3 Best Professional Hair Dryers for Every Hair Stylist

best professional hair dryer for hair stylist

The best professional hair dryer for hair stylist is a staple for every salon expert, just like a revolver for every gunslinger.

However, due to the rise of hair styling products, the market is saturated with dozens of hair dryers. Each one has its claims of producing a salon-like finish. But for someone who’s styling for a living, you need to ensure this equipment really lives up to its hype.

For stylists, every equipment is an investment. I have a friend who works as a local stylist, and she can’t stress enough the importance of having a trusty hair dryer. Aside from blow-drying hair, this equipment can also straighten, curl, and diffuse, given the right attachments.

BEST COMPACT
Parlux Advance Light Black Ionic and Ceramic Hair Dryer and M Hair Designs Hot Blow Attachment Black (Bundle 2 Items)
Parlux Advance Light Black Ionic and Ceramic Hair Dryer and M Hair Designs Hot Blow Attachment Black (Bundle 2 Items)
$249.99
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-
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BEST COMPACT
Parlux Advance Light Black Ionic and Ceramic Hair Dryer and M Hair Designs Hot Blow Attachment Black (Bundle 2 Items)
Parlux Advance Light Black Ionic and Ceramic Hair Dryer and M Hair Designs Hot Blow Attachment Black (Bundle 2 Items)
$249.99
-
-
-

What’s with professional hair dryers?

For someone who styles her own hair most of the time, I can live with a typical hair dryer. As long as it dries well, it has a good place on my beauty kit. However, it’s a different story if you’re styling other people’s hair.

Your hair dryer should be versatile enough to suit a variety of hair types. At a salon, you’ll encounter different people aiming for equally different hairstyles. While skill is the main necessity, the right selection of tools will also play a big role in the result.

Professional hair dryers have more features than the typical models you’ll buy for home use. With that, it tends to have a bigger price tag as well. But like what I said earlier, it’s an investment, so every dollar is worth the splurge.


Buying guide for professional hair dryers

When it comes to the best professional hair dryer for hair stylist, it pays to be picky. The following are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind:          

Ceramic vs. tourmaline vs. titanium iron

The first thing you have to consider is the heating element of the hair dryer. Nowadays, professional hair dryers are available in ceramic, tourmaline, a combination of both, or titanium iron. If you’re not familiar with these types, let me differentiate it below:

*Ceramic

This type of heating element is actually a coating on the metal coils that produce heat. Ceramic-coated heating elements are known to provide even heat. It also produces infrared heat that penetrates the hair for faster drying or straightening.

Professional stylists like this heating element since it minimizes hair damage while locking in moisture to the hair follicles. It’s also effective in reducing frizz, unlike typical metal coil heating elements.

The ceramic heating element is new and gaining traction in the styling community.

*Tourmaline

Usually, ceramic heating elements are blended with crushed tourmaline to achieve the ionic conditioning feature. Tourmaline is a natural silicate mineral used as an additional coating to a hair dryer’s heating element. You can find hair dryers with pure tourmaline heating element, but it’s usually blended with ceramic since the benefits of the two materials complement each other.

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When heated, the tourmaline material will release negative ions that seal the hair cuticle for a smoother finish. It also helps reduce frizz.

*Titanium iron

This heating element is used to produce high levels of heat consistently. Stylists use this hair dryer for keratin treatments. However, it’s not suitable for those with fine and easily damaged hair because the high-heat can fry the hair and scalp.

Shop based on hair type

When it comes to the best professional hair dryer for hair stylist, the unit should be versatile enough to be used in different hair types. The following are the most common hair types and the hair dryer that should be used:

Thick hair. Those with healthy, thick hair can use high-heat hair dryers for faster drying and styling.

Fine hair. Stylists must use low-heat and ceramic hair dryers for clients with fine and thin hair.

Curly/wavy hair. Those with wavy and curly hair will benefit a lot from a tourmaline hair dryer due to its ionic conditioning feature.

Damaged hair. Clients with damaged hair must be styled with a low heat with a ceramic or tourmaline hair dryer to prevent further damages.

Temperature & airflow control

Professional stylists should look for a hair dryer with a wide range of heat and airflow settings. This will let them cater to more clients with varying hair types.

Look for a hair dryer with a low heat setting as much as it has a high heat setting. The same goes for the airflow setting. I also recommend looking for a hair dryer with a cool shot feature. This will blow cool air into the hair to seal the style and give the hair a nice shine.

Ionic conditioning

Ionic conditioning is achieved through the addition of tourmaline into the heating element. Such a feature helps break down positively-charged water particles so the hair won’t absorb it. The result is fewer flyaways and frizz. It also prevents the hair from frying due to the heat of the equipment

Most high-quality hair dryers nowadays have this feature. Your client will surely thank you for investing in a hair dryer with this feature. Besides, the ionic conditioning will make styling easier.

Attachments

Attachments make a hair dryer very flexible in terms of styling. The following are some of the basic attachments you should look for:

Concentrator. This attachment is useful for thick hair as it concentrates the airflow into one spot for faster styling.

Diffuser. A diffuser attachment is the opposite of the concentrator. It spreads the airflow to reduce frizz and heat damage. It’s useful for clients with thin and fine hair.

Picks. This nozzle type lifts the hair for more volume. It can be used in conjunction with a volumizing mousse.

Brushes. These attachments are common to Andis hair dryers. It includes slide-in brush attachments that function as a built-in comb while drying or straightening.

Power cord length

Last but not the least, look for a professional hair dryer with a long power cord. This will let you style around the hair without tugging or limiting yourself.

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Best Professional Hair Dryer For Hair Stylist – Top 3 Picks!

