Hair Dryers : Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentEditors of ConsumerReports.org test 10 hair dryers for ease of use, noise, features and overall drying time. All models dried hair in about the same time regardless of price and wattage. The editors say claimed differences made by ceramic and tourmaline technologies are hard to assess. Still, most of the recommended models have one or more of those features.

Our AssessmentTesters at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute say that ionic hair dryers add more shine to hair and reduce more static compared to standard dryers, but they only shave a minute or so off of drying time. The Conair Ion Shine created the most shine of those tested, while their other pick, a Panasonic model, is now discontinued.

Our AssessmentEditors at Real Simple magazine put 40 hair dryers to the test and choose four winners. The T3 Featherweight Luxe is named the Best Overall. Non-winning dryers aren't listed, however. Testing criteria aren't spelled out either.

Our AssessmentEditors for the British magazine Which? test nine hair dryers for overall performance, drying speed, noise, convenience and durability. Although none of the models tested are available in the United States, this article is useful for its testing of manufacturer claims regarding ionic technology. It also includes a helpful buyer's guide for different hair types.

Our AssessmentConsumers and stylists offer opinions of their purchases on this beauty-supply site. The editors at Folica pick 10 dryers based on user reviews, materials and technologies, versatility and warranties. Some of the dryers listed are only reviewed a few times, while others have hundreds of reviews. Of the 10 dryers recommended, the Sedu Revolution 4000i is reviewed most often -- more than 500 times. Other frequently reviewed, top-rated dryers include the Solia 1875, BaByliss Pro TT Tourmaline 3000 and Elchim 2001 Professional Hair Dryer.

Our AssessmentThis 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. No testing criteria are given, but the favorites include the Solano Top Power Ion 1875 Watt Hair Dryer, an ionic hair dryer. Ceramic dryers like the CHI Turbo Professional Dryer and the Twin Turbo Ceramic Ionic 3200 offer even heat distribution at lower temperatures and are a good bet for straightening. Three tourmaline dryers -- the Conair Infiniti Tourmaline Ionic Styler, the BaByliss Pro Tourmaline 5000 and the T3 Tourmaline Featherweight Hair Dryer -- are the top choices for those who "put their dryers through the ringer."

Our AssessmentHundreds of consumer reviews are posted to Amazon.com. Most hair dryers only receive a few reviews, but some receive more than 150 comments. Of those dryers with many reviews, the Conair Infiniti Professional Tourmaline Ceramic Ionic Styler 213X, Revlon RV544 1875-Watt Tourmaline Ionic Lightweight Dryer, Andis RC-2 Ionic Travel Dryer, BaByliss Pro BAB2000, Infiniti Pro by Conair AC Motor Styling and Conair Infiniti Tourmaline Hair Designer receive the highest ratings. The quality of the user-written reviews, however, varies greatly. In general, ion and tourmaline hair dryers get good comments.

Our AssessmentThere aren't nearly as many hair-dryer reviews at MakeupAlley.com as there are at Amazon.com, and the pages are harder to navigate, but the reviews are useful and are complementary to other user-review sources. Top-rated dryers with the most reviews include the T3 Tourmaline Featherweight Travel dryer, Revlon RV544, T3 Tourmaline Evolution and Super Solano.

Our AssessmentMisikko.com specializes in professional-grade hair and beauty products. The editors rate the top 10 hair dryers in various categories, awarding the HANAair Professional Best Overall, the CHI Rocket Best Salon Hair Dryer and the X5 Superlite Tourmaline the top-rated travel dryer. It is unclear as to whether any actual testing is done by the editors, and consumer reviews tend to be short.

Our AssessmentJulyne Derrick, About.com's beauty guide, lists recommended blow-dryer brands and product lines in six categories, though not always specific models. It's not clear whether any dryers were tested for this article, but Derrick discloses that she personally uses a Conair Infiniti hair dryer. She also recommends Conair and T3 Tourmaline dryers in general. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentScientists answer all types of questions posted by contributors to the MadSci Network, an education site devoted to science. In this particular post, David Akerman, a research and development scientist, answers a question about the purpose of ionic technology in hair styling tools. Akerman says that there is no research to back up claims that ionic hair dryers are superior to standard hair dryers. He says styling products are the likely cause of good results, rather than a particular hair dryer.