How many watts is a good hair dryer?

Many hairstylists recommend opting for one with a wattage of 1500 to 1800 as it may keep your styling time to a minimum without adding unnecessary heat damage or breakage. More is okay, too, but may be too powerful for some hair types— blow dryers for fine hair tend to have medium wattage or feature multiple heat and power settings, while hair dryers for thick hair tend to be equipped with high wattage.

What tools and products should I use with my hair dryer?

An affordable hair dryer works the same as any traditional dryer and can be used in tandem with any styling tools, brushes, or products that you typically use. We do recommend using a good heat protectant before blow-drying or styling.

8 Best Affordable Hair Dryers of 2024, Tested and Stylist-Backed

Conair InfinitiPRO SmoothWrap Hair Dryer with Dual Ion Therapy — Byrdie / Tamara Staples

TL;DR

The InfinitiPro By Conair SmoothWrap Hairdryer is our overall winner, scoring highly across all of our major categories during testing. Its ceramic technology and focussed airflow left us with shiny, bouncy hair that we’d have paid good money for in a salon. A close runner-up is the Revlon Salon Infrared Hair Dryer that marries affordability with efficacy in the very best way.

These days, you can easily spend upwards of $100, $200, even $300 + on a hair dryer. While that’s a worthy investment for some, there are plenty of more affordable options that can still help you achieve the perfect blowout. Stylist Krysta N. Rojas, owner of Base Salon in Chicago, says she's come across budget options for all hair types and textures, many of which feature the same bells and whistles that their more expensive counterparts have.

We decided to test that theory by trying dozens of the purported best affordable hair dryers on the market in our Manhattan-based Lab and at home. Byrdie staffers and professional hair stylists evaluated each model on several factors including the type of heat used, level of power, and how much noise it made. We considered hair dryers designed for all hair types and textures and noted if a model worked especially well on a particular type or texture. We also looked at extra features like portability and size. After chatting with professional stylists, we narrowed down our list. Not only are these top performers, but they also ring in at no more than $100.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Conair Hair Dryer at Amazon ($42)

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Best Runner-up:

Revlon Salon Infrared Hair Dryer at Amazon ($27)

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Best for Fast Results:

Remington Pro Wet2Style Dryer at Amazon ($29)

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Best Lightweight:

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dryer (See Price)

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Best for Frizz:

Rusk W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer at Amazon ($96)

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Best Splurge:

Kristin Ess Professional Hair Dryer at Amazon ($60)

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Best Hot Air Brush:

Hot Tools Gold One-Step Blowout and Volumizer at Amazon ($38)

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Best Ionic:

BaBylissPRO Porcelain Ceramic Carrera2 Dryer (See Price)

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Byrdie

Best Overall

Conair Hair Dryer

Amazon

View On Amazon $42 View On Ulta $42 View On Target $53

What We Like

Reduces frizz
Concentrated nozzle
Lightweight to travel with

What We Don't Like

Temperature options are limited

Features: Ceramic technology, ergonomic design, 3 heat and 2 speed settings, cold shot button | Wireless: No

Conair's InfinitiPro SmoothWrap hair dryer scored highly across all of our major categories. Not only did it make our hair look and feel amazing during testing with added volume and shine, but it also helped visibly reduce frizz. The brand claims it does this with Advanced Plasma Technology which uses positive and negative ions to moisturize and condition the hair. It also comes with a concentrated nozzle that delivers strong, even airflow that makes styling easier. The fact that it does all of this while remaining compact and travel-friendly meant it shot straight to the top of our shortlist.

Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Jessica Juliao

Best Runner-up

Revlon Salon Infrared Hair Dryer

Walmart

View On Amazon $27 View On Walmart $27 View On Opensky.com

What We Like

Enhances shine
Reduces heat damange
Manages frizz and flyawards

What We Don't Like

Difficult to navigate buttons while operating

Features: Infrared technology, ceramic coating, 2 heat settings, cold shot button, hanging ring, volumizing diffuser | Wireless: No

Costing less than $30, this tool truly defines what it means to marry affordability with supreme efficacy. It touts infrared heat technology that penetrates hair from the inside out, ultimately helping to minimize the likelihood of heat damage. Tourmaline technology helps reduce frizz, leaving hair smooth and shiny. Plus, it comes with both diffuser and concentrator attachments. The one irksome thing was it was a little tricky to change between the buttons while styling.

