The eight best hair dryers to make you feel like a blow-dried goddess

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

Who knew we one day live in a world of perfectly clean floors and perfectly blow-dried hair? James Dyson, that’s who. This beast of the hair drying world is everything we’ve come to expect from Dyson products - sleek to look at, turbo-efficient to use and beautifully effective (and no, I haven’t been sponsored by Dyson to write this, I just really love these hair dryers). Its latest adaptation is a new hook-shaped attachment designed to conceal fly-aways and leave you with a super-sleek finish. One word of warning: these babies constantly sell out, so set up an email alert for the next delivery and snap one up the minute they’re available.

ghd Helios Hair Dryer

Such was the time when the letters ‘ghd’ immediately conjured images of poker-straight 90s hair. The brand behind those iconic straighteners have, however, continued to create highly enviable products, including this - a beautifully classic-looking hair dryer that will give you a professional-grade finish. It’s great for afro hair and really thick hair - although be aware that if you want a diffuser for use on curly hair, you’ll have to order one separately. It’s other selling point is speed. Buy this and your shower-to-front-door time will shrink faster than you can say: ‘perfect quiff’. 

BaByliss Elegance 2100 Hair Dryer

Punching far above its weight considering its super-affordable price tag, the BaByliss Elegance is a fast-drying, lightweight get-the-job-done-er. If you want to pack a full-sized hair dryer in your suitcase for a holiday but don’t want to use up the entire baggage weight allowance on it, this here is your friend. On the noise scale of sssshhh to pardon? this dryer ranks somewhere around the middle and certainly isn’t unpleasantly loud. For those of us with fairly basic hair care needs, this is a great choice. It’s also a lovely rose gold colour which, depending on your attitude to pink electronics is either a selling point or a deal-breaker.

Ghd Flight Travel Hair Dryer

Travel hair dryers are notoriously tricky things to get right. You congratulate yourself on remembering to buy and pack one, only to discover it’s so inept you’re better opting for a naturally dried look, even if it takes three-quarters of the day to actually dry. Fine, when you’re on a hot beach holiday, not so great in pretty much any other scenario. This ghd Flight Travel Hair Dryer answers many of these questions. It’s not flawless, but it is powerful and a very convenient size. Fold in the handle (and don’t forget the adapter plug for your destination) and you’ll have lovely hair all over the world. Also good for taking to the gym. 

Remington Keratin Protect Ionic Hair Dryer

Another little bargain to be snapped up, the Remington Keratin Protect Ionic Hair Dryer is designed specifically for people whose hair and scalp has a tendency to dry out. As blow-dry fans know, the downside to bouncy, blown-out hair can be a lack of moisture. This dryer has a ceramic-coated grille infused with keratin and almond oil to help combat this precise problem. And the ionic element of the hair dryer further helps with moisture retention and eliminating frizz. It’s also sold with a diffuser for curly hair, meaning you don’t have to order one separately. Win-win.

Mark Hill Style Addict Perfect Blow Dry Kit

If your commitment to looking stylish extends to your actual styling products, you might appreciate this fade-to-pink metallic number from Mark Hill. It’s a cheap-as-chips price to start with, but you also get a round brush, two sectioning clips and four rollers thrown in with the dryer itself. As far as the main item is concerned, you’ll get a powerful dryer that’s pleasingly lightweight and - usefully - has an extra-long three-metre cord, which is perfect if your mirror is on the other side of the room from the plug socket. Verdict? Looks cute and is up to the job.

Shark Style iQ Ionic Hair Dryer

Another investment piece on the list, this high-end hair dryer comes with two Intelligent Stylers: a Concentrator and a Diffuser. Clip one into place and the hair dryer automatically finds the best settings to use with that tool, making sure you’ll have a great blow-dry whatever your hair type and style. It’s another hair dryer that uses ionised air to help protect the hair shaft and lock-in moisture, so you don’t have to worry about frequent use leading to dry, splitting hair. It also has an effective ‘cool shot’ button to help set your style after you’ve dried it.

Panasonic Advanced Folding Hair Dryer with Nanoe and Double Mineral Technology

If you’re so concerned about how dry your hair is that you even consider avoiding heated styling full stop, this stylized hair dryer from Panasonic could be your new best friend. The overall concept rests on the nanoe and double mineral tech, which not only helps to prevent further damage to your hair, it also helps to heal existing problems. Extra points are awarded for its ‘skin’ and ‘scalp’ settings which use ionised air to help with dry facial skin or dry scalps. We’re loving the sound of this for the winter months.