The 20 Best Hair Dryers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

We tested 31 popular blow dryers to discover the absolute best.

Caitlyn Martyn is responsible for writing tested product recommendations and reviews

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InStyle/Tamara Staples

Hair dryers are one of those essentials that are easy to find, but difficult to commit to. Lining the aisles of the local drugstore and the shelves of a high-end beauty counter, the blowout options are seemingly endless. But there are a ton of factors that determine whether a hair dryer is the right fit for your hair, with the right heat and speed settings and wattage at the top of the wish list. To suss out the best hot tools from the rest of the pack, we tested 31 of the most buzzed-about hair dryers on the market today.

Our scrutiny started with learning the ins and outs of each hot tool prior to putting it to use; over the course of four weeks, we used the hair dryers to blow dry our hair at least one or two times per week. We graded the dryers on the variety and usefulness of its features, how easy it was to use, and its overall drying performance, as well as how our hairstyle looked after each blowout. The hair dryers that received top marks earned a spot on our list.

Gamaiqdryer

What We Love: Powered by smart features, like a self-cleaning mechanism, a handy temperature sensor and a star nozzle to protect fine hair and sensitive scalps, the IQ2 Perfetto was designed to benefit all hair types, but anyone who appreciates high design and performance will benefit from it.

What We Don't Love: We wish it came with more attachments, like a round brush.

Taking home top honors, the GAMA IQ2 Perfetto hair dryer is just about, well, perfetto. With a promise to dry hair 30 percent faster, the IQ2 is designed intelligently, automatically going on standby when placed on its smart pad, outfitted with a micro-perforated filter and temperature sensor, and accompanied by magnetic nozzles. Did we mention it weighs about the same as your smartphone? Our InStyle editor who tested this model has type 3B/3C coarse hair, with a mix of curls and coils that have only been relaxed once years ago, and found that the dryer took just under 15 minutes to diffuse and set her curls. To put it in perspective, our stylist estimated that a full blowout ordinarily would have taken about 25 minutes.

The result? Immaculately well-defined curls with an abundance of volume. We loved the way our hair felt after each blowout; it was soft to the touch versus the "crunch" that sometimes happens to curly hair after a blowout.

As soon as we picked it up, we were surprised at how light it was and it never felt heavy or made our arms ache as we dried our hair. It was so easy to use, we’d even call it foolproof, and loved being able to toggle with the heat and airflow options. Despite its time-efficiency, the airflow felt gentle and never too hot on our head and scalp. We also appreciated the four attachments that came along with the dryer — a diffuser, two concentrator nozzles, and a star-shaped nozzle specifically for those with fine hair and sensitive scalps.

We noted that despite its compact size, the IQ2 produced a surprisingly loud noise, making it difficult to hear others while the product was in use. For a truly professional-quality tool, though, the cost and the volume are no doubt justifiable.

Price at time of publish: $450

Heat Settings: 3 | Wattage: 2000 W | Attachments: Diffuser, two concentrator nozzles, one Venturi nozzle

Amazon

What We Love: We’d pay more for the perfect blowdry produced by this high-powered hot tool…but we’re glad we don't have to.

What We Don't Love: With buttons located on the right side of the handle, left-handed folks may find it difficult to switch settings.

We were thoroughly impressed by the blowout produced by the INFINITIPRO SmoothWrap Hair Dryer, transforming our fine, wavy hair into a dreamy blowout in a matter of just 18 minutes flat. Even better, it wasn't heavy or bulky, and didn't aggravate our editor's carpal tunnel.

Our fine hair tends to get frizzy, but this hair dryer tamped down on our flyaways while amping up our much-needed volume. After every blowout, our hair looked smooth, straight and healthy.

This inexpensive choice does not skimp on value either with a removable filter that will keep the performance high despite how frequently we use it. The attachments it came with — a diffuser and concentrator — were easy to snap on and off, and they remained firmly in place from start to finish.

We thought the design of the handle was great and it fit nicely in our hand during the whole process. While the buttons are located on the handle's right side, making it easy for right-handed people, it can be more difficult for lefties to navigate. All in all, though, the dryer's power and price point pack a can't-be-beat punch.

Price at time of publish: $40

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 2 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Concentrator nozzle

Dyson

What We Love: Power, speed, and technology are all packaged here in one buzzy hair dryer.

What We Don't Love: Perfecting your technique with each attachment takes some trial and error.

A true investment piece, the Dyson SuperSonic Hair Dryer arrived at our doorstep loaded with five different attachments and a high-powered, three-heat setting panel.

