12 best hair dryers for quick and effortless styling

I have long, thick hair, so getting it dry after a wash can feel like a chore, but the CLOUD NINE Airshot Pro dries my hair quickly without any frizz, thanks to the special technology. It's lightweight, so it's comfortable to hold, plus it comes with a magnetic diffuser attachment and two precise drying nozzles which are easy to use.

It's not very loud and the noise stops instantly - as soon as you turn it off - unlike other options, where the fan continues to whir for a few seconds. It's not cheap, but it's worth the investment. My only, very minor qualm is that the matte black finish can show up fingerprints and product marks from time to time, but these are easy to remove.

Read our full CLOUD NINE Airshot Pro review.

The ASDA George Brushless Hair Dryer has been designed with low-noise in mind. The dryer introduces a new, more efficient way of drying hair without the need for a bulky filter at the back - a nice touch that adds to its streamlined look. Our tester said that they have been "pleasantly surprised by its sleek, modern design and quiet performance". It's incredibly lightweight, which makes styling easy and comfortable, even for longer sessions.

In terms of functionality, it’s very easy to use with "simple controls" and delivers fast, effective drying without excessive heat. "My hair feels smoother compared to results from traditional dryers". However, they aid that "the only downside I’ve found is that the power lead is a bit shorter than expected, which limits movement slightly unless you're close to a socket". However, given its overall performance and design, it’s a small compromise for what is otherwise a great, affordable addition to any hair care routine.

Out of all the hair dryers for curly hair that Yours writer Piper Huxley has tested, the Bellissima Diffon Hot Air Diffuser Supreme is her top pick "for its usability, performance and price". It’s a fantastic choice for curly hair, thanks to its ceramic diffuser infused with argan oil, which helps reduce frizz, prevent dryness and boost shine. "After using it several times over the past week, my curls have felt soft and defined without any signs of heat damage. While I always use heat protection sprays, this dryer deserves most of the credit for keeping my hair healthy and hydrated".

Styling with the Bellissima is simple and intuitive. It’s designed specifically for longer, curly hair and includes multiple heat and speed settings and ION CARE to ensure hair doesn't dry out. "At first, placing sections of my hair directly onto the large diffuser felt a bit odd, but I quickly got the hang of it", Piper says, adding that "within minutes, my curls were springy and ready to go, making this dryer a lifesaver when I’m in a rush". She's also a big fan of the cool shot button, which locks in your style and helps hold the shape throughout the day.

If she had to point out one flaw, it's that "the dryer can feel a little awkward to hold, occasionally putting my hands in uncomfortable positions". But given how well it enhances her natural curl pattern and reduces frizz (even if not entirely), it’s a small compromise. "The anti-frizz claims aren’t perfect, but with the right combination of oils, sprays, and leave-ins, it gets close".

The Revlon Airflow Control Dryer gives you more flexibility when drying your hair. I found it lightweight and easy to use. The standout feature is the concentrator that rotates 90° so you can easily reach every strand. It's built-in, so you won't lose it. It also comes with a detachable concentrator, which increases the airflow and allows me to dry my hair quicker than when it wasn't attached.

I persoanlly love the vibrant red colour. It's compact, so it's easy to store or pack into a suitcase when you go travelling, but it may take longer than larger options to dry your locks.

If you're willing to splash out a bit more cash to get something that is guaranteed to be life-changing, then buying a Dyson hair tool is a no-brainer, according to Yours writer Emily Gilbert, who has rated and reviewed this product. "The first thing I noticed when unpacking my Supersonic was how sleek, attractive and how almost futuristic it looks, not something I ever thought I’d say about a hairdryer. It’s also relatively compact and lightweight, weighing just 650g without any attachments added", she says.

"When used to dry hair, there’s no denying that even without any attachments, the Dyson Supersonic is brilliant". It comes with attachments including a styling concentrator, wide tooth comb, diffuser and a flyaway attachment, which calmed down our tester’s hair perfectly and she didn’t need to straighten it. However, it doesn't come with a storage box, so you'll need to find something to put them in.

