As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are shown on Amazon, not here.
Key takeaways
- Watts measure the heater, not the airflow. The Dyson Supersonic Origin is listed at 1600W and the BaByliss Super Power at 2400W. A higher figure means more heat, not faster drying by itself.
- High-speed motor (Dyson, ghd): small digital motors that push air at high pressure, in a lighter body. You pay for the motor, the heat control and the weight in your hand.
- Best value classic: BaByliss Super Power. 2400W, AC motor, 2.5 m cord, five-year warranty, per the listing.
- Best for drying and volume in one: Revlon One-Step, a hot-air brush rather than a dryer. Suits mid-length to long hair.
- Read frizz claims carefully: "ionic" and "90% more ions" have no shared test or baseline. Compare settings, cord, weight and warranty instead.
Which hair dryer should you buy? The question behind most of them is whether a high-speed motor is worth it. The Dyson Supersonic Origin and the ghd Speed use small, fast motors in a lighter body. The BaByliss Super Power uses a classic AC motor and more heat. Both approaches dry hair. You're choosing weight, heat control and attachments, not a miracle.
Specs come from Amazon's listings, the makers' own pages and ghd's help centre. We haven't used these dryers, so there are no impressions here, only things you can check.
TL;DR
- High-speed, lightest feel: Dyson Supersonic Origin. £199.99
- High-speed alternative: ghd Speed. £219.00
- Best value classic: BaByliss Super Power, AC motor and 2.5 m cord. £62.13
- Cheap and light: BaByliss Power Smooth. £24.99
- Diffuser in the box: Remington Shine Therapy. £21.99
- Dry and volumise in one: Revlon One-Step. £45.00
Watts, airflow and the motor
The number printed largest on a dryer box is the wattage. Most of that power goes into the heater. So a 2400W dryer is not "faster" than a 1600W one by definition: it is hotter. What dries hair is the amount of air moving, how fast it leaves the nozzle and how warm it is.
High-speed dryers attack the first two. The Dyson uses its digital motor V9 and Dyson publishes an airflow figure: 13 litres of air a second drawn into the amplifier, per the listing. ghd doesn't publish an airflow figure for the Speed; its help centre lists 1800-2100W. Classic dryers like the BaByliss Super Power lean on a powerful heater and an AC motor, which is the salon approach. None of the other picks publishes airflow, so a like-for-like comparison isn't possible from the listings.
The practical difference you can check is weight. Dyson's own pages give about 0.6 kg for the Supersonic Origin, depending on colour. If you dry long or thick hair every day, a lighter dryer in your hand matters more than a spec sheet.
Comparison table
| Model | Power (maker or listing) | Motor | Settings | Cord | In the box |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyson Supersonic Origin | 1600W | Digital motor V9 | 4 heat, 3 speed (UK retailer) | 2 m (UK retailer) | Styling concentrator |
| ghd Speed | 1800-2100W (ghd help centre) | High-speed, no figure given | Not stated on the listing | Not stated | Check the listing |
| BaByliss Super Power 5240U | 2400W | AC | 3 heat, 2 speed, cool shot | 2.5 m | Check the listing |
| BaByliss Power Smooth 5736CU | 2400W | DC (UK retailer) | 3 heat, 2 speed, cool shot | 2.2 m | Check the listing |
| Remington Shine Therapy D5216 | 2300W | Not stated | 3 heat, 2 speed, cool shot | 1.8 m | Diffuser, concentrator |
| Revlon One-Step RVDR5222 | Most listings: 1100W | Not stated | 2 heat plus cool | Not stated | Oval brush head |
Which one for which hair
Long or thick hair, dried daily: weight and airflow pay off here. The ghd Speed and the Dyson are the high-speed options. The BaByliss Super Power is the classic alternative with the longest cord of the lot.
Curly hair: you want a diffuser and low heat. The Remington Shine Therapy includes a diffuser. For other dryers, a universal diffuser fits many nozzles; check the nozzle diameter first.
Mid-length to long hair, smooth finish: the Revlon One-Step dries and shapes with a brush in one pass. It is a brush, so it is slower than a dryer on very thick hair.
Short hair, tight budget: the BaByliss Power Smooth has the same 2400W and settings as dryers that cost more. Whatever you buy, a heat protection spray is what BaByliss itself recommends on its listings before styling.
If you're buying for someone else, our electric shavers guide and electric toothbrushes guide cover the rest of the bathroom shelf.
Things the marketing doesn't tell you
- "Ionic" is everywhere and proves little. Almost every dryer here claims ions. "90% more ions" doesn't say compared with what.
