26 Best Hair Dryers for All Hair Types

This dryer comes with a feature called “Nanoe Moisture Infusion,” which allegedly infuses your hair and scalp with 1,000 times more moisture while drying. Although it sounds counterintuitive, it’s meant to make hair smoother and less frizzy. The proof is in the Amazon reviews, where people rave about getting smooth blowouts that hold up even in humid, rainy weather. —Kathleen Hou, former beauty director

Many of the 9,000+ Amazon reviews of this dryer include the phrase “half the time” — as in, “I blow-dried my hair in half the time!” Reviewers love how quickly this dryer works to dry hair. At only 2.2 pounds, it’s pretty lightweight, too. —K.H.

Strategist reports that this other Parlux dryer is beloved by one of Paris’s most famous hairstylists, David Mallett, for being light and virtually indestructible. Use it whether you want a smooth blowout or French-girl hair. —K.H.

Parlux might not be super-popular Stateside, but I often see the brand backstage during Fashion Week. It’s superlight, compact, and durable, and because it’s made in Italy, it will work across countries (you just need the right converter). —K.H.

Many cheap blow-dryers don’t come with “cool” settings, which are essential for sealing the hair shaft. A closing blast of cold air after a blowout helps hair to look especially shiny and smooth. This one does both hot and cold air especially well for a very reasonable price. —Jessica Prince Erlich, former beauty writer

This hair dryer is an internet phenomenon thanks to Amazon. It’s currently the No. 19 best seller in its “Best Sellers in Hair Care” section. And the rumors are true: Because it styles and dries hair at the same time, it works very well at delivering salonlike blowouts (particularly for people with especially curly or thick hair). Average dry times range from eight to 12 minutes. Reviewers call it a “game changer.” —K.H.

“Curly” is a word that comes up a lot in reviews of this dryer. As the Strategist mentioned, it has more power wattage than the Dyson, making it a great option for those with natural hair, who praise its three strong but not too strong heat settings. And it only weighs about 1.7 pounds — less than a barre-class weight. —K.H.

For an all-around classic under $30, you can’t beat this one. It has excellent reviews on Amazon, with people praising how well it performs basic tasks. And it’s light — only 1.2 pounds. True, it isn’t as famous or beloved as the Amazon favorite Revlon One-Step, but it’s a lot cheaper. —J.P.E.

This weighs less than a pound and gives you a frizzless, easy blowout very quickly. The Cut’s former beauty editor Ashley Weatherford once wrote an ode to it in which she said, “It cuts my typical drying time by a third.” Multiple reviewers claim that it works so well that it’s replaced their flat iron. It comes with a nice ten-year warranty. —K.H.

Weighing in at 13.5 ounces, this option from InStyler felt the lightest of the bunch. It works quickly, but it’s light enough that if you do want to spend a lot of time perfecting your blowout, your arm isn’t going to get tired. The packaging is super-sleek, with high-gloss white facets and a glowing blue light. Other features include a cool-shot button, two heat settings, and an ionic switch. Perhaps the best one, though, is the airflow dial, which allows you to control the amount you’re using by scrolling up or down with your finger. —J.P.E.

Yes, this dryer is expensive, but here’s why it’s worth it: First, if you’re not one to frequent blow-dry bars and prefer a DIY style at home, this tool will completely dry your hair three times as fast. If you are a regular salongoer, it will pay for itself after ten blowouts. With my usual dryer, it takes me 30 minutes to dry my hair from start to finish. With the Dyson, I’m done in ten — and it looks good!

The dryer is powerful yet quiet and remains cool to the touch courtesy of what the company calls “heat-shield technology.” Even on the hottest power setting, I never burn my scalp. I found myself reaching for this one again and again throughout the testing process. It has magnetic attachments and a sleek carrying case for travel. Dyson has successfully turned a dreadful chore into a task I don’t mind doing. And it’s a favorite of many stylists, Bashir included. She loves how quiet and lightweight the supersonic is and remains impressed with how great the diffuser is at radiating hot air without blowing hair out of place. —J.P.E.