With a strong, even airflow, it took about 20 minutes to thoroughly dry our hair, resulting in a flippy, bouncy look. As for the feel, the architecture of the blow dryer features a long, narrow handle, allowing us to grip comfortably, with a cool shot button as well as a power toggle located directly on the stem, making it shockingly simple for us to go between settings. The heat and high/low buttons are located on the back of the dryer's head, and to change the heat setting, all we had to do was click a button. While there were only three airflow speed settings, we found these were all we needed to attain soft, sleek healthy-looking hair. Plus, it was lightweight enough that our arms didn't get too tired while blowing out our hair.

The only thing we didn't like was the dryer's cord, which was surprisingly thick, with a large, rectangular power strip right in the middle. It also felt trickier to pull around our sink corners than others we’ve tested.

Price at time of publish: $430

Heat Settings: 4 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1600 W | Attachments: Flyaway attachment, styling concentrator, diffuser, gentle air attachment, and wide tooth comb

T3 Micro

What We Love: A volume boost switch makes this hot tool ideal for the fine-haired among us.

What We Don't Love: The hair dryer felt a bit heavier than what we’re used to.

Although first impressions aren't everything, the sleek design of this T3 hair dryer nearly won us over, although we were curious whether such a small hair dryer would be powerful enough for a proper blowout. We have thin hair, and not a lot of it, so we need our hair dryer to be strong enough to whip up a serious amount of volume, and this little guy did just that.

It didn't take much effort to get the hair dryer up and running — it's designed in the traditional way in terms of the shape, button placement, and cord length. We used the highest airflow setting to get the power we needed to zhuzh our fine hair, but kept the heat setting between two and three (although we did try out the hottest setting and it was, indeed, quite hot). Within 10 minutes — even on a low heat setting — our hair was totally dry, smooth, and fluffy in the best way possible.

Our only gripe is that the cord was thick and got tangled easily. If the cord was retractable, we’d say this option is pretty much perfect, especially for someone looking to really increase volume in fine hair.

Price at time of publish: $160

Heat Settings: 5 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Diffuser and comb attachment sold separately

Amazon

What We Love: We were able to dry and style our hair in under 20 minutes flat.

What We Don't Love: The hair dryer doesn't come with attachments for different hair textures, and it's heavier than we’d like it to be.

This hair dryer may not have all the bells and whistles of the fancier (and pricier) options on this list, but it gets the job done beautifully. We found this dryer to be one of the most powerful we’ve ever tested and were shocked that it dried our thick, wavy hair in less than 10 minutes.

Although there are only three heat settings — low, medium, and high — it really felt like there was a difference between each level, while still putting out a consistent stream of air. We mostly stayed with the medium setting because the highest option was so hot that it was uncomfortable at times. We dry our hair once or twice a week, and our favorite style to create is a traditional full-bodied, bouncy blowout, which was easy to accomplish with this dryer — and fast.

Our one caveat is that the blow dryer wasn't exactly easy on our arms. While this hair dryer works with all hair types, those with thick hair will especially love the blend of power and performance that this option provides.

Price at time of publish: $95

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1900 W | Attachments: Concentrator nozzle

Zuvi Life

What We Love: An all-around luxurious experience, the Halo is designed to impress with an easy-to-handle feel and travel-friendly portability.

What We Don't Love: The meaning of the four settings isn't clear enough.

Designed as a gentler solution to the typical damage-wreaking dryer, the Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer is our top choice for damaged tresses in dire need of some TLC, delivered in a visually appealing and lightweight package. While the airstream wasn't as concentrated as we might have liked, it nonetheless earns top marks as an option for those struggling with damaged hair, with its intentionally quieter airflow. When tested on long, thick and curly hair, we found the Halo offered a 54-minute blowout that left it looking smooth, straight and less frizzy when compared to our blowout pre-Halo.

Instead of separate heat and speed settings, the Zuvi is outfitted with four modes that combine the two, termed "care, fast, soft, and style." We particularly loved that it allowed us to easily toggle with heat and airflow settings, for a feeling of control over the tool. In fact, once we tried different settings, we found that the "Care" option was ideal for drying our hair daily without inflicting long-term damage.

Sleekly designed with just two easy-to-use buttons, including an on/off button that slides up and down, and a second button for toggling between settings, the Instagrammably pretty tool has enough grip to hold it comfortably. Plus, it's compact enough to store or travel without added hassle, and the accompanying storage bag and stand prove useful both at home and on the road.

