Frizz can be caused by dryness, damage, or disruption to the hair’s outermost layer (aka the cuticle), all of which can be caused by extended exposure to heat. That means, the best hair dryers for frizzy hair need to have a strong motor, adjustable settings, and quick-drying features to minimize the amount of time your hair is exposed to heat and curb damage from the heat tool.
A dryer with a powerful motor will typically reduce the amount of time spent drying and may have a longer lifespan than one with a low wattage. A hair dryer’s wattage generally offers a clue to how powerful it is, or how much air flow and heat the tool can produce. 1,800 watts should offer plenty of power for most people, but if you have fine hair that dries quickly, a less powerful motor should work just fine.
The number of temperature and speed settings that a hair dryer has to offer is also important, as this gives you the flexibility to find the exact amount of heat and air flow that’s best for your hair. Make sure that the hair dryer you regularly use has a cool air button — using the cool air setting when your hair is nearly dry can help seal the cuticle and prevent frizz.
In addition to high wattage and setting options, there are other helpful features to look out for in a hair dryer to speed up the drying process and reduce potential damage.
- Ionic hair dryers use negative ions to break up water molecules and dry your hair faster.
- Hair dryers with infrared technology, like those with ceramic or tourmaline coatings, use infrared heat waves to dry your hair from the inside out.
- Temperature control technology uses sensors that regulate the temperature of the air flow can make sure that your hair doesn’t get fried.
Also consider which attachments come with the hair dryer A nozzle attachment can help create frizz-free straight hairdos, while a diffuser is great for evenly distributing the heat and reducing frizz in curly hair. If your dryer doesn’t come with attachments, you may be able to buy them separately.
From an all-around great option for creating sleek styles to a travel-friendly blow dryer, here are the best hair dryers for frizzy hair.
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Power: 2,000 watts
Speeds & Settings: Three heat settings, two speeds, and a cool shot button
Type of Heat: Ionic and infrared
Attachments: Concentrator
The Rusk Engineering W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer is a perfect fit for all kinds of frizzy hair. With a 2,000-watt motor, it's the most powerful hair dryer on this list. Infused with ceramic and tourmaline, it leverages both ionic and far-infrared heat to eliminate moisture quickly and safely while reducing frizz. The dryer is also incredibly light, clocking in at under a pound, so it should be comfortable to hold for as long as you need.
The dryer comes with a concentrator attachment to help you achieve a sleek, straight look, but you'll have to buy a diffuser separately if you're looking to enhance your curls or waves. It also comes with a two-year warranty.
Reviewers say: “I have naturally curly, thick, shoulder length hair and it dried it super fast and without the frizz my other dryer would have left me with. Plus, the dryer is so lightweight itself that your hands and wrists aren't killing you by the time you are finished.”
Power: 1,875 watts
Speeds & Settings: Three heat settings, two speed settings, and a cool shot button
Type of Heat: Ionic
Attachments: Concentrator and diffuser
The Remington D3190 Damage Protection Hair Dryer isn't quite as powerful as the Rusk Engineering W8less Dryer, but it still packs quite the punch — at a fraction of the cost. The hair dryer has a ceramic and tourmaline-coated grill that heats evenly and emits negative ions for optimum sleekness. In addition to a concentrator attachment, the dryer also comes with a diffuser attachment to gently dry curls. It weighs about two pounds and comes with a two-year warranty.
Reviewers say: “For the price you get a really good hair dryer. I'm super picky and it dries quickly with minimum frizz.”
Power: 1,600 watts
Speeds & Settings: Four heat settings and three speed settings
Type of Heat: Dry heat
Attachments: Nozzle, concentrator, and diffuser
What sets the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer apart isn't ions or infrared waves — it's the Dyson's heat control feature. The dryer contains sensors that measure the temperature of the air flow 40 times per second, which means it knows exactly how hot it's making your hair and won’t overheat. It also looks a bit different from other hair dryers — that's because the motor is in the handle to make it feel lighter than its 1.8 pounds.
The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer has the most heat settings, air flow speeds, and attachments of any other options on this list. The settings are more precise than you'd expect with a standard dryer as well. For temperature settings, choose between 212 degrees for fast drying and styling, 176 degrees for regular drying, 140 degrees for gentler drying, or constant cold air. Speed settings are fast drying, regular drying, or styling. And if you want to seal in a style with the cold shot button, you can be sure the air will come out at 82 degrees.
The Dyson dryer comes with attachments that stay put via magnets and have heat shield technology to keep them cool. This includes a smoothing nozzle that produces an even airflow for sleek styles, a styling concentrator with a narrow airflow to target specific sections of hair, and a diffuser to keep curls and waves intact.
It comes with a two-year warranty.
Reviewers say: “This hair dryer truly does what it says [it’s] going to do. It dries my very thick, very frizzy, very wavy hair, but if I use the right brush along with good styling products, I get the perfect blowout with this hair dryer. I love that it is very quiet and I don't feel like I'm "frying" my hair. I love the many different settings and once you get used to the feel of the hair dryer, it is very comfortable and doesn't cause my arm to hurt from having to hold it.”
Power: 1,000 watts
Speeds & Settings: Two speed/heat settings
Type of Heat: Ionic and infrared
Attachments: None
The BaBylissPRO TT Tourmaline Titanium Travel Dryer likely won't become your everyday go-to hair dryer, but its ionic and infrared capabilities give it a leg up on the flimsy hotel hair dryer when you're traveling. It features tourmaline and titanium to dry your hair quickly and evenly, and has a removable filter cover. It also has dual voltage capabilities, so you can use it even when traveling internationally.
Most importantly, it's very easy to tuck away — it folds in half to save space and weighs under a pound. It comes with a one-year warranty.
Reviewers say: “This tiny guy is super light, very compact and small, really a powerhouse, and doesn't cause my hair to frizz. Love it. I keep this one in my swim gym bag.”
