The 7 quietest hair dryers for a calmer drying experience – tested and reviewed by our beauty experts
Blow drying is usually a very noisy task, but our experts have found and reviewed the quietest hair dryers on the market
Hair dryers can be loud, right? But noise necessarily mean efficiency when it comes to these tools. Buying one of the quietest hair dryers is therefore well worth it – particularly if the sound bothers you. These tools pack just as much power and styling prowess but have less of an impact on your ears. We know what you're thinking: that's all well and good, but how do I know it's a quiet hair dryer before taking it home and trying it?
The good news is there are things you can do beyond simply studying the best hair dryers specs for evidence that the given tool might be quiet-ish. Hairdresser and mdlondon founder Michael Douglas recommends looking for brushless (direct current, or DC) motors over a traditional alternating current (AC) ones. This means "there are fewer moving parts in the engine of the hair dryer, so there's less friction and it therefore creates less noise," he explains. "I think on average it makes it about 12 decibels quieter, which is quite a big deal. A DC motor also consumes less energy – so it's more energy efficient and costs less money to blow dry your hair [using one]."
Better than that, you can use our firsthand testing experience to shop from tools we know are on the quiet side. With decades of experience between us, woman&home's beauty team has reviewed many dryers over the years – including newer, quiet-yet-powerful models. We drew on this knowledge while testing a big set of contenders to properly decide on the best-performing (and quietest) buys. If you're in the market for a dryer that doesn't sound like it belongs at an airfield, these are the select tools we recommend.
Quietest hair dryer deals
These deals were last checked on 05/05/26 and we will continue to do so to ensure that all of the products below are still in stock, still discounted and, most importantly, are the very best deals around at the moment.
The quietest hair dryers at a glance
We loved this one for the lack of a subtle (and kind of annoying) 'whistling' sound present in many hair dryers we've tried. Its LED display consistently shows the temperature and speed setting, while if something blocks the rear vent or it gets too hot it handily turns itself off.
It's no secretwe love the Dyson Supersonic, especially for curly and wavy hair. But it's also one of the quietest dryers thanks to a silencer in the handle and a motor that barely hints at a whistle. Is there anything it can't do?
Created by hairdresser Michael Douglas, the BLOW Dryer takes the spot for the quietest we tested. The incredibly light hair dryer emits a sound of just 76 decibels thanks to a brushless motor – plus has a very useful self-cleaning feature.
The 7 quietest hair dryers, reviewed by our beauty team
The best quiet hair dryer with no high-pitched sound
The Beauty Works AERIS Hair Dryer
Reviewed by: Lucy Abbersteen
On top of its lightweight and aesthetically pleasing design, Beauty Works' AERIS Hair Dryer boasts a very quiet user experience. Yes, there's low noise, but what really stood out to me was the absence of the classic, ever so slightly high-pitched "whistling" sound. It's usually slightly detectable even in the quietest hair dryers, like mdlondon's model earlier in this guide – but not here.
As for the actual use, I loved the incredibly handy, circular LED display at the top of the tool; you can clearly see your current temperature (60°C, 90°C or 120°C) and speed at a glance while drying – a nice touch. Once done drying, however, I noticed the dryer displays "OFF" until it's unplugged or switched off at the mains (though I'll admit this also serves as a good reminder to do so!). Another great safety feature here is that this dryer will automatically shuts off if the rear vent is blocked, or if the temperature goes above 150°C.
The Beauty Works AERIS Hair Dryer
Here you also get two nozzles and a handy dust bag for storage, but the compatible diffuser has to be bought separately, which does let it down a little in my eyes given its price. Some argue that not everyone will use a diffuser or comb if included, but having these available as part of a bundle means some hair types aren't charged more than others for their new dryer to dry as they need. All in all though, this ultra-light, ultra-quiet tool didn’t disappoint in the styling department, yielding a pretty smooth finish as well as drying my hair quickly. It's no wonder it won the 2023 woman&home beauty award for best hair dryer – in fact, we also deem it one of the best hair dryers for fine hair generally.