The Halo uses infrared light to dry water on the hair's surface, leading to less damage to the hair itself, and the only real downside in sight is perhaps an upside for those looking for a calmer way to dry: Its muted flow is not as powerful as other brands’.

Price at time of publish: $349

Heat and speed settings: 4 | Wattage: 680 W | Attachments: Diffuser, concentrator, gentle air attachment

SRI DryQ

What We Love: Foldable and lightweight, this ionic dryer is easy enough to take on the go, but so smartly designed that it serves well as a daily hair dryer, too.

What We Don't Love: We needed two hands to change the heat settings.

Adorned with rose gold accents and arriving in a hyper compact size, the SRI DryQ Hair Dryer is small enough to store yet pretty enough to leave out on the hotel bathroom's counter. We were thoroughly impressed with how fast the SRI DryQ acted, cutting down the dry time on our thick, curly hair post-shower markedly, thanks to its settings and strong airflow. We were also surprised by how powerful the motor was, despite its small size. Under 12 ounces and with a decibel level of just 79 (compared to traditional dryers that clock in around 90 or higher), our favorite travel pick is one of the quietest dryers we've encountered.

The 8-foot-plus cord makes it usable enough for using while on the go, where outlets are placed in often-inconvenient locations. While the heat doesn't feel as powerful as other models', it's deceiving, as the dryer was fierce enough to also get a smooth blow dry done on our limp, fine hair without creating the dreaded "crispy" feel. Another plus: the magnetic attachments proved seamless to attach and detach, and the slimmer nozzle in particular offered a concentrated airflow that made blow drying hair straight a breeze.

We didn't love the design of the buttons; the temperature settings, for example, required two hands to adjust, and the lock button on the handle was located too close to the on switch. (During our testing, we accidentally locked the settings on medium and weren't able to undo the setting easily.) But if you’re in the market for a travel dryer that's chic and powerful enough to dry your tresses super quickly without frying them, this is a dryer to strongly consider.

Price at time of publish: $299

Heat Settings: 4 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1300 W | Attachments: One diffuser, two nozzles

Amazon

What We Love: This ceramic hair dryer sends frizz packing while minimizing the amount of heat damage incurred by your tresses, thanks to a unique ceramic honeycomb design.

What We Don't Love: The buttons’ placement feels crowded, making it easy to accidentally adjust your settings mid-blowout.

Just about on par with models that are double its price, the InfinitiPRO by Conair DigitalAire Dryer gets the frizz out, taming tortured hair smooth with ease. In fact, it blew out our fine, wavy hair within 30 minutes, commanding an airflow so strong that it sent the curtains swaying in our room. (That force is likely due to the fast-moving digital motor, which revs at 90,000 times per minute!). The high level of heat is also conducive to wrangling frizz.

It works on different hair textures, too; we found that when tested on our thick, straight hair, it was whipped into frizz-free shape in under 10 minutes, whereas ordinarily it would require a 20-minute session to take our hair from wet to dry. When we used it with the accompanying concentrator on coarse, kinky hair, the dryer cut drying time down to under 20 minutes, which was a pleasant surprise for us, given that our hair would normally require a full 12 hours to air-dry.

Similar to the noted downside of our budget pick, which is also from Conair, the button placement on this higher-end model caused a bit of a pause for us. Located on the side of the device and positioned close together, the buttons are sensitive and we found it became too easy to switch settings accidentally. It's lightweight and easy enough to grab, but if you happen to handle it the wrong way, you'll likely interfere with any saved settings. Plus, the handle is designed for those who are right-handed, making it more difficult to use for left-handed people.

All that said, the quality of the blowout rendered by the INFINITIPRO makes it the top choice on our list for those looking to bust frizz, whether in a straight blowout or a curly ‘do. It comes with a concentrator and a diffuser, too, making the process even easier.

Price at time of publish: $160

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Concentrator and diffuser

Shark

What We Love: With perfectly placed buttons and an easy-to-use brush design, this dryer is lightweight and, for the most part, easy to maneuver, even for an amateur.

What We Don't Love: The nozzle felt bulky and slightly more unwieldy to use than the dryer itself.

We love a good multitasking product, and the Shark HyperAir Hair Dryer is certainly no exception to the rule; it's an ideal choice for those seeking the best dryer-brush combo. Our fine, dense and wavy hair benefited from a 30-minute blowout, which left it smooth, without any noticeable flyaways.

