The Best Hair Dryers to Protect and Volumize Fine Hair

Here’s a fact: Hair dryers aren’t generally the most sexy tool in one’s beauty arsenal. And even when the focus is specifically on hair care, it would come as no surprise for someone to credit their luxe styling products and guru-approved techniques before acknowledging the work of a hair dryer, regardless of its price tag. In reality, though, the blow drying tools can make all the difference — but they’re certainly not created equal, especially if you have a particular hair type or concern.

For those with fine hair that can often feel fragile and limp, finding the right hair dryer is a game changer, benefiting both the styling of hair as well as the overall strength and wellness of each and every strand. But what qualifies as the “right” one? For starters, narrowing in on options that utilize quality materials and up-to-date technology, including far-infrared light, ceramic and tourmaline materials and attachments like diffusers and concentrators. Considering thin hair is extremely prone breakage and frizz, the more gentle, damage-preventing features a dryer has to offer, the better the results. At the end of the day, hair dryers will always run the risk of heat damage, so it’s helpful to also consider options that offer multiple heat settings and a higher, more powerful wattage, allowing you to have full control of just how long (and at what temperature) it takes to dry the hair.

Whether your hair also leans more curly or frizzy, damaged or fragile, we’ve pulled together some of the very best hair dryers on the market today for fine hair — at just about every price point:

Read ahead for more information about these customer-loved picks, each equipped to dry fine hair quickly and safely without any frizz or breakage.

Best Overall: CHI Ceramic Hair Dryer

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For an everyday, powerful, reliable and healthy dry, this Chi dryer is it. Its lightweight, easy-to-use design utilizes tourmaline ceramic technology that provides not only even heat distribution and fast airflow, but a high amount of negative ions which reduce static and eliminate frizz. An added plus? Ceramic is known to have healing properties, and in this case, can help seal and smooth the hair cuticles to lock in moisture.

To buy: $70; amazon.com

Best for Travel: BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Bambino Compact Dryer

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Thanks to small but mighty dryers like this option from BaBylissPRO, there’s no need to compromise your tools — or your look — just because you’re on the go. This compact dryer weighs less than 10 ounces, but it packs all of the power of a full-size, using nano-titanium technology for smooth, shiny and healthy hair. It even comes with an easy-to-use concentrator nozzle attachment for more stylized looks. Reviewers also praise its quiet sound (a must in hotel rooms with thin walls). “This tiny little hair dryer really blows! The worst thing about most travel dryers is that the air doesn't get hot & they're so darn loud. This one is quiet, blows hot air and really has a lot of volume,” one wrote.

To buy: $30; amazon.com

Best Affordable Option: Conair Infiniti Pro Dryer

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What’s better than saving money without jeopardizing quality? This inexpensive Conair dryer is one of the more affordable ionic options out there, utilizing an AC motor, which allows it to dry hair quickly with cooling airflow for quicker drying and less worrying about potential heat damage. Many reviewers say it’s well worth the price for the results you get. “So. Much. Volume. I have very fine hair and need a dryer that blows pretty hard to get the volume I need. This is amazing. Especially for the price,” one wrote.”

To buy: $25 (Originally $35); amazon.com

Best for Fine, Frizzy Hair: MHU Professional 1875w Ceramic Hair Dryer

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This option comes fully equipped to tackle frizz, static, and generally unruly hair with a full suite of attachments — including a diffuser and concentrator to speed up drying time and minimize flyaways, and a removable lint filter to extend the tool’s lifespan — and its utilization of far-infrared heat and negative ion technology. Plus, with its two speeds and three heat settings, you can stress less about heat damage.

To buy: $60; amazon.com

Best for Fine, Curly Hair: GHD Air Professional Performance Hairdryer

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Using advanced ionic technology, this reliable tool helps cut dry time in half, locking in moisture for longer. Plus, its two speeds and three heat settings allow you to easily adjust based on just how much volume you’re looking for. Its hair diffuser attachment is just another bonus, enhancing waves and minimizing frizz. “Love this hair dryer! After one use my hair was softer and less frizzy. Perfect for anyone trying to reduce split ends and grow back healthy hair,” one shopper wrote.

To buy: $199; sephora.com

Best Diffuser for Fine Hair: Bed Head Curls in Check 1875 Watt Diffuser Hair Dryer

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This funky dryer from Bed Head was specifically designed to keep curly hair in check and reduce frizz. While it’s especially ideal for anyone with waves, coils, spirals, kinks or ringlets, it’ll be gentle on just about any texture that needs some added definition and volume. If your hair tends to look limp on the regular, this dryer and diffuser attachment will inject life back into your locks for full, healthy results.

To buy: $25; walmart.com

Best for Fragile Hair: Elchim 3900 Healthy Ionic Dryer

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With 2,000-watt power, this ceramic dryer uses far-infrared heat (a special type of heat that penetrates each individual strand) to ensure hair dries fast and even. And while it’s designed to work great for all hair types, its powerful, easy-to-use, design makes it especially delicate on thin, fine hair. One wrote, “This dryer really delivers [on my color-treated hair]. It's super fast, has great air flow, reduces frizz, and makes hair appear healthy and bouncy.”

To buy: $180; ulta.com

Best for Damaged Hair: Remington Pro Hair Dryer with Pearl Ceramic Technology

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When you’re dealing with thin or fine hair, you’re already more prone to damage and breakage than most other hair types, so it’s even more important to be proactive about safe (and smart!) styling habits when it comes to heat and blow-drying. Thankfully, tools out there like this hair dryer can do just the job. It features crushed pearls infused into its ceramic barrel, and when heat activates the technology, it transfers mico-conditioners through the dryer that helps smooth the hair. Science!

To buy: $25; amazon.com

Best Professional Option: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

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The Dyson Supersonic might just be one of the most popular hair dryers to ever exist, and that isn’t for no reason. Its patented air multiplier technology allows for a significantly smaller and lighter motor, but with faster dry time, making it a win/win all around. Cherry on top? The air temperature is released 20 times every second, so you can worry less about heat damage and the frizz it leaves in its wake.

To buy: $400; amazon.com

Best for Volume: John Frieda Frizz Ease Full Volume Hair Dryer

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John Frieda products are known for offering professional-strength quality on a budget, and this dryer is no exception. Using the same powerful AC motor that’s found in pricer options on the market, it yields voluminous results — and what’s more, it comes with two concentrators that work to add more body in specific sections and a diffuser that intensify curls and volume. One Amazon reviewer raved that it gave her “very fine hair” lots of volume without any frizz.

To buy: $35; amazon.com