Last Updated: Jun 1, 2023 @ 1:27 pm.

Best Budget-Friendly: Remington D3190 Damage Protection Hair Dryer with Ceramic + Ionic + Tourmaline Technology

The best hair dryers for curly hair typically have diffusers—this enables more even drying of curls.

That’s what our readers told us when we surveyed them to find the best hair dryers for curly hair. We took their top recommendations and then did additional research to find which models are most dependable, quiet and lightweight.

Our top three recommendations are hair dryers with diffusers. If you have light curls, a regular hair dryer (no diffuser) might work . . . we have a suggestion for that at the end of this article.

Yes, there is a lot of hype when it comes to hair dryers—special coated ions? Tourmaline? Ceramics? In the end, we cared most about performance. Which worked best to reduce frizz?

For the best budget-friendly hair dryer for curly hair, the winner is Remington’s D3190 hair dryer. Excellent quality . . . at a price that is easy on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Diffuser works well on curly hair.

• Dependable.

• Good performance.

• Settings are easy to use. 3 heat settings, 2 speeds. Cool shot button.

• Lightweight at 1.94 lbs.

• 7 foot cord.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Not enough power for some folks.

• Attachments could be easier to attach.

Best Diffuser Hair Dryer: Bed Heads Curls in Check

When we surveyed our readers with curly hair, this brand was mentioned again and again: Bed Heads. The company’s Curls in Check hair dryer is basically one big diffuser—perfect for folks with moderate to tight curls.

What We Liked

• Flat head can be used with or without diffuser.

• Lightweight at 1.6 lbs.

• Excellent at reducing frizz.

• Easy to use controls.

• Six foot cord that swivels to avoid tangling. We liked that feature best.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

• Loud.

• Have to be careful not to get hair sucked into back of dryer. While we loved this hair dryers shape and diffuser, you can easily get hair caught in the blade at back if not cautious!

• Not as optimal as a regular hair dryer in case you are sharing this with a spouse that doesn’t have curly hair!

Best Infrared Hair Dryer: Revlon 1875 Infrared Hair Dryer

When we surveyed our readers with curly hair for their favorite hair dryers, we found quite a large number of folks who like hair dryers with infrared heat technology. These newer-type dryers claim they reduce over-drying . . . which as anyone who has curly hair knows leads to frizz!

We looked at several infrared dryers recommended by our readers and decided Revlon’s 1875 infrared model is the best bet for most folks. Some of these dryers can get very pricey . . . but this model is easier on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Excellent performance.

• Great for curly hair.

• 2 heat and 2 speed settings.

What Needs Work

• Takes longer than other dryers on average. While the infrared technology is good, it can be a bit slower to dry hair, based on feedback from our readers.

• Some folks thought the diffuser had holes that were too big—and that sometimes got hair tangled. This seemed to be true more for folks with tight, small curls.

• Attaching the accessories takes a bit of effort.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!