Honorable mention
Photo: Amazon
Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus $70: The Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus has a 2-inch oval hot brush barrel that will dry and style your hair at the same time. Original one-step dryerthat was it Recalled in the UK in 2020 Overheating safety reports exceeded. Plus is close to Drybar’s hot brush with four thermal settings (low, medium, high, cool) and a removable design that makes storage much easier. I have thin hair, and this is one of the few hair tools that give me frizzy bounce that I love.
Hair Tage Comin’ Hot Dryer for $40: Hairitage’s Comin ‘in Hot Hair Dryer is compact at 1.6 pounds, costing just $40. For the basics, there are two speeds, three heat settings, and cool shot buttons. Only the air conditioner nozzle is included, but you can purchase it Separate the diffuser for curls and Comb attachment. However, add-ons often run out of stock, but sometimes for months.
Hot Tools Pro Artist Quietair $120: The Hot Tools Pro Artist Quietair is certified by Sieting Mark, an independent organization that evaluates the amount of noise pollution produced by household products. The price is technically $120, but most of the time, Amazon offers a discount of around $60, so you don’t have to splurge. Reducing sound is not a decline in capabilities. Fast settings will quickly blow the hair dryer off the counter if set. It has three heat settings and two speed settings and a cool shot button.
Panasonic Nanoe Hair Dryer $160:This dryer comes with a removable vibration head that mimics hand-made front and back movements, plus a concentrator nozzle and diffuser attachment. There are three thermal settings and two speed settings, which are the minimum standard. Panasonic also claims that dryers can use electrostatic shocks to disperse water molecules to reduce hair damage. Tested by former wired reviewer Medea Giordano Compact version for $100she says it will be a great travel hair dryer.
GAMA IQ2 Perfetto for $330: IQ2 includes an auto-clean feature that automatically turns off if it overheats (thankfully I didn’t do this in my test). There is a setting lock so you can dry your hair without accidentally changing the speed or heat. Additionally, it comes with a silicone thermal mat, which puts the hair dryer down to put the hair dryer in standby mode, then puts it back in when you pick it up. This is useful if you are cutting strands and you need to frequently place the hair dryer down. However, it is expensive and the magnetic mesh filter covers from Microfollophore tend to fall off.
Accessories to try
Photo: Cat Merk
Use a heat protectant spray before blow drying. Bumble and Bumble Hairdressers’ Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protection Primer is our favorite, but we love it too R+CO Hot Spell Thermotech Blow Out Balm For curly or thick hair. Check out our guide to the best heat protectant sprays for other recommendations.
Get a high-quality hair towel to avoid frizziness and breakage. Regular body towels have too rough hair, especially brittle curls. A regular old cotton t-shirt is perfect for drying out. You may not be able to wear it in your closet. There are certain hair towels where you can buy hair products, but former wired reviewer Medea Giordano recommends to112 bamboo wrap ($39).
