Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer review

While we all have our own personal care routines, the majority of us will either let our hair dry naturally or use the best hair tools after washing it, with many favouring the use of a dryer for speed.

Although primarily known for its popular range of vacuums, Dyson first entered the hair care industry in 2016 with the launch of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and then followed by the Dyson Corrale hair straightener in 2020. Quickly becoming a cult product due to its design and innovative features, the Supersonic continues to grow in popularity despite costing nearly £300.

But is it actually worth the hefty price tag, and does it really work for shorter hair styles? We got our hands on it to put the dryer to the test.

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer: overview

Key features:

Intelligent heat control

By measuring air temperature readings over 40 times a second and regulating the heat, the Supersonic ensures there is no extreme heat damage to hair.

Cold shot

This clever key control blasts a 28°C cold shot when pressed to set your hair after styling.

Magnetic attachments

Switch and swap the magnetic attachments of your choice to create a personalised drying experience unique to you and your hair.

Testing the Dyson Supersonic

As someone with long, thick hair, getting it dry after a wash can take quite a lot of time. As well as being pretty lazy, I’m also conscious of how much heat I use on it so I tend to stick my wet hair up in a towel and get on with my day. The Dyson Supersonic, however, had me intrigued.

Is the Dyson Supersonic light and easy to hold?

The first thing I noticed when unpacking my Supersonic was how sleek, attractive and how futuristic it looks, not something I ever thought I’d say about a hairdryer. It’s also relatively compact, lightweight and very easy to hold, weighing just 650g without any attachments added.

While most hairdryers can be a bit heavy and awkward to hold after a while, mainly due to their motor sitting in the head of the dryer, the Supersonic’s motor sits instead in its handle, making it “engineered for balance”, according to Dyson. This is because the centre of mass being so close to the hand ensures better balance, something that is certainly noticeable when using the Supersonic.

The motor being in the handle also means that the length of the dryer barrel is shorter than traditional hair dryers, meaning you can get it closer to your head while your elbow stays closer to your body instead of having to move your elbow away. As far as hair dryers go, using Dyson's version is a really comfortable experience.

Dyson Supersonic attachments

While it’s common for hair dryers to have attachments, Dyson has several magnetic options on offer to use with the Supersonic. These include:

Diffuser: Ideal for reducing frizz and defining curly and wavy hair, this attachment disperses air evenly around curls, replicating natural drying. This reduces frizz, enhances curl definition, and helps maintain the natural shape of the curls without disrupting them. The diffuser has long, tapered prongs that reach deep into the hair, making it easier to dry curls from the roots to the ends with minimal manipulation.

Styling concentrator: With a wide, thin design, the styling concentrator focuses the air in one place to enable you to style one section of hair at a time without impacting the rest. This attachment is particularly useful when you want to work on one section of hair at a time, such as lifting the roots, creating waves with a round brush, or adding volume to a blowout, without disturbing the rest of your hairstyle.

Flyaway attachment: A finishing tool created for straight styles, this attachment uses the Coanda effect to attract longer hair strands and smooth down shorter flyaways. It's especially useful as a finishing tool for achieving a sleek, glossy look, similar to what you’d get from a salon blow-dry. The attachment is shaped like a curved hook and is used by slowly gliding it along the surface of the hair, redirecting airflow to tame frizz and create a smooth finish.

Gentle air attachment: Best for sensitive scalps and fine hair, this attachment provides a soft, cooler airflow that’s more comfortable against the skin, while still allowing hair to dry quickly. The design diffuses the air over a wider surface, reducing the force and heat of the airflow, which helps prevent damage and discomfort during use. It’s also useful for reducing flyaways in fine hair by not agitating the strands too much.

Wide-tooth comb: Working similarly to a hair dryer brush, this attachment is aimed at curly and coily hair types. It features firm, wide-set teeth that help detangle and stretch textured hair while drying, making it easier to shape curls and add volume. It’s particularly effective for natural hair styles that benefit from a bit of elongation or definition.

To be completely honest, I’ve always considered hair dryers to simply be for drying my hair rather than styling it. If I wanted to style my hair, I’d pick up my straighteners or my hair waver tool. The Supersonic attachments encouraged me to combine my drying and styling routines into one. Each attaches magnetically, something that is always satisfying.

Having wavy hair, not all of the attachments (e.g. the wide-tooth comb and diffuser) were of use to me personally but I’ve heard from friends with curly hair who have used these attachments with the Supersonic how much of a difference they’ve made to their hair routine.