Though we used it mainly on the medium setting, as that level of airflow was powerful enough, we liked having the option of additional power. But best of all were the results: Body, bounce, and no need for hairspray, which is typically the case for us. The variety of looks the dryer can create, thanks to the accompanying tools, is also a plus; we also tested on very thick, dense, coarse hair and it was transformed into both straight, and full and curly looks using the thoughtfully designed adjustable attachments.

With evenly-distributed and fast-acting ionic heat, sealed in by a cool-shot button, the device is designed to dry and straighten simultaneously. Emitting a low, high-tech hum versus the typical soundblast associated with most dryers, the Shark tool has three different air speeds, ranked low, medium, and high. Yet we found that "strong, stronger, and very strong" might be more apt descriptions — even on the lowest setting, the air is forceful and consistent.

The Hyper Air comes with two attachments, the IQ 2-in-1 Concentrator and the IQ Styling Brush. The concentrator includes a dial to toggle between wide and narrow airflow, and users can rotate the attachment itself to ensure that the airflow is always in line with a brush while blowing out hair. A diffuser is also available, although it's sold separately, which was disappointing.

Price at time of publish: $230

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1680 W | Attachments: Concentrator and styling brush

Ulta

What We Love: Easy-to-use attachments that seamlessly snap into place and a straightforward design make this dryer a breeze to operate.

What We Don't Love: The wide tooth comb attachment made our kinky hair look poofy.

With a super chic vortex design that helps to control airflow and a matte caramel colorway, the Pattern's good looks are only the beginning of its story as a curl-enhancing hot tool. Designed with "curlies, coilies and tight textures" in mind, the Pattern Blow Dryer absolutely delivers.

In our test, it clocked in at one of the fastest blowouts, drying wavy hair in a very precise seven minutes and 15 seconds, and coily hair in 20 minutes. But the results are in the blowout itself: Softer, smoother, straighter and more voluminous hair was ours for the taking, post-Pattern blowout. We particularly appreciated the cool shot button, which acted quickly, cutting off all heat, and the tool's even, powerful airflow.

Our experience varied depending on the type of hair. While our wavy hair did receive the results we set out to achieve (a straight blowout without the need for a follow-up tool), our coily hair still needed a second tool to straighten the ends. The wide-tooth comb wasn't particularly useful for drying our kinky hair, not completely drying it and leaving the ends puffy.

For some hair types, the accompanying attachments will prove helpful for creating different looks. A diffuser will create a head of natural, bouncy curls. Want a straight look instead? Use the higher heat and speed settings along with a brush, held taut.

While the lower heat setting wasn't quite as hot as we’d have preferred, one of our favorite qualities of this model was that the body of the dryer didn't overheat, the way so many hot tools designed for curly and textured hairdo. Plus, the easy-to-set temperature made it simple to lock in our settings.

Price at time of publish: $190

Heat Settings: 2 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Brush, wide tooth comb, diffuser and concentrator nozzle

Bondi Boost

What We Love: Even, powerful and quick, this dryer is a reliable option for those looking to reduce frizz with an ionic boost.

What We Don't Love: The attachments are tricky to use.

Ion technology generates negative ions, which reduces both static and drying time in one fell swoop and our top ionic pick earns the distinction for its noticeable reduction on both counts.

Ergonomic, lightweight (a mere .77 lb!) and quiet, the Bondi Sonic Dryer is a great choice to smooth flyaways. Our slightly wavy hair, prone to breakage and frizz, was a testament to the tool's impact: Our dried hair looked impossibly smooth, without a single frizzy flyaway in sight. Armed with powerful heat, the dryer also earned our trust for its even distribution, and our hair didn't start sizzling the way it might with a lesser-quality dryer.

The dryer's small size and its smaller-than-typical nozzle didn't impact its ability to dry our thick and wavy hair, but it did mean that we had to section our hair a bit more than we usually would in order to achieve the right surface area for an even, quality blowout. Even on the lowest setting, the airflow proved powerful; and across each of the settings, it remained consistent and even. It also worked quickly, drying our thick, chest-length hair in a mere 15 minutes post-shower.

Among the downsides, though, were the slightly confusing buttons, which don't clearly indicate the temperature, and a delay on the cold shot button, as well as the attachments. Though the Bondi Boost Sonic Dryer comes with an air concentrator and a diffuser, both were at first tricky to attach as well as to take off without an extra set of helping hands.

Price at time of publish: $199

Heat Settings: 4 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Concentrator and diffuser

Panasonic

What We Love: The dryer's forward-thinking design includes a nozzle that moves back and forth to prevent hot spots and dry hair fast.

