With so many professional styling tools available on the market, choosing the best hair dryer requires research. You need to know what professional stylists look for in the best hair dryers and consider the key features that dryers have to help you achieve your at-home goals and preferences.
With that in mind, we’ve spoken to our stylists and asked them precisely what they look for in professional, salon-grade hair dryers. We’ve compiled this information here and explained why three of our highly-rated hair dryers tick all of the boxes.
So, read on to discover what to look for in a professional hair dryer and discover three products you can consider investing in for less than $200.
What is a professional hair dryer?
Professional hair dryers are high-quality styling tools that you can rely on for a salon-grade blow dry at home. Rather than buying a cheap dryer that can damage your hair and scalp, investing in a professional dryer will enable you to blow dry your hair at home without drying out the hair follicles and ensuring that your hair retains much of its natural moisture.
Moreover, when you choose one of the best professional dryers, you can benefit from advanced ionic technology to eliminate frizz and reduce drying time. Also, lightweight professional hair dryers are a great option for mobile use, so you can pack them in your suitcase if you travel for work or head off on vacation.
If you’re sold on the idea of achieving a salon-grade blow dry at home, join us as we explain what to look for in the best lightweight professional hair dryers and discover three dryers you can choose from without breaking the bank.
What to look for in a good professional hair dryer?
Investing in hair dryer professional brands will give you the edge when drying and styling your hair at home. But what should you look for in professional hair dryers for sale? Here are some of the most important features to be aware of:
Drying time
Perhaps the biggest advantage of switching to a professional hair dryer is to experience faster drying times. The cheapest blow dryers tend to take considerably longer than advanced tools to dry your hair, and they’re much less efficient.
The best dryers tend to have advanced brushless motors with high power, ensuring that you can dry your hair quickly and efficiently. We recommend looking for dryers with at least 1,400W of power, as they will deliver the fastest results.
Technology
Though porcelain and ceramic dryers have long been popular, recent technological advances have meant that stylists are now turning to ionic technology to achieve impressive results. Ionic hair dryers emit negative ions, which are extremely effective at breaking down water molecules.
These ions prevent your hair from drying out, which is key to eliminating frizz and breakage. When you use a professional ionic dryer, you will notice a much smoother and shinier blow dry.
Temperature and speed
Another thing that most people appreciate about hair dryers for professionals is that they offer much more control over how they dry their hair. Advanced dryers feature adjustable speed cycling, which you can toggle to increase the power of the airflow to your hair, which is handy for drying different sections.
Even more important is that professional dryers have adjustable heat settings, which you can use to reduce the amount of hot air you blow onto your head. This is crucial, as excessive hot air can lead to scalp and hair follicle damage, so using low or medium heat is a brilliant way to retain your hair’s natural moisture.
Though you can use hot air from time to time, having the flexibility to toggle between different temperatures will help to protect your hair’s moisture content and general health in the long run.
Styling options
When you sit in your stylist’s chair, you might reveal how easily they get your hair to shine. Most stylists use tools like diffusers and concentrator nozzles, depending on your hair type and your styling goals. When you buy a pro dryer, you can order professional hair dryer attachments that enable you to replicate your hairdresser’s styling.
For instance, a professional hair dryer with a diffuser is perfect for anyone with curly or wavy hair, as it directs the hair evenly and thoroughly throughout your head. Rather than focusing on one specific area, the diffuser ensures even airflow, helping to dry every section of your curls or waves.
On the other hand, a concentrator nozzle “concentrates” the air into one section of your hair. This is particularly helpful for people with long, straight hair, as it helps to achieve a smooth and shiny look without frizz and flyaways.
Design and weight
The best professional blow dryers for hair stylists are ergonomically designed and extremely easy to use. they allow for versatile styling with or without attachments and enable you to reach each area of your hair with ease.
The fact that many professional dryers are lightweight reduces the strain on your arms and wrists. It also makes it easy for you to travel with your hair dryer, whether on vacation or a work trip.
The top professional hair dryers for under $200
With the above features in mind, we want to introduce you to three of the best professional hair dryers available today for less than $200, proving that you don’t need to break the bank to use a high-quality professional-grade dryer at home:
The Laifen Swift
✅ Our original dryer, the Laifen Swift uses negative ion technology to break down the water molecules in your hair quickly and efficiently.
✅ Use any of the three temperature settings to dry your hair on low, medium, or high heat.
✅ There are two speed cycles available, enabling you to switch up the pace as you blow dry your hair.
❌ The concentrator nozzle and diffuser are not included. If you want these additional accessories, you will need to upgrade to the Laifen Swift Special package.
Recommendation: The Laifen Swift is ideal for anyone looking for an affordable ionic hair dryer that delivers professional results at home without the need for extensive styling.
The Laifen Swift Special
✅ The Laifen Swift Special is the ultimate professional hair dryer with ionic technology, offering multi-speed drying and three temperature settings for total control.
✅ A diffuser attachment and concentrator nozzle are included as standard, offering full flexibility when styling straight and curly hair. It also comes with a standard magnetic styling nozzle.
✅ The Swift Special is available in four premium colors: petal pink, pearl white, matte black, and silver blue.
❌ Though super affordable, the Laifen Swift Special is our most expensive professional hair dryer, priced at $159.99.
Recommendation: If you’re looking for the best professional hair dryer with multiple styling options, the Laifen Swift Special with diffuser, magnetic nozzle, and concentrator nozzle is the best option.
The Laifen SE
✅ Recommended by celebrity stylist Brad Mondo, the Laifen SE is the best budget ionic hair dryer for professionals, available for just $123.49.
✅ With the diffuser nozzle included in the SE package, this professional hair dryer is ideal for anyone with curly or wavy hair.
✅ The SE is available in five awesome colors: matte white, matte purple, matte black, matte blue, and matte pink.
❌ The concentrator nozzle is not included in the Laifen SE bundle, so you will need to order it separately if you want to style your long and straight hair. It’s available for $26.99 from the Laifen Store.
Recommendation: The Laifen SE is the perfect option if you’re looking for a professional hair dryer on a budget and don’t require numerous styling nozzles to achieve your desired look.
Recap: The best hair dryer for professionals
If you’re looking for a professional quiet hair dryer, the Laifen Swift, Swift Special, or SE can work wonders for your hair. Our quiet, professional hair dryers are used by more than eight million people worldwide and come highly recommended by stylist Brad Mondo. They’re also affordably priced, meaning you can elevate your home styling routine without breaking the bank.
While you can still visit your favorite stylist for an iconic blow out or to wash, dry, and style your hair from time to time, investing in a professional hair dryer gives you the option to style your hair at home. This way, you can save money in the long run and achieve your preferred style without scheduling an expensive appointment with your hairdresser.
