THE BEST HAIR DRYERS

HOW TO CHOOSE = The best hair dryers come in one of 3 types: ionic, ceramic and tourmaline. Ionic are the most prevalent as they are said to dry hair faster and with less heat damage than the other two.

Important features for hair dryers include airflow, noise level and heat. The best hair dryers will have 1200 to 1500 watts of power for fine hair and 1875 watts for thick, wavy hair.

There should be 2 or 3 heat settings, automatic shutoff if the dryer overheats, a cool setting to set your hairstyle, and a nozzle to concentrate airflow and direct it. An air intake grille will double as a lint filter. This should be removable to prolong the life of the motor and protect it from overheating.

THE REVIEW = Reviewers found the hair dryer with the best performance to be the Revlon RV544 Tourmaline Ionic. This 1875-watt hair dryer uses 2 technologies – ionic and tourmaline.

It’s less expensive than other tourmaline models. Tests reveal the Revlon is quiet, lightweight and reliable, with quick drying speeds. It includes 2 heat-speed settings, an ion indicator light, and a diffuser attachment.

Some tests indicated that this dryer may be too powerful for finer hair. It sells for $25.

Other top performers include:

Best Travel Hair Dryer = Andis 1875 Folding Dryer @ around $20.

Best Professional Hair Dryer = T3 Tourmaline Pro @ just under $200.

Best price found in Mar., ’10 = the Revlon is at Folica.com for $28.95.

The Andis is at Amazon.com for about $20.

The T3 Pro is at Zappos.com for $184.

Anything else you'd like to ask regarding the best hair dryers, click here.