What We Don't Love: Those with thick hair may find that the tool isn't as strong as they’d like, and the cord was a bit too short for our liking.

The right diffuser can make or break your look, and your strands. The Panasonic Nanoe gave us a voluminous and sleek blowout, thanks to its oscillating nozzle, which gently moves back and forth to distribute heat efficiently, dry hair fast, and prevent hot spots along the way. In our test, the oscillating nozzle did exactly what it claimed to do, dispersing heat evenly across our frizzy, wavy hair so that no single section of hair felt burnt no matter how long the heat was directed its way.

The diffuser seemed to mimic the movement of our hand when blast-drying the hair, which in turn helped to reduce any fatigue from holding the dryer. The ionic tool also boasted another pleasant surprise — we didn't need to use a straightener as usual on our wavy hair to smooth out any remaining baby hairs. With the Nanoe, we were able to create a smooth look with a slight wave at the bottom, without the need for any follow-up tools.

One editor with wavy, thick and dry hair, who was accustomed to using the highest heat settings, found that this dryer didn't cut down on her drying time as much as she would have liked. Still, the resulting blowout, which took about 35 minutes, included smooth-to-the-touch tresses and a minimal amount of flyaways.

Price at time of publish: $115

Heat Settings: 2 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Diffuser and concentrator nozzle

Harry Josh

What We Love: Quiet and lightweight, with an astounding number of settings (12!), this French-born tool is designed for professional use, but beauty buffs of varying skill levels will still appreciate its features.

What We Don't Love: We accidentally dropped it and the chic, mint green hue (one of our favorite elements) chipped a little.

Put to use on our very thick, long, wavy hair (which historically takes forever to dry), the Harry Josh Ultra Light Pro Dryer proved its prowess as the best professional-grade tool in its class. This mint-green, French-made dryer weighs in at under a pound, yet produces a powerful airstream that goes virtually unheard, thanks to its patented silencer that drops the noise volume considerably. With a 22-minute blow dry completed on fine, color-treated hair, the dryer delivered a sleek, salon-quality blowout with no heat damage reported.

Quiet and controlled, the airflow and temperature were reflective of the dryer's professional standing, and our hair and scalp didn't feel scorched, or even slightly overheated, at any point during the trial. At the hands of the luxe, lightweight and effective tool, the resulting blowout of our hair felt like a professional one.

Yet the dryer's features aren't just for the pros. Anyone who uses a dryer daily will appreciate the tool's longevity (an A/C motor that lasts 2,000 hours), its efficiency (the dual-filtration system drops energy use by 70 percent), and its impressive multitude of settings (12 heat, speed and ion settings). Equipped with one of the longest nozzle attachments we tested meant that we could direct heat in specific sections. We were particularly pleased that using the nozzle in such a targeted way didn't result in a scorching sensation.

As the cute green color chipped off when we dropped it, the hair dryer may not be as durable as some of the other options on this list.

Price at time of publish: $349

Heat Settings: 3 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Two nozzles: A traditional nozzle designed for drying small sections, and a long nozzle with a cooler temperature for drying larger areas faster

Amazon

What We Love: With its comfortable grip, user-friendly features, and ability to deliver professional-level results, it's hard to believe this blow dryer is under $150.

What We Don't Love: The chord is really long, so it can get in the way if your space is small.

If you're a novice when it comes to blowouts, the Pro Artist Black Gold 2000 Watt Ionic Hair Dryer might sound intimidating, but it's actually as user-friendly as it gets. Balancing a hair dryer in one hand — while using your fingers to maneuver the different modes — and using a styling brush in another is no easy feat, but with this Hot Tools dryer, the whole process is simple. Although the dryer is equipped with three heat settings and two speed settings, toggling back and forth between the different modes is straightforward, thanks to the grooves in the center of each switch. I'd consider myself a blow dryer beginner (I'm partial to blow dry brushes), but I was able to navigate my way between the heat and power settings without having to pause the drying session or accidentally pressing the wrong button.

The pro-grade dryer comes with an ionizer switch at the top that lets you customize your blowout to your needs. All you have to do is simply press 'volume' or 'smoothing' and let the ionic blow dryer do its thing. I personally went for the smoothing option as my wavy hair was looking particularly unruly on the testing day. I'm happy to report that the smoothing option does exactly what it says it will — I was left with a sleek blowout, even on a humid summer day in New York City.

One thing to note: If you have a smaller space (like a tiny apartment), the nine foot chord might get in the way while styling or stowing away, but otherwise this dryer has everything you'll need for a salon-quality blowout at home.

