Watch out Dyson: these 3 radically different hair dryers are making haircare exciting again

Date:
Wed, 25 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Description:
I'm finally excited about haircare again after trying these three very different hair dryers at IFA 2024.

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There were plenty of devices at IFA 2024 that showed how technology in
general is getting creative with form and function, but a lot of eyes were on the beauty space as it continues to radically reinvent what hair styling devices look and feel like.

Gone are the days of conventional hair dryers being the market norm; the once iconic pistol-shaped handheld dryers are shifting into new form factors, making the best hair dryers interesting once again.

Of course, much of this can be attributed to Dysons inventive reimagining of the haircare space, with devices like the Dyson Supersonic and Dyson Airwrap pushing the limits of haircare engineering. However, with its gadgets being
so costly , it was only a matter of time before brands erupted across the industry to snap up interested beauty lovers with smaller pockets.

Three new dryers in particular demonstrated how varied the tools can now be; Dreames new foldable Pocket high-speed hair dryer, Sharks new FlexFusion multi-styler and the Laifen Mini, a more compact high-speed stick dryer. Pocket full of sunshine

Starting us off, we have Dreames new hair dryer, the Dreame Pocket , which packs some impressive specs into its foldable frame. It weighs just 10.5oz / 300g, but thanks to its high-speed motor, offering 110,000 RPM, you almost
get the performance levels of full-sized dryers. The Dreame Pocket is small but mighty (Image credit: Future)

Its nozzle is hinged, allowing for even more convenience when youre on the
go, but its also a versatile form factor that allows you to style at a
variety of angles and with different attachments. Granted, these are pretty chunky and seem to go against the design ethos of the dryer especially considering its a pretty tight fit if you pack them all in provided travel bag. I also didnt love its weighting when used in its wand orientation with the curling barrel, but I do appreciate the convenience of having a curling barrel at all in this lightweight form factor.

Its kind of a blend of the best of the Airwrap with the rotating head of Sharks Flexstyle, which results in a cool, high-performance dryer thats perfect for travel. However, its quite pricey at $159.99 / 159, and its
design might not be for everyone. A Shark in the multi-styler waters

Sharks newest multi-styler/dryer was a little divisive. As our Homes Editor highlighted in her first impression of the new Shark FlexFusion , this corker of a multi-styler packs basically every attachment youd ever need from a haircare device, but in doing so, it makes some significant sacrifices on size. In short, this is one chunky multi-styler.

Nevertheless, there are some innovative new additions. Shark has addressed
the fact that most people don't wash their hair every day, so had included settings for both wet and dry hair. I was also interested by its curlers and new straightener attachment. Using similar air straightening logic as the Dyson Airstrait , Sharks alternative also uses hot plates in addition to airflow to tame your locks. Similarly, the hot brush combines bristles and heated ceramic combs to tame frizz while still achieving a beautiful blowout. The FlexFusion does pretty much anything you could want it to (Image credit: Future)

The FlexFusion will have a list price of 369.99 (roughly $490 / AU$720), a jump up from its simpler sibling, the Shark FlexStyle , which costs $249.99/299.99 but doesn't offer the same range of attachments. Make it Mini

The dark horse for me ended up being the Laifen Mini, a new travel-sized version of its popular Laifen Swift hair dryer. While the original device was positioned as a Dyson Supersonic alternative at a more affordable price
point, the brand has since taken its own spin on the form factor and most importantly, listened to consumer feedback.

Since the original Laifen Swift launched in 2022 there have been several new versions, each iterating slightly to add features like a child lock, hot-to-cool cycling and a broader range of color options. Alongside the Mini, Laifen also announced its new Laifen SE 2, a slightly updated version of its mid-tier dryer. (Image credit: Future)

While its the simplest of the dryers I saw, the Mini was actually one of my favourite dryers on the show floor because it felt the most balanced,
offering a blend of genuinely useful features with some solid specs and an approachable price point (99.99, roughly 80), all packaged in a very cute, lightweight (299g/10.56oz) design that still packs a punch with its 110,000 RPM motor. As of right now, its not yet coming to the US due to differences
in voltage, but the team hopes to change this soon.

While there's a fair amount of borrowed features and similar specs in haircare, nonetheless it's really exciting to see such a wide range of form factors and technology breathing life into the once-stagnant area of
haircare.

It's a much-needed change that might bring the fun back into functional, and
I can't wait to get my hands on some of these brilliant blow dryers and multi-stylers. You might also like The new Shark FlexFusion is what you'd get if you melded all your hair gadgets together into one mammoth multi-styler There's a new Dyson Airwrap in town and this one personalizes your style using the Dyson app This Hershesons hair dryer is as gloriously lightweight and quiet as I'd hoped



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/hair-care/watch-out-dyson-these-3-radically-dif ferent-hair-dryers-are-making-haircare-exciting-again


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