Blow dryers (also known as hair dryers) are an essential part of many people’s daily grooming routines. They help to dry and style your hair quickly so that you can get on with your day more quickly. Blow dryers work by using a fan to blow air over and through a heating element. The heated element is made up of two metal strips that expand at different rates when they heat up. Speed Whether you’re trying to create a sleek, voluminous blowout or a beachy wave, the heat and airflow speed of a hair dryer are important. Look for a model with multiple settings and an easy-to-use interface to help you achieve your desired style. Wattage, or how much power the hair dryer has, is another factor to consider. A higher wattage means the dryer can produce more heat and dry your hair faster, but it’s important to note that the amount of heat produced can cause damage if you use it for too long. GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann led all of our hair dryer tests and helped select the best models for all types of hair. She relied on expert insight from beauty buffs and professional hairstylists, as well as her own firsthand experience using various types of blow dryers. She poured over product specifications to find the best models for every hair type and length. Temperature The temperature of a blow dryer is determined by the amount of heat produced by the heating element. This element is usually a bare, coiled nichrome wire wrapped around insulating mica boards. The nichrome is an alloy that doesn’t oxidize easily at the high temperatures used in hair dryers. Blow dryers come with a variety of settings, attachments and technologies to give you the look you want. For example, some have ion-controlled switches that emit negative ions that smooth the cuticle for healthier hair. Other hair dryers have ceramic or tourmaline coatings on the heating element, which are said to spread and distribute heat evenly while also eliminating frizz and retaining moisture in the hair. Some also have a thermal fuse to prevent overheating and fire. When the hair dryer’s temperature gets too hot, a bimetallic strip in the wiring bends, tripping a switch that cuts off power to the heating coil. This is an important safety feature because it protects you from getting burned. Convenience Hair dryers are an essential styling tool for hotel guests seeking a polished, quick look. As such, they rely on portable models that merge convenience with performance. Advances in technology have made them more compact and lighter, while boosting battery life for uninterrupted usage. Blow dryers use an electric fan to blow ambient or hot air over wet hair, speeding up the evaporation of water and helping shape and style it. They also accelerate the formation of temporary hydrogen bonds within a single hair strand, which are stronger and more resilient than sulfur bonds found in permanent waves or curling products. When evaluating different types of hair dryers, you’ll want to consider the heat and power settings, as well as the availability of attachments and accessories. The wattage of the hair dryer is a good indicator of its motor power; a higher wattage typically delivers more heat. Look for a model with at least three heat and speed settings and one or more attachments to suit your specific hair type. Safety Blow dryers are a very useful tool for those who wish to get their hair ready quickly. However, they can cause damage if not used properly. This is because the heat from blow dryers can cause hair breakage and dullness. To avoid this, you should always use a blow dryer from a distance. Aside from the above, a blow dryer should have temperature cutoff switches to prevent it from overheating. These are usually built in the heating coil or in the plastic housing. The dryer should also have a shock safeguard, known as a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI), to protect the user from electrical shock. Lastly, you should make sure that the socket into which you plug your blow dryer has RCD (residual current device) protection. This will prevent electric shock and fires. Moreover, it will prevent any faults in the wiring of the appliance from causing serious injuries to people or property. In addition, you should avoid using a hair dryer near water to reduce the risk of electrical fires.