Price at time of publish: $75

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 2 | Wattage: 2000 W | Attachments: Diffuser

InStyle / Jessica Juliao

InStyle / Jessica Juliao

InStyle / Jessica Juliao

Amazon

What We Love: For under 50 dollars, this blow dryer helps replicate an expensive blowout thanks to the easy-to-use concentrator attachment.

What We Don't Love: The cool setting isn't great for drying hair.

The SmoothWrap Hair Dryer with Dual Ion Therapy proves that a good hair dryer doesn't need to break the bank. Complete with three heat settings, two speed settings, and 1875 watts, this blow dryer from Conair recreates the look of an expensive blowout for under 50 bucks. It also comes with a diffuser (a round attachment you can slide on the nozzle of your hair dryer to spread the air stream over a wider area to minimize damage) and a concentrator (the wide, flat, duckbill-looking tool that directs airflow into a smaller, concentrated area of your hair to help you style your hair with ease.)

The high speed with low heat dried our hair fast — in four and a half minutes to be exact, without any attachments. After drying, we used the concentrator, which smoothed out our hair nicely and reduced the look of frizz. Despite loving the blow dryer's sturdy, compact body and easy-to-use attachments, we were less impressed with the cool setting — it more so felt like we were out on a windy day.

Price at time of publish: $40

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 2 | Wattage: 1875 W | Attachments: Diffuser, Concentrator

InStyle / Jessica Juliao

InStyle / Jessica Juliao

Amazon

What We Love: This lightweight hair dryer helps dry super thick hair and leaves it smooth and shiny.

What We Don't Love: The highest heat option can get really hot.

Those blessed (or cursed) with a head of thick, luscious hair know the struggle of finding a blow dryer that will actually dry it. This hair dryer from BaByliss not only dries thick hair in minutes, it also feels surprisingly lightweight.

"The blow dryer did a great job of drying my hair — it took about 7 minutes to style a third of my hair, which is extremely fast considering how thick my hair is," shares Senior Commerce Editor, Shannon Bauer. "The heat settings are great and the hottest option can get really hot. The high was powerful enough for a rough dry and some oomph, while the low setting provided just enough airflow to effectively style my hair."

Given that it's equipped with three heat settings, two speed settings, and a cool shot button, the blow dryer is reasonably priced. Bauer mentions that although switching between settings can be a little tricky, she enjoyed using it. "All in all, my hair dried smooth, shiny, and styled really nicely," she concludes.

Price at time of publish: $90

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 2 | Wattage: 2000 W | Attachments: Concentrator

Sephora

What We Love: This small but mighty blow dryer helps build volume without causing hair damage.

What We Don't Love: Given the price, we wish it came with more high-tech features.

Fine hair can be finicky — it's tricky to style, and too much heat can damage thin strands easily. The good news is that it typically dries faster than thicker hair, but some blow dryers can make thin hair look matted-down and flat. This hair dryer from ghd is not one of those — in fact, it dries thin hair and gives it one heck of a boost thanks to its 1600-watt power and easy-to-use concentrator attachment.

Compact yet effective, this blow dryer dried half of our fine hair in just a few minutes, without ever making us feel like we were frying our hair. Even at low speed, it felt pretty powerful, but not like our hair was burning. Our hair dried smoothly, with tons of volume, instead of flat against our head.

Despite our positive experience, we wish there were more bells and whistles. Overall, we love the results it delivers, but would love it even more if it came with more attachments.

Price at time of publish: $199

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 2 | Wattage: 1600 W | Attachments: Concentrator

Walmart

What We Love: This dryer comes with a unique diffuser attachment that plops curly hair and dries it in minutes.

What We Don't Love: The hand attachment can be confusing at first.

For those with curls and coils, taking care of your hair requires a little extra TLC. This hair dryer from DevaCurl is a curly girl's dream come true: It dries hair without making it brittle, perfects the look of each curl, and minimizes frizz. Equipped with three heat settings, two fan settings, a cold shot button, an ionic button, and a diffuser attachment, the dryer is designed to dry curly hair quickly and gently.

We really liked the features of the hair dryer. The diffuser attachment, which looks like a hand, dried our hair in about eight minutes, which is super fast considering it usually takes us around 20 minutes. Even with the funky lime green hand attachment, the dryer is lightweight and easy to maneuver.

This hair dryer is definitely a splurge — but we swear it's worth it. Our hair looked great when we finished plopping with the hand attachment. Our curl texture looked natural and there was minimal frizz. We had a few flyaways, but it was nothing compared to how it usually looks.

