Fashion

The Best Blow Dryers You Can Buy For Under $40 — Including A Nifty Hot Air Brush

by Andrea Pyros
Elite Daily/Amazon

Conair is known for creating high-quality hair tools at very reasonable price points — which is why their hair dryers are so ubiquitous among households today. But the brand makes dozens of different hair dryers, so when you're in the market, how can you make sure you're choosing the right one? Well, when it came to narrowing down the best Conair hair dryers, a key factor was making sure each one had a wattage of 1800 or higher, which hair pros say is ideal for getting a faster blowout (and these more powerful motors tends to last longer, too). Also, it was important that they each offered multiple heat settings and a cool shot button, and that they were all lightweight and comfortable enough to hold for extended periods of time.

No matter which blow dryer you use, it's important to protect your hair from damage by prepping it with a heat protectant or serum. Some other tips for a safer blow dry? As you're drying your hair, move your blow dryer around constantly and never hold it too close to your scalp — both of these things will help prevent your scalp from becoming overheated or burned. And if you're experiencing dryness or damage from excessive heat-styling, use a repairing product, like a deep conditioner or hair mask, and try to let your hair air dry as often as possible.

To shop the three best hair dryers from Conair, scroll on.

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01The Overall Best Conair Hair Dryer

If you're looking for a full-sized hair dryer to keep at home, the Infinitipro by Conair is your best bet. Powered by ionic technology for less frizz and more shine, this dryer has a 6-foot-long cord so you can move around with ease, and features three heat settings and two speeds, as well as the all-important cool shot button for locking your style in place. Other highlights: It costs less than $40, has an 1875-watt motor, and comes with a diffuser and concentrator, too. No wonder over 5,000 Amazon reviewers have given it a perfect five-star rating.

Relevant review: "I have had this hairdryer for years with no problems. I have CRAZY THICK hair that takes forever to dry. Not with this baby!!! It has a SUPER STRONG air power and the cool mode is ACTUALLY cold air!! I swear it cuts the amount of time it takes to dry with my old hair dryer in half."

02Best For Travel

Most travel dryers are small and easy to pack, but have pretty weak motors, and can leave you struggling for about an hour to get your hair totally dry. That's why Conair's Worldwide Travel Hair Dryer is so great. To be expected with a travel dryer, its handle folds down for easy packing, but unlike most other travel dryers, it offers an impressive 1875 watts for faster drying. It also has three heat settings, two speeds, and a cool shot button for all the customization you need. Best of all, no matter where you go, the dryer detects and adjusts to the local voltage (note that you will still need an adaptor for whichever country you're visiting, but not a convertor).

Relevant review: "Went to Italy for ten days. Agonized over what hair dryer to get. [...] Bought this. Took a shot. Perfect. It was easy to pack, sensed the different voltage as promised with a simple plug adapter, had full wattage and heat and treated my very long, color-treated hair really well [...] It's a perfect solution meant to fulfill it's overseas purpose!"

03Best Hair Dryer/Styler In One

This Conair 3-in-1 hair dryer is ideal for anyone who struggles with doing their own blowouts at home. It comes with three different attachments: a straightening comb, a detangling comb, and a bristle brush for volume and/or waves. It also has two heat settings and a cool shot button, an 1875-watt motor, and features dual voltage for traveling. All of that for less than $30.

Relevant review: "Attention to the uncoordinated ! If you have been wanting the best self blow out but cannot hold a brush and hair dryer at the same time, look no further. This handy little dryer is amazing. It's so light and the different brushes give you lots if styling options!! Definitely worth the price."