Our Official Review of the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

Welcome to Skimm Tested, where we put products to the test and then give 'em a report card. (Check out all of our tried and tested faves here.)

The assignment…

To see if the premium-priced Dyson Supersonic hair dryer ($429.99) lives up to the hype.

Straight A’s in…

• Speed. It cuts dry time down significantly — we’re talking half the time it takes a standard blow dryer to get through hair, across all hair types and textures.

• Being lightweight. The dryer is only 1.8 lbs, plus it comes with a 9-foot cord, so it’s easy to maneuver (no matter where the nearest outlet is). 

• Versatility. Thanks to attachments that work with an array of hair types, including one for flyaways, a diffuser, and a smoothing nozzle, it can help achieve a variety of styles without the need for additional tools.

Room for growth…

• Noise level. It’s not too noisy, but it’s not exactly near-silent either — so light sleepers nearby, beware.

• Heat intensity. While our testers generally didn’t have an issue with this, the highest heat setting may feel a bit too high for those with sensitive scalps.

• Price. This is an obvious one, but at $430, the Supersonic ain’t cheap; it’s definitely an investment piece for anyone who’s serious about their hair.

Plays well with…

• Anyone with a lot of hair who wants to shave a chunk of time off their morning routine.

• People with dry or damaged locks who blow-dry their hair regularly and want to cut down on heat damage. The tool measures the air temperature over 40 times per second (yes, 40 times — no, that’s not a typo), to help avoid heat-damaged strands.

• Those who want to style and dry their hair all in one go, without using several different tools.

• Someone looking for an incredible gift idea for the beauty lover in their life.

Gets extra credit for…

• Being said to increase smoothness by 75%, increase shine by 132% and decrease frizz and flyaways by up to 61%.

• Being durable in the long run — we’ve dropped it more than once before and it’s survived unscathed.

How we did our homework…

• We enlisted several editors, all with different hair types — like fine and straight, thick and wavy, and a 3b/c curl — and with varying levels of hairstyling skills, to blow-dry their hair with the dryer and record their experiences. They took into account how long it took to fully dry their hair compared to their typical hair dryer, how comfortable it was to use, how much effort it took to style their hair to their preferences, and how their strands looked when all was said and done. Additionally, we incorporated anecdotal evidence from HQ’rs who’ve used the hair tool for years and could speak to its continued efficiency in the long-term.

Footnotes:

• $429.99, Dyson

• Features three speed settings, three heat settings, and one cool setting

• Available in three colors as well as a special-edition model

• Includes five magnetic attachments that snap on and off easily

• Accessories and attachments can also be purchased here