The 5 Best Hair Dryers Worth Buying in 2025

Desperately looking for the best hair dryers for your hair type that don’t totally blow? Sorry, couldn’t help myself with the pun. It was right THERE. Anyway, when it comes to hair dryers, there are almost too many options these days, and you can never really know if it’ll work for you until you try it.

My curls and I have serious trust issues, especially with hair dryers. Over-hot coils? It turns into a frizzy mushroom. Weak airflow? I’m standing there for half an episode of The Great British Bake Off, and even then, it’s STILL not dry.

Meanwhile, my tween daughter likes to blow-dry her medium waves to make them pin-straight, so our bathroom has become a bit of a testing lab. After frying and then retiring more dryers than you’d believe, these are the five that actually earned a permanent plug spot.

Dryers at a Glance

• Overall power & curl-safe design: Ella Bella Ionic Pro Dryer  
• Luxury splurge: Dyson Supersonic
• Tight budgets: Revlon Turbo Fast 1875W
• Defined curls: DevaCurl DevaDryer + DevaFuser      
• Lightweight travel: T3 AireLuxe Afar  

The Short Answer:

If you want a dryer that cuts time, tames frizz, and plays nice with every hair type in the house, Ella Bella’s Ionic Pro is the one to get. I promise. It diffused my 3B curls in 18 minutes (my old Conair took 30) and left my daughter’s blow-outs smoother, with no sizzling ends. Not in the budget? Totally okay! Revlon’s Turbo is a solid under-$40 backup. But keep scrolling because there’s a motor, weight, and price tag for everyone.

How I Chose These Dryers

1. Airflow & Motor Power: Minimum 1,800 watts or a brushless digital motor.
2. Heat Technology: Ionic, ceramic, titanium, or infrared coils that seal cuticles, not scorch them.
3. Attachments: Diffuser for curls, narrow nozzle for sleek blow-outs.
4. Weight & Ergonomics: Under 2 lb, comfortable grip, swivel cord.
5. Noise & Durability: Quieter motors, at least a 2-year warranty.
6. Value for Money: Outperforms cheaper tools in the same class.

The 5 Best Hair Dryers for Every Hair Type

The very first hair dryer I ever bought was for an art project where we had to melt crayons on posterboard. So, I get it. Sometimes you just want a cheap option that does the job. But if you’re looking for a great hair dryer to invest in (for your hair, not arts and crafts, lol), this list has at least one that will work for you. I promise.

1. Ella Bella Ionic Pro Dryer

Best Overall

Specs:

• 1,875 W AC motor
• dual-ionic switch
• ceramic infrared coil
• 1 lb 6 oz

What’s in the box: Wide diffuser, 2 concentrators, microfiber bag

I actually stumbled upon Ella Bella from a YouTube ad, believe it or not. I usually just skip over those, but it led with something like, “Do you have insanely curly hair?” and I was like, “Yes. Yes, I do.” So I ordered one. I’d already ordered another popular hair dryer, but it hadn’t arrived yet, and I figured it would be cool to test both and see which one I liked better.

The first thing I noticed? Speed. On high/medium heat with the diffuser attached, my curls went from dripping to 80% dry in less than 12 minutes, fully set in 18. My old dryer needed at least 30 minutes and left me with halo frizz.

The secret is a dual-ionic generator you can toggle on or off. I keep ions on for my curls (less static, more shine) and off when my daughter wants volume for a straight style. Heat is true ceramic infrared, so the inside of each curl dries without baking the outer cuticle. Noise is a low whoosh, which I absolutely love because I have Meniere’s disease and actually had to wear earplugs when using my old dryer.

Pros

• Fast drying for thick or curly hair
• Toggle ions on/off depending on style
• Attachments are magnetic

Cons

• On the pricy side

2. Dyson Supersonic

Best Splurge

Specs:

• Digital V9 motor
• intelligent heat sensor
• 1.8 lb

Tools: Magnetic diffuser, two concentrators, flyaway smoother

Dyson’s Supersonic still feels like something from the very distant future: motor in the handle, magnetic attachments that snap on like Lego, and a microprocessor that measures heat 40 times per second. My stylist friend let me borrow hers for a week. My verdict? My curls hit “touchably dry” in a record 15 minutes, and my daughter’s blown-straight looked salon-pressed with half the passes.

If you order from their site, you get free shipping, a two-year warranty, and a 30-day money-back promise. That’s pretty sweet, but given the steep cost, I’d say it’s expected.

Is it worth $400+? I’m the cheapest person on the face of the planet, but even I can see the value in this blow dryer. If you blow-dry every day, love gadgets, or have wrist issues—yes. Otherwise, it’s a luxe treat rather than a must-have. Ella Bella works just as good for half the price.

