A hair dryer is an equipment primarily used for drying and styling hair. It can further also be used for drying anything and has lots of applications.
2. What are the Benefits of Buying a Hair Dryer?
A hair dryer has many good benefits to brag about and has applications in more than just drying the hair, let us see them in the below:-
1. Quickly dries hair – There is nothing better than a hair dryer to dry your hair. We all know the wowness we get when our wet hair is dried in a couple of minutes.
2. They style hair – Hair dryers are used for hair styling, they style hair by locking any moisture in them.
3. Dries difficult to access areas – Why should we use hair dryers to dry only hair we may ask? you are right and they are also handy in drying difficult to access areas like insides of toys etc. They can also be used to dry areas of the body that are not easily dried and have to be dried in case to prevent any fungal infections.
Hair dryers being quick, convenient and easy to use offer many advantages compared to conventionals methods viz. towel dry or dry under the sun or some air source. Having noticeable advantages, we feel it is a handy appliance to have for any household.
3. What are the different features to consider in a Hair Dryer?
1
Heating Power
The heat that the hair dryer can produce which inturn means how fast your hair dries. It is specified in Watts, and heating power of 1000W upto 3000W are available in the market.
See Explanation
Higher heating power should be opted, if you want to heat water more quickly
2
Heating Technology
There are four technologies with which hair dryers are made, they are Ceramic, Ionic, Tourmaline and Titanium Hair Dryer.
Each of the technologies are meant for different hair types viz. Fine, thick, thin, long, curly etc. Hence, choose the best technology based on your hair type - See explanation below.
See Explanation
Early hair dryers were based of nichrome heater and now have evolved and made from either of the four technologies for their heating element composition. They are namely:-
1. Ceramic Hair Dryer - These hair dryers produce an even and gentle heat. They are the cheapest of all and the one which suits all the hair styles. However, this is best for people with thin and fine hair.
2. Ionic Hair Dryer - These are ceramic hair dryers with the capability of emitting negative ions. These negative ions serve two functions which is a) To break down water molecules to speed the drying time and b) To close the shafts of the cuticle to trap moisture which results in shine of the hair. This is best for thick and frizzy hair types.
3. Tourmaline Hair Dryer - These are Ionic hair dryers with addition of tourmaline. What this does is this emits more ions and basically does the same work of ionic hair dryers but with almost double the speed and results based on manufacturer claims. They are suited for thick and frizzy hair types.
4. Titanium Hair Dryer - These have titanium in them instead of ceramic. This is mainly to reduce the weight of the hair dryer by 40%. These driers maintain a steady temperature and dries very fast. It gives a smooth texture and controls frizz. Since it quickly heats the hair it can damage fine and thin hair types and hence is not recommended for these hair types. However, it is best for people with thick hair, women with long hair as it is light.
Factor
Heating Components
Ceramic
Ionic
Tourmaline
Titanium
Cost
Cheapest
Medium
Expensive
Expensive
Weight
Medium
Medium
Heavy
Lightest
Ideal Hair
Thin,Fine
Medium, dry, thick, frizzy
Thick,frizzy,dry
Thick,frizzy,dry
Not suited for
None
Thin
Medium,thin
Medium,thin
Effects
Normal
Shine, smoothness
Best Shine and Smoothness
Smooth,Silky,Frizz Control
Each of the technologies are meant for different hair types viz. Fine, thick, thin, long, curly etc. Hence, choose the best technology based on your hair type - See explanation below.
3
Heat/Speed Settings
Hair dryers come with selectable heat and speed settings. It gives better control on drying the hair and some hair require specific heat/speed setting inorder to avoid damage.
A heat speed settings give better control in drying the hair, this feature will be handy and many times required. Hence if your budget allows go for it.
See Explanation
Heat Setting and Fan Setting plays a crucial role for a hair dryer. Why you may ask. The reason is different hair types require different settings for best results and to avoid damage. Heat Setting is the temperature settings that your hair dryer has. It means you can set the heat based on your requirement and options in the dryer. Speed Setting is the speed at which the dryer blows the hair, more speed means more air and faster drying.
Image shows the heat (top) and speed(bottom) settings. Notice 3 heat and 3 speed settings in the dryer.
Cheaper hair dryers will have the Heat and Fan Setting coupled, that is you cannot independently change the either of the settings. Whereas costlier dryers will have a separate Heat/Speed Setting option and a separate speed setting option. For example thin and fine hair require a low Heat/Speed Setting, whereas thick and coarse hair require high Heat/Speed Setting.
Moral of the Story: Higher the heat and fan setting options better is the use across many hair types.
4
Cool Shot Button
A feature which blows cool hair for better shine and hold.
Cool shot is a handy feature if styling is important.
See Explanation
Many hair dryers come with a handy cool shot button, this feature blows cool air which
seals the hair cuticle to set the final style and will result in better shine and hold. It is used in the end of the drying process where the hair is almost dry.
Moral of the Story: Opt for cool shot feature if purpose of buying dryer is for styling.
5
Other Features
These features are worth considering as they give an added dimension
See Explanation
a) Accessories -
Hair Dryers come with accessories like diffusers and concentrators which add functionality to the dryer and is very useful.
b) Motor - Motor is instrumental in providing the rate of hot air. We have two variants i.e. AC and DC. AC is used in salon hair dryers where they are used for longevity as they are very durable and efficient. AC motors are very silent but make the dryer heavier compared to DC Motors. Whereas, DC motors are less durable, noisy but are lighter. AC dryers are best suited for salons whereas DC motors can handle home requirements.
c) Cord Length - We all want to have the freedom to move around when drying ourselves. We all know the unease we have to deal with when the hair dryer chord comes out of the socket if we go beyond its length. Hence, having a cord of sufficient length is very important in case of hair dryers as we have to move them around our hair without any restraint. A length of 1.5 m should be sufficient.
4. How to select the best hair dryer for me?
Hair dryers may seem very simple on the exterior but less of us know that they can be very specific too. Selecting the wrong hair dryer could also do more harm than good in many cases. We have categorized hair dryers based on the hair types they are designed for which are namely a) Thin and fine hair b) Normal Hair c) Thick Hair.
1
For Delicate Hair
With thin/fine hair
Ceramic hair dryers are best for people with thin/fine hair types. Go for a hair dryer with a Low Power like 1000W or 1200W. If you go for a higher Power ensure that the drier has many Heat/Speed Settings so that you can lower the heat in case it is very harsh. Also opt for one with a Cool Shot button as it gives you good control on the drying.
Recommeded Product Specs and the Specs in the "Featured Summary" table may not be the same. Please refer the detailed spec for exact information.
2
Normal Hair
for normal hair
You can go for a Ceramic or Tourmaline type hair dryers. Keep the heat at medium settings. Go for a hair dryer of Medium Power somewhere near to 1400W. If you go for a higher Power ensure that the drier has many Heat/Speed Settings so that you can lower the heat in case it is very harsh. The Cool Shot button is always helpful.
Recommeded Product Specs and the Specs in the "Featured Summary" table may not be the same. Please refer the detailed spec for exact information.
3
Thick Hair
For Thick hair
Go for a Tourmaline Hair Dryer if the hair dryer weight is not a concern. If you want a lighter weight one go for a Titanium Hair Dryer. With that said since Tourmaline and Titanium are expensive and availability in India will be difficult, you can alternatively go for Ionic Hair Dryers.Go for a hair dryer with a High Power of 1800W and abaove and ensure there are Heat/Speed Settings to play with. Also opt for one with a Cool Shot button as it gives you good control on the drying.
For Delicate Hair
Normal Hair
Thick Hair
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