18 Best Hair Dryers According to Your Hair Type

Simply punch ‘hair dryers’ into a search bar or walk into a local department store; you’ll be overwhelmed with literally thousands of choices and jargon available. Of course, being somewhat specific about the dryer’s purpose may help you. But still, it’s a mess that can never let you pick up precisely the dryer you – and your hair – voluntarily want to fall in love with. So, for your ease, we’ve figured out a critical aspect that can help you determine which dryer will suit you the best. That is: selecting the best hair dryers according to hair type.

If we can’t change the hair type we’re born with, we can still work with it. We can keep the best tools at our disposal to ensure we create something that we love and will receive great compliments from others. To your surprise, hundreds of hair dryers are already available, dedicated explicitly to hair type. A hair dryer designed for thick hair may not give its best on thinner hair. Likewise, a dryer having perfect features for Afro-American hair can never favor straight, fine hair, and vice versa for all.

Here, you’ll learn some essential concepts about hair dryers, our best hair dryer choices for each hair type, and a helpful buying guide to prevent any mistakes. Plus, The most important questions are answered at the end of the article.

Why Are Hair Dryers So Important?

Hair dryers gently take wetness away from hair, preparing it for the grooming style of your choice. Then, by providing a heat/air blast, they gently dry each section of your hair, minimizing any frizz and damage and making it shiny, healthy-looking, and sleek.

Other than hair dryers’ importance for hair, they can also help spot some fixable things from demisting your bathroom mirror, drying your clothing after a wash, to unfreezing your frozen food faster and blow-drying acrylic paint pouring or your personal care stuff like nail paint, etc.

What Features Characterize Great Hair Dryers?

An excellent hair dryer should have high wattage for faster drying + multiple heat/speed options to control the dryer’s intensity. Different technologies (ionic and ceramic etc.) are also essential to minimize damage caused by overheating. Additionally, for other hair types, added attachments, everything’s for maximum drying and styling flexibility and the safest blowout session.

What Are The Safety Aspects Of Hair Dryers?

First, make sure you buy the dryer from a reputable retailer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Below are other main points to consider for the safest blowouts and increasing the dryer’s lifespan.

• Power plug and cord come first when it comes to safety. The socket you plan to use in the dryer should contain RCD protection. Always unplug your hair dryer from the mains when not in use. Make sure that the plug and cord don’t get wet.
• Once you’ve done using the hair dryer, unplug it and let it cool on a heat-resistant surface. Never use the dryer while you’re in the bath or near a sink full of water. In case the dryer falls in the water, unplug it straight away and remove it.
• The maintenance of the dryer is also essential. First, clean the Blades and whichever removable parts of the dryer.

How To Use Hair Dryers Properly?

If you’re new to hair styling and want to enjoy the excellent experience hair dryers offer, here are some crucial aspects to keep in mind.

• For the pre-drying hair washout, we recommend using moisturizing shampoo instead of an ordinary one. The added moisture will help prevent hair damage caused by overheating while contributing to a shinier, smoother finish.
• Let the hair 60% dry before exposing it to the dryer. To do this, never aggressively towel-rub the hair; instead, wrap the towel over it and let it absorb excess water.
• Untangle the hair using a comb and divide it into sections according to length and thickness. The bigger the teams, the longer hair would take to dry.
• Start with a lower section as well as a lower heating option. The units on the base of the neck are the appropriate area to start with.
• Treat the hair with cold air and finish with a hair spray. Both acts help lock in style for longer, relax the hair, and protect it from further damage.

What Are The Different Types Of Hair Dryers?

Hair Dryer Types According to Material/Technology

Working in a hair dryer is a simple concept – the dryer’s heating element heats the cold air thrown by the dryer fan and then blows it out of the machine. However the dryer material is often ignored, which plays a vital role in the proper usage based on hair type and other styling needs. So, concerning this point, there are mainly four types of hair dryers:

Ionic Hair Dryer

Ionic dryers generate many negatively charged ions, which break down the positively charged water molecules and dry the hair without removing its natural moisture and making it smooth and silky.

Ceramic or Porcelain Hair Dryer

In ceramic hair dryers, the heating material is made of ceramic clay or porcelain rather than metallic. The ceramic material gets heated up very quickly and provides even heat, not causing hair damage. In addition, these dryers emit infrared heat, penetrating your hair shaft and locking the moisture within the hair.

