Updated on 19 May 2023
This comparison is certified 100% impartial and follows our selection process.
Remington AC9140
In our opinion, this model offers the price-quality ratio. It stands out thanks to its OPTIheat and Style Shot features, which intelligently adjust the heat to shape and correct your hairstyles.
This model comes with three accessories: a precision concentrator, a 7mm concentrator and a diffuser. It also offers three temperature settings and cold air to set the style. Its AC motor (2400W output) was effective in drying our hair quickly during our tests. However, as some users have mentioned, we also found it quite heavy (588g), and our hair got stuck in the back of the appliance on several occasions. For this reason, we would not recommend it for long hair, which takes longer to dry and tends to get caught in the grille. On the other hand, the Style function, which adds an extra 400 W of power, is a real plus when it comes to adding volume. The ionic technology was also effective in preventing frizz. Finally, we didn’t notice the appliance overheating but be careful with the nozzles as they can get quite hot after use.
The ideal power of a hairdryer should be between 1200 and 2600W. Pay particular attention to the weight of your dryer. Good ergonomics will ensure an optimal user comfort. A long cord is more difficult to store, but offers greater freedom of movement. Some models come with different accessories, to suit all hair types and hairstyles. The infrared technology offers an even drying to your hair without damaging it.
Braun Satin Hair 1 HD 130
The special feature of this hairdryer is its compactness. The reason it is so compact and has a retractable handle is that it is a true travel model.
The Braun Satin is not the most powerful appliance on the market. It only has one concentrator tip and a power of 1200W. However, its price/performance ratio is very attractive. Of course, opting for this model means knowing that it is designed to be taken on a trip (the folding handle makes it easy to carry). But we were pleasantly surprised to find that, during our tests, it lived up to its promise. Although it took a few minutes longer to dry our hair, partly due to the narrower opening, it was a pleasant process. The best part? It’s very light (350g), easy to handle and quiet.
Dreame Hair Glory
Stylish, compact and ultra-lightweight, this model offers some of the best performance in the selection. It is also one of the most practical and comfortable hairdryers we tested.
Dreame finally makes its mark in the industry with this model. The Hair Glory has a super-fast speed of 110,000rpm. Thanks to this, and even though its power is lower than usual in this price range (1600W), it managed to dry our long hair quickly during our tests. In addition, its ionic technology helped to limit frizz. The practicality of this model also lies in its ultra-lightweight (just 345 g). For a better grip, the brand has positioned the dryer’s motor vertically on the handle, lowering its centre of gravity and increasing the comfort of use. When using it, we could notice the difference compared to other models. In addition, we could choose between 2 drying speeds and four temperatures: cool, hot at 57°C, a little hotter and a mode that alternates between hot (7 seconds) and cool (5 seconds) to avoid overheating the hair.
GHD Air Professional
Although this hairdryer has only one accessory, it justifies its price thanks to its high power. It indeed took us only a few minutes to dry our entire hair.
Although we were a little disappointed to discover that the GHD only came with an air concentrator nozzle, our disappointment was replaced by amazement when we started testing the device. Not only did its 2100W motor allow us to dry our hair in record time, but the result was simply worthy of the best salons. As for the settings, we can choose between 3 temperature levels plus a cool air button and two blowing intensities. Thanks to the ionic technology, our hair was soft, shiny, voluminous and, above all, frizz-free. Its biggest weakness? Its weight of 600 g, which makes it less ergonomic than the Dreame Hair GLory, despite its longer cord (3 m).
Our selection
Our choice, Best mid-range Best budget Best high-end High-end alternative Remington AC9140 Braun Satin Hair 1 HD 130 Dreame Hair Glory GHD Air Professional In our opinion, this model offers the price-quality ratio. It stands out thanks to its OPTIheat and Style Shot features, which intelligently adjust the heat to shape and correct your hairstyles. The special feature of this hairdryer is its compactness. The reason it is so compact and has a retractable handle is that it is a true travel model. Stylish, compact and ultra-lightweight, this model offers some of the best performance in the selection. It is also one of the most practical and comfortable hairdryers we tested. Although this hairdryer has only one accessory, it justifies its price thanks to its high power. It indeed took us only a few minutes to dry our entire hair. £ 66.28 on Amazon £ 45.97 on Amazon £ 159.58 on Amazon £ 159.00 on Amazon
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How did we do the tests?
To test the hairdryers, we started by comparing and analysing the design of each device. We looked at the appearance of the hairdryer, but also at the ergonomics (grip and weight) and the accessories (if any), checking that they were all useful and easy to put on and take off.
