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Hair Dryers Reviews
Updated October 2007
Ionic, ceramic and tourmaline are the latest buzzwords when it comes to hair dryers. According to Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Erin White, " 'Ceramic' is the most important one to latch on to … if a package says 'ceramic,' that means the coil is made of ceramic," not metal. Unlike metal, ceramic heats evenly and is self-regulating, which means it isn't likely to become hot enough to damage hair. Hair dyers with ceramic heating coils often offer dual ceramic/ionic technology, although many hair dryers offer ionic technology only. Ions are molecules with a positive or negative charge. According to manufacturers, instead of taking the air from the room and heating it, an ionic hair dryer uses negative ions to shrink the water droplets in hair. Manufacturers claim that negatively charged ions help dry hair faster and with less damage, making it smooth and shiny. However, The Wall Street Journal quotes Bill Nazaroff, professor of environmental engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, as saying there's "remarkably little good science" to either prove or disprove this claim. Testers at The Wall Street Journal further point out that while most manufacturers claim negative ions to be the most beneficial, and to even combat hair damage caused by positive ions, The Sharper Image uses positive ions in their hair dryers. When questioned by The Wall Street Journal, The Sharper Image's "ion experts" said their positive ions should produce the same result as negative ions -- shiny, smooth hair. But despite the apparent inconsistencies in the "science," all of the reviews we found -- including ones at The Wall Street Journal and Good Housekeeping -- say that ionic hair dryers do indeed make hair smooth, shiny and healthy-looking in testing. Owners posting to Epinions and Amazon.com second that finding. The newest buzz in hair dryers focuses on the use of tourmaline. Tourmaline
is a type of gemstone thought to help hair dry faster and add shine. While
many ionic hair dryers have come down in price, if a hair dryer package reads "tourmaline," it
still can cost up to $300. Tourmaline is believed to generate a higher number
of negative ions than ionic technology alone. The more negative ions, the faster
the drying time (up to 70 percent, according to Good Housekeeping tests) and
the sleeker and shinier the hair becomes. So, do ceramic, ionic and tourmaline hair dryers really do what they claim,
or could there be other factors at work? The science and testing behind ionic
hair dryers is not satisfying enough for our editorial team to be convinced.
On the other hand, many ionic models can be purchased at little or no extra
cost over a hair dryer that lacks ion features, and 90 percent of the dryers
on the market now are ionic hair dryers. In addition, many people -- including
many consumer reviewers -- report that they do work better, despite a lack
of scientific evidence that explains why. Accordingly, despite some skepticism
in the basic research, all of our ConsumerSearch Fast Answers selections for
this report are ionic hair dryers. Also, keep in mind that many other variables can affect how hair looks, including
water minerals, shampoo, conditioner, styling products and even the type of
brush used while blow drying. None of the sources we found mention how those
factors may have contributed to the results they achieved from blow drying.
However, Good Housekeeping editors performed its tests on standardized hair
swatches, reporting that an under-$35 model beat out the $200 and $300 professional
hair dryers that were also evaluated. In short, ionic and ceramic technologies
should be just one factor to consider when buying a blow dryer. In our research,
we found there to be good hair dryers and not-so-good hair dryers at a variety
of price points, regardless of the technologies used.
... Continued
Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our As our Consensus Chart illustrates, almost every well-reviewed hair dryer today has ionic, ceramic and/or tourmaline technology. The Revlon RV544 1875-Watt Tourmaline Ionic Hair Dryer costs far less than many other models that use tourmaline technology and actually outperforms several of them in a head-to-head test. For those who want the power and long life of a professional-grade hair dryer, the T3 Tourmaline Professional Featherweight Ceramic Ionic is an easy choice. It is lightweight compared to other professional hair dryers, has a long warranty -- as long as you buy it from an authorized reseller -- and has important features such as dual speeds and a cool shot. The Conair Ion Shine Travel Ionic Styler 162 delivers lots of power and has a folding handle for travel or storage. Advertisement
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* Pricing information is approximate as of the time this report was written and is based on observed market selling prices and/or list prices. Actual selling prices may differ.