The best quiet hair dryer overall
The mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer
Reviewed by: Lucy Abbersteen, Jess Beech
The competition for the top spot in our quietest hair dryers guide, by ear, was a very close call. But in terms of specific volume ratings, this tool is the winner in our guide with just 76 decibels. Created by celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas, this dryer looks and feels incredibly premium. Even the colour options are stylish: dark teal, olive green and blush pink. I tested the former for this piece, as did my colleague Jess Beech, who says: "I've tried dozens of them, but the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer is the one I use most," also praising its compact size, quietness and impressive results on her hard to style hair.
But let’s get into the details of how well (and how quietly) it performs. On the lowest speed setting, it is impressively hush thanks to that brushless motor. Mdlondon's dryer is also approved by Quiet Mark, an independent global certification program that assesses products spanning various categories to verify which tools are the quietest on the market – so you can trust it really is quiet, as hair dryers go.
The mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer in casal blue
On top of its compact and lightweight design, another thing that sold it to me is how quickly it can switch between hot and cold settings. There's no real waiting around for the dryer to cool, so if you’re styling in a hurry you can set your style quickly.
I do have a couple of quibbles. Firstly, you have to hold down the button for a little while to turn it on and off – and, while you can buy the diffuser separately, as mentioned I prefer one to be included as standard. But, really, these didn't make a significant dent in my overall opinion. This dryer left my hair feeling great and ticked all of my boxes – as you'd expect from a tool made by such an experienced hairdresser.
Read Jess's full mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer review
The best quiet hair dryer for curly hair
The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer with its diffuser
Reviewed by: Lucy Abbersteen, Fiona McKim
By far one of the most famous hair dryers on the market, which our Beauty Channel Editor Fiona McKim labelled a "game-changer" in her review, the Dyson Supersonic and its expert engineering were truly revolutionary when the tool first launched in 2016. Alongside its smart airflow system that dry hair quickly and efficiently, it's also famously quieter than your standard hair dryer – even on the top speed setting. A Dyson engineer explained the motor, which sits at the base of the handle, is quieter due to the inclusion of a silencer. The V9 Digital Motor's fan was also tweaked slightly to prevent high-pitched whistling. (This is consistent across subsequent iterations of this coveted dryer, the Dyson Supersonic r and Supersonic Nural.)
While the Supersonics are great for all hair types, I wanted to give it a particular shout-out for styling curly hair types because the expertly engineered airflow is so gentle on curls through the accompanying diffuser – just one of a whopping five attachments that come with this dryer as standard. Admittedly, this attachment could be slightly larger, but it has lots of tiny holes to evenly disperse the air, which can add volume (for those who feel they need it) and definition. In other words, it's easily one of the best diffusers for curly hair.
The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
I can also speak from firsthand experience that it’s the best pairing for styling curly hair with defined, frizz-free results. Unless I'm testing new tools, I almost always use a Dyson dryer if I'm drying my hair curly as it is, quite simply, the best. And on another note, I've really never seen flyaways flattened as well as the unique flyaway attachment can. It's a brilliant tool.
Read Fiona's full Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer review and Lucy's Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer review
The best quiet hair dryer for fast drying
Reviewed by: Jess Beech, Lucy Abbersteen
In striking bold blue, The Great Hair Dryer's launch marked luxury hair salon group Hershesons' first entry into the hot tool space. Arriving in a handy and cool metal case, complete with a leather-look handle, you have three accompanying attachments inside from the off: two concentrator nozzles and a diffuser.
Overall, we'd bill this as a small but very mighty dryer. Its quietness and under-300g weight makes it ideal for travel, but it still packs impressive blow-drying power and results. There are three speed and heat settings, including a cool shot and oxy active technology that also aids shine and colour protection.
The Hershesons The Great Hair Dryer
Speaking from experience, it's easy to accidentally knock buttons and unintentionally change settings, particularly on smaller and more compact dryers. The Great Hair Dryer's smart lock function nips that particular problem in the bud; you can input your desired settings and forget all about any accidental changes until you switch it off.
As we expected from a hairdresser-founded brand, it performs brilliantly, hence why hairstylists and beauty editors alike have been raving about it since its launch. Our Senior Beauty Editor Rhiannon Derbyshire notes it's one of the best hair dryers for curly hair, while Fashion & Beauty editor Jess Beech calls it "the Usain Bolt of hair dryers" as it dries her hair twice as quickly as the Dyson Supersonic. Impressive!
