I tried 4 Dyson Supersonic dupes that are actually worth the hype

Who's it for:

Though it's not an exact replica of the ring-barreled Supersonic, the Laifen Swift bears the closest resemblance to Dyson's design, barring all the random iron and fuschia knock-offs that are inexplicably (or perhaps, very explicably) $40 or less. 

At $199, the Laifen’s price inspires more confidence in its overall performance and longevity. Beyond the design, it also has magnetic attachments (though you’ll have to pay a bit extra to get more than the one included smooth nozzle) and that signature Dyson air sound I’ve come to know through my time using the Airwrap. What kept me reaching for it over and over again over the past few weeks, though, was its simplicity. For anyone who needs their blow dryer to be easy to use above all else, the Laifen is the way to go.

Why we picked this:

While doing my first round of testing for this story, I became a daily blow dryer user to help style my bangs. I’ve had the cut before, but held off on recutting them solely because of the necessary effort to styling them. Something about dragging out the blow dryer every single day really didn’t gel with my minimal-effort lifestyle. The Laifen felt compact and lightweight enough that pulling it out for just a minute or two every day didn't feel like a hassle. Though I no longer use it daily, I do use it regularly when I'm not testing other products, and it's held up for the better part of the past year with no signs of stopping.

I can’t say the dry time feels astonishingly fast, but it doesn't lag either. The two air speeds are strong, and I almost never found myself needing to go beyond the first one, even when doing an all-over rough dry to my wet hair before bed. The negative ions at work provided me with a super smooth dry, too.

For the days I felt like diffusing my wavy hair, switching the attachments was beyond easy. Though this is when I found myself most wishing for a temperature setting or two more, the hottest setting never felt scorching. A long press of the temperature button auto-cycles through each temp, which both felt a little extraneous and like it achieved the mid-temperature I was looking for.

Some particular design choices I like that add to the all-over simple vibe are the single switch and turning on the dryer and switching the airspeed, and the one button for adjusting the temperatures. The ring light at the back of the dryer changes color from blue to orange and red as you switch through the dryer’s three temps, or oscillates on this purple tone for the long press. Though at $199 this dryer feels ever so slightly on the steep side, it's still over $200 less than the Dyson. Plus, it's frequently on sale.

Who's it for:

Shark already successfully (out)duped the Dyson Airwrap, so I had high expectations for them to do it again with the HyperAIR. Though the overall experience didn’t feel as one-to-one Dyson-like as the FlexStyle, the HyperAIR is still an excellent hair dryer, and just like the FlexStyle, it has some tricks up its sleeve. 

I tested out the version of the HyperAIR that comes with the concentrator and styling brush, though there's also a version that swaps that brush for a diffuser for the same price. For $20 more, you can grab the premium bundle, which comes with all three attachments, plus the intriguing AirWave attachment. If you're attracted to the Supersonic's versatility, then the HyperAIR is the right alternative for you.

Why we picked this:

As a more expensive Dyson Supersonic dupe, the HyperAIR has most of the bells and whistles you might want. It has three different airflow settings and three different heat settings, plus a cold shot button. It has a negative ionizer that helps you achieve a sleeker dry, and the IQ attachments snap on magnetically and automatically adjust to the optimal heat and airflow setting for that attachment. That was a particularly nice feature, as the heat and airflow settings are located in the back of the barrel, and are awkward to reach mid-styling (though this does mimic the design of the Supersonic). The cool shot button was easily accessible along with the power switch on the dryer's handle.

Shark’s blow dryer really impressed with how it worked with the attachments. I was skeptical of the rotating styling brush at first, but within about three seconds of bravely using it on my tangly, wet hair (famously the most knot-prone state for my waves) my skepticism all but vanished. The smoothing and detangling bristles effortlessly undid any knots, made my hair look sleek, and dried sections entirely within a few passes. For the back of my head, I rotated the brush 180 degrees as Shark recommended, and found it actually made styling my hair so much easier, and made me waver slightly on my firm if-I-can’t-see-it-I-don’t-care styling stance. While I had one experience where the brush wouldn’t lock into place after pressing down the button once, it fixed itself after a few rotations and didn’t happen again. 

