CHI Rocket Hair Dryer

Bottom Line

The CHI Rocket is powerful, quiet, lightweight, easy to use and cuts down on drying time and frizz. However, of the pro dryers we found reviewed, the CHI Rocket had the shortest and most obscure warranty. For those with difficult to manage hair (especially if you blow-dry frequently), the CHI Rocket may be worth the investment, but it's important to purchase from an authorized retailer and hold on to all warranty documents.

Performance

Leaves hair silky smooth in half the time. CHI is a widely acclaimed professional brand, and its Rocket Hair Dryer is no exception. Reviewers at Amazon.com and Drugstore.com, as well as pros at Self.com and Misikko.com, say the CHI Rocket leaves hair smooth and frizz-free in less time than other blow dryers. Most also say that this dryer is very quiet, despite its mega-power.

The CHI warranty policy is a bit complex. Many Amazon.com reviewers discover only after purchasing this pricey tool that CHI does not honor the warranty when sold through unauthorized retailers. CHI has counterfeit warnings on its site, but it's not clear whether the dryers sold on Amazon are counterfeit or second quality. This makes it difficult to discern the actual quality of the CHI Rocket. Moreover, dryers that are purchased through licensed retailers are only covered for one year -- and the process of returning a dryer seems a bit complex -- the owner must retain a warranty card included in the original packaging.

Ease Of Use

Two attachments for versatile styling. The best testament to the CHI Rocket's ease of use is the overwhelming number of reviewers that say it cuts down their styling time significantly. Many reviewers give the Rocket two thumbs up for its featherweight feel. Misikko.com editors point out that the two attachments, a pick/comb attachment and a concentrator, offer "unlimited styling options." One owner mentions that because the Rocket dryer smoothes hair so well, her hair tends to tangle less when she uses it. The CHI doesn't offer multiple heat settings, but owners don't seem to have an issue with this; it has one button, which toggles between high and low, but it's unclear whether this controls heat and speed or only speed.