This blow-dryer can handle Drew Barrymore’s iconic voluminous waves (it’s her brainchild, after all) and my thick, curly bob. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a sub-$100 hot tool and, at just 13.5 ounces, is one of the lightest dryers we tested. Frankly, it’s adorable — especially if your aesthetic is prepubescent Manic Pixie Dream Girl. —Shanna Shipin, Cut Shop contributor

GHD stands for Good Hair Day, and this award-winning dryer will make sure you have one in record time. It blasts a powerful airflow that travels at 75 mph through a professional contoured nozzle for smoother, shinier, frizz-free hair. This is a favorite of Giannetos’s. It’s very lightweight (1.7 pounds) and comes in unique colors like this plum shade with gold accents that looks like Iron Man in hair-tool form. —Erica Smith, former beauty writer

If you have a tendency to be hard on your hair dryers, try this one. It’s not the lightest option (2.6 pounds), but Rio Viera-Newton, Strategist’s beauty writer, says her mom likes this one because it gets the job done and comes with a lifetime warranty. —K.H.

To hold this one-pound, handleless dryer, you actually grip the barrel itself. Don’t worry, a protective rubber coating keeps it from getting too hot to touch. It does take some getting used to, but once you adjust, the control you achieve is a godsend for taming unruly roots.

After going to bed with wet hair (including four inches of root regrowth from my last keratin treatment), I woke up with a curly, frizzy crown that would normally require the attention of a flat iron. —J.P.E.

Celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh’s line of mint-green pro tools has a cult following as big as Harry Josh himself (think Gisele Bündchen and Karlie Kloss). The newest version of his dryer has been upgraded to work faster (drying hair up to 94 miles per hour), feel lighter (it weighs less than a pound), and be quieter (you’ll be able to hear your playlist if you wish). With 12 heat levels and speeds to choose from, along with what they call “double-ion technology,” this dryer works efficiently on all hair types. The ionic feature is meant to smooth away frizz, but if you’re battling fine flat hair, you can click it off for more volume. And talk about that color! That’s one of the many reasons Bashir loves using this dryer. —J.P.E.

If you want a blow-dryer you can take abroad, look for one that’s dual voltage. The Amazon reviews (3,000 of them) are full of moms who gift this to their kids prior to backpacking adventures because it’s foldable, durable, and performs the basic functions well enough. You still obviously need to bring an adapter. —K.H.

Sephora and Ulta reviewers love this dryer because it’s foldable and dual voltage, making it perfect for travel. Even though it’s small and lacks a temperature setting, it doesn’t get superhot, won’t dry out your hair, and isn’t very loud. It’s bright yellow, if you like that sort of thing. Compared to the other travel blow-dryers, it doesn’t feel flimsy, and it works well enough to continue using at home, too. —K.H.

My mom has been using this hair dryer for the last three years and she loves how it doesn’t create static. She has thick, short hair, and loves that she can style her hair under 30 minutes without sacrificing her arms since it’s so lightweight. She does admit that the settings buttons are place awkwardly but after using it for so long she’s used to them. —Bianca Nieves, senior shopping editor

Yes, yet another Revlon select. What can we say? The brand really knows how to produce top-notch hair dryers. This one in particular checks off all the boxes. It’s under $15 and it’s perfect to throw in your weekender bag. Some reviewers even share it’s their preferred hair dryer to dry their pets, for garage work, and one even used the hair dryer as the engine for a Pinewood Derby race, and won. The more you know! —B.N.

While the Revlon Hair Dryer & Volumizer is the one with the cult following, you shouldn’t sleep on the brand’s Hair Dryer & Styler. You get the same benefits but without the hassle of learning how to properly maneuver the brush to get the desired volume. Plus if you’re new to the hair styling game, this product works as a hair dryer and a hair iron, leaving your hair detangled, smooth, and styled. As somebody who prefers to my hair to air dry, this device is my go-to when I want to switch it up and keep my getting ready time under 30 minutes. —B.N.