Here are the top ten best-selling hair dryers on Amazon.com, with full details on each machine, so you can quickly find the best model for your needs.
Almost all hair dryers these days use a ceramic or tourmaline element. These produce a more gentle and even heat than a traditional metal coil, and produce infrared and negative ions to condition and reduce frizz – which should make your hair look silkier and shinier.
This 1100 watt hair dryer features a uniquely shaped oval brush design, which allows hair to be heated closer to the scalp than a conventionally-shaped dryer – to give your hair more volume.
- Highly targeted control of heat can significantly reduce hair drying time.
- One-handed operation.
- Uses much less power than most conventional dryers, so it should be cheaper to operate.
- 2-year Warranty.
- Can be difficult to create much volume with very short hair, due to the large width of the brush head.
- Some users have reported devices burning out within 12 months of purchase.
- Over-heating problems reported by a small number of users.
A powerful 2000 watt hair dryer featuring a professional A/C motor, a ceramic heating element, 6 heat/speed settings, a cold shot button and a soft rubber coating. What more could you need?
- Powerful heating and motor reduces drying time.
- Has a removable filter (for cleaning) – to maintain maximum airflow.
- 2-year Warranty.
- Some reports of the handle getting rather hot.
- Can feel a bit heavy (1lb) after several minutes of use.
- Some users have reported devices burning out within 12 months of purchase.
- Buttons and sliders can be fiddly to operate.
This ConAir machine features 3 heat levels, 2 speed settings, a powerful high-torque DC motor and a ‘Cool Shot’ button to lock your style in place.
- Has a long 5.5 foot power cord.
- Includes a diffuser and a concentrator attachment.
- Has a hinged filter (for cleaning) – to maintain airflow.
- 2-year Warranty.
- Available in black or pink.
- The heat on some machines has been reported as being lower than other hair dryers.
- The slider control switch can be fiddly to operate.
You’ll feel like you’re under a hair drying hood at a professional salon with this soft bonnet dryer and, weighing only 3.36 pounds, it’s portable too.
- Hands-free operation allows you to multitask while drying your hair (e.g. apply makeup or do your nails, etc).
- Can accommodate fairly large curlers and larger hairstyles.
- 2-year Warranty.
- For an extra $20-$30 you could potentially upgrade the bonnet and hose with a higher quality one – like the highly-rated 'Glow by Daye'.
- The latest version of this dryer is made from cheaper materials, and is less robust than the earlier one.
- The clip which attaches the hose to the bonnet often fails after a relatively short time.
You get a lot for your money with this attractive looking 1875 watt Revlon dryer, including a cool shot button and three ceramic layers on the element for even heating.
- Includes a diffuser and a concentrator attachment.
- If you buy 'version 2' of this machine three hair sectioning clips are also included.
- Has a removable filter, for easy cleaning.
- The end of the barrel lights up in pink, with six LEDs.
- 2-year Warranty.
- Short working life for a number of units. But the warrantly should cover these.
- Air flow could be higher.
- The handle shape and button positions can be awkward for some.
- The 'Cool shot' button isn't particularly cold, and can be pressed accidentally.
This low cost 1875 watt Remington dryer features 3 heat and 2 speed levels, plus a cool shot button – all in a simple (but cute) purple casing.
- Includes a diffuser and a concentrator attachment.
- Removable filter – for easy cleaning.
- 2-year Warranty.
- Short lifespan on some units reported. But the warranty should cover these.
- The attachments are prone to falling off while in use.
- The power cord is rather short.
- The 'Cool shot' button can be pressed accidentally.
This Remington Pro hair dryer is yet another 1875 watt model with 3 heat and 2 speed settings and a cool shot button. However, it also has a professional AC motor, with a 40% faster airflow than a standard DC motor, and its ceramic element is infused with real crushed pearls!
- 3-year Warranty.
- AC motors typically have a 3x longer working life than a standard AC motor.
- Includes a diffuser and a concentrator attachment.
- List Item
- Fairly large, and can be quite heavy to use.
- Rather a lot of reports of sparks and burning smells from the motor.
- Warranty returns cost $11 in postage (in 2016).
- There seem to be two versions of this dryer, and the latest one is smaller (which might be a good thing for some), but it also has a shorter power cord.
This BaBylissPro is actually a 1900 watt model, despite being called ‘3000’. It has 3 heat and 2 speed settings, a cool shot button and a soft-touch rubber coating.
- Uses a tourmaline and titanium heating element to create far-infrared heat – for faster drying and styling.
- 9 foot long power cord.
- Includes a concentrator.
- Removable filter - to maintain airflow.
- 2-year Warranty.
- Soft-touch finishes can react to oils or hand perspiration, and a number of owners have reported the red coating coming off.
- Weak tabs on the filter break quite easily.
- Doesn't include a diffuser.
- Expensive, considering its weak points and lack of features.
- AC motors typically have a 3x longer working life than a standard AC motor.
- Includes a diffuser and a concentrator attachment.
- The black model does not come with a diffuser - but it is cheaper.
This full-sized hair dryer from Andis is 1875 watt and features 3 heat/air speeds. It also has a folding handle and a retractable cord.
- Folding handle
- Retractable cord
- Includes a concentrator.
- A flexible design for anyone on a tight budget.
- Being a full-size dryer, it may be too big for travel.
- One particular point of internal wiring (at the top of the handle) is susceptible to damage, due to the retractable cord rubbing against it.
- Some reports of overheating issues.
- No removable filter.