Read Jess's full Hershesons The Great Hair Dryer review
The best quiet hair dryer with a long warranty
The BioIonic Smart-X High Efficiency Dryer
Reviewed by: Lucy Abbersteen
Bio:Ionic’s Smart-X Dryer's impressive credentials immediately piqued my interest when doing my initial research into super quiet hair dryers. Utilising enhanced air pressure, rather than excessive heat, it claims to dry hair 75% faster than its competitors. Although the highest heat setting still felt pretty hot in my book, the tool also ensures consistent drying by balancing the air and temperature 100 times per second.
When it comes to actually using the dryer, I thought it was particularly powerful, leaving my hair feeling soft. However, I didn’t notice a massive difference in the drying time compared to other top-tier tools from brands like Dyson, mdlondon and Beauty Works. Either way, this dryer does have the feel of a premium gadget – one that I enjoyed using at that.
The BioIonic Smart-X High Efficiency Dryer
Other noteworthy tech specs that tick my boxes are the switch that locks your programmed settings – and even remembers them next time you fire it up – as well as a light indicating the self-cleaning feature. All set with a practically unheard of 10 year guarantee, this dryer is one you can rely on after investing.
The best quiet hair dryer with a stylish design
The Bondi Boost Sonic Dryer
Reviewed by: Lucy Abbersteen
BondiBoost's Sonic Hair Dryer also made our edit of the quietest hair dryers. We did notice that it’s ever so slightly noisier when starting it up than others here, but its still noticeably quieter than traditional hair dryer motors.
Aside from its chic monochromatic colourway, it also comes with two useful attachments: a narrow nozzle and a decent-sized diffuser. The overall drying experience was nice, leaving my hair soft and frizz-free – two things that scored it points in the review process.
Our only real quibble for me was that it was difficult to know what setting is programmed simply by looking at the dryer. Instead, you have to cycle through each setting to work out where you’re at before settling on the right one. It could also benefit from an even lower speed setting than its lowest, but it’s still a lightweight and undeniably quiet tool.
The best quiet hair dryer for storage
The Diva Pro Atmos Atom Hair Dryer
Reviewed by: Lucy Abbersteen
Another super compact tool, the Atmos Atom Hair Dryer is very small and lends itself well to travel. Both the dryer and attachments are set out in a stylish metal tin, which is great for both general storage and keeping the parts together while you're on the go.
Each magnetic attachment attaches securely and satisfyingly, with two different sized narrow nozzle and a diffuser, while the three metre long cable is very generous. The results are a nice drying job without an excessive amount of unwanted frizz. A downside, though, is its plug; although it's adaptable for EU use, it's quite chunky and not the most premium-feeling hair styling tool as a result. But there's no denying that it's an overall quiet device that has a pleasant drying experience.
How we tested the quietest hair dryers
A selection of the quietest hair dryers we tested for this feature from (L-R) Bio:Ionic, Dyson, mdlondon, Zuvi and Beauty Works
Throughout this review process, I tried and tested a variety of hair dryers that were promoted as being particularly quiet by their manufacturers, also comparing them against one another to find the overall quietest tool. The noise levels emitted from each dryer were assessed by ear and compared with each other. Each tool was also used at least once to fully dry my hair and assess its capabilities.
While noise emittance is the most important factor here, it wasn’t the only category that team woman&home required these dryers to score well in. Tools featured also had to be all-around excellent dryers, so we assessed all of the following factors while testing.
- Volume: As well as a general perception test of the noise emitted by all the dryers, we tested for consideration, we also compared the decibel ratings of each model where specified.
- How loud each setting sounded: It's all well and good for a low power setting to be whisper quiet, but you'll most likely use higher settings when drying your hair. We therefore assessed every setting on each dryer.
- Price: We tested from a range of price points, ensuring that more expensive tools performed well enough to justify the greater expense.
- Design, weight and feel: How ergonomic each dryer is to use and felt in the hand.
- No. of heat & speed settings: Variable options are important for both to ensure you can style your hair well enough.
