6 Best Affordable Hair Dryers for All Your At-Home Blowouts
Each of these editor-approved picks cost $200 or less.
There’s really no need to spend upwards of $500 on a hair tool anymore. I mean, you can get a high-quality hair dryer these days for just a fraction of the price, and many come equipped with the same fancy ionic technology (aka smoother, less frizzy hair), magnetic attachments, and customizable heat and speed settings as options that cost six times as much.
So, team Cosmo set out to find the best affordable hair dryers on the market. We also tapped professional hairstylists for their best tips on choosing the right dryer for your specific hair type, because whether you’re styling fine strands, thick curls, or something in between, the right combo of airflow, heat settings, and attachments makes all the difference.
A few of our favorite affordable hair dryers:
Plus, with powerful motors in the 1800 to 2000 watt range, these dryers can cut down drying time significantly, meaning less heat damage and healthier-looking hair. Keep scrolling for the best affordable hair dryers that deliver major volume, curls, and shine, all without the high price tag.
Pros
- Most highspeed option on this list
- Comes in a bunch of sleek colorways
Cons
- Only has one attachment
Why we love it: Sometimes nothing beats a classic hair dryer, and this one from Elchim has five different temperature settings and two speeds, so you can fully customize your styling routine with just a few buttons. It truly rivals some of the fancy blow dryers that can cost upwards of four times the price, and it’s super high-speed, so it’ll dry the hair in just a fraction of the time.
One Cosmo editor says: “Any time I see this blow dryer in a hotel bathroom, I squeal with delight. I used it in college and love how fast it dries hair and with minimal frizz. It’s one of those unfussy hair tools that just gets the job done.” —LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
| Attachments | 1 |
| Power | 2000 watts |
Pros
- Magnetic attachments
- Rotates for easy, ergonomic styling
- Ionic technology
Cons
- Not the best option for travel
Why we love it: This small hairdryer from Wavytalk is not only less than $100, but it’s also constantly on sale for less. It comes with both a diffuser and smoothing magnetic attachment, so you don’t need to waste time fiddling with the tool. The tiny gadget packs a lot of punch—it’ super highspeed, and also has ionic technology to minimize any frizz and flyaways.
What shoppers are saying: “I primarily use this dryer with the diffuser attachment, and I cannot praise it enough. Even with my thick hair, it dries completely in no more than 15 minutes, which feels almost unreal compared to other dryers I’ve tried. It’s also very lightweight compared to other hair dryers and easy to travel with!”
| Attachments | 2 |
| Power | 1500 watts |
Pros
- Often on sale
Cons
- On the heavier side
Why we love it: This under-$50 hairdryer is beloved by thousands of shoppers, with more than 15,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. It’s got three heat settings, plus a cold shot, and two different speed settings, so there’s a bunch of different options whether you choose to go for a sleek blowout or some voluminous curls with the diffuser attachment.
What shoppers are saying: “I was tired of my old blow dryer, it took what felt like years to dry my thick hair. This gets the job done in less than half the time of former regular blow dryer. It comes with a diffuser which is nice for my natural curly hair. The attachments are worth it—the blow out one works great with a round brush. Bang for your buck for sure.”
| Attachments | 2 |
| Power | 1875 watts |
Pros
- Intelligent heat control
- Dual voltage, so it's great for traveling
Cons
- Priciest option on this list
Why we love it: If you’re traveling—especially internationally—and don’t want to use the blow dryer that comes in the hotel bathroom, this dual-voltage hairdryer is ideal for all your trips. It uses ionic technology to reduce frizz (for all your warm-weather trips) and it also boasts intelligent heat control that customizes the drying temperature based on your hair’s needs.
What shoppers are saying: “I love the fact that it’s so quiet and that I can set the amount of heat I want. I just recently changed hairstyles and have to blow dry my hair every other day now instead of letting it dry on its own. I was worried about damaging my hair, which is very healthy. But this dryer does an amazing job even at the lower heat settings. It’s powerful. It’s easy to clean, and hair doesn’t get caught in the vent like it did with my old one.”
| Attachments | 3 |
| Power | 1200 watts |
Pros
- Looks super chic
- Very lightweight
- Magnetic attachments
Why we love it: I saw someone call this the Apple product of hairdryers, and now I can’t unsee it. This chic tool is super lightweight (it’s less than one pound) and comes with three magnetic attachments. It also has an auto-cycling mode to protect your hair from heat damage.
