Buying guides
Buying guides, one kind of tool at a time
Each guide covers one kind of dryer or styler and compares a handful of models by what their Amazon listings state: watts, weight, heat settings and attachments.
Hair dryers
- Best professional hair dryers from salon brandsProfessional hair dryers from BaBylissPRO, ghd, Bio Ionic and Neuro compared on watts, motor type, cord length, heat settings and included attachments.
- Best lightweight hair dryers over $150Lightweight hair dryers from BaBylissPRO, Neuro, Bio Ionic, Dyson and T3 compared on listed weight, watts, settings, cord length and travel features.
- Best ionic hair dryers over $150Premium ionic hair dryers from BaBylissPRO, T3, ghd, Neuro, Bio Ionic and Drybar compared on watts, heat and speed settings, weight and ion features.
- Best high-speed hair dryers with digital and brushless motorsHigh-speed hair dryers from Dyson, ghd, T3 and BaBylissPRO compared by motor type, wattage, airflow claims, listed noise features and settings.
- Best hair dryers from $150 to $300Hair dryers from $150 to $300 by ghd, BaBylissPRO, T3, Drybar, Bio Ionic and Dyson compared on wattage, settings, attachments, weight and voltage.
- Best hair dryers over $150, one pick per needPremium hair dryers from Dyson, ghd, BaBylissPRO, Bio Ionic and T3 compared by motor, heat and speed settings, attachments and listed weight.
- Best hair dryers for thick hairHair dryers for thick hair compared by wattage, motor and airflow, concentrator nozzles, heat and speed settings and listed weight, from $150 up.
- Best hair dryers for fine hairHair dryers for fine hair compared on low heat and speed steps, gentle airflow modes, listed weight and volume features, using Amazon listing facts only.
- Best hair dryers with a diffuser for curly hairHair dryers for curly and coily hair compared by diffuser in the box, other attachments, heat and speed settings, wattage and listed weight.
- Best Dyson hair dryer: Supersonic Nural, r, Origin and TravelDyson Supersonic Nural, Supersonic r, Origin, Travel and the Airwrap Co-anda2x compared on heat control, sensors, attachments and voltage.
Multi-stylers and brushes
- Best Dyson Airwrap model for your hair typeDyson Airwrap i.d., Co-anda2x, Complete Long, Long Diffuse and Origin compared by hair type, motor, heat settings, app features and kit contents.
- Best blow dryer brushes and hot air brushes over $150Blow dryer brushes from ghd, Dyson, Drybar and T3 compared on brush shape, heat settings, ionic output and what comes in the box, from listing facts.
Brand lineups
- Best ghd hair dryers and hot air stylersThe ghd lineup compared: Helios, Air and Speed dryers, Duet Blowdry brush and Duet Style straightener, by motor, heat control, extras and cord.
- Best Drybar blow dryers and blowout brushesDrybar Buttercup dryer and the Double, Triple, Single and Half Shot brushes compared on barrel size, heat settings and the hair length each suits.