- "No heat damage" is the maker's claim. Dyson and ghd both use it with footnotes to their own tests. Lower heat helps; no dryer makes heat harmless.
- "Not one was faster" is a marketing test. ghd says it tested hundreds of dryers and none was faster. The method sits with ghd, not with an independent lab.
- Watts are heat. A 2400W dryer runs hotter than a 1600W one. That is not the same as drying faster.
- Attachments vary by bundle. The same dryer is sold with different nozzles and diffusers. Check what is in the box on the listing you buy from.
- Filters need cleaning. High-speed dryers pull in a lot of air, and a clogged filter cuts airflow. Clean it as the manual says.
- Warranty differs a lot. BaByliss lists five years on the Super Power, Revlon four on the One-Step. Check the term on the listing.
Verdict
A high-speed motor earns its price if you dry long or thick hair every day and the weight in your hand matters: then the Dyson Supersonic Origin or the ghd Speed. If not, the BaByliss Super Power does the job with an AC motor, a long cord and a five-year warranty. For curls, take one with a diffuser. For a smooth blow-dry without a second brush, the Revlon.
Our picks
Dyson Supersonic Origin
Dyson
1600W, Dyson digital motor V9, 13 litres of air a second into the amplifier per the listing, heat measured 40 times a second per the listing. Comes with a styling concentrator.
£199.99 Retrieved on 12/11/2026 · prices subject to change
ghd Speed Hair Dryer
ghd
ghd's help centre gives 1800-2100W for the Speed. Dual airflow with a ring of cooler air around the heated stream, and a barrel that stays cool to touch, per the listing. UK plug.
£219.00 Retrieved on 12/11/2026 · prices subject to change
BaByliss Super Power 5240U
BaByliss
2400W with an AC motor, 3 heat and 2 speed settings plus cool shot, 2.5 m cord, hanging loop, five-year warranty, per the listing.
£62.13 Retrieved on 12/11/2026 · prices subject to change
BaByliss Power Smooth 5736CU
BaByliss
2400W, 3 heat and 2 speed settings plus cool shot, 2.2 m cord. Sold as lightweight; a UK retailer lists a DC motor.
£24.99 Retrieved on 12/11/2026 · prices subject to change
Remington Shine Therapy D5216
Remington
2300W, 3 heat and 2 speed settings, cool shot, diffuser and concentrator included, 1.8 m cord and hanging loop, per the listing.
£21.99 Retrieved on 12/11/2026 · prices subject to change
Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser
Revlon
Model RVDR5222. Oval brush that dries and adds volume in one pass, 2 heat settings plus cool, 2-inch barrel, four-year guarantee, per the listing. Made for mid-length to long hair.
£45.00 Retrieved on 12/11/2026 · prices subject to change
On ThePriceMonkey
Products from this guide in our catalogue — current price, specs and availability on each page.
- Dyson Supersonic Origin · Dyson
- ghd Speed Hair Dryer · ghd
- BaByliss Super Power 5240U · BaByliss
- BaByliss Power Smooth 5736CU · BaByliss
- Remington Shine Therapy D5216 · Remington
- Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser · Revlon
FAQ
Does a higher wattage hair dryer dry faster?
Not on its own. The wattage is mostly the heating element. Drying speed depends on how much air moves and how fast, plus the heat. A 1600W high-speed dryer and a 2400W AC dryer can both dry hair quickly by different routes: one with air pressure, the other with more heat. Only Dyson publishes an airflow figure among our picks.
What is the difference between AC, DC and digital motors?
AC motors are the traditional salon type: heavier, and usually paired with a long cord. DC motors are lighter and common in cheaper dryers. Digital motors, as in the Dyson and ghd, are small, fast-spinning motors that push air at high pressure. Each brand describes its own motor in its own terms, so compare weight and settings rather than the label.
Do ionic hair dryers reduce frizz?
The claim is common and there is no shared test behind it. "90% more ions" doesn't say compared with what. Lower heat, a concentrator nozzle and a cool shot are things you can check on the listing. Ionic is on almost every dryer here, so it doesn't separate them.
Is a hot-air brush better than a hair dryer?
It does a different job. A brush like the Revlon One-Step dries and shapes in one step, which suits mid-length to long hair and a smooth, full finish. It is slower on very thick hair and doesn't suit short hair. If you diffuse curls, a dryer with a diffuser is the better tool.
How long should the cord be?
Long enough to reach from the socket to the mirror with slack. The listings here give 1.8 m (Remington), 2.2 m (BaByliss Power Smooth) and 2.5 m (BaByliss Super Power). UK bathrooms usually have no standard socket, so most people dry their hair in the bedroom.