WH tested 65 blow dryers to find the best ones (2025)

Whether you wash your hair every day or once a week, the humble hair dryer is probably one of the most heavily used beauty devices we have in our homes. However, when they all come with different claims, endless attachments and a wide range of price points, it can be hard to know which hair dryer is best for you.

To ensure you’re using the best one for your hair type, the Women's Health Lab rigorously tested the biggest brands in haircare to see which live up to the hype. And we’ve found powerful machines that create salon-worthy results for as little as £24.99. Here are our testers' top picks:

What is ionic technology and do I need it?

Today, many machines come with ionic technology. This produces negative ions that are transferred from the dryer to the hair and attract the positive ions in water molecules, resulting in fewer flyaways and quicker drying times. It’s a useful feature to have if you’re looking for silky-smooth hair.

Other key features to look out for

If you're looking to streamline your beauty admin, it can be tempting to go with a hair dryer with higher wattage, and while this does mean you’ll benefit from stronger airflow, and therefore a faster dry time, it can also make machines heavier and harder to wield, so something to bear in mind.

Look out for machines with multiple heat and speed settings, as this will allow you to pick the right one for your hair type, as well as a cool shot button for setting your style.

What is the best hair dryer for my hair type?

Those with fine hair should avoid very high temperatures, so look for machines offering lower heat settings.

Turn the temperature up, though, if you have thick hair — this will enable you to dry your locks more quickly, reducing potential heat damage in the process.

A diffuser is key to distributing heat slowly and evenly through curly hair, while variable heat settings and ionic technology will help to protect afro hair from breakages. A cool shot setting will set curls in place, too.

How we test

We asked 350 women with a range of hair types, from fine to afro, to try out 65 different hair dryers. Each machine was judged on speed, ease of use, noise levels and weight. Most importantly, we also wanted to know which ones created the best finished result for every hair type.

Over in the WH Lab, our team measured airflow and casing temperatures and further assessed the instructions and design.

Oh-so-quiet and satisfyingly sleek, the T3 doesn't come cheap but boy does it deliver. The volume booster is our favourite function, which worked a treat, but the extensive heat and speed settings allow complete personalisation, whatever your hair type. Well-balanced, with a slim handle, the testers couldn’t have been happier with their soft, shiny hair.

Don’t let that strange little mini tank thing put you off — it contains argan oil for spritzing hair as you dry it, leaving your tresses looking hydrated and shiny. Our panel didn’t find it the best at banishing frizz, but it left testers with moisturised, healthy-looking ends and all agreed that it added volume around their roots.

Designed to transform dull, damaged hair into a sleek masterpiece, our panel was particularly impressed with how it eradicated flyaways. The auto-adjusting hot and cold mode was great for afro hair and there’s a gentle scalp setting to protect your skin (it’s a game changer for doing your fringe!) The folding handle also means you could legit pack this one in your gym bag for gorgeous hair on the go.

Similar to the ghd Air (above), albeit a little lighter and even quieter, the Helios is a good-looking machine, with impressively fast airflow for speedy drying. Available in six colours, testers loved the matte body and metallic details, but most importantly, their hair was left soft, shiny and smooth.

Save yourself some precious minutes in the morning with this speedy rose gold machine. The majority of testers said the powerful airflow dried hair quickly, and the diffuser emphasised curls while reducing frizz. Overall, a well-balanced machine, offering sleek results at a great price.