What shoppers are saying: “This hair dryer is perfect! I love that it’s small, so it is easy to handle. It has a super long cord, and I really appreciate the setting that cycles through each temperature so that you don't overheat your hair.”
| Attachments | 3 |
| Power | 1400 Watts |
Pros
- Round brush is detachable
- Dries and styles simultaneously
Cons
- No other attachments
Why we love it: If you want a tool that simultaneously dries, smooths, and styles your hair all for under $100, look no further than this BondiBoost Blowout Brush. The no-frills tool has two heat settings plus a cool shot to set your curls in place. And it comes in both a 2-inch and 3-inch version, so you can decide how loose you want your waves to fall.
One Cosmo editor says: “When I don’t have time for a whole multi-step styling routine, I love this blowdry brush. It smooths my thick and wavy hair, creating the look of a bouncy salon blowout in just ten minutes—no separate round brush needed.”—JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
| Attachments | N/A |
| Power | N/A |
FAQs
Are expensive hair dryers worth it?
With so many good hair dryers under $200 on the market, you may be wondering whether those expensive hair dryers are worth the cost (ya, I'm looking at you, Dyson Supersonic). And while top-of-the-line hair dryers may give you a pleasant styling experience, they're not necessarily "better." Here's the thing: You'll see the same buzzwords—like "ionic," "ceramic," and "tourmaline"—on both $100 blow dryers and $600 blow dryers, so don't be too swayed by a pricey dryer.
And while a high-wattage dryer can produce more heat than a lower-wattage one, you'll notice that most hair dryers are about 1,875 watts regardless of price, so that doesn't make much of a difference, either. What really makes for a good blow dryer is an ergonomic design, multiple heat settings, and included attachments, such as a diffuser for curly, coily, or wavy hair or a concentrator for frizzy hair. Sure, a splurge dryer like the Dyson may offer faster speeds and higher temps (as well as a more luxe drying experience), but it won't make your hair look significantly different than a less expensive dryer.
How to choose the best affordable hair dryer
Look for multiple heat settings
To prevent unwanted hair frying or damage, look for a blow dryer with adjustable heat and speed settings. As hairstylist Amy Abramite previously told Cosmo, "Hair that's finely textured, compromised by chemicals, or already damaged may not be able to handle hot temperatures and still remain healthy." With adjustable heat, you can use lower heat settings depending on your hair type (and same goes for speed).
Consider the weight
While a hair dryer with an alternating current (AC) motor tends to be stronger, hotter, and longer-lasting, AC dryers are often heavier than those with direct current (DC) motors. If you plan on traveling with your dryer or want to avoid fatigued wrists, you might wanna opt for a lightweight dryer, like the Laifen Swift Hair Dryer.
Keep your hair type in mind
The best affordable dryers are compatible with diffusers and concentrators (and preferably come with them), so you can style your hair rather than just, ya know, blowing hot air at it. If you're looking to reduce frizz, make sure you get a dryer with a concentrator nozzle, which "can control the direction of airflow, pointing downward, so you are encouraging the cuticle to lay down flat," as Aaron Grenia, co-founder of IGK Hair, told Cosmo.
Meet the experts
- Amy Abramite is a hairstylist and the creative director at Maxine Salon in Chicago, IL. She's an expert in hair cutting, blowouts, and styling with hot tools.
- Aaron Grenia is a hairstylist and one of the cofounders of IGK Hair, which creates hair products for a variety of hair types.
Why trust 'Cosmo'?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan who covers all things hair—from the biggest celebrity cuts to the best hot tools on the market. For this story, she spent hours researching the best affordable hair dryers based on reviews, weight, attachments, power, and more. She also took recommendations from Cosmo’s beauty team based on years of experience testing blow dryers.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
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