Tourmaline Hair Dryer

Tourmaline technology is a multi-colored mineral (a gemstone) that generates heat gently and equally, such as making hair safe and less damaged. Tourmaline mineral emits both negatively charged ions and infrared heat, offering the benefits of both ionic and ceramic hair dryers.

Titanium Hair Dryer

You can call this the 3-in-1 hair dryer. In these dryers, the heating element is made up of titanium metal. These special dryers are designed so that all the technological benefits are found in one piece.

Hair Dryer Types According to Usage

Technological qualities of dryers are different things; different uses and situations pushed manufacturers to design the dryers differently. These are as follows:

Standing Hair Dryer

Especially popular in salons and beauty parlors, a standing hair dryer comes with a stand with a machine fixed on the top of the frame. This dryer allows the user to handle other businesses (or clients) while the dryer does its job almost automatically. We’ve compiled a list of the best standing hair dryers featuring all the must-have qualities that make for an excellent vertical hair dryer. From the adjustable stand, hood, timer, and heat, to slip-free wheels and the latest technologies, they feature everything that sets for the best piece out there.

Retractable Cord Hair Dryer

With the dryer’s power cord-related issues in mind, many companies manufacture these particular dryers. This dryer has a function that allows the cord to be pulled out and then pushed back into the dryer’s body or handle. You simply need to press a small button to do all this. Again, we’ve cherry-picked a range of the best retractable cord hair dryers that make you forget messy cord handling, thereby giving you a safer and more convenient blowout.

Choose The Best Hair Dryers For Your Hair Type

So, here you are for the main show – almost every hair type exists, and there’s a hair dryer to be served uniquely. So, let’s have a look right away!

Hair Dryers for Black Hair

The luxurious and loveliest hair type, black hair tends to get damaged and lose its original texture if it interacts with the wrong hair dryer.

Following are the hair dryer qualities that make black hair sustain its original luster and appear gorgeously unique.

• Wattage – Higher wattage = less drying time. Black hair absorbs more heat than other hair types, making it more vulnerable to damage. So a dryer with 1500-2000 watts is the perfect option for a reduced drying time.
• Multiple heat/speed settings – This option will help you to choose the level of heat and speed emitted from the dryer that suits your hair texture. Thick and coarse black hair, for example, requires a high-temperature option, while the low-heat option will do its best to thin fragile hair.
• Technologies – Anything between ionic, ceramic, titanium, or tourmaline would benefit black hair. There’s no specified rule here.

Recommended Top 3 Best Hair Dryers for Black Hair

1. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Portofino

2. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (Renewed)

3. GAMA Italy IQ Perfetto Professional Dryer

Best Hair Dryers for Thick Hair

We know how desirable you look if your hair is thick, but the wrong hair dryer can ruin the joy in seconds. This is because the thicker your hair, it takes longer to dry. In addition, this prolonged dryer-head interaction makes your hair vulnerable to damage and burnt out. So, the following properties make for the best hair dryers for thick hair.

• Powerful motor – Dryers with powerful and high-wattage motors dry thick hair faster and limit its exposure to heat. This, in turn, reduces the chances of hair damage and scalp irritation.
• Multiple heat/airspeed options – Thick hair can either be dense or scattered. Whichever side your hair falls on, multiple heat/airspeed settings will allow you to set the heat and air intensity as you like.
• Nozzle attachment – Managing and designing thick hair is sometimes a difficult thing. But a nozzle can help here. This device helps target the heat/air on a targeted hair section, allowing for quick and proper hairstyles.
• Cold shot feature – Thick hair is more likely to store heat than its other counterparts. The cold shot feature throws cold air to the hair, making it cool down faster and set the style in place.
• Technologies – Here, ionic technology works best since it locks in the hair’s natural moisture, making the hair look all shiny and smooth. Ceramic and tourmaline technologies also are very useful as they offer heat more evenly, thus minimizing hair damage.

Recommended Top 3 Best Hair Dryers for Thick Hair

1. SHRATE Professional 1800Watt Ionic Hair Dryer

2. Elchim Professional Ceramic and Ionic Hair Dryer

3. Sam Villa Lightweight & Quiet Ionic Professional Hair Dryer

Hair Dryers for Fine Hair

Conventional hair dryers are most likely to damage it easily for finer hair, and you end up with frazzled, flat, wispy locks. Additionally, fling options shrink for fine hair no matter how expensive the hair dryer you choose is.