Best for Fast Results

Remington Pro Wet2Style Dryer

Remington

View On Amazon $29 View On Walmart $29 View On Remingtonproducts.com

What We Like

Fast styling
Dries quickly
Combines ceramic and ionic technology

What We Don't Like

Blowout-boost setting may be tricky for beginners to use

Features: Ceramic and Ionic Technology, 3 heat and 2 speed settings, cold shot button| Wireless: No

If you don’t have tons of time to get ready and blow-dry your hair in the morning, Remington’s Pro Wet2Style™ Dryer is our top suggestion. It allows you to dry and style your hair simultaneously without triggering damage like breakage. We tested its four different attachments (it comes with a diffuser, detangler, slipstream, and blowout boost) on different hair types in our lab and saw some amazing results. We styled curls with the diffuser and found it maintained each coil shape while adding body and movement. The Slipstream for pre-straightening also gave our testers with finer, wavey hair a gorgeous extra bounce.

Best Lightweight

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dryer

Amazon

View on Ulta View On Amazon $90 View On Walmart $78

What We Like

Lightweight and ergonomic
Enhances shine
Nano-titanium technology that speeds up dry time

What We Don't Like

Only comes with a single attachment

Features: Nano titanium technology, ion generator, 6 heat and speed settings, removable filter, 4-year limited warranty | Wireless: No

“I love this option because it’s lightweight and easy on your wrists,” says Rojas of one of her favorites. She also lauds it for a powerful, 2000-watt motor and nano-titanium technology which helps speed up dry time (always a win in our book) and tamp down errant frizz.

During testing, we found the power of this dryer to be just right—not too powerful or weak. It also offers a few temperature settings (high, low, and cool) for even heat distribution. Our hair was left bouncy and full of volume in less than 20 minutes. We just wish it came with more than one attachment for more styling flexibility.

Best for Frizz

Rusk W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer

Amazon

View On Amazon $96 View On Walmart $73 View On Ruskhair.com

What We Like

Very lightweight
Great for drying thicker, frizzy hair
Ceramic and tourlamine tech protects hair from damage

What We Don't Like

Button placement makes it hard to change settings mid-dry

Features: Infrared heat, ceramic and tourmaline technology, 3 heat settings, 2 speed settings, cold shot button | Wireless: No

This hair dryer totally reduces frizz while leaving our hair smooth and voluminous during testing. It’s also super easy to use with an even airflow and high and low settings that are easy to switch between. It only comes with one attachment but if you simply want a straightforward hair dryer, this definitely delivers on its promises.

Rojas says she “continuously goes back” to this dryer. “It’s especially great for smoothing out thick, curly hair because it uses infrared heat waves to penetrate the hair more deeply. This results in a faster dry time, as well as less static and frizz,” she says. Also nice: It weighs less than a pound. The button placement can make it a little challenging to switch settings while drying though.

Best Splurge

Kristin Ess Professional Hair Dryer

Kristin Ess

View On Amazon $60 View On Target $100 View On Kristinesshair.com

What We Like

Long-lasting motor
Ionic technology can be turned on and off
Great for all hair types

What We Don't Like

It's quite loud

Features: On/off ionic technology, brushless motor, lightweight, cool shot button, removable air filter | Wireless: No

At $100, this just made the cut for what we consider “affordable." It may be the priciest pick on our list, but it’s also one of the most powerful and impressive. We love that it uses ionic technology that can be turned on or off. Leave it off if you’re after a big hair look or more textured style; turn it on if you want to go super smooth and sleek (or have thick or curly hair). A brushless motor helps you dry even larger sections of hair fast and uses less electricity than standard motors. It also has an impressive 3,000-hour lifespan.

We found it did indeed dry our hair quickly during testing, and its ionizing feature definitely helped reduce frizz. It also maintained an even temperature and airflow that didn’t leave any damage. And, the design is just gorgeous making it a luxe addition to any vanity table or counter. Our only complaint is that it's pretty loud, so don't use if anyone at home is still sleeping.

