5 Things to Know Before Buying a New Hair Dryer
Spot the difference between marketing jargon and effective technologies
Shopping for a new hair dryer can be an overwhelming experience. With thousands of brands and models to choose from, it can be difficult to tell the difference between marketing buzzwords and real technology.
So we talked to hair experts and hair dryer engineers to break down exactly what consumers should look for before springing for a new machine. After all, even if you don’t use a hair dryer every day, you do wear your hair every day—so you want one that can do the job without damaging your locks.
1. The Basics
At minimum, a hair dryer should have at least three heat settings, so you can adjust the temperature to your needs. It should also come with the appropriate attachments for your hair type.
“Consumers should look for a blow-dryer that has at least three temperature/speed settings to allow for customized styling of all hair types and to achieve the perfect blowout,” says Anna Kimble, senior director of global education and events at Drybar, a chain of blowout salons and maker of hair styling tools.
2. Materials and Technologies
When perusing hair dryers online or in the aisle at your local beauty store, you’ll likely notice that different models are made with different technologies or materials—typically ionic, ceramic, and/or tourmaline.
“Ionic, ceramic, and tourmaline technologies reduce frizz and static and help to dry hair faster than standard dryers,” says Annmarie Parker, senior instructor at Arrojo Cosmetology School in New York City.
That’s because ionic, ceramic, and tourmaline technologies release negative ions. Hair tends to have positive ions, and negative ions help counteract them to neutralize static and flyaways. Tourmaline and ceramic are also good conductors of heat, meaning they help the dryer dry your hair more efficiently.
3. Wattage
Heat and airflow speed are the main mechanisms by which a blow-dryer dries your hair. Using a lower heat setting will take longer than using a higher heat setting, and the same goes for speed. When you see wattage listed on the box or in product description, what it’s trying to convey is how much power the hair dryer has.
“The power of the hair dryer will determine the heat and speed you can achieve,” says Nilofer Farjo, a hair restoration surgeon based in Manchester, England, and president of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, adding that 1,800 watts is good for home use.
She says lower wattage, such as 1,200 watts, may mean that you have to dry your hair longer because the dryer won’t be able to get up to higher temperatures. But lower power also means a smaller motor, which means a more compact and lighter hair dryer. Travel hair dryers and hair dryers at hotels tend to have lower wattage.
4. Brushless Motor
Newer model hair dryers may advertise a “brushless motor” feature.
Here’s how it works: Magnets cause a motor to rotate. Both brush and brushless motors have magnets, the difference is that brushed motors have metals that act as brushes to conduct the current to get the motor to spin. In brushless motors, permanent magnets conduct the current thus reducing the friction.
“In order to get the motor to spin, you have to swap the polarity of the magnets,” Burrowes says. The benefit of a brushless motor is that because there’s less friction, the motor tends to last longer.
5. Which Heat and Speed Settings to Use
“Heat settings that you should use depend on your hair type,” Farjo says.
She recommends that those with straight, short, or medium-length hair that is lightweight will take less time to dry, so it’s better to use high speed and cooler settings. Those with thick, wavy, or curly hair take longer to dry, so it’s better to use a low speed and a high heat setting.
“But other factors have to be taken into account,” Farjo says. For example, if you are in a humid room, it will take longer to dry your hair than if you are in a dryer environment.
The cold setting, meanwhile, can be used after styling to set the curl.
“You will have noticed that hairdressers stretch the hair with the brush at the roots and apply heat but then wait before removing the brush,” Farjo says. “This is so that the hair cools first, resulting in the hair staying in the curled position.”
Speed has other purposes, too.
“Different speeds enable different styling options and different levels of control,” Parker says. “A low speed gives you lots of control, whereas a high speed is great for a quick rough dry. For example, if you wanted to get a supersmooth style with no frizz, the control of a lower speed would be best. Going for a rolled-out-of-bed look? Rough dry on high speed with hands.”
Hair Dryer Care and Maintenance
“If your hair dryer has a filter, it’s important to clear it every once in a while,” Burrowes says. “If you don’t, the filter can get blocked and cause the hair dryer to overheat.”
Check your owner’s manual to find out whether your hair dryer has a filter and how often you should clear it. With proper maintenance, a good hair dryer can last for years.
