The 14 Best Professional Hair Dryers Deliver the Bounciest Blowouts

Best Overall

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

$429 at Amazon $429 at Sephora $430 at Ulta

Features: Temperature control, six attachments, cold shot, multiple heat and speed settings | Wireless: No

Wiley calls the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer gold class: “It’s lightweight, quiet, and measures the air temperature over 40 times a second to protect the hair from damage. I also find it creates intense shine, and the five attachments are really handy.” 

We tested this hair dryer out and totally agree with Wiley. We loved its powerful airflow (there are three settings to choose from) and extra attachments consisting of a styling concentrator, gentle air attachment, diffuser, wide-tooth comb, and flyaways attachment. Unfortunately, the dryer doesn’t come with detailed instructions, but we were able to watch a few online videos of how each attachment worked, and we achieved a bouncy, voluminous blow-dry in just over 20 minutes. The final result felt far more professional than we’ve ever been able to create with an average hair dryer. Yes, it’s very expensive but if you love your beauty gadgets and currently spend a lot on professional blow-dries, this is well worth the investment. 

Best Budget

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dryer

View on Ulta $90 at Amazon $78 at Walmart

Features: One attachment, three heat, and three speed settings | Wireless: No

If you want to create a professional blowout at home for under $100, then the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Hair Dryer is our favorite recommendation. While it’s a very reasonable price, it provides professional results in just 20 minutes with six heat settings and a strong, powerful airflow for faster drying. We tested it in our lab with the help of a professional stylist and found the dryer distributed heat evenly through the hair without causing damage.

One of our editors even described this hair dryer as bringing their normally flat hair to life and raved about their incredible results. Our only real criticism is that it doesn’t come with different attachments for different hair textures.

Best Alternative to the Dyson

Shark HyperAir Hair Dryer

$160 at Target $160 at Best Buy $160 at Kohls.com

Features: Three heat and airflow settings, two attachments | Wireless: No

With dual optical sensors that automatically set heat and airflow for straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair, Shark’s HyperAir hair dryer seems pretty impressive on paper. We put it to the test in our lab to see how this translated in real life and are pleased to say it surpassed our expectations. 

With all of the technology it offers, it remains a considerably good value. We found that the adjustable airflow made this hair dryer much easier to use than a traditional model while giving it a luxe, high-tech feel. Once our hair was fully dried, it looked healthy, shiny, and full of body and bounce. We didn’t even need hairspray to keep it in place. The only downside is that the cord is a bit short. 

Best for Thick Hair

ghd Air Professional Hair Dryer

$199 at Amazon $209 at Sephora $209 at Ulta

Features: Three heat settings, two-speed settings, long cord | Wireless: No

Designed in collaboration with stylists, GHD’s Air Elite is built to deliver consistent results over a long time making it a great hair dryer for thick hair. It comes with two director nozzles and a diffuser for various styles and hair types. It’s super powerful (it has a 1600W AC motor) so it can tame thick, unruly hair with ease. While testing it in our lab, we loved its powerful, continuous airflow and soft silicone handle that made using it comfortable and easy—although it is a little on the heavy side. Wiley is also a big fan.

"What I love about this blow-dryer is that you can switch hands and move back and forth," says Wiley. "The ergonomic design gives you maximum control whether you’re right or left-handed and allows you to get into the base of the hair and dry quickly."

Best for Curls

Conair InfinitiPro Hair Dryer

$40 at Ulta $35 at Target $26 at Walmart

Features: Three attachments, three heat, and two-speed settings | Wireless: No

Conair’s dryer uses ionic technology to target static and impart serious shine, so it’s really effective when it comes to smoothing, defining, and drying curls or coiled hair. There’s a diffuser attachment and tourmaline ceramic-coated grille for even heat distribution (and thus, less damage). It’s also one of the less expensive options we tried out that performs comparably with the pricier varieties. The only thing we didn’t love about this hair dryer was the weight—it started to feel heavy after a while.

Best Lightweight

Bio Ionic SMART-X High Efficiency Dryer

$329 at Amazon $329 at Sephora $329 at Ulta

Features: One attachment, three heat, and three speed settings | Wireless: No

We tested the Bio Ionic SMART-X High Efficiency Dryer in our lab and loved its super-lightweight feel which made drying very thick and long hair so much easier (with no reported arm fatigue). It has three heat settings including a cold shot, as well as three different speed settings, but its standout feature is that it uses more air pressure and less heat, so your hair dries faster and stays healthier. It’s a little hard to tell which of the settings does what by just looking at the handle, and some of the power buttons were in an awkward position, but we got to know our way around the dryer once we started using it. The final result was a nice textured blowout with a soft and smooth cuticle. We also felt like our hair looked so much better than our usual at-home attempts with results comparable to a salon.

Best Airflow

T3 AireLuxe Hair Dryer

$200 at Amazon View on T3micro.com

Features: Four heat settings, cold shot, two nozzles | Wireless: No

This hair dryer from T3 transformed our curly hair into straight and shiny locks in just under 30 minutes. It comes with two different nozzles, four easy-to-use heat settings (including a cold shot), and an easy-grip handle. It also creates a strong and even airflow that makes your hair feel like it’s being cared for while heat-styled. We would have liked it to have come with more attachments and a diffuser to cater to different hair types, but if a straightforward hair dryer is what you need, this definitely delivers. 

