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Those blessed (or cursed) with a head of thick, luscious hair know the struggle of finding a blow dryer that will actually dry it. This hair dryer from BaByliss not only dries thick hair in minutes, it also feels surprisingly lightweight. This hair dryer may not have all the bells and whistles of the fancier (and pricier) options on this list, but it gets the job done beautifully. We found this dryer to be one of the most powerful we’ve ever tested and were shocked that it dried our thick, wavy hair in less than 10 minutes. Although first impressions aren’t everything, the sleek design of this T3 hair dryer nearly won us over, although we were curious whether such a small hair dryer would be powerful enough for a proper blowout.
What makes a blow-dryer the best tool for styling hair?
The diffuser's fingers work within the twists and turns of your hair, enhancing its natural shape—though you can take it off and use it as a regular hairdryer to achieve a great blowout. Our editors are constantly trying out new products and speaking to experts to determine the best of all things beauty, and hair dryers are among the most tested. Ahead, read up on how we tested, reviewed, and determined the best hair dryers for seamless drying and styling pleasure. For those who want to “take textured hair straight, you’ll need a concentrator attachment to smooth out strands and create shine,” says Giovanni Vaccaro, hairstylist and co-founder of the on-demand beauty service, GlamSquad. “I prefer a thin attachment that helps concentrate air on a smaller section.” The Pattern Blow Dryer comes with brush, wide tooth comb, diffuser, and concentrator nozzle and is great for curly hair. One editor with wavy, thick and dry hair, who was accustomed to using the highest heat settings, found that this dryer didn’t cut down on her drying time as much as she would have liked.
Best Hair Dryer for Curly and Wavy Hair
Testing hundreds of haircare products each year, the GH Institute Beauty Lab has expertise on all the best hot tools, from hair straightening brushes to hair straighteners to curling irons. Our scientists evaluated 41 hair dryers across price points when testing the best hair dryers. That included measuring drying speed on standardized human hair samples, airflow force, weight, air and surface temperature and cord length. There are lots of excellent budget-friendly blow dryers that do wonders for curly hair. We're big fans of Revlon's Volume Booster on account of its 1875 watts of power, three heat settings, two speed settings, and curl-enhancing diffuser attachment.
Upgrade pick: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
In simple terms, ion technology produces negative ions which work to seal the hair's cuticle and break down positively charged ions found in water molecules. This process ultimately helps your hair to dry faster, allowing you to use lower temperatures and spend less time applying direct heat to your curls. This is extremely beneficial for curly hair, because curls are often fragile and prone to frizz and heat damage. Using an ionic hair dryer will help you to maintain the health of your curls while transforming your hair from wispy and frizzy to sleek and smooth. The accompanying attachments make it one of the best blow dryers for curly hair for creating different looks.
When you're on the go, you can count on the T3 Featherweight to take care of your curls. This hair dryer isn't just small—it also folds up into a conveniently compact configuration. And if you think portability means you have to sacrifice power, we're happy to tell you this dual-voltage gadget is just as efficient as its full-sized counterparts. For accentuated curls anytime, anywhere, consider getting the diffuser attachment too.
While our wavy hair did receive the results we set out to achieve (a straight blowout without the need for a follow-up tool), our coily hair still needed a second tool to straighten the ends. The wide-tooth comb wasn't particularly useful for drying our kinky hair, not completely drying it and leaving the ends puffy. We love a good multitasking product, and the Shark HyperAir Hair Dryer is certainly no exception to the rule; it’s an ideal choice for those seeking the best dryer-brush combo.
She also reviews applications, substantiates claims and evaluates products for the GH Seal and the Beauty Awards and Sustainability Awards programs. In chemistry from Ithaca College and more than 16 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries. In Lab tests, it scored in the middle of the pack in everything from ease of use to performance to user satisfaction. While short barrel and compact design makes it foolproof to use on shorter tresses (and the perfect size for travel, too), the tool may be too short to use effectively on longer hair. If the cord was retractable, we’d say this option is pretty much perfect, especially for someone looking to really increase volume in fine hair. A true investment piece, the Dyson SuperSonic Hair Dryer arrived at our doorstep loaded with five different attachments and a high-powered, three-heat setting panel.