We were then able to evaluate its performance by looking at the temperature levels present, but also at the power of the motor. Typically, the more powerful the motor, the faster the hair dries. Finally, we checked if the additional options worked well (ionic technology, cold air button…).
How to choose your hairdryer?
Gone are the days when a perfect blow-dry could only be achieved in a hairdresser’s salon: nowadays, hairdryers available to private individuals are becoming more and more efficient and innovative, and are an integral part of almost every household.
However, the choice of the ideal model is often much more complicated than expected as there are so many products on the market.
To help you find the model that suits your needs, here are the main criteria to consider before buying:
- Power: this is generally between 1200 and 2600W (for the more powerful dryers). The higher it is, the more powerful the airflow produced by your hairdryer and therefore the faster the drying. For optimum efficiency, it is often advised to choose a minimum power of 1700W.
- Ergonomics: i.e. the weight of the dryer, the flexibility and length of its power cord, the ease of storage via a suspension loop or the noise level (on average between 70 and 85 dB). Please read the numerous user feedbacks available online.
- Settings: to adapt the speed and temperature of the dryer to the nature of your hair, choose models where these two parameters can be adjusted separately. Some models also have a ‘turbo’ function, which is useful for those in a hurry.
- Cold air button: cold air seals the cuticles and gives the hair more shine and hold. It is a way to maintain the definition of your curls, fix your hairstyle or preserve your colour. High temperatures tend to slightly open up the hair scales and may leak some colour.
- Technology: the vast majority of hairdryers now incorporate ionic technology. This technology eliminates static electricity, strengthens your hair and intensifies its brightness (thanks to negative and positive ions). Infrared technology is less common. Usually found in tourmaline hairdryers, it provides even drying of the hair without damaging it.
- Motor: you can choose between AC motors (professional quality and often developed in Italy, they are known for their durability and reliability) and DC motors (generally designed in China, they are efficient but more fragile). Note that, depending on the motor, the power will not be equivalent (a 1600W AC will be worth a 2000W DC, for example).
- Materials used: as mentioned in our hair straightener comparison, tourmaline hairdryers help to soften the hair by sealing the cuticle and retaining the necessary moisture, while ceramic is used to better control the heat released by the dryer. If your goal is to straighten your hair, a dryer that incorporates both materials at the same time is ideal!
- Accessories: most models with an interesting price-quality ratio come with a set of handy accessories. Ideally, these will include at least a concentrator nozzle (reducing the end of the dryer to direct the airflow to a specific area), and a diffuser (used to keep curls defined and intact and to add volume).
P.S. If you want to have a complete set of equipment for the health and styling of your hair, we invite you to consult our articles on curling irons and hair straighteners.
Other models we recommend
BaByliss 6719DE (£38.94 upon publication): another alternative with ionic technology. When we put it to the test, we loved its ergonomics (435 g weight and an extra-long 2.8 m cord), but not so much its efficiency, as it took more than 7 minutes to dry the long hair of one of our testers, despite its 2200 W of power and its speed declared by the brand of 115 km/h. All in all, we recommend it for short and medium-length hair.
Panasonic EH-NA65-K (£69.90 upon publication): this model has everything to please. Not only does it look great, but it also comes with 3 different accessories, including its own quick drying nozzle. Unfortunately, and even if it has Nanoe technology, the power of its motor seems perfectible. A real drawback, considering its price.
Dyson Supersonic (£421.38 upon publication): very expensive, but very efficient. After putting it to the test, we have to admit that the Dyson Supersonic is in a different league. It has the most powerful fan we’ve ever tested. It can be set to 3 different power levels and three heat levels, as well as blowing cold air. Very easy to use and ergonomic (400g without the cord), another aspect we liked most was its set of 5 accessories: a diffuser (for curly, frizzy and wavy hair), a concentrator (for blow-drying), a smooth finish nozzle (for straightening unruly curls), a gentle drying nozzle (diffuses the airflow a little to make it gentler on the scalp) and a wide-toothed comb (relaxes curly hair). It also has a nice design and seems more robust than other models. However, we think its price is rather high, which affects its value for money.
Other models tested
Philips EssentialCare Compact BHD004/10 (£30.48 upon publication): Although it has everything to please, including a care function and a very attractive price, it fails to exploit these assets effectively. Needless to say, the price/performance ratio is not good enough either.
Xiaomi Mi Ionic (£69.81 upon publication): This model seduced us at first sight with its design. Although it has a motor with a power of only 1800W (not the best on the market), we found it to be amply sufficient to dry hair in a short period. Unfortunately, although we were impressed by the innovation of its automatic alternating system, the lack of precision of its magnetic nozzle and the ineffectiveness of its ionic technology greatly dampened our enthusiasm.
Translated by Selectos