Best Ionic

Rusk W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer

$96 at Amazon $73 at Walmart View on Ruskhair.com

Features: Three heat settings, cold shot, one attachment | Wireless: No

This powerful, lightweight, 2000-watt ceramic and tourmaline hair dryer comes with an Italian motor and an ionic generator that claims to dramatically reduce drying time. In terms of its actual function, the buttons are easy and within reach, plus it’s simple to change between temperature settings as you blow-dry. There are only three heat settings which doesn’t give you lots of options (hot, cool, and warm) but its slender handle feels fairly lightweight in the hand. We found the ionic hair dryer made our hair soft and smooth, and it took just over 20 minutes to completely dry a long hairstyle. We liked how straightforward this was to use, so if you don’t want lots of bells and whistles with your morning blowout, you’re sure to love this too. 

Best Splurge

GAMA Professional IQ2 Perfetto Hair Dryer

$330 at Amazon $330 at Best Buy View on Gamaiqdryer.com

Features: Four heat and three speed settings | Wireless: No

A favorite among pro stylists, the IQ Perfetto is great for a few reasons. First: It creates a smooth, sleek, and polished finish while being lightweight and easy to hold. The airflow is powerful, thanks to the Venturi Effect—a specially designed air outlet that multiplies air flow without using too much extra energy—but doesn’t feel any stronger than a kiss of wind on a warm summer night. In other words, you can feel it working on your hair and scalp, but you won’t feel any discomfort. And, because the dryer features a star nozzle, the air distributes evenly throughout all the hair, cutting down on drying time and mitigating any potential damage. 

After use, our hair looked immaculate and honestly like we just stepped out of a salon chair. Each strand was well-defined, bouncy, and moisturized (something that doesn’t often happen after blow-drying). The price is a bit steep, and it can get a little loud, but with so many innovative features (it even boasts a self-cleaning option!), we say it’s worth it.

Best Compact

BondiBoost Sonic Dryer

$199 at Sephora $199 at Ulta View on Bondiboost.com

Features: Four heat and three speed settings | Wireless: No

The best way of describing the BondiBoost Sonic Hair Dryer is a compact powerhouse! Yes, it’s small but boy, does it have a powerful airflow. We tested it in our lab and were incredibly surprised at just how quickly it dried our hair. And it’s so quiet we could still hear music and the TV while using it (a big plus if you get bored while blow-drying). Not to mention it uses Advanced Ion Technology to help reduce static and smooth out frizz. Our only complaint is that the nozzle attachments are pretty small, making it a challenge to dry large sections of hair. 

Best for Quick Drying

Remington Pro Wet2Style Dryer

$26 at Amazon $30 at Walmart View on Remingtonproducts.com

Features: Three heat, two speed settings, cold shot | Wireless: No

Low maintenance and easy to use, the Remington Pro Wet2Style™ Dryer is one of the less expensive options on our list. But we still think it’s a quality device that works really well—it even comes with four attachments. It also has three different heat settings, which we found were just the right temperature and easy to switch between, plus a pre-straighten tool that helped us achieve a sleek look in minutes. We tried this setting to touch up our hair in between washes and it really brought new life to our flat lengths. This affordable hair dryer is proof that sometimes you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a pro result. One thing that could improve it is a carry case for travel. 

Best for Shine

Kristin Ess Professional Hair Dryer

$60 at Amazon $100 at Target View on Kristinesshair.com

Features: Two speed and three heat settings, cold shot | Wireless: No

This professional blow-dryer from Kristin Ess has lots to be excited about such as its lightweight design and energy-efficient motor. It’s also especially suited to thick, curly, and frizzy hair. During testing in our lab, we found that it left our hair feeling softer and shinier, and kept it feeling healthier in between cuts. It also has plenty of temperature settings to choose from (warm, hot, and cold) so you can find the perfect one for your hair texture. If we were to make one criticism it’s that the cold shot button is placed in a slightly awkward position. But it’s definitely not a deal breaker.

Best Features

Harry Josh Pro Tools Ultra Light Pro Dryer

$349 at Dermstore View on Shopbop.com

Features: 12 heat, speed and ion settings, cold shot | Wireless: No

This Ultra Light Pro Dryer from Harry Josh is small, compact, and easy to handle and maneuver. That’s thanks to its ergonomic design that comes with 12 heat, speed, and ion settings, and a cold shot button for finishing off a style. We were big fans of the dryer’s airflow during testing which is strong, steady, and not overly powerful. In fact, we’d go so far as to describe it as having the perfect airflow. We also loved how easy it was to switch between the buttons. We found the power cord a little bit long and it could make storage more difficult, but it might also be helpful if your mirror or vanity table is far away from the plug socket. 

Best for Colored Hair

Laifen Swift Special Hair Dryer

$119 at Amazon View on Laifentech.com

Features: 3 heat settings and 2 speed settings | Wireless: No

We really enjoyed testing this hair dryer from Laifen and think it’s a solid, mid-priced option. It claims to enhance hair color and eliminate static with three nozzles and negative ion technology. We’re happy to report that this dryer lived up to its promises in our lab, and our hair looked noticeably shiner after using it. It truly enhanced the color of our hair, too. Another plus is the temperature of the dryer—it got hot but not too hot which felt comfortable and dare we say, pretty much perfect. We only wish it came with a storage bag.