Rain, wind, snow or humidity may not stop the post office, but without a quality hair dryer they might make the time you spent styling your hair all for naught. Hair dryer manufacturers know this, and they’re using innovations like ceramic heaters, negatively charged ions and ground tourmaline to deliver sleek, superfunctional hair dryers. If this sounds too science-fiction for you, read on. Pronto’s Hair Dryer Buying Guide lays out all the things you need to know before choosing a new hair dryer.
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Wattage is your hair dryer’s power. If you have fine or damaged hair, look for 1500 watts or less. Otherwise, look for a minimum of 1750 watts, unless you have long, thick hair, which may benefit from more power.
Drying Technology
Ionic hair dryers and hair dryers with ceramic heating coils or tourmaline (or any combination of these) shorten heating time and improve overall sheen and softness. Tourmaline hair dryers can be expensive ($100+) and best suited for professionals. Stick with ionic hair dryers and ceramic hair dryers for affordable results.
Heat Settings
Unless you choose a ceramic hair dryer, look for four to six heat and speed settings and an automatic shutoff feature in case the hair dryer overheats. If you have long hair, very thick hair or want to straighten curls, additional settings will give you more control over your hairstyle.
Attachments
The primary hair dryer attachments are a nozzle for straightening and a diffuser for frizz-free curls. Depending on your drying needs, you’ll want to be sure the dryer you purchase has or will accommodate the necessary attachments.
Safety & Ease of Use
Make sure your hair dryer’s cord length works in your room. Retractable cords add a measure of safety if you’ll be drying hair near water. Removable lint screens/filters make cleaning easy and reduce the risk of your hair dryer being a fire hazard. Make sure a hair dryer includes automatic shutoff in case it overheats.
We like Revlon’s Ion Professional Hair Dryer, which knocks out the competition with its combination of quality features and an affordable price. For around $30 you have the option of using ionic or regular thermal technology, five heat/speed settings, a cool shot feature and a nozzle, making it versatile enough for the whole household to use.
We like Revlon’s Ion Professional Hair Dryer, which knocks out the competition with its combination of quality features and an affordable price. For around $30 you have the option of using ionic or regular thermal technology, five heat/speed settings, a cool shot feature and a nozzle, making it versatile enough for the whole household to use.
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CBS News — On a 2006 episode of “The Early Show,” stylist to the stars David Evangelista said the Chi Turbo Driver can’t be beat for people who straighten their wavy hair. A ceramic-coil hair dryer, it runs on just 1500 watts of power. Source: CBSnews.com
Folica.com — An expert reviewer on Folica.com wrote about the BaByliss Pro Porcelain hair dryer, “This hairdryer is by far the best I've ever used. It dries my thick hair quickly and leaves it very shiny and smooth. I've gotten several compliments already. I love the heavy,10ft cord because it doesn't get twisted up and is very sturdy.” Source: Folica.com
hot buzzWhat's the latest in the world of hair dryers?
Barbar’s Black Tourmaline Professional Hair Dryer has been showing up in gift bags at awards ceremonies, and now GLAMOUR Magazine joins the ranks of Self, InStyle and Shape magazines by featuring it in its November 2007 issue. The BT Pro features an Ionic Charger, 1600 watts and a low-noise motor. Best of all? It only weighs one pound!
Budget hair dryers under $30 deliver standard hair dryer technology (positive ions, metal coils) and a minimum of heat/speed settings, but are perfectly adequate for people with short hair or who don’t spend a lot of time styling their hair.
Spending $30 to $100 on a hair dryer will give you more options in drying technology, additional heat/speed settings and specialty attachments. Hair dryers in this price range should meet the needs of all but those with the toughest tresses to tame.
The highest-end hair dryers cost $100 and up. These professional-quality hair dryers are best suited to tight curls, long hair and thick hair. At this price point you’ll find the highest wattage, drying technologies like tourmaline, more attachments and the most varied heat and speed settings.
What are the terms and definitions I need to know about?
Ceramic heat
A heating unit within some hair dryers that promotes more even distribution of heat, increasing shine and softness while minimizing damage.
Diffuser
An attachment that spreads heat and airflow so that it doesn’t hit your hair in a powerfully concentrated blast. A diffuser’s purpose is to style and dry curly hair without causing frizz.
Ions
All hair dryers use ions to dry your hair, but negatively charged ions help seal moisture into your hair, promoting speedy drying with minimal damage.
Nozzle
An attachment that concentrates heat in smaller areas of your head, used for straightening waves or curls.
Tourmaline
Literally a precious stone, tourmaline produces infrared and ionic heat that dries the hair with the least potential for damage. Tourmaline is found in many professional-quality hair dryers.
Wattage
A measurement of the electricity used by a hair dryer. Higher wattage delivers more heat and more powerful airflow.
I definitely recommend the ION hair dryers ... I have straight hair and these dry my hair the best. Something about the IONs trapping in the moisture (huh?). :)