Best Hot Air Brush

Hot Tools Gold One-Step Blowout and Volumizer

Hot Tools 24K Gold One-Step Blowout and Volumizer

Walmart

View On Amazon $38 View On Ulta $80 View On Walmart $24

What We Like

Great option for second-day hair
Makes easy to create different styles

What We Don't Like

Heat setting aren't adjustable

Features: Charcoal-infused bristles, detachable design | Wireless: No

We know, we know, it’s not a hair dryer per se, but, according to Rojas, this hot air brush is ideal for recreating salon looks at home. Your hair needs to be 90% dry before you grab this, but once you do, it’s great for creating volume, smoothness, and shine much faster than you could achieve with a blow dryer alone, she says. She also lauds the charcoal-infused bristles that help refresh hair (charcoal is a natural exfoliator and detoxifier). Pair this with some dry shampoo to touch up your hair after a workout or on the second (or third) day post-washing, and you'll be good to go.

Best Ionic

BaBylissPRO Porcelain Ceramic Carrera2 Dryer

Amazon

View on Ulta View On Amazon $95 View On Ulta $95

What We Like

Uses far-infrared technology to dry hair fast
Easy to use
Protects the hair from damage

What We Don't Like

Doesn’t come with additional hair attachments

Features: Far-Infrared heat, lonic and Porcelain Ceramic™' technology, six heat settings, cold shot | Wireless: No

This hair dryer made an incredible difference to our tester’s hair in the lab, adding bounce and volume to her fine strands. Drying and styling also only took less than 20 minutes. The brand says the drying prowess comes down to ionic and porcelain technology with far-infrared heat that dries the hair gently without causing damage. It also has six heat settings, a concentrator nozzle, and a cold-shot button, so you can easily control the final look.

Our only complaint is that it’s a little heavy and doesn’t come with any additional attachments for different hair textures. But, if neither of those details matter to you, this one's a total no-brainer.

What To Look For in an Affordable Hair Dryer

Adjustable settings: Even without all the bells and whistles of pricer hair dryers, affordable dryers still have the option to provide you with adjustable heat and speed settings. These allow you to tailor the blow-dry to your specific hair, which, in turn, may prevent unwanted hair frying or damage. With adjustable heat, you can use lower heat settings depending on your hair type (you'll want to use different amounts for thinner or thicker hair). The same applies to speed settings.
Attachments: If you're planning on using your hair dryer for more than just drying, opt for one that includes attachments. With the attachments, you'll achieve a sleeker blowout style and diffuse your curls, which will also help make it more worth your $$$ and more versatile for different hair types. Hair dryers for curly hair, for example, typically include several attachments like diffusers and brushes.
Weight: The weight of a hair dryer may not be something you immediately consider, but if you have very long, thick hair or limited mobility in your arms you’ll be grateful for a lightweight model. During testing, we noticed when a hair dryer felt heavier or lighter than most, so you’ll find that mentioned in the individual review where it’s applicable. If you plan to use it as a travel hair dryer as well, you might want to opt for a lighter version.

FAQ

How many watts is a good hair dryer?

Many hairstylists recommend opting for one with a wattage of 1500 to 1800 as it may keep your styling time to a minimum without adding unnecessary heat damage or breakage. More is okay, too, but may be too powerful for some hair types—blow dryers for fine hair tend to have medium wattage or feature multiple heat and power settings, while hair dryers for thick hair tend to be equipped with high wattage.
What tools and products should I use with my hair dryer?

An affordable hair dryer works the same as any traditional dryer and can be used in tandem with any styling tools, brushes, or products that you typically use. We do recommend using a good heat protectant before blow-drying or styling.

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. She’s a regular hair dryer user, and has used (and been impressed by) many of the ones featured on this list.

Catherine Hufton is a London-based lifestyle and beauty journalist and has been a contributing writer and editor for Byrdie since 2022. She digs deep into all things fashion and beauty to find the very best shopping must-haves—from the most effective collagen serums to the best makeup palettes.

Expert interviewed: Krysta N. Rojas is a stylist, colorist, and the owner of Base Salon in Chicago. She specializes both in curly hair and balayage.