Hair Dryers: Reviews

Updated December 2011

A hair dryer isn't just a tool that dries hair. This important hair styling tool can be the difference between a frizzy mess and shiny, shampoo-ad-like hair. After analyzing user reviews and those of beauty experts and editors, ConsumerSearch has chosen the below models to help your hair look its best each and every day.

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Best ionic hair dryer

Revlon RV544 Tourmaline Ionic

*Est. $25 Compare Prices

The 1,875-watt Revlon RV544 Tourmaline Ionic hair dryer uses two drying technologies -- ionic and tourmaline -- and it's far less expensive than other tourmaline models (which claim to dry hair faster and with less heat… expanddamage than other dryers). Professional tests and owner-written reviews indicate that the Revlon is quiet, lightweight and reliable, with quick drying speeds. This hair dryer also includes two heat/speed settings, an ion indicator light (which lights up when ions are emitted) and a diffuser attachment. Some reviewers say it quickly dries thick, long hair, but others say this product may be too powerful for those who have fine hair. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: Editors of ConsumerReports.org test 10 hair dryers for ease of use, noise, features and overall drying time.

Good Housekeeping: The Revlon RV544 Tourmaline Ionic hair dryer receives a higher overall score than both the T3 Tourmaline Professional Featherweight and the T3 Tourmaline Evolution hair dryers.

Amazon.com: Nearly 400 consumers at Amazon.com give the Revlon RV544 Tourmaline Ionic hair dryer a high overall score.

TotalBeauty.com: More than 50 owners at TotalBeauty.com, a beauty website that allows users to review beauty products, give the Revlon RV544 Tourmaline Ionic dryer an above-average rating.

MakeupAlley.com: Several dozen contributors at MakeupAlley.com, a website that collects user reviews for beauty products, give the Revlon RV544 an above-average rating and praise it for being lightweight and affordable.

Drugstore.com: The RV544 gets an overall average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from more than 50 reviewers.

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for $19.99

Best travel hair dryer

Andis 1875 Ionic Ceramic Folding Dryer

*Est. $35 Compare Prices

The Andis 1875 Ionic Ceramic Folding Dryer uses ionic technology and a heat-regulating ceramic coil to protect hair from damage. It has three heat/air settings, a cool-shot button and a retractable cord. This folding… expandmodel fits in a suitcase, and reviewers say it works just as well as a full-size dryer. However, while this dryer receives excellent reviews overall, some users complain that its cord retractor can break down and the dryer can be uncomfortable to hold for a long time. Travelers take note: The Andis dryer is not a dual-voltage model, so it's not compatible overseas without a voltage adaptor. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Good Housekeeping: Editors test an unspecified number of travel dryers to see if they work as well as full-size dryers.

StyleList.com: In this brief product roundup, Melissa Goldberg says the Andis 1875 Ionic Ceramic Folding Dryer is as powerful as full-size models but is compact enough for travel.

Amazon.com: More than 200 owner reviewers give the Andis 1875 Ionic Ceramic Folding Dryer hair dryer an above-average rating.

Drugstore.com: A handful of reviewers give the Andis 1875 travel dryer an overall rating of 4 out of 5.

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Buy from Amazon for $19.99
UnbeatableS- ale, Inc. for $32.90	Amazon for $19.99	Best Buy for $19.99

Professional hair dryer

T3 Tourmaline Professional Featherweight

*Est. $150 Compare Prices

This high-end model is dryer of choice among several women's magazines and consumer-review websites. Its motor is infused with crushed tourmaline (a mineral which is said to emit quick-drying ions). It's also an ionic… expanddryer with a ceramic heater coil, and it weighs less than a pound. However, this hair dryer has a high price tag, and its two-year warranty is only honored when this product is purchased from an authorized reseller. Our advice: Verify a seller's status prior to purchase by calling T3's official customer service line at (866) 376-8880. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: Editors of ConsumerReports.org test 10 hair dryers for ease of use, noise, features and overall drying time.

InStyle: Editors of InStyle magazine test hair dryers for drying time, performance and noise levels.

Good Housekeeping: The T3 Tourmaline Featherweight is preferred over the T3 Tourmaline Evolution by almost all testers at Good Housekeeping magazine.

The Early Show: This video report from the CBS morning program "The Early Show" discusses eight hair dryers and offers hair-drying tips from celebrity hair stylist David Evangelista.

About.com: Julyne Derrick, About.com's beauty guide, calls the T3 Tourmaline Featherweight the "granddaddy of hair-dryers" and says that it will last for many years.

Amazon.com: Owners posting to Amazon.com give the T3 Tourmaline Professional Featherweight a pretty good rating.

TotalBeauty.com: The T3 Tourmaline Professional Featherweight is the Editors' Pick for Best Blow Dryer in the 2010 TotalBeauty.com awards.

MakeupAlley.com: Reviewers at MakeupAlley.com give the T3 Tourmaline Featherweight hair dryer good marks, with many claiming that it dries hair quicker and leaves hair shiny and smooth.

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