OUR TOP PICK: Twin Turbo 3200 Professional Hair Dryer

If you’re looking for the best professional hair dryer for hair stylist, I highly recommend the Twin Turbo 3200 Hair Dryer. This has a ceramic heating element with ionic technology to reduce frizz and hair damage.

Moreover, it boasts four temperature and airflow settings to suit almost all hair types of salon clients. You can also use it in two different speeds based on the type of hairstyle you’re doing.

I also like that this hair dryer has an anti-overheating feature that prevents the hair from frying. A big bonus is a stainless filter than prevents hair and dirt from getting into the engine.

This is a 1,900-watt hair dryer, which is more than what you need for almost all hairstyles. It’s also made to last, which is an advantage for busy salons. It doesn’t have a separate cool shut button, but there’s a cold setting on the temp button, which is almost the same thing.

Aside from the hair dryer, you will also get two concentrators. Overall, this hair dryer isn’t too loud and will be a big asset for your styling job. It also has an extremely long power cord so that you can style with ease.

Pros

  • 1,900 watts
  • Four temperature settings
  • Ceramic and ionic

Cons

  • A little heavy, but not a deal-breaker

RUNNERS-UP

Pibbs 3800 Professional Hair Dryer

If you’re looking for another option, I recommend the Pibbs 3800 Twin Turbo Hair Dryer. This units boasts ceramic ionic heating technology. It works on a 2,100-watt motor, which is one of the most powerful hair dryers I’ve seen in the market.

Unlike its predecessor Pibbs 3200, 3800 is lighter and dries quicker. I also noticed that it has a smoother and silkier finish, which stylists will find very useful. My friend, who works as a stylist, bought this unit two years ago and still works like new.

Another thing that I like about this hair dryer is its long cord and a more compact build. Don’t be fooled by its size, though, because this hair dryer is a total workhorse.

Despite its power, Pibbs 3800 also has gentle settings. You can use it in a cool setting without the need to press the cool shot button the whole time. Also, it works like magic for blowout treatments. It can straighten the thickest curls in just a few minutes, which is hands-down the best feature of Pibbs.

Since Pibbs dry and style fast, that means more clients and more money for stylists. It’s made to last, which is worth every dollar, even if it’s a higher price tag.

Pros

  • Dries fast
  • Excellent for blowout treatments
  • Equipped with gentle features

Cons

  • The attachments are shorter than usual

Parlux 3200 Plus Professional Hair Dryer

If you want to save some bucks, I recommend the Parlux 3200 Plus. This works in a 1,900-watt power with a motor life of up to 2,000 hours. It dries fast and will let you finish styling to accommodate more clients.

The highlight of this hair dryer is its K-Lamination motor that packs a lot of power despite being lighter than most.

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Moreover, it works quieter than other hair dryers, thanks to its new one-suction concept. Unlike its predecessor units, the Parlux 3200 is re-designed for professional use.

Parlux Advance Light Black Ionic and Ceramic Hair Dryer and M Hair Designs Hot Blow Attachment Black (Bundle 2 Items)
  • LIGHT WEIGHT & SILENT - Reducing the weight of all the components an exceptionally...
  • “SOFT TOUCH” SWITCHES - Thanks to the several tests carried out at the best...
  • IONIC & CERAMIC It has the IONIC & CERAMIC technological device, which is essential...
  • ECO FRIENDLY - Use of highly recyclable materials - built-in silencer which greatly...
  • EQUIPPED WITH 2 NOZZLES NEW PARLUX ADVANCE - Equipped with 2 new nozzles enabling a...

This hair dryer boasts a strong airflow with separate heat and speed switches. There’s a cool shot button so you can achieve a nice finish after styling. This is smaller than most salon hair dryers, but it works well despite the trimmed-down size.

Aside from the hair dryer, you’ll also get two nozzle attachments to tweak the airflow concentration. This works well for thick hair, which cuts styling time by half.

This hair dryer is made lighter so you can style the whole day without straining your hand. It also comes with a 9-feet power cord so you can style around without the hassle.

Pros

  • Long motor life
  • 1,900-watt motor
  • Lighter but less hand strain

Cons

  • A bit smaller than other salon hair dryers

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many should watts should a powerful hair dryer have?

A: If you’re in the market for a powerful and salon-quality hair dryer, you must look for options that have at least 1,850 watts. This is what stylists consider the minimum so they can cater to a wide range of hair types. Hair dryers with high wattage offer faster results.

Q: Are expensive hair dryers worth it?

A: While the price isn’t always an indicator of quality, some hair dryers are expensive for a good reason. Pricey units have more features, higher wattage, more attachments, and added versatility. It also lasts longer than cheap and compact units, especially if you’re working in a salon.

Q: How many hair dryers should I have in my salon?

A: One blow dryer per seat should be ideal for most salons. However, having a backup unit will not hurt, especially during busy days. Just make sure that you invest in high-quality models that can endure regular wear and tear.

Q: Do expensive hair dryers make a difference?

A: Expensive hair dryers might be intimidating at first, but it will actually help you save more money in the long run. It has better features, temperature control, and other perks you can’t find on cheaper options. Sure, price isn’t a determinant of quality, but it makes a big difference.

Q: Are cordless hair dryers suitable for salon use?

A: Most cordless hair dryers have lower power, so it’s only suisstable for personal and in-home use. Nevertheless, it can work as a backup hair dryer during a power outage, and you have to finish styling a customer.


Final words

The best professional hair dryer for hair stylist will let you style in comfort and confidence. Also, a high-performing hair dryer will let you accommodate more clients to earn more money. Although professional-quality hair dryers have a bigger price tag, it’s a worthy investment considering your ROI.

What do you think of the hair dryers I reviewed here? Share your thoughts below!

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