Dyson's Famous Supersonic Hair Dryer Is Worth Every Freakin' Penny

I could tell you all about the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer before I even knew what it looked like. Months before the high-tech blow-dryer hit shelves, I interviewed Dyson's head of product development, Tom Crawford, who led the project, and hairstylists like Jen Atkin, who helped the brand test and finesse the revolutionary hair tool, all in preparation to write up the news of the launch for Allure. It wasn't until nearly a year and a half later that I finally got to try the Supersonic for myself.

So back then I could've told you that Dyson spent four years on and invested $71 million in the Supersonic, that more than 100 different engineers — including dozens of new female engineer hires — worked on the project, and that every single one had to take hairstyling classes. I could've told you that the company put its bladeless technology (the same kind that revolutionized vacuums) in the head and an impeller in the handle, which together can push out 13 liters of air per second. I could've explained that the motor is three times lighter than the one in most hair dryers and located in the handle, which makes it less top-heavy and much easier to maneuver, and that the dryer also measures the air temperature 20 times per second to make sure it never exceeds 302 degrees, which results in more shine, less damage, and no singed scalps. And I could've told you about the four heat settings and the three airflow settings, and that not only is the Supersonic made of the same material used in police riot shields but one of the tones from the impeller is quite literally supersonic — the tone travels faster than the speed of sound.

But what does that all mean for your hair? Last year, when we initially tested the dryer, we asked two Allure editors to try it, one with fine, curly hair and one with thick, coarse, wavy hair. The latter found it dried her hair in four minutes and 17 seconds, versus the usual 15 to 20 minutes it takes her, while our fine-haired tester raved about how it never felt too hot on her skin, cut her blow-dry time in half, and gave her shampoo-ad-worthy sheen.

Still, I never got to try it myself. Until Allure readers gave it a 2017 Readers' Choice Award and I was asked to write a review. Finally, after over a year of waiting, I got my own Dyson Supersonic to bring home. Everything the brand promised and that our initial testers said is true. It's puzzlingly lightweight, surprisingly quiet (it makes a soft whooshing sound that won't wake up your significant other in the next room), and ultimately the most powerful blow-dryer I've ever used. I was shocked at how fast and strong the air comes out. I first used it without the nozzle attachment but found the air was too forceful for my long, fine hair, blowing it in every which way direction like I was in the twister scene in The Wizard of Oz. I stuck on the nozzle (which simply clicks in place with the help of a magnet) and it focused in the air in a steady stream and kept my hair from flying about.

Because my hair is so fine, it normally takes me about 10 minutes at most to blow-dry it. The Dyson cuts that down by at least four or five minutes. And it really does leave your hair soft, smooth, and incredibly shiny, even if you're just rough-drying it as I do. (I honestly can't remember the last time I picked up a round brush.)

And then there are the little things that just make this a pleasure to use: The round cord that doesn't get tangled, the filter that twists on and off for easy cleaning (a dirty filter in other dryers can cause the device to overheat and burn your hair), the magnetic nozzle and diffuser attachments, the surface that will never heat up, and the fact that with no exposed blades, there's no chance of your poor hair getting caught in the back of the dryer (which really isn't such a little thing at all).

Is it pricy? Yes, sold for $399.99 at Sephora and Ulta, it's very pricy, and there are traditional dryers out there that do a good job for less. But if you care about the health of your hair — or if your hair is extremely damaged or fragile — and if you want something that is durable and easy to use and will let you hit the snooze button a couple more times in the morning, then this fancy dryer is worth every single freakin' penny.