Conair YB075W Yellowbird 1875 Watt Professional Hair Dryer

Product Information

We asked 350 women with a range of hair types, from fine to afro, to try out 65 different hair dryers. Each machine was judged on speed, ease of use, noise levels and weight. Most importantly, we also wanted to know which ones created the best finished result for every hair type. To achieve a salon-worthy finish, the ghd air® hair dryer is the perfect addition to your tool kit. This professional hair dryer has a powerful 2,100W motor for faster styling, so you have more time to conquer the world. Lightweight and ergonomically balanced, this professional hair dryer is an everyday styling essential. If you're thinking there's something familiar-looking about this vacuum company's first foray into the hair dryer market... you're probably not the only one. But physical and pedigree similarities aside, the Shark Style iQ Hair Dryer & Styler is no Dyson dupe. The Shark Style IQ aims to merge drying and styling together into one session through two clever attachments. One is an adjustable concentrator nozzle that you can use for both rough and focused drying with a brush, the other is a diffuser with adjustable prongs that can cradle the hair to protect and enhance curls while drying. When testing, we found these both uniquely useful for creating defined styles and leagues above the usual nozzles found in the hair dryer box.

Those with fine hair should avoid very high temperatures, so look for machines offering lower heat settings. Luxury blow dry bar chain Drybar also sells a range of salon-quality tools for at-home styling, many of which we’ve tried and found to be excellent (see our guide to the best hair dryer brushes for another one of our faves). Among them is the Buttercup Dryer, a reasonably light model that, despite this, still feels like a well-made, ergonomic, professional tool.The Airwrap Complete comes with six attachments that cover almost everything you can imagine doing with your 'do: a dryer attachment that essentially turns it into the Supersonic Dryer (minus the styling nozzles); 30mm and 40mm barrels to create waves of varying degrees of tightness; a round volumizing brush; plus firm and soft smoothing brushes. If you're looking to streamline your beauty admin, it can be tempting to go with a hair dryer with higher wattage, and while this does mean you’ll benefit from stronger airflow, and therefore a faster dry time, it can also make machines heavier and harder to wield, so something to bear in mind. Ionic: These dryers use negatively charged ions to break down positively charged water molecules in hair to cut down on drying time and minimize frizz. There are three heat settings and two different speeds to play with here, but probably the most significant factor that we’d like to shout about is that The Buttercup is noticeably good at keeping frizz to a minimum, most likely down to its ionic technology which, in short, adds smoothness and definition. There are also two concentrated nozzles of different widths in the box, helping you create ultra-smooth styles and master how to make your blowout last longer.

As a general rule, the more powerful a dryer is, the hotter the element will get and the faster it can blow-dry your hair. However, this doesn't take into account technology, such as airflow concentrators and brushless motors, plus extreme heat causes damage, so bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to power. As a general guide, the best hair dryers have more than 1500W of power, though some high-tech options cut this right down. Ionic hair dryers: One of the most popular features in modern dryers and with good reason. Our hair has a natural positive charge, which causes frizz and static. Ionic hair dryers release a stream of negative ions, which grab onto the positive ones and neutralise them for a smoothing effect. Ions can also help reduce drying time as they break down positive ions in the water in your hair, dispersing it so you can dry for less time on a lower heat, thus reducing damage. Look for a long cord if you like to hold your hair dryer up to a mirror as you style. Power cords range from less than two metres to almost three metres. Never wind the cable around your hair dryer for storage, as this can damage the internal wiring and create a fire risk. Some hair dryers have a retractable cord. Removable air inlet A diffuser is key to distributing heat slowly and evenly through curly hair, while variable heat settings and ionic technology will help to protect afro hair from breakages. A cool shot setting will set curls in place, too. How we test

Then there are the hair dryer brands that are widely used in salons and by session stylists on location and shoots, but aren't as widely available in the usual places where we would look for beauty tools. These are brands like Elchim and Parlux, whose Alyon model we have named our best salon dryer above. When blow drying your hair, always finish with the cold shot, this seals the cuticle to reduce atmospheric damage to the hair and allows longevity with hair styling," says Reed. "This will also add shine to ensure your hair is looking healthy and its best.” What hair dryers do professionals use? Want more information on the types of dryers and hair dryer technology, or to learn why a cold shot function is so beneficial? Everything you need to know can be found in our FAQs at the end of this best hair dryer guide.Now for the best buys... How to choose a hair dryer – FAQs

Ask any parent and they'll agree that drying a child's hair can be a tear-soaked, frustration-filled challenge. Cleverly, the Panasonic EH-NA67 Enrich + Family Care dryer aims to nix this with a light, ultra-gentle drying experience that prevents painful, hair-damaging hotspots. Call it the tech takeover of beauty, call it the pink tax; whatever’s happened, hair dryer price tags have been on a steep incline for a few years now. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t find something great at a price that doesn’t require a few deep breaths before you hit "add to basket". Allow us to present the Remington Thermacare Pro 2400.Yes, this dryer is expensive, but here’s why it’s worth it: First, if you’re not one to frequent blow-dry bars and prefer a DIY style at home, this tool will completely dry your hair three times as fast. If you are a regular salongoer, it will pay for itself after ten blowouts. With my usual dryer, it takes me 30 minutes to dry my hair from start to finish. With the Dyson, I’m done in ten — and it looks good!

A loop at the top of the power cable that's useful for hanging a dryer out of harm's way while it cools. Power cord

As well as three heat and two speed options, there’s a cool shot and a booster button that ramps up the airflow for fast rough drying. We did find this makes the dryer noisier, but not to the extent that we felt the need to apologise to our neighbours. It comes with two styling nozzles and one diffuser – generous considering the price –and yielded a nice daily blow-dry in as much time as you would expect from any dryer. Give you — and your hair — the best experience possible whilst travelling, with a specially designed travel hair dryer, tailored to your hair type.