Price at time of publish: $175

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 2 | Wattage: 1600 W | Attachments: Diffuser

Byrdie / Jessica Juliao

Amazon

What We Love: Holding this hair dryer above your head is painless, thanks to its lightweight build.

What We Don't Love: We wish it had a medium heat setting.

Unless you've got superhuman strength, holding a blow dryer above your head for minutes on end is tiring. No matter how strong your arms are, the Instyler Blu Turbo Ionic Hair Dryer feels lightweight in your hands and makes blow drying the top of your head a painless process.

In addition to being incredibly lightweight, the blow dryer has some pretty unique settings. First, it has a turbo ionic option that helps speed up drying time. You can also adjust the airflow for more or less power. One thing we didn't love was that it ran fairly hot. Despite having two settings (hot and cool), we wanted more heat settings, especially a medium option, for a more customizable drying experience.

Price at time of publish: $90

Heat Settings: 2 | Speed Settings: 3 | Wattage: N/A | Attachments: None

Bloomingdale's

What We Love: You get three heat settings, two speed settings, and a cool shot all in one travel-sized hair dryer, plus a soft vegan carrying case.

What We Don't Love: The power on the highest setting isn't the strongest.

Blow dryers tend to be bulky and take up a lot of space, so it's usually left behind when you're packing your suitcase. Hotel hair dryers can be iffy, though, so if you blow dry your hair often, a travel-sized option may be worth looking into. Our favorite travel dryer is from none other than T3.

This compact blow dryer has all the power and functionality of a full-sized one. We found it intuitive to use and all of the buttons are where they should be, making it easy to push and move between different speeds and heat, even with the smaller design. The price is a little steep, but it works as well as other T3 blow dryers, except that it folds up. The dryer also has auto-dual voltage, meaning it can be used anywhere in the world — so no matter where your travels take you, a sleek blowout will always be available. It's worth noting that the highest heat setting isn't super hot, but it didn't bother us, as it kept us from burning our hair.

Price at time of publish: $180

Heat Settings: 3 | Speed Settings: 2 | Wattage: 1500 W | Attachments: Concentrator

Jessica Juliao

After researching the top-rated hair dryers, we handpicked 31 of the most popular options, and tested each one in our Manhattan-based Lab. Each InStyle editor took home a hair dryer to test as part of their overall routine for four weeks. We evaluated each hair dryer on their features, design, drying performance, value, and how easy it was to use. We even paid attention to other important details, including each dryer's weight, cord length, button placement, noise level, and accompanying attachments, that impact the overall experience. Once the data was collected, we selected the 11 best hair dryers that outperformed the others, and wrote about our experiences in this article.

Crank up the heat or turn it down depending on your unique hair type, says Keiko Uehara, CEO and co-founder of Blow Me Away organic salon & headspa in Los Angeles. "Different hair types require different levels of heat, so it's important to choose a hair dryer with multiple heat settings. Fine or damaged hair may benefit from a lower heat setting, while thicker or curly hair may require a higher heat setting. Look for a hair dryer with at least two or three heat settings."

How do you know when to adjust the heat? Begin slowly, says Uehara. "Start by using a low heat and speed setting, and gradually increase as needed. Keep the hair dryer at least six inches away from your hair to prevent heat damage. Use the cool shot button to set your style in place."

When it comes to hair dryer wattages, the old axiom "Go big or go home" doesn't apply universally. Instead, go big only if your hair type warrants the wattage. "Any person who has textured hair should look for a blow dryer that has 3500 to 4500 watts," advises celebrity stylist, Kira Stuger. "My requirement in looking for a blow dryer is, is it strong enough to last a test of time? Is it powerful enough to accommodate all textures from curly to straight?"

"A higher wattage hair dryer will typically be more powerful and dry your hair faster," explains Uehara. For most people who don't have textured hair, 1800 to 2000 watts "will suffice," she says. "However, if you have thick or long hair, you may want to opt for a more powerful dryer with 2200 to 2500 watts of power," says Uehara.

For curly-haired folks looking for either a straight or bouncy blowout, Nicole Karkalis, cofounder of Chicago's blow dry bar, Blowout Junkie, recommends high heat and high-speed settings, "while creating tension with your desired brush to create that smooth, shiny finish. If your hair is on the finer, side you should be using medium heat and speed settings."

