(checked 2026-10-10)
Wirecutter's top pick: a 1-pound dryer that dries about as fast as dryers costing hundreds more. It has no diffuser, and some owners say the switches are easy to bump.
Top complaints
- No diffuser included
Wirecutter's only listed flaw: it ships with just a concentrator nozzle, so curly-haired users have to buy a diffuser separately.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT) - Switches easy to hit by accident
Wirecutter calls the switches hard to press by accident. Several readers in its comments disagree: they say the cool-shot or low/off/high switch sits right where they grip and they keep shutting it off. One also says the concentrator falls off with a bump.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT) reader comments - Mixed durability, can run too hot
Amazon's review summary calls durability mixed: some owners say it lasts many years, while others say it broke after 8 months. Heat feedback is also mixed, with some finding it too hot.
What owners love
- Fast, hot and light
Wirecutter measured 1 pound, 55 mph and over 245°F. It says it dries hair in about the same time as dryers costing hundreds of dollars.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT) - Cuts drying time, salon-like results
Amazon owners say it cuts drying time in half and gives salon-quality results. They also praise its quiet operation and frizz control.
- Long cord, wide cool-shot button
Wirecutter likes the 8-foot cord and the wide cool-shot button, which is comfortable to hold down.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT)
- You diffuse curls and want a diffuser in the box
- You grip the dryer high on the handle
- You want a long warranty
- Fast drying without paying Dyson prices
- Anyone whose arm tires holding a dryer
- Outlets far from the mirror (8-foot cord)
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Wirecutter (NYT): Top pick out of 42 dryers (updated 2026-10-02): one of the lightest, fastest and hottest it tried. The flaw is the missing diffuser; the warranty is 1 year.