For certain things in life, you definitely get what you pay for. Botox, boob jobs, Bentleys ... but does the sentiment apply to blow dryers?
A better blow dryer can usually mean faster drying time and less damage for your hair. But when you can get a T3, Chi, or FHI (all considered high quality) dryer for around $100 to $150, does it really make sense to splurge on a $300 Harry Josh Pro Tools 2000 Pro Dryer? True, he is the pro behind Gisele Bundchen, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Natlie Portman's flawless hair, but does that make him a guru when it comes to heat tools?
My answer:
Maybe. Let me explain. I'm currently the proud owner of an FHI dryer that goes for $162.50. Some of you might be saying
that's a lot for a dryer, and I won't argue. But anytime I use a cheaper dryer, at a friend's house or hotel, I can immediately tell the difference. My hair takes forever to dry and feels more like straw than human hair.
As far as I'm concerned, for the Harry Josh dryer to be worth the money, it needs to be twice as good as my regular dryer. So, twice as fast and make my hair look twice as good.
In terms of speed, I timed myself using both dryers (yes, I am that nerdy) and here are the results. My FHI dried my hair in 5 minutes and 22 seconds. The Harry Josh did it in 4 minutes, 26 seconds. So definitely quicker, although not exactly half the time.
And how did it perform on the style front? The first day I walked in after using the Harry Josh dryer, another editor asked if I'd gotten a blowout before work. I can confidently say that's
never happened before. And I didn't do anything different brush-wise or product-wise, so it's got to be the dryer. I'll agree my hair was very soft, had plenty of bounce, and went from wavy to straight without too much effort on my part. It's hard to quantify exactly how much better it looked, but there was a definite improvement.
There are also other benefits to this dryer: it's tiny (almost travel-sized) and much lighter than a typical dryer. It also uses 70 percent less energy than the average dryer, even though it blasts out air at 81 mph thanks to an AC motor (which is stronger than the DC motor found in cheaper dryers). And it's designed to last 2,000 hours, or about 15 years if you use it for 20 minutes a day.
Another minor, but noteworthy, feature: the cool shot button blasts cool air instantly, while most dryers take at least a few seconds to cool down. Finally, the mint green casing (hand made in France) is adorable and a nice twist on the usual gray or black dryer.
I'm not about to tell everyone to run out and by this dryer. If you don't have the cash or don't blow dry your hair often, there are plenty of alternatives that are nearly as good. But, if you're in the market for a serious dryer and want one that's cute, light, and insanely powerful, start saving your pennies.
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