| Blow Dryers: Best Features |
| Karen Marie Shelton, Dedicated to FFOS |
| Revised Date: 11/24/06 - Original Publication Date: 8/10/2001 |
Introduction
 Most
hair industry experts and consumers agree that when all is said and
done, the most important and thus the best feature of any blow dryer
is the motor.
(Shown to the side -
Conair - Ion Shine™ Compact Ionic Styler).
Since the majority of blow dryers sold today are factory packed,
assembled, and sealed, if you decide to buy several blow dryers to
test before you settle on one, you may have trouble returning them
since most companies have a strict "no return on opened or used"
items.
Some major department stores may offer a "testing station" where
several models can be tested at the same time. However, more
stores do not offer this option. Check before you decide to do
at-home testing on units that you may not be able to return.
Underwriters Laboratories
All blow dryers are required by law to confirm to standards that
make them safe for consumers to use. Blow Dryers fall under UL
60335-1 - Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Applicances,
Part 1: General Requirements.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
is the trusted source across the globe for product compliance.
Benefiting a range of customers - from manufacturers and retailers
to consumers and regulating bodies - UL has tested products for
public safety for more than a century.
Uncovering Possible Features
It definitely pays to do your homework before you buy. Most
consumers value the following features when buying a blow dryer:
1.
Nozzle Or No-Nozzle Design
 As
a general rule, blow dryers are designed to either have a nozzle or
non-nozzle air flow delivery system. Many people prefer the
nozzle design which even without an air flow concentrator, focuses
the air flow onto the hair.
The Conair SD61 (shown above) is a classic no-nozzle blow dryer
design. No-nozzle designs disperse the air flow rather than
concentrate it. Some people prefer a full air flow rather than
one that is focused.
 The
Conair Ionic Shine Ceramic Speed Styler is designed around a
classic nozzle style. It also combines all the latest blow
dryer technologies such as dual ionic ports, ceramic heat, ionic
on/off switches, quiet tone motor, 3 speed/settings, cool shot
button, hinged filter, concentrator and 6 foot professional length
line cord.
Both the nozzle and non-nozzle design have attachment options
that range from a concentrator and diffuser to add-on combs and
styling brushes.
2. Blow Dryer Air Speeds Measured
In Watts
The watts on a hairdryer will range from as low as 600 to as high
as 2,000. Generally speaking most blow dryers that are
manufactured for 2005 have 1,875 watts. To achieve a higher
wattage then 1,875 you either have to locate one that is ranked
higher or consider purchasing a dryer with a
Turbo button that allows you to increase the wattage by as much as
40%.
Wattage By Hair Type & Textures
Fine, thin or damaged strands require a minimum power of 1,200 to
1,500 watts of air speed. Fragile curly strands would also
benefit from the same range of power wattage.
Medium straight, textured hair, that is neither fine nor damaged
,can dry very well with any range of power depending on the style desired and
the speed of drying.
Thick and wavy hair or tresses that takes a long time to dry
generally requires a minimum of 1,875 watts. They will often
benefit from the highest wattages that is also turbo charged.
Note: For hair that is
fragile or damaged consider first towel blotting to absorb extra
moisture and then drying on the slowest, coolest setting to prevent
"heat bubbles" or damage. It is also important to move the
dryer back and forth over a large area of hair rather than directing
the heat to one small area.
3. At least two heat settings as a
minimal requirement
 Fine,
thin, fragile or damaged strands benefit from cool/cold settings
which prevent heat damage and in the case of fine hair, the cool air
will plump up limp strands.
The classic
Conair 1875 Hair Dryer (shown above) comes with two heat and two
speed settings.
Thick strands require full heat settings. While many
consumers prefer a blow dryer with multiple heat settings, most
require at least two options.
Hot air helps to create a style while cold air "sets it" to help
maintain the life of the hair design.
4. At least two speeds - low and
high
Fine, thin, damaged or fragile strands benefit from slow speeds.
Thick or slow drying strands benefit from medium to high speeds.
