The 13 Best Hair Dryers of 2020 for Every Hair Type

Laura Reilly and Kayla Greaves
·8 min read

So you’ve swapped out your shampoo from drugstore to salon brand, given up your old hairbrush for a Mason Pearson, and dabbled in serums and stylers, yet you still can’t achieve the softness you’ve been dreaming of? Chances are, you’re in need of a hair dryer upgrade.

Purchasing a hair dryer can be a big investment, depending on your hair needs, and we don’t take the decision-making process lightly. We consulted beauty editors, hair forum obsessives, and super-reviewers to find the best blow dryers of 2019.

We know everyone has different hair goals, so we’ve rounded up the top hair dryers across 13 distinct categories, so you can find the one that’s right for you. From ionic technology to tourmaline capabilities, and for all hair types — from curly to fine to thick — we’ve got you covered. These are the best blow dryers to buy now:

Keep scrolling to see why each of these best-in-class dryers made our list.

Best Overall: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

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When this dryer was first released, it immediately became the standard against which we judge every other device. It’s ergonomic design and fast-drying power motor make it both comfortable and convenient to use.

Three easy-to-attach, interchangeable magnetic extensions — the Styling Concentrator, Smoothing Nozzle, and Diffuser — allow for varied air distribution, accommodating multiple hair types. Its balanced weight distribution keeps it steady as you move it around your head, unlike top-heavy models.

A digital V9 motor, which is located in the handle, emits a strong, temperature precision air current for fast drying times and minimal heat damage. We’d recommend this machine to just about any hair type, thanks to its many extension options.

To buy: $399; nordstrom.com

Best Affordable: Remington D3190 Damage Protection Hair Dryer

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At just $22, this price is hard to beat. But beyond economics, this low-cost option actually does a fair job at drying hair quickly while reducing damage.

Featuring three heat settings, two speeds, and a cool shot button, this model is dynamic enough to suit multiple hair types. It’s also less noisy than other inexpensive hair dryers we’ve tried.

To buy: $22; remingtonproducts.com

Best for Curly Hair: DevaCurl DevaDryer and DevaFuser

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Leave it to the purveyors of the best curly hair products to produce the best curly hair blow dryer. This Deva set includes a palm-shaped diffuser that distributes 360-degree air flow to mimic the effect of air drying, except much faster. This next generation diffuser means dramatically reduced frizz and enhanced curl definition.

To buy: $159; sephora.com

Best for Fine Hair: Harry Josh® Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000

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Flyaway-prone, fine hair will love the volumizing power of this blow dryer. It dries like lightning, and keeps frizz at bay with dual-ion functionality, which means you can toggle between texture-enhancing styling or a sleek, smooth finish.

This dryer’s widespread fan club is also fast to sing the praises of its energy-saving filtration system, ergonomic design, and nine-foot long cord. It’s mint-colored shell doesn’t have any effect on how well this dryer works, but it’s an adorable selling point, nonetheless.

To buy: $249; dermstore.com

Best Travel: T3 Featherweight Compact Folding Dryer

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This compact, folding blow dryer is super packable for when you’re traveling, but powerful enough for regular home use. Weighing only 13.9 ounces, the T3 compact won’t weigh down your checked bag or take up too much room in your carry-on, plus it’s built with dual-voltage capabilities so that you can switch easily from 120 V at home to 220 V abroad.

Not to mention, T3’s hair tools have a celebrity following, including Amal Clooney, whose stylist swears by the full-sized Cura Luxe dryer for achieving Amal’s signature blow out.

To buy: $119; sephora.com

Best Lightweight: BIO IONIC 10x Ultralight Speed Dryer

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If your arm has ever cramped from pointing a blow dryer at your head for too long, this ultra-lightweight model will make your morning hair routine as effortless as aiming and letting the machine do the work. Weighing in at less than a pound, it will never leave you suffering from heavy-arm in the pursuit of perfectly coiffed hair.

The Bio Ionic’s featherweight frame isn’t the only reason customers love this dryer, though. Using proprietary motor technology, this device is able to dry hair in under 10 minutes. The dryer also includes a 10-year warranty on its EcoDrive Motor, making the almost-$300 investment that much more justified.

To buy: $295; sephora.com

Best Ionic: DRYBAR Buttercup Blow Dryer

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Ionic technology — the use of negatively charged energy to impart less damage when applying heat — is almost a must in hair dryers these days. This blow dryer has put ionic at the core of its hair philosophy, and has a cult following to show for it.

From the hair-obsessed over at Reddit to reviewers on Nordstrom, this model is widely recommended in the beauty community, with many praising its ultra-fast drying times and impossibly smooth finish.

To buy: $199; nordstrom.com

Best Tourmaline: Babyliss Pro Tourmaline Titanium 3000Hair Dryer

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Like ionic technology, tourmaline uses negative ions plus infrared heat to help curb the damage that heat does to your hair. While blow drying will never be healthy, per se, great add-ons like these help it come close. Plus, with its under-$100 price point, you’re getting the technology at a great bargain.

To buy: $79; imagebeauty.com

Best Infrared: Eva Nyc Spectrum Far-Infrared Dryer

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While a conventional hair dryer generate hot air by conducting electricity through metal coils, infrared technology creates a current that heats your follicles from the inside out. This makes for a smoother hair shaft and faster drying times. We’re particularly fond of this dryer by Eva NYC (along with the matching flat iron) for its light, colorful body and easy-to-use design.

To buy: $99; ulta.com

Best Bonnet: Conair Soft Bonnet Hair Dryer

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Going a step further than a diffuser hair dryer, a bonnet hair dryer delivers drying air to your hair just about as evenly as possible. You might recognize this type of device from the salon, but this model by Conair is perfect for at-home use. Just pop some curlers in your damp hair, fasten the bonnet over your crown, and emerge with perfect, homemade curls in no time.

To buy: $33; target.com

Best Dryer Brush: Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush

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Though not quite a traditional hair dryer as you might know it, this dryer brush has made massive waves in the beauty community and beyond.

The hair dryer and round brush hybrid collects your hair along all-around bristles and expels hot, ionized hair from the shaft, straightening and smoothing as it untangles wet hair. The effect is a fresh-from-the-salon blowout in no time, all with the use of just one hand.

To buy: $46; bedbathandbeyond.com

Best Dryer Brush for Thick, Curly Hair: Gold 'N Hot Professional for Textured Hair Ionic Volumizer Dryer and Styler

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Most brush dryers offer a two-in-one styling deal, but for people with curly hair, using the wrong brush can result in disaster. Thankfully, this tool was made with textured hair in mind. The product's tufted bristles gently detangle even the coiliest of hair and help to reduce frizz, while the oval design offers more control over thick hair.

This dryer also offers three heat settings for styling flexibility.

To buy: $60; sallybeauty.com

Best for Quick Drying: GHD Helios Professional Hairdryer

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This dryer's contoured nozzle combined with its brushless motor creates a highly concentrated flow of air, traveling at 75 mph to give you the fastest (and shiniest) blowdry of your life. It's so good that even InStyle social media editor Jackie Frere said it has changed her life.

"My drying time is less than five minutes, it looks like I have a blowout every time, and I've gotten so many compliments on my hair after running out the door without any styling. It's also quiet, kind on my hair, and there's a little loop to hang on my hook in my bathroom (it's the little things!). Now I know what luxury is, and I'm never going back."

To buy: $249; sephora.com