- Attachments and extras: Both in the box and available to purchase separately – from concentrator nozzles and diffusers to carry cases.
- Advanced technology or features: Extra points were scored for features and technology that were fairly unique to the dryer.
It’s also worth noting that some of the quietest hair dryers can be a little on the pricier side, due to their advanced technology in making them less noisy. However, more positively, this means they are often lighter and more compact, which ups their value for money as they can often double up as one of the best travel hair dryers.
How to choose the quietest hair dryer for your hair
As well as actual noise output and decibel rating, you still want to ensure it ticks all of your boxes to suit your hair type and styling needs. The following are, therefore, all crucial features to consider before you finalise your purchase.
- Attachments: Ideally these are included rather than having to be purchased separately. Concentrator nozzles are beneficial for precise styling and getting into the roots of your hair; a comb can lift and stretch tightly coiled textures; and a diffuser is extremely useful for drying curly hair types.
- Speed & heat settings: Having multiple speeds and temperatures means you can adjust your dryer depending on your hair's needs and/or desired finish.
- Size & weight: Both are crucial in terms of day-to-day use, especially if you're hoping to avoid the dreaded arm ache. But they're also important if you travel frequently and need a tool that won't take up too much space – or weigh a tonne – in your bag.
- Technology: Look out for any special features incorporated into a dryer – ionic technology for a smoother finish, or ceramic for more even heat distribution, are two key examples.
What is the average decibel level of a hair dryer?
Hairdressers Journal reports that the average decibel level for a hair dryer usually falls somewhere between 80 and 90 dB. Dryers that are 80 dB or lower would be considered quieter than standard and should, therefore, make for a less noisy blow dry. The quietest dryer in our tried-and-tested guide is the mdlondon BLOW Dryer, which has a rating of 76 dB.
How can you tell if a hair dryer is quiet before buying?
On top of reading our detailed guide, there are a few things you can look out for that indicate a given model will be quieter than traditional roaring hair dryers. To recap, a brushless or DC motor – less noisy than an AC motor – and a decibel rating below 80, if specified. Quiet Mark also certifies hair dryers as part of the organisation's work to highlight quieter at-home gadgets and tools, though at the time of writing very few have their certification.
Are quiet hair dryers suitable for thick and frizzy hair?
The good news is: very much so. While most people with thick and/or naturally frizzy hair might instinctively gravitate towards powerful hair dryer options, a quieter tool doesn't necessarily mean a less powerful one.
The Dyson Supersonic is a great example of this kind of hair dryer, making it onto this guide to the quietest tools. Though on the quiet side, it still boasts an impressive 1600w wattage – plenty of power for anyone who likes a strong shot of air when drying and styling their hair.
Our expert panel
Lucy Abbersteen is a freelance beauty editor who has written for titles including Marie Claire, Glamour and Cosmopolitan, as well as regularly contributing to woman&home. She has years of experience in rigorously testing and reviewing hairstyling tools, including hair dryers. As well as testing those marketed as quiet, she collated feedback from her W&H colleagues to create this thorough guide to the quietest hair dryers. (Her partner is also particularly sensitive to that whistle tone, which proved useful during the testing period.)
As woman&home's Beauty Channel Editor, Fiona has tried more products than she’s had hot dinners and nothing makes her happier than raving about brilliant finds on womanandhome.com or her Instagram grid. Fiona joined us as Assistant Beauty Editor in 2013 and has since covered every corner of the industry; she reviewed several quiet hair dryers featured in this guide (and plenty that didn't make the cut).
Jess is an experienced fashion & beauty editor, with more than 10 years experience in the publishing industry. She has written for woman&home, GoodtoKnow, Now, Woman, Woman’s Weekly, Woman’s Own and Chat, and former Deputy Fashion & Beauty Editor of Future plc. A beauty obsessive and extremely experienced journalist, Jess rigorously tested and reviewed some of the hair dryers in this guide (and plenty more besides), sharing her experiences and results.
Michael Douglas is a hairdresser with a career spanning over three decades, and is the founder of both the mdlondon hair salon and hair tool brand of the same name. In this guide, he's shared his insights into what makes quiet hair dryers exactly that – and just so happens to make one of the dryers we deemed quietest after the thorough testing period.