If a blow dryer is combined with a flat (straight styles) or round brush
(waves, curls or styles with body) to create
a specific hair style, remember that the higher the watts of air
flow and the faster the speed of drying, the higher the risk of
"over blowing" the style so that it does not "set" properly.
Yes you can over-blow your hair so that the style is not set or
the hair becomes overheated and fried.
So turn down the watts,
the speed and the heat for better styling results. Remember
that if you blow-dry your hair on a regular basis, you will need to
give it tender loving care (TLC) and special attention. Always
use heat-activated products to protect the hair shaft, keep the
blow-dryer moving and never hold it too close to the hair.
Fried hair may become brittle and could break easily.
5. Turbo Charged
One of the very latest options is to "turbo charge" your blow
dryer. This is a little bit like super sizing your meal or
buying a turbo charged sport car.
The
Conair 178 Ion Shine™ - Double
Ionic Turbo Styler (shown to the side) combines double port
ionic technology with the latest turbo feature. For the busy
hair consumer who never has enough time, the turbo button offers a
significant benefit. It increase blow dryer airflow by up to
40%.
This sci-fi wonder includes the following features:
- 1875 Watts
- Double port ionic
- Ion on/off switch with LED
- 3 heat/2 speed settings
- Cool shot button
- Turbo button for up to 40% more airflow
- Hinged filter
- 6' professional length cord
- Limited 2 year warranty
The only downside of the Turbo Styler is that you can literally
over blow your hair style. There is also the potential issue of
too much heat and air that can potentially damage strands. If
you must turbo charge, do so wisely.
6. Auto Shut-off
This is a good protective measure for using hot blow dryer tools
that may overheat. Most blow dryers come equipped with this
helpful option.
The blow dryer industry in the United States is carefully
monitored by the
Consumer Product Safety Commission which handles voluntary and
involuntary product recalls for products that have been deemed
"unsafe" for consumers to use.
Visit the CPSC website to review any other related
hair dryer or blow dryer recalls or warnings.
7. Cool/Cold Shot Button
A blast of cold air at the end of a drying cycle will help to
"set" a hairstyle. Heat opens the cuticle allowing it to dry
but cool and cold air close the hair shaft, plump it up and help to
lock in the new style.
If your dream blow dryer does not have a cool or cold setting,
select a model with a cold shot button. The idea with the
button is that you hold it in for short blasts of cold air.
They are not designed to be used for long periods of drying time.
8. Concentrator Nozzles
Concentrators come in two versions. One type consists of a
single nozzle that screws onto the end of the normal air flow
opening. The other type is a flat plate that consists of a
series of carefully placed "holes" that concentrate air flow.
9. Diffusers
Diffusers help "set" curly or wavy strands and utilize air flow that
is diffused to help the strands acquire a natural shape.
 These
are also usually "add-on" attachments that come in either long or
short finger designs.
 The
Conair Fast Air Hair Dryer With Diffuser contains a short finger
or flat diffuser attachment that is designed specifically to fit
onto the air flow nozzle.
A "long finger" diffuser (shown above) actually has what appears
to be, longer fingers for hair lift and separation.
10. Removable air intake
grill/lint filter to extend the life of the motor
 Removable
air intake filters can be cleaned of lint and dirt to prevent the
motor from overheating.
Some blow dryers like
Conair's Ion Shine (shown to the side) come equipped with
special hinged filters that make lint and dirt removal a snap.
11. Quiet motor
Quiet motors that minimizes the traditionally loud noise of the
dryer's engine were the "next big thing" approximately 4 years ago.
Back in 1997-1998 the average blow dryer would operate at 80 and
acoustic level of decibels or above.
Now, all blow dryers are equipped with the latest "quiet" motor
technologies which take the noise down to 60 decibels or below. The days of jet engine motors are fading fast.
12. Extra long cord that
eliminates the need for an extension cord
 The
length of the cords on the dryers can range from very short to very
long. Most consumer experts recommend that you select a dryer
with a cord that ranges from 6-9 feet. Of course if you
already have an over abundance of extension cords you can make do
with a short cord.
