Hair dryers are tricky. Some are properly cheap (Waitrose sells one for £6.10) and some are properly pricey (Dyson’s premium model costs £450). And then there are the brands that wang on about ‘ionic’, ‘ceramic’ and ‘tourmaline’ technologies. But the question is, what actually works? Should you be spending hundreds on a hair dryer or is it all just a lot of hot air?
The basics Ten Which? experts tested 17 hair dryers. There was variety in the experiment: the most expensive product (the Dyson Supersonic Nural) cost £400 and the cheapest (the Tresemmé Smooth & Shine) cost £26.
The method The whizzes at Which? assessed the hair dryers using a range of objective tests: they weighed them, measured their cable lengths and monitored their energy use. More specifically, they deployed a decibel meter to gauge the products’ noise levels and a special device called an anemometer to measure wind speed. For the subjective part, a ten-person panel (each with different hair types) used 17 hair dryers and graded how good the products were at drying and styling.
The thing to remember Which? has been going since 1957 and, unlike other product experts, it buys the items before testing them. That means there’s no relying on freebies and no biased results.
See the full range of expert-recommended models at which.co.uk/hair-dryers
BEST HIGH-END: Dyson Supersonic
Temperature settings: Three
Speed settings: Three
Weight: 490g
Cable: 256cm
What works? Everything, really. The testers said this was easy to control, dried hair quickly, weighed very little, was super for styling and one of the quietest models. Plus it has five head attachments so it works well on different hair types. (And, despite all of that, it’s energy efficient too.)
What’s the catch? The price tag, obviously, is mammoth – although this is not Dyson’s most expensive model.
BEST MID-RANGE: GHD Helios Professional
Temperature settings: Three
Speed settings: Two
Weight: 590g
Cable: 286cm
What works? This was the best-rated hair dryer among testers with curly and Afro hair. That’s mostly thanks to the dryer’s concentrator nozzle, which, apparently, gives ultra-smooth blow-dries. Also, despite being powerful, it’s one of the quieter models.
What’s the catch? It’s quite a bit heavier than other dryers.
BEST BUDGET: Mark Hill Style Addict Perfect Blow Dry Kit
Temperature settings: Three
Speed settings: Two
Cable: 290cm
What works? It was easy to use, dried hair well, is lightweight and has good energy efficiency. Plus it comes with clips, rollers and a concentrator nozzle. Oh, and it’s cheap.
What’s the catch? The airflow isn’t as strong as the Dyson or GHD products and users didn’t think it was brilliant for styling.