The concentrator attachment also delivered a solid performance, directing airflow with ease. I especially like the slider on it that lets you toggle between a more dispersed pre-style air flow or an extra-targeted precision styling airflow. It felt like a smart combination of tools, and a recognition that it might actually be less convenient to have several attachments to store, especially if you're not using all of them regularly.

This dryer was a little on the hefty side, but it dried my long hair fast enough that I never my arms get tired while using it. It was also louder than the Laifen, but not so much that I felt uncomfortable using it later at night or earlier in the morning — and it was way less grating to the ear than any cheap hair dryer I've used.

Note: As of Dec. 2023, I'm in the process of hands-on testing the Zuvi Halo and will be updating this card in the near future.

Who's it for:

The Zuvi Halo basically said take the Dyson Supersonic look, but make it infrared.

Infrared hair dryers are not exactly new tech. The Zuvi Halo, however, uses infrared light along with a less powerful airflow to provide an overall gentler drying experience that retains the hair's health, which they call LightCare technology. Though this was the one dryer I didn't hands-on test for this article, plenty of stellar reviews praised the efficacy of Zuvi's approach.

The tech behind the dryer seems to embrace that innovation has its place in the blow drying space, especially when it comes to protecting your hair. If you want a dry without damage (and don't mind paying for that), look no further.

Why we picked this:

Zuvi claims the LightCare tech dries the surface of the hair without baking it from the outside in, allowing it to retain some moisture. For those with damaged or colored hair in particular, this can be an especially appealing option. However, the tech has its limits. When you use the Zuvi Halo, you have your choice of five different modes: care, fast, soft, style, and cool. If you noticed that none of those are specific air flow speeds or heats, that's because you can't adjust those directly. Instead, the settings adjust as follows: care adjusts with the temperature of your room, fast uses higher heat for quicker drying, soft uses a lighter airspeed and heat for more sensitive scalps, style uses more heat but less wind, and cool uses a burst of — you guessed it — cold air to lock in your styles.

For people who are very much set-and-forget types, those presets may actually be a huge plus, but control freaks (I say this as one myself) may be a little more hesitant to full send on this model. It is worth noting that the hair dryer never gets that hot, topping out at 111 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, review after review mentioned how shiny and frizz-free their hair turned out, which doesn't happen when you're frying the shit out of your hair. Reviewers also noted how quiet they found the dryer to be, which makes sense, considering it's not singularly reliant on airflow during the drying process. For more styling customization, you'll also receive a magnetic diffuser, style concentrator, and gentle air attachment along with the dryer.

The Zuvi Halo is for sure an investment, but the brand does offer a 30-day return period if you're not completely satisfied with your purchase.

Who's it for:

Unlike every other dryer on this list, the BabylissPRO Nano Titanium doesn't do anything exciting. It looks nothing at all like the Dyson Supersonic. But also unlike every blow dryer on this list, it won't put a $200-plus price tag on drying your hair.

If you're interested in the Dyson Supersonic because you're getting your first hair dryer and it's simply the one you've seen most on your For You page, then you might want to take a moment and ask how often you'll really be using a hair dryer. Once, twice, maybe a few times a week? If your answer is yes to any of the above, I recommend seriously considering this budget option.

Why we like it:

Save yourself the cash and get yourself a dryer that'll perform the basic function of drying your hair without incurring a ton of damage. How does do it do that if it's so run of the mill? Well, it has the trusty ion generator, plus three different heat settings (though the highest one does run quite hot). The included concentrator attachment can direct the air flow so you get a pinpointed dry and cut down on styling time, and the barrel is easily compatible with plenty of diffusers.

Prior to testing for this article, this was the hair dryer I used whenever I couldn't be bothered to air dry. While it never sparked an overwhelming joy and sometimes felt too clunky to extricate from the depths of my bathroom cabinet, it got the job done without taking a ton of time. It's lasted a couple years without issue already, and though it's a little loud, it's perfectly lightweight. My BaByliss has been with my through thick and thin, and if it ever breaks on me, I know I have a four-year warranty to fall back on.