Those with fine and heavily processed hair should opt for low heat and low speed, says Karkalis, to prevent breakage. "You can even hit the stop sections with the cool shot button to set the style, creating more of a voluminous look. The thicker the hair or more coarse in texture, the higher in heat and speed settings you should go to cut drying time in half."

Options are seemingly endless on the attachment front, but your hair type will drive your decisions there too.

"There are several attachments available for hair dryers, including diffusers, concentrators, and straightening nozzles. A diffuser is great for enhancing curls, while a concentrator nozzle is ideal for smoothing hair and creating a straighter look. If you have curly hair, a diffuser attachment is a must-have. Consider your hair type when choosing a hair dryer and attachments," says Uehara. "For example, if you have fine or damaged hair, you may want to opt for a hair dryer with a lower wattage and a diffuser attachment. If you have thick or curly hair, a higher wattage dryer with a concentrator nozzle may be more effective."

For those who want to "take textured hair straight, you’ll need a concentrator attachment to smooth out strands and create shine," says Giovanni Vaccaro, hairstylist and co-founder of the on-demand beauty service, GlamSquad. "I prefer a thin attachment that helps concentrate air on a smaller section."

"Diffusers are a curly girl's best friend, as long as you know how to use them," says Vaccaro. So, what's the best way to use a diffuser? Take it blow by blow.

Vaccaro shares his four simple steps: "One: Apply desired product. Two: Place damp or wet hair on the diffuser gently and allow the diffuser to do the work. The less you touch your hair, the better. Three: Flip your hair over and diffuse the underneath sections of your hair. Four: Once hair is 90 percent dry, you can start scrunching and touching it to give yourself the final shape." How simple is that?

Yes. According to the Transportation Security Administration, you can pack a hair dryer in both carry-on luggage and checked bags. Scope out our travel-sized hair dryer recommendation, the SRI Dry Q, to learn more about our pick for the perfect journey-ready dryer.

The top-rated blow dryers on our list range from $50 to over $400. You can find a hair dryer for less than $20, but keep in mind that most cheap models deliver a lot of heat without a lot of power, which means it'll take longer to dry your hair, and you'll face the risk of heat damage. If you have specific hair needs, are looking for particular attachments, or have the budget to splurge, invest more to get a dryer with all the bells and whistles.

According to celebrity hairstylist Joel James, a cool shot button is a must to prevent burning and to lock your style in place. "The cool shot button feature is what keeps the hair at a good temperature, even when you've been using a hot setting." It's best to use the cool shot button when your hair needs to be cooled down. For example, if you're drying your hair with a heat setting, use the cool shot button as a final step to cool everything down and set it in place.

You should always take hair damage into consideration because you don't want to make matters worse by frying your hair. According to Stewart, if you have heat damage, try drying hair on a low setting with warm or cool air instead of with hot air on a high setting. "In addition, you can use a heat protectant or serum prior to blow drying to protect your strands," she says. Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat & UV Protective Primer is one of our favorites because it provides heat and UV protection, moisturizes, detangles, and cuts down frizz.

To get a smooth, sleek blowout, James says to use a concentrator nozzle and a hair brush. Wrap your hair around the brush, then, point the nozzle directly at the brush without touching the bristles. "To prevent heat damage, keep the nozzle at least 1 inch away from the brush and don't stay at one spot for long," he explains. "Blow dry each section in fluid motions until you've finished your whole head of hair."

Did you notice the InStyle Picks seal of approval at the top of this story? That means our team of testers has reviewed every product on this list using a unique methodology to ensure it's really worth your time, money, and attention. We may get samples for free to try but we never promise positive (or any!) coverage in exchange. Put simply: InStyle picks are products we love, and we've put them to the test to be sure you will too.

Want more product recommendations? From best-in-class concealer to the black pants you need for work, check out all of our InStyle Picks content.

Katy Olson is a beauty buff and professional journalist with naturally curly hair. For this article, she drew on research from the InStyle editors who tested each hair dryer. She also consulted experts including celebrity hairstylist Kira Stuger, Keiko Uehara, CEO and co-founder of Blow Me Away organic salon & headspa, Nicole Karkalis, co-founder of Chicago's blow dry bar Blowout Junkie, and co-founder of the on-demand beauty service GlamSquad and hairstylist, Giovanni Vaccaro.

Caitlyn Martyn is a commerce writer for InStyle, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, and fashion. With expert insight from professional hairstylists and tester first-hand experience, she poured over product specifications and rounded up our top picks for this story. Caitlyn has experience researching, testing and writing about beauty products and has tried tons of different hair dryers, including several from the above brands, including Hot Tools, Conair, and T3.