At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any hair dryers for curly hair from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at and we will evaluate the product ASAP. The Hot Tools Professional Black Gold Turbo Ionic Salon Dryer (DC Motor) is extremely light at only 14 ounces. But it also has the most buttons and slides and switches of any hair dryer we’ve ever tested, including a cool-shot button, a power-boost slide, an ion select wheel, and switches for speed and temp—whew! The EZ Dryer Ion is the most effective and efficient paddle-style hair dryer brush we tested.
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When you use your fingers to scrunch, separate, or even plop your curly hair, you're left with great definition that enhances your curl pattern. Now combine that technique with ionic drying technology that is dispersed from all sides of the diffuser's "fingers," and you get reduced drying time, less frizz, and a ton of lift sans the heat damage. Its tourmaline ceramic technology helps seal in moisture and prevent frizzy hair, experts told us. Other attachments include the brand’s Double-Layered Detangler Pik and Single-Layered Detangler Pik that help smooth and straighten hair, according to Kiss. It also comes with a removable filter, which Lothrop says is important to clean regularly.
A lot of curly girls steer clear of heat, but the reality is that hair dryers for curly hair are like any heated styling tool (including the best straighteners for curly hair) and can make wash day and styling a lot easier when used correctly. To select this list of the best hair dryers for curly hair, our editors conducted extensive testing on over 25 top-rated tools, evaluating the devices on types 2a to 4c hair. With this extensive first-hand testing and expert suggestions, we’ve narrowed down the best hair dryers for curly hair.
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If you want a diffuser or smoothing comb, you’ll need to purchase it separately. If you're a novice when it comes to blowouts, the Pro Artist Black Gold 2000 Watt Ionic Hair Dryer might sound intimidating, but it's actually as user-friendly as it gets. Balancing a hair dryer in one hand — while using your fingers to maneuver the different modes — and using a styling brush in another is no easy feat, but with this Hot Tools dryer, the whole process is simple.
"The bowl-shaped cradles curls without disrupting them while they dry." We appreciate that the dryer backed by a two-year warranty (you just have to remember to register your product to activate it). Marabello says a lighter, smaller dryer like this one is best for clients to use on their own because they can more easily maneuver the brush. One caveat, though, is that it comes with only one attachment — a contouring nozzle — but the brand has a compatible diffuser, which is available for purchase separately.
According to Stewart, if you have heat damage, try drying hair on a low setting with warm or cool air instead of with hot air on a high setting. "In addition, you can use a heat protectant or serum prior to blow drying to protect your strands," she says. Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat & UV Protective Primer is one of our favorites because it provides heat and UV protection, moisturizes, detangles, and cuts down frizz. Put to use on our very thick, long, wavy hair (which historically takes forever to dry), the Harry Josh Ultra Light Pro Dryer proved its prowess as the best professional-grade tool in its class. This mint-green, French-made dryer weighs in at under a pound, yet produces a powerful airstream that goes virtually unheard, thanks to its patented silencer that drops the noise volume considerably. With a 22-minute blow dry completed on fine, color-treated hair, the dryer delivered a sleek, salon-quality blowout with no heat damage reported.
The dryer also has auto-dual voltage, meaning it can be used anywhere in the world — so no matter where your travels take you, a sleek blowout will always be available. It's worth noting that the highest heat setting isn't super hot, but it didn't bother us, as it kept us from burning our hair. In addition to being incredibly lightweight, the blow dryer has some pretty unique settings. Despite having two settings (hot and cool), we wanted more heat settings, especially a medium option, for a more customizable drying experience. With a strong, even airflow, it took about 20 minutes to thoroughly dry our hair, resulting in a flippy, bouncy look.