The Best At-Home Hood Dryers, According to Professionals

This hard-top hood dryer has three heat options, an adjustable column for height, and can stand upright on any hard surface.Leatherwoodsays she prefers hard-top options like this one to their bonnet alternatives. “In my opinion, the bonnet dryers blow a lot of heat but don’t reach the scalp as well. That means you’re going to have your hair under the dryer for a longer period of time, which can bedehydrating.” She recommends sitting under the dryer with aplastic capon rather than putting your hair directly under the heat. “It works better with theplastic capbecause the steam comes from the scalp and creates a kind of greenhouse effect that helps to keep it moisturized and hydrated,” she explains. Leatherwood often recommends this particular dryer to her clients as it’s mid-priced (around $50), does an excellent job at distributing heat to the whole scalp, and is durable enough to be a worthwhile investment (some reviewers claim they have loyally used this dryer for around ten years).

Shelby Samaria,a hairstylist based in Manhattan and Paris, says this Mifine bonnet dryer is a staple in her Fashion Week kit. It’s convenient, durable, and efficient — all important when you’re rushing from client to client. “From my bedroom on wash day to backstage, these babies are reliable. All you have to do is attach your personalhair dryerto the end of the adjustable drawstring at the hose and bam — you’re good to dry,” she says. The Mifine bonnet dryer has a stretchable four-inch-wide hose collar that works with all types of hair dryers and comes with a pouch for easy storage.

According to hairstylist and colorist Illeisha Lussiano, known asthe Hair Artiste on Instagram, there are two things to take into consideration when recommending her clients hood dryers: size and budget. “When selecting a hooded dryer, it’s important to be mindful of how much hair you have and buy one with the right hood size for you,” she says.She also says there’s a wide price range depending on your budget and how frequently you’ll be using it. If you’re planning on using the dryer on a weekly basis, Lussiano suggests investing in something on the pricier side, like this one from Belson. This hood dryer has four different styling settings to select from in terms of how hot you want it, a fairly large hood (which makes it a suitable choice for most hairstyles), and it’s kind of in between a portable and a standing dryer (it’s a lot easier than most standing dryers to disassemble andstore in a closet). Another perk: It’s on wheels, which makes it easy to move around in the event that you need to relocate from your living room to your bathroom.