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

Laifen Swift High-Speed Hair Dryer 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.

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The short answer

Laifen Swift High-Speed Hair Dryer comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.4 vs 3.9). Laifen Swift High-Speed Hair Dryer is best for: People who want high-speed, low-frizz drying in a light dryer for well under Dyson money. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Fast-Drying Hair Dryers

Laifen Swift High-Speed Hair Dryer

4.4

2 sources$169.99as of Oct 16

A light, high-speed dryer with a 110,000 RPM brushless motor that TechAdvisor gave five stars and TechRadar four. TechRadar dried thick, medium-length hair in just under seven minutes and TechAdvisor cut its usual 10 to 12 minute dry to seven or eight. Both note a short cord, and TechRadar misses a separate cool-shot button and a hanging loop.

Strengths

— Dried damp, thick, medium-length hair in just under seven minutes on its highest setting in TechRadar's test
— Cut TechAdvisor's usual 10 to 12 minute dry to seven or eight minutes, with no static or frizz
— Light at 0.89lb/407g without the cable, per TechRadar and TechAdvisor

Watch-outs

— Short 1.8m/5.9ft cord, flagged by both TechRadar and TechAdvisor
— No separate cool-shot button and no hanging loop, per TechRadar
— TechRadar found it quiet, but not as quiet as promised

$169.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Fast-Drying Hair Dryers

Shark HyperAIR HD120

3.9

1 source$204.99as of Oct 4

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 against 30 for the Dyson, at roughly half the price. 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 on 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
— Costs roughly half what a Dyson does while delivering comparable raw drying power
— Ionic output reduces frizz and adds shine, and the cool-shot seals the cuticle

Watch-outs

— Lacks the acoustic tuning that makes the Dyson notably quieter

$204.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Laifen Swift High-Speed Hair Dryer

TechRadar timed the Dyson Supersonic at four and a half minutes on the same hair the Laifen Swift dried in just under seven, so the Dyson is faster, but TechAdvisor weighed the Swift at 407g against the Supersonic's 560g. Unlike the Conair InfinitiPro 1875W it uses a high-speed brushless motor with magnetic attachments.

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	Laifen Swift High-Speed Hair Dryer	Shark HyperAIR HD120
Motor	110,000 RPM brushless	—
Power	1600W (TechRadar)	—
Airflow	22m/s (TechRadar)	—
Heat Settings	Three plus auto-cycle	3
Speed Settings	Two	—
Weight	0.89lb / 407g without cable	—
Cord Length	1.8m / 5.9ft	—
Cool Shot	No separate button	—
Attachments	Magnetic styling nozzle (diffuser and extra nozzle in the Swift Special bundle)	2-in-1 concentrator, styling brush, curl-defining deep diffuser
Dimensions	15.35 x 7.56 x 6.46 inches; 2.93 pounds	—
Wattage	—	1600W
Airflow Settings	—	3
Technology	—	Yes (negative ion generator)
Material	—	Plastic

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