Pros

• Quiet, balanced, zero arm ache
• Heat never exceeds 302 °F, preventing burn smell and damage
• Magnetic filter snaps off for cleaning

Cons

• Luxury price tag
• Thicker diffuser fingers would grip curls better

3. Revlon Turbo Fast 1875W

Best Budget Buy

Specs:

• 1,875 W
• ceramic ionic grill
• 2 heat / 2 speed settings

Attachments: Narrow concentrator, basic diffuser

When my old dryer died mid-vacation once, I ran into a drugstore and grabbed this Revlon. It’s pretty basic, but for $39, it punches way above its class: solid airflow, ceramic grill that doesn’t scorch and an ion switch that actually makes a difference on frizz. The diffuser is shallow, which is fine for my daughter’s waves, but my tight curls need an upgrade.

This is the dryer I stash in the guest bathroom or lend to friends. It’s loud, and the cool shot isn’t super cold, yet my curls dry only five minutes slower than with Ella Bella and three minutes slower than Dyson. For the price, I can’t nitpick. I do like that it uses ion technology, similar to the others, but it’s just…there’s something different about it.

Pros

• Under $40, widely available
• Matte finish resists bathroom scratches
• Ion switch rare at this price

Cons

• Louder than pro models
• Diffuser bowl too small for dense curls

4. DevaDryer & DevaFuser

Best for Curly Textures

Specs:

• 1,600 W AC motor
• far-infrared coil
• 2.1 lb

Attachment: Hand-shaped DevaFuser

Yes, it looks like a plastic alien hand, but the DevaFuser is the real MVP for volume and curly hair. So, if you want a hair dryer specifically for curly hair, this is the one. The 360-degree airflow dries curls from the inside out, lifting roots as you hover. I actually bought this with the Ella Bella to test them against each other and then return the loser.

Let me tell you, both were winners. And being so close in price made it even harder to choose. (I ended up with Ella Bella because I wanted one that would work for both me and my daughter). I clip my crown, point the “palm” at my scalp, and within eight minutes, my roots are set—no limp top.

The dryer itself is mid-tier and a bit heavy, but it’s a great hair dryer. I love that they have Deva Curl products that work well with their device, too. Smoothing serums and leave-in conditioners.

Pros

• DevaFuser boosts volume like no bowl diffuser can
• Even, gentle heat—less frizz fringing
• Cool shot actually cools

Cons

• Heavier than others on this list
• Single concentrator sold separately

5. AireLuxe Afar

Best Lightweight Travel Option

Specs:

• 1,200 W
• dual-voltage
• folds to 6 in.
• 1 lb

Tools: Concentrator, storage pouch

Hotel hair dryers are the enemy. They’re too hot, too weak, or both. Usually both. The AireLuxe Afar folds in half, weighs less than a single pound, and still dried my curls in 20 minutes flat. (It was the actual hotel dryer in a swanky resort we stayed at on our honeymoon).

It still uses the ion-rich technology and has an airstream and ceramic coil to keep your ends smooth, and the handle switch toggles between 110 V and 220 V, so no fear of frying it abroad.

It’s not powerful enough for waist-length thick hair on the daily, but for travel, gym, or office drawer emergencies, it’s leagues better than whatever’s bolted to the hotel bathroom wall, I can tell you that.

Yes, it’s super pricy at well over $200, but if you travel a lot, it’s 100% worth it and far better than lugging around a full-sized hair dryer in your luggage. If you’ve got curly hair, you can add a diffuser to your cart that works with the Afar model.

Pros

• Feather-light and folds small
• Dual voltage; no converter needed
• Quiet for its size

Cons

• Only 1,200 W so long, dense hair will take longer
• Diffuser is sold separately

Quick Dryer Smarts

1. Rough-dry first. Let hair reach about 80 % dry with just your fingers; styling takes half the time.
2. Use the cool shot. A 5-second blast seals cuticles, locking in shine.
3. Clean the filter monthly. Clogged lint = overheating and slower airflow.
4. Match nozzle to style. Diffuser for curls, narrow concentrator for sleek blow-outs.

Final Pass: Choose Your Hair Dryer Wisely

The right hair dryer trims minutes off your routine and keeps fragile ends intact. Ella Bella Ionic Pro balances power and curl-friendly tech better than anything else I’ve tried. I just love everything about it; the weight, the style, the color, the price point, etc.

Have a dryer that changed your hair for life? Let us know what you think is the best hair dryer to check out! And check out our other helpful guides for hair care!