Dyson supersonic r hair dryer
- Watts: 1,700W
- Weight : 0.68kg
- Temperature settings: Four, including a cold shot
- Why we love it
- Fast drying
- Impressively lightweight
- Various heat and speed settings
- Long cable
- Take note
- Hefty plug
- Expensive
Dyson’s latest launch – the supersonic r – boasts a unique curved shape. The ergonomic design is supremely comfortable to hold, but I’m more struck by the weight of this appliance. The hair dryer weighs just 0.68kg and is 30 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter than other supersonics in the roster. However, it boasts the same fast and powerful drying credentials as its predecessors.
Until now, it was exclusively available to pro stylists, which explains the extra-long cable length (280cm, compared to 262cm in the nural). A necessity for stylists working in a busy salon, the benefits of this long cable length translate to at-home use, giving you extra freedom when drying. However, this means that a lot of the electronics are packed into the plug, which is surprisingly hefty.
The curved design of the tool helped King style and dry my roots, which is usually a hard area to reach. At home, I found it far easier to dry and smooth from the root to the ends because of the compact and curved nozzle end.
Dyson has packed lots of new features into the tool; for example, the motor and heater automatically adjust to deliver optimal airflow and temperature. Plus, it features three airflow levels and four heat modes (including a cold shot for setting your look). On top of that, there’s a handy LED light which indicates the current heat control airflow settings. Finally, the hair dryer also has a negative charge feature that helps to reduce static in locks and minimise frizz. I’m prone to flyaways and frizz when styling, but the supersonic r’s precision airflow and negative charge feature helped to tame and smooth hair.
The tool also comes with a range of attachments that cater for different hair types, from straight and wavy to curly or coily hair. The straight and wavy attachments include a powerful air attachment to dry hair quickly, a pro concentrator for precise styling, a gentle air attachment for even distribution and a smoothing nozzle to tame frizz and flyaways. Meanwhile, the curly and coily tool comes with a powerful air attachment, a pro concentrator, a diffuser, a wide-tooth comb and a flyaway attachment.
I tested the straight and wavy attachments, finding that the powerful air nozzle speedily rough-dried my hair in just two minutes. Then, I went in with the gentle air attachment around my roots which limited the heat and air flow to protect my scalp. I used the pro concentrator for styling my hair with more precision before finishing the blow dry with the smoothing nozzle to tackle frizz and fly away’s. Despite having thick, long hair, the entire drying process took five minutes, shaving minutes off my morning routine.
Throughout the ends and bulk of my hair, I used the speediest setting and hottest temperature, but around my scalp and roots, I reduced it to the second speed and second temperature setting. Within minutes, all the moisture was gone from my hair and my arm didn’t ache after it usually does after a blow drying session. It aced every single test.