women with natural hair or frizzy texture while others make a universal hair dryer ideal for all hair types.
• Air Speed: while a strong flow of air is preferred when it comes to a hair dryer, too strong of a blow can damage locks. You want a hair dryer with several speeds and heat levels. 
• Wattage: A higher wattage is a good thing. The higher it is, the less heat power it will require and the stronger the blow power will be. This makes for shortened styling time.

 

Types of Hair Dryers

What do all those fancy names mean anyway and how do you know which one is right for you? 

• Ceramic – a common heat material, ceramic is seen in a lot of hair dryers because it applies even heat to hair, minimizing long term damage. Ceramic hair dryers heat up quickly and work to lock in hair’s moisture so it doesn’t dry out; if you have dry hair, this is the one to go with.
• Titanium – A great choice for medium to heavy thick hair, titanium is a type of metal that applies strong heat. Avoid using it on fine hair as the force will be too strong and damaging.
• Tourmaline – This one is faster at dry time than ceramic hair dryers. It’s ideal for thick, frizzy hair but may not work so great for thin or short hair. 
• Ionic – This type of hair dryer can contain ceramic, titanium, or tourmaline. Ionic hair dryers cut down on styling time thanks to their negatively charged ions. This basically means it dries the hair really well without reducing its moisture. Your hair will turn out smooth and silky. It won’t help with volume or texture, though, so keep that in mind.

 

The nice thing about hair dryers is there is always going to be at least one that is perfect for you and your hair’s needs. The 13 hair dryers we have listed here are all a great choice and affordable. As with any other product purchase you make, try to spend a couple of minutes reading reviews of the hair dryer. They will always tell you whether a product will likely work for you. 

 

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