The key hair dryer features for fine hair are:

• Multiple heating options – Among the low, medium, and high heating options many dryers offer, the best choice is the lowest one to prevent overheating damage.
• Cool air feature – Along with locking the style in place, this feature also literally cools hair down on accidental overheating.
• Technology – Ceramic or tourmaline dryers offer a consistent temperature, making heat less harsh.

Recommended Top 3 Best Hair Dryers for Fine Hair

1. BaBylissPRO Ceramix Xtreme Hair Dryer

2. RUSK Engineering 2000Watt Lightweight Hair Dryer

3. Revlon 1875W Infrared Hair Dryer

Hair Dryers for African American Hair

Finding a hair dryer for African  American hair is almost the same hassle as washing it out. A mere wash day can make you cancel your important plans. Picking the wrong hair dryer for your Afro-American hair can make it so frizzy, dull, and rough that others can easily notice you’ve just had a blowout! But, no worries, let’s discuss which hair dryer can give you the desirable, gorgeous styles for this hair type.

• High wattage and quick-drying – Afro-American hair are prone to damage if exposed to the dryer’s heat for longer. So, a dryer with high drying power would not cause any damage while reducing drying time.
• Lightweight – This hair type can take some extra time to get dried. So, only a lightweight dryer can make it easy to carry the dryer for a little while.
• Technologies – The best among other technologies, ionic dryers suit this hair type the best. This technology locks in moisture while drying hair, maintaining the hair’s original texture and luster.
• Cool shot feature – As mentioned previously, this feature helps set your finished look but is especially a must-have for Afro-American hair.
• Diffuser attachment – A diffuser helps dry bigger sections of hair quickly while adding a volumizing and bouncy effect.

Recommended Top 3 Best Hair Dryers for African American Hair

1. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

2. Andis 1875Watt Fold-N-Go Ionic Hair Dryer

3. Parlux Supercompact Strong Heat/Air-Featuring Hair Dryer

Hair Dryers for Thin Hair

Thin hair means fewer strands of hair growing on the scalp, no matter how thick your hair is. Want to decrease this number of strands? Simply opt for a dryer you don’t know is suitable for this hair type.

The perfect hair dryer features for thin hair are:

• Ceramic technology – This is where ceramic hair dryers always come in. A ceramic dryer offers quick drying time and less damage by efficiently and evenly distributing heat. Also, ceramic dryers will help add thickness and volume to thin hair. So not only will your fragile hair strands thank you for their managed, adequate heat, but you’d also be able to create a bouncy effect when styling.
• Wattage and multiple heat/airspeed options – It is clear that thin hair isn’t something you should expose to heat for longer. A hairdryer with high drying power will help reduce the drying time and prevent hair from getting damaged. Also, if the heat feels too harsh, there should be a heat option to set the temperature in an adequate setting.
• Nozzle attachment – Hair dryers push the air all around, causing your hair to become frizzy. A hairdryer with a nozzle can prevent this situation.

Recommended Top 3 Best Hair Dryers for Thin Hair

1. Remington D3190 Hair Dryer

2. Porcelain Ceramic by Babyliss Pro Hair Dryer

3. INFINITI PRO By Conair 1875Watt Pro Hair Dryer

Hair Dryers for 4c Hair

Curls are lovely, but those densely packed and tightly coiled (4C hair) ones demand much effort and patience to be styled up. Though using products specified for 4C hair is quite easy, the real problem occurs when you’re unsure about choosing a hair dryer for this type. So, we’ve just listed key hair dryer features that can help determine the right piece for you.

• Heat And Speed Settings – Only a dryer with multiple heat/speed settings will work here. Ensure the heat levels are enough to dry your hair but not too hot to cause damage.
• Wattage – Hair dries from the surface, remaining all wet inside. This is true for this curly, 4C hair type. To prevent this situation, you need to opt for a high-wattage dryer that takes less time drying hair from all directions while reducing the chances of damage.
• Technologies – Ionic technology stands out here – negative ions help minimize frizz while drying hair from inside out. Ceramic or tourmaline is perfect for minimizing damage – they provide an even heat distribution and ensure each section of hair is dried fully and properly.
• Diffuser attachment – A diffuser attachment is perfect for drying/styling curly hair. It helps you add textured waves and give a volumizing effect to your hair.
• Lightweight and ergonomic design – This depends on how the blow dryer feels in your hand while blow-drying your hair. It should not be so heavy that your wrist starts to hurt and shoulders strained after a few minutes of use.

