Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

While we all have our own personal care routines, the majority of us will either let our hair dry naturally or use the best hair tools after washing it, with many favouring the use of a dryer for speed.

Although primarily known for its popular range of vacuums, Dyson first entered the hair care industry in 2016 with the launch of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and then followed by the Dyson Corrale hair straightener in 2020. Quickly becoming a cult product due to its design and innovative features, the Supersonic continues to grow in popularity despite costing over £300.

But is it actually worth the hefty price tag, and does it really work for shorter hair styles? We got our hands on it to put the dryer to the test.

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer: overview

Key features:

Intelligent heat control

By measuring air temperature readings over 40 times a second and regulating the heat, the Supersonic ensures there is no extreme heat damage to hair.

Cold shot

This clever key control blasts a 28°C cold shot when pressed to set your hair after styling.

Magnetic attachments

Switch and swap the magnetic attachments of your choice to create a personalised drying experience unique to you and your hair.

Testing the Dyson Supersonic

As someone with long, thick hair, getting it dry after a wash can take quite a lot of time. As well as being pretty lazy, I’m also conscious of how much heat I use on it so I tend to stick my wet hair up in a towel and get on with my day. The Dyson Supersonic, however, had me intrigued.

Design

The first thing I noticed when unpacking my Supersonic was how sleek, attractive and how almost futuristic it looks, not something I ever thought I’d say about a hairdryer. It’s also relatively compact and lightweight, weighing just 650g without any attachments added.

While most hairdryers can be a bit heavy and awkward to hold after a while, mainly due to their motor sitting in the head of the dryer, the Supersonic’s motor sits instead in its handle, making it “engineered for balance”, according to Dyson. This is because the centre of mass being so close to the hand ensures better balance, something that is certainly noticeable when using the Supersonic.

The motor being in the handle also means that the length of the dryer barrel is shorter than traditional hair dryers, meaning you can get it closer to your head while your elbow stays closer to your body instead of having to move your elbow away. As far as hair dryers go, using Dyson's version is a really comfortable experience.

Attachments

While it’s common for hair dryers to have attachments, Dyson has several magnetic options on offer to use with the Supersonic. These include:

Diffuser: Ideal for reducing frizz and defining curly and wavy hair, this attachment disperses air evenly around curls, replicating natural drying.

Styling concentrator: With a wide, thin design, the styling concentrator focuses the air in one place to enable you to style one section of hair at a time without impacting the rest.

Flyaway attachment: A finishing tool created for straight styles, this attachment hides flyaways under longer hair for a smooth, shiny finish.

Gentle air attachment: Best for sensitive scalps and fine hair, this attachment diffuses air for a gentle, cooler airflow without making drying take longer.

Wide-tooth comb: Working similarly to a hair dryer brush, the robust teeth of this comb work with curly and coily hair types to lengthen hair while drying, helping to create volume.

To be completely honest, I’ve always considered hair dryers to simply be for drying my hair rather than styling it. If I wanted to style my hair, I’d pick up my straighteners or my hair waver tool. The Supersonic attachments encouraged me to combine my drying and styling routines into one. Each attaches magnetically, something that is always satisfying.

Having wavy hair, not all of the attachments (e.g. the wide-tooth comb and diffuser) were of use to me personally but I’ve heard from friends with curly hair who have used these attachments with the Supersonic how much of a difference they’ve made to their hair routine.

My favourite has to be the flyaway attachment which directs airflow around the curve of the attachment and out of a hole. As you run it from top to bottom, this harnesses the Coanda effect, lifting longer hairs and hiding flyaways for a smooth, sleek finish. I found it easy to use it on the back of my head too, just rotate the attachment 45 degrees and slowly run it down the back of your head. For those who like volume, this attachment may not be preferred as the overall look is fairly flat.

I also really liked the styling concentrator which has a thin, wide design for a high-velocity blade of air to dry sections of hair one at a time without affecting the rest.

Performance

Despite how futuristic it looks, using the Dyson Supersonic is straightforward. There are three precise speed settings available:

• High – for fast drying and styling
• Medium – for regular drying
• Low – for diffusing

And four temperature settings:

• 100°C fast drying and styling
• 80°C regular drying
• 60°C cooler drying and diffusing
• 28°C constant cold

The Supersonic’s heat-control system measures the temperature of the airflow 40 times per second. And if it starts to get too hot, the heating element is cooled down, meaning the airflow will never exceed a certain extreme temperature at the outlet. This means that even the highest heat setting will always stay at a constant temperature rather than increasing or decreasing while in use. Put simply, this helps prevent extreme heat damage to your hair.

When used to dry hair, there’s no denying that even without any attachments, the Dyson Supersonic is brilliant. I tend to stick to the highest temperature and the fastest speed and the result is that my super-thick hair is dried quickly and effectively, at half the time of our standard hair dryer.

It’s not uncommon for my hair to go frizzy and static after being dried but regardless of what attachment I use with the Supersonic, this has not been the case. This is no doubt thanks to the use of ionic technology and its ability to neutralise positive ions, resulting in smooth hair and reduced frizz. Instead, my hair has never been so soft and shiny by my own hand.

Noise-wise, the Supersonic may not be silent, but it’s definitely quieter than previous hairdryers I’ve used previously.

Final verdict: is the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer worth the purchase?

The price is always going to be the kicker when it comes to the Dyson Supersonic. At £329.99, it’s an expensive piece of kit (in comparison to more affordable options such as the Shark FlexStyle), but having used it first-hand and learnt about the engineering behind the tool, I can completely understand why it’s sold at such a price point.

From the design to the performance, every part of the Supersonic has been carefully considered to provide an effective experience and end result for the user. It’s so much more than a hair dryer.

It’s no doubt an investment but if you’re someone who regularly styles their hair, the cost is absolutely justifiable.