Head-to-head · Best Fast-Drying Hair Dryers

Drybar Buttercup vs Shark HyperAIR HD120

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Shark HyperAIR HD120 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Thick-haired shoppers who want the fastest drying possible per dollar and are happy to skip the Dyson's refinement and quiet operation. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Fast-Drying Hair Dryers

Drybar Buttercup

4.4

$199as of Jun 7

The Drybar Buttercup is the salon-style pick, a 1875W ionic dryer built around smooth, fast blowouts rather than gadgetry. TechGearLab scored it 76 out of 100, calling its high-setting airflow fast, and Drybar claims a 20%-faster dry than most pro dryers. It is light and quiet, but reliability is the asterisk: a notable share of owners report units failing or overheating over time. Best for people who want a professional blowout feel at a mid-tier price.

Strengths

— Scored 76/100 in TechGearLab testing, with airflow rated 'quite fast, particularly at their higher settings'
— 1875W ionic motor delivers smooth, frizz-free blowouts that Drybar says take 20% less time than most pro dryers
— Light in the hand at just over 500g, making long blowouts comfortable

Watch-outs

— A meaningful number of customer reviews report units failing, overheating, or getting loud after months of use
— More expensive than budget dryers that dry nearly as fast
— No smart sensors or auto presets; it is a straightforward manual dryer

$199 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Fast-Drying Hair Dryers

Shark HyperAIR HD120

4.5

$189.99as of Jun 7

The Shark HyperAIR HD120 is the value pick for people who care most about raw drying speed. In Reviewed.com's head-to-head, it dried hair fully in about 20 minutes versus 30 for the Dyson, and it does so for roughly half the price. Its IQ sensors set heat and airflow automatically based on the attachment, which keeps the experience simple. It is heavier and noisier than the Dyson, but for pure speed-per-dollar it is hard to beat.

Strengths

— In a direct test against the Dyson Supersonic it fully dried hair in about 20 minutes versus the Dyson's 30, making it one of the faster dryers reviewers have clocked
— Dual IQ optical sensors auto-detect the attachment and set heat and airflow without manual fiddling
— Costs roughly half what a Dyson does while delivering comparable raw drying power

Watch-outs

— Heavier than the Dyson, and the high airflow setting can whip and tangle longer hair
— Some users report concern about heat and potential damage at the top settings
— Bulkier head than premium rivals makes precise sectioning slightly harder

$189.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Drybar Buttercup

Slower and less powerful than the Dyson Supersonic and Shark HyperAIR HD120, and without the styling versatility of the Shark FlexStyle HD440, but lighter and more blowout-focused than the budget Conair InfinitiPro 1875W with a more salon-style finish.

Shark HyperAIR HD120

Matched or beat the Dyson Supersonic on raw drying time in a direct test while costing about half as much. Faster and more powerful for pure drying than the Shark FlexStyle HD440, which trades some airflow for styling versatility, and far quicker than the budget Conair InfinitiPro 1875W.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Drybar Buttercup	Shark HyperAIR HD120
Wattage	1875W	1600W
Motor	Ionic	—
Heat/Speed Settings	6 (heat/speed combinations)	—
Cool Shot	Yes	Yes
Attachments	Narrow and wide concentrators	2-in-1 concentrator, styling brush, curl-defining deep diffuser
Weight	1.78 lbs	—
Cord Length	105 in (8.75 ft)	—
Technology	Ionic, frizz-reducing	—
Heat Settings	—	3
Airflow Settings	—	3
Smart Sensors	—	Dual IQ optical attachment detection
Ionic	—	Yes (negative ion generator)
Color	—	Stone (HD120BRN)

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