By measuring air temperature readings over 40 times a second and regulating the heat, the Supersonic Hair Dryer ensures there is no extreme heat damage to hair. Three speed settings and four heat settings are brilliant, with ‘fast-drying’ offering some of the quickest results. Emily says, "I tend to stick to the highest temperature and the fastest speed and the result is that my super-thick hair is dried quickly and effectively, at half the time of our standard hair dryer. It’s no doubt an investment but if you’re someone who regularly styles their hair, the cost is absolutely justifiable."

Read our full Dyson Supersonic hair dryer review.

Compact, ultra-lightweight and comfortable to use, the Shark FlexStyle 5-in-1 Air Styler and Hair Dryer is everything you could want from a hair styler and more. Our tester, Yours commercial content writer Rosie, said "Whether you want to wear your hair smooth and straight, glam and curly, or naturally wavy, it comes with a total of five tools to help you achieve your hair goals." Of course, Certain attachments work better on certain hair types and lengths.

Its size and weight may be small, but its performance certainly isn't! You can enjoy salon results at home without the extreme heat of other hair tools.

Read our full Shark FlexStyle review.

ghd hair tools remain popular for so many reasons and the ghd Helois hair dryer has been made to deliver a lighter and revolutionary styling experience. With variable power and temperature controls, including cool shot, this hair dryer is light in weight and has ionic technology that gives you smooth and shinier results.

Reviewers have said that the hairdryer dries hair fast and prevents flyaway hairs - one even said that their hair was "left straighter than ordinary high street hairdryers". Despite being light, one downside is that it's quite heavy if you hold it for while (according to a few reviewers).

Drying naturally curly hair can seem like a tedious task, but the BaByliss Hydro-Fusion Hair Dryer will make it a breeze - no pun intended. The Advanced Plasma Technology uses a moisture-balancing dual ionic system that combines both positive and negative ions to hydrate the hair and control frizz as you dry.

It is lightweight and has powerful airflow. It comes with a large plasma flow diffuser for enhancing and defining natural curls and texture. Some reviewers say they would like a longer cable length, though.

Hairdryers can be heavy and hard to constantly hold when you have weak wrists or arthritis. This Beauty Works Aeris Hair Dryer has been hailed as the 'lightest ever' in reviews and is also packed full of digitally controlled features such as adjustable temperature control, Intelligent Memory control and ultra-precision to help minimise drying time without excessive heat.

Reviewers say that it's powerful and is essential for travelling; however, the magnetic attachments may fall off if it gets knocked.

Remington's PROluxe Intelligent StyleAdapt Technology learns and adapts the heat it generates to your hair's own styling - so you can get all-day lasting and salon-quality results tailored to your hair type. Amazing for fine hair that tends to struggle with high heat.

It's heavy at 1.23kg, but reviewers have called it a "very fast drying adaptive hair dryer" and are generally impressed by its performance. One said that "the hot setting doesn’t cook your scalp" which is great, as some models can get overly warm. Let's not forget the cool function, which works at the touch of a button.

This model feels, sounds and behaves like a professional salon model, but the price tag is reasonable. It comes
in its very own storage box, so there is somewhere to store it when not in use. While our tester has very fine baby hair, it dried in a couple of minutes but didn’t make it feel dry, or straw-like. This is down to the customisation for various hair types. It’s lightweight, easy to manoeuvre and the tester loved that her hair wasn’t frizzy when
completely dry – and she didn’t need to use straighteners. It comes with two attachments for more controlled styling. Overall, it offers great results.

Customer review: "I have been enjoying the blow dryer and ease of use. It has 2 different speed settings and 4 temperature settings. I have thick coarse hair and it dried it very fast. I like that it has the different heat settings so you can pick the perfect one. The only thing I wish it has was a comb attachment to help detangle my hair easier."