Some models come with the automatic cord keeper which allows you,
with the push of a button, to instantly snap the cord up into the
handle of the dryer. This is a great feature for neat freaks
or for pet or baby proofing.
13. Folding handle that allows for
easy storage and traveling
 This
technology replaced mini-blow dryers that were unable to produce
more than 800 watts of air flow. The new models are full blown
dryers that come with
folding handles that allows for easy storage and traveling.
Blow dryers with
folding handles may or may not offer the retractable cord
keepers.
14. Ceramic heat which guarantees
even heat distributions throughout the dryer
 Ceramic
heat technology has only been available for the last few years.
It is often combined with other features such as ionic or turbo
options. Ceramic heat is designed to provide an even heat
transfer unlike old blow dryers that tended to produce unbalanced
heat pockets.
15. Ionic Technology Fights Frizz
Some blow dryers come equipped with double-port Ionic features
that emit negative ions, neutralizing positive ions. This process
promotes shine for healthy hair.
While ionic infused hairdryers create frizz-free, soft, static
free, shiny strands, beware that they may leave hair flatter than
non-ionic versions.
The latest in ionic technology involves offering a toggle switch
that allows the user to either turn the ions "on" or "off". Conair
refers to this option as "dual port ionic"
options.
16. Dual Voltage Options
 This
becomes important when travel outside the United States is planned.
Unless a blow dryer has the
dual voltage option, the hot tool will only work in the United
States. If this is a feature that you require for overseas
travel, be sure to verify that the feature is available before you
buy.
Conair offers a special travel voltage plug kit. The kit
is for worldwide travel. The kit comes with six plugs that are
color coded for quick and easy identification. The adapters
can be used in Europe, Italy, Japan, Australia, China and the UK.
The adapters should only be used with dual voltage applicances.
17. Hands Free
 The
latest trend is to find blow dryers that are "hands free" for easy
styling. Although the blow drying industry believed that this
would be a very popular feature, many hair consumers still prefer
the old standby blow dryer that they can hold in their hands.
Conair developed the
Free & Easy Styler that is mounted on a tripod stand and offers
the ultimate in ease and convenience for drying hair. This
innovative new blow dryer comes complete with:
- 1875 Watts
- 2 slide switches for heat and speed
- Innovative tripod stand to hold dryer allowing you to dry
hair, hands-free
- Cool shot button
- Pop-up cassette filter for very easy cleaning with
additional filter
- Concentrator nozzle included for creating a variety of
styles
18. It's Sort Of A Blow Dryer -
Styler Dryer Options
 Some
people prefer to have a styling tool built right into their blow
drying tool. Conair makes a combination
Hot
Air Dryer & Boar Bristle Straightener.
This styler/dryer combo combines the sci-fi power of ions with
drying, straightening and styling in one neat appliance.
It comes equipped with the following features:
- Patented hinged brush straightener with natural boar/nylon
bristles adds shine
- Concentrator attachment
- Double-port Ionic feature emits negative ions, neutralizing
positive ions. This process promotes shine for healthy hair
- Ions reduce frizziness and static electricity
- Aluminum plates retain hot air providing superior heat
transfer
- 2 Speeds/3 Heat Settings
- 1000 Watts of drying power
- Limited one year warranty
19. Hang Loops
 Some
consumers love the convenience of hanging up their blow dryers on a
big hook in their bathroom.
Conair makes some models (like the
Conair - Ion Shine™ 1875W Double Ionic Port Turbo Styler -
Pink/Chrome
shown to the left) that come equipped with a "hang ring" that
usually is a loop that extends from the base of the dryer right by
the cord area. Not all dryers have this handy feature, but many do.
Summary
When it comes to selecting the blow dryer of your hair's
dream, knowledge is power. Make a list of your minimal "must
have" features and start from there. With careful shopping you
should be able to blow dry your hair to your ideal specifications. |