My favourite has to be the flyaway attachment which directs airflow around the curve of the attachment and out of a hole. As you run it from top to bottom, this harnesses the Coanda effect, lifting longer hairs and hiding flyaways for a smooth, sleek finish. I found it easy to use it on the back of my head too, just rotate the attachment 45 degrees and slowly run it down the back of your head. For those who like volume, this attachment may not be preferred as the overall look is fairly flat.

I also really liked the styling concentrator which has a thin, wide design for a high-velocity blade of air to dry sections of hair one at a time without affecting the rest.

Performance

Despite how futuristic it looks, using the Dyson Supersonic is straightforward. There are three precise speed settings available:

• High – for fast drying and styling
• Medium – for regular drying
• Low – for diffusing

And four temperature settings:

• 100°C fast drying and styling
• 80°C regular drying
• 60°C cooler drying and diffusing
• 28°C constant cold

Is the Dyson Supersonic less damaging to hair?

The Supersonic’s heat-control system measures the temperature of the airflow 40 times per second. And if it starts to get too hot, the heating element is cooled down, meaning the airflow will never exceed a certain extreme temperature at the outlet. This means that even the highest heat setting will always stay at a constant temperature rather than increasing or decreasing while in use. Put simply, this helps prevent extreme heat damage to your hair.

Does the Dyson Supersonic dry hair fast?

When used to dry my thick hair, the Dyson Supersonic is brilliant even without any attachments. 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 in around four minutes, half the time of our standard hair dryer.

It’s not uncommon for my hair to go frizzy and static after being dried, but regardless of what attachment I use with the Supersonic, this has not been the case. This is no doubt thanks to the use of ionic technology and its ability to neutralise positive ions, resulting in smooth hair and reduced frizz. Instead, my hair has never been so soft and shiny by my own hand.

Noise-wise, the Supersonic may not be silent, but it’s definitely quieter than previous hairdryers I’ve used previously.

Does the Dyson Supersonic prevent hair from getting caught in the dryer?

Hair getting caught in the hairdryer can be a common problem with traditional models, something I've experienced myself and would often need to de-hair the dryer.

Thankfully, the Dyson Supersonic is specifically designed to prevent this issue. This is due to the following:

Motor placement: The motor is located in the handle, not the head, which eliminates the typical rear air intake where hair often gets sucked in.

Mesh filter and design: The Supersonic has a built-in mesh filter at the base of the handle, away from the hair path, with a removable cage that’s easy to clean and blocks hair and debris.

No rear fan blades: Because of its bladeless, digital motor system, there are no exposed fan blades near the air intake to pull in loose strands.

Cost of Dyson Supersonic hair dryer

Although it was originally £329.99, you can now buy the Dyson Supersonic for £299.99.

Dyson Nural vs Supersonic

The Dyson Supersonic Nural, launched as an advanced iteration of the original, builds on that solid foundation with new smart features aimed at personalisation, safety, and scalp care. The standout upgrade is the Scalp Protect Mode, which uses an infrared sensor to detect how close the dryer is to your head and automatically reduces heat when it gets too close, maintaining a gentle 55°C to avoid overheating the scalp.

The Attachment Learning feature remembers your preferred heat and airflow settings for each attachment, streamlining your routine. There’s also a new Pause Detect function, which pauses the heat when you put the dryer down, conserving energy and improving safety. The Nural also introduces a redesigned Wave+Curl Diffuser with dual modes for enhancing natural texture or boosting volume.

In terms of attachments, both models are compatible with Dyson’s magnetic system, but the Nural includes the upgraded diffuser and offers greater personalisation through smart recognition. The core drying performance between the two is similar - both use the same powerful motor and airflow design - but the Nural refines the experience with added tech that adjusts in real time to your behaviour and needs.

The price is another key difference. The Supersonic Nural costs £399.99 RRP, making it £100 more than the Supersonic.

Final verdict: Is the Dyson Supersonic worth it?

The price is always going to be the kicker when it comes to the Dyson Supersonic. At £299.99, it’s an expensive piece of kit (in comparison to more affordable options such as the Shark FlexStyle), but having used it first-hand and learnt about the engineering behind the tool, I can completely understand why it’s sold at such a price point.

From the design to the performance, every part of the Supersonic has been carefully considered to provide an effective experience and end result for the user. It’s so much more than a hair dryer.

It’s no doubt an investment, but if you’re someone who regularly styles their hair, the cost is justifiable.

Features & Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert has been a journalist since 2015 and has worked across a variety of specialist and lifestyle brands both in print and online. Specialising in travel content and product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases, her favourite being gadgets for the home.