have curly hair it is a challenge. She used to let it air dry, but she couldn’t stand sitting with her hair wet all day and ending up with frizzy curls. I needed to find the best hair dryer for my unmanageable locks. Even if you don’t use it every day, it’s nice to have one on hand for certain situations, like when you’re rushing to work fresh out of the shower, your delicate curls need to be diffused, or you crave soft, shiny hair. Locks.
There are an infinite number of hair dryers in all price ranges and a dizzying variety of brands. If you have easy-to-manage hair that just needs to dry faster, you can probably use any inexpensive blow dryer you find at your local CVS. But some of us have more temperamental hair that needs specific care. We’ve tested standard hair dryers, blow-drying brushes, diffusers, and multi-purpose tools on fine and thick hair. These are our favorites.
Be sure to read our other hair and beauty guides, including the best hair straighteners and best curling irons.
Updated May 2024: We added the Tymo Airhype hair dryer to honorable mentions. We’ve also moved the dryer brushes to their own guide.
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