Recommended Top 3 Best Hair Dryers for 4c Hair

1. Conair Hair Dryer with Diffuser and Concentrator

2. NITION Negative Ions Ceramic Hair Dryer with Diffuser

3. Hot Tools Helix Hair Dryer

What to Consider When Buying Hair Dryers?

• Save

Though considerations may vary depending on the purpose you’re picking a dryer for, some general key points to consider fit the best hair dryers for every purpose.

Drying Time

No matter the main function of a hair dryer, it should provide a fast-drying time. Hair Dryers with a slower-drying time cause your kinks or coils to be exposed to high heat for longer. As a consequence, your hair gets overheated and is prone to damage.

Adjustable Heat And Speed

A hairdryer with adjustable heat and speed settings benefits almost all hair types. This feature allows you to take control of the dryer’s temperature and the shot of airflow. Depending on your comfort levels and drying needs, you can adjust them anytime.

Attachments (Nozzle and Diffuser)

Added attachments like nozzle or diffuser can make a big difference in the best hair dryers according to hair type. If you have a specific style on your mind and want a particular area to get dried, a nozzle will help you get there.

Similarly, diffusers play a vital role in your hair formation if you have curlier hair. A diffuser throws air throughout your curls far better and minimizes damage. Plus, they also help reduce frizz and frayed hair.

Technologies

As stated previously, different technologies serve different hair types differently. You can refer to the section above to get the know-how for each technology and which one specifically works best for different hair types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Hair Dryers Have Magnetic Effects?

They have. All electronics devices emit electromagnetic radiation, including hair dryers, emitting EMF (electromagnetic field) radiation. Some hair dryers emit such a large amount of radiation in fair proximity to your head that it sometimes causes serious health consequences. Concerning dryer-head distance, they emit 60 mG – 200 mG, .1 mG – 1.5 mG, and <.1 mg for 1 inch, 1 ft, and 3-ft distances, respectively. The best way to have minimum exposure to hair dryer EMF radiation is to opt for the best low EMF hair dryers.

Is it Safe to Use a Hair Dryer With Wet Hands?

No. Hair dryers are designed not to cause an electric shock if handled with wet hands, but it’s better to avoid doing so. Since water is a very good conductor of electricity, you should never touch hair dryers or other appliances with your hands wet. Also, you shouldn’t ever reach into the water to pull out a hair dryer/appliance that is plugged in.

Will a Hair Dryer Kill Lice?

To your surprise, high heat and air volumes can help eliminate lice. So yes, hair dryers can help kill lice. But studies indicate that hair dryers are more effective at killing nits (lice eggs) than they’re on lice bugs themselves. The difference also depends on the type of the dryer. Professional, high-power dryers can kill around 80% of lice, whereas a poor quality, low-wattage hair dryer is less competent, around 10%.

Will a Hair Dryer Cause Hair to Fall?

Wondering about losing an abnormal amount of hair while blow-drying your hair is quite a natural thing. And this surely has some connection to the act of blow-drying. But as long as you’re not feeling irritated or burnt out on your hair scalp during blow-drying and still are losing hair, there is no need to blame the dryer – the root cause is something else, my friend.

Can a Hair Dryer Straighten Hair?

Yes, it can do. But still, there would be a difference between how a flat iron does the job. For example, to use the hair dryer to straighten your hair, you need to know your hair type, keep a comb/brush handy to tighten the hair up while blowing out, and use hair products to make hair smoother and frizz-free.

Can a Hair Dryer Damage Hair?

Yes, a hair dryer can easily damage your hair and cause other problems like dryness, roughness, loss of hair color, etc. However, the only key to making each blowout the safest session you need to learn how to use a hair dryer properly. This learning can include knowing your hair type and choosing the dryer accordingly, pre and post-drying preps, the proper use of the added attachments, and the list can go on and on.

To Sum Up

Now you have the required knowledge to get a huge leg up. Just determine your hair type, and you have the opportunity to pick up the best piece for the gorgeous styles you crave for. Wishing you the very best of luck with settling on our (and hopefully your) new best friend!