How hot does a hair dryer get?

Heat index and safety tips for hair dryers

When choosing a hair dryer, it’s important to find one that offers the right heat settings for your hair. While a typical hair dryer can heat hair up to 140 degrees, some people, depending on their hair type, may require higher heat settings to dry their hair properly. 

Still, it’s important not to overheat your hair, as that can cause damage. If you’re not careful with a hair dryer and don’t use it properly, you can even burn your hair. With that in mind, we explored the heat and safety settings you should look for to help you decide what’s best for your needs.

How hot does a hair dryer get?: Fahrenheit and Celsius

In general, the average hair dryer heats between 80 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s about 26 to 60 degrees Celsius). Exactly how hot your hair dryer gets on the lowest and highest setting, however, can vary from brand to brand. Typically, higher-end hair dryers feature a wider range of heat settings than budget models do, and these premium dryers may also have more heat settings so you can better toggle between specific temperatures to match your hair’s needs. 

For example, the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, which is known as one of the best luxury hair dryers and retails for $429, has four heat settings (compared to the typical two or three heat settings most hair dryers offer). The highest heat setting on the Dyson Supersonic reaches up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. There’s also a 176-degree setting, a 140-degree setting and an 80-degree setting. 

How to choose the right heat setting for your hair

Different hair types require different heat settings. A good rule of thumb to avoid damaging your hair is to select the lowest heat setting possible that can still accomplish the desired results for your hair. 

In general: 

• The highest heat settings are typically best for people with thick or coarse hair. 
• Medium heat settings work well for people with normal hair. 
• The lowest heat settings can be used on fine or thin hair. 

Still, everyone’s hair reacts differently, so it may take a bit of trial and error to find the perfect setting for you. If you do tend to use higher heat settings, a heat-protectant spray can be sprayed on your hair before blow-drying to help prevent damage to your tresses. 

Outside of the high- and low-heat ranges, it’s also important to consider how many heat settings your hair dryer allows you to toggle between. A person with medium-thick hair or fine but dense hair may require a middle heat setting to dry their hair. If a hair dryer only offers a high and a low setting, you may not be able to access the temperature you’re looking for. In these cases, hair dryers that offer between three and five heat settings would be ideal. 

How does hair dryer heat compare to other styling tools?

Styling tools with hot plates, such as flat irons and curling irons, typically reach higher temperatures than your average hair dryer. Common curling irons have temperature ranges between 125 and 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Hair straighteners or flat irons often offer heat settings between 250 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Like with a hair dryer, it is recommended that you use the lowest possible heat setting that still gives your hair the desired results when using a hot tool such as a curling iron or a hair straightener. 

How hot does a styling tool have to get to burn your hair?

In general, subjecting your hair to heat over 300 degrees Fahrenheit can cause heat damage in the form of breakage or weakening the hair. If you use high heat settings on your hair when using a curling iron or a flat iron, it is recommended to prep your tresses with a heat protectant spray before heat styling. Make sure to check the temperature-protection range on your heat-protectant spray to make sure your heat setting is within that range. 

If you notice your hair is very hot to the touch after using a hair dryer, curling iron, flat iron or other heat styling tool, you may be using a setting that’s too high. You should also take care not to burn your hands; exercise caution and make sure to never touch the hot plates of a curling iron or flat iron. Allow a hair dryer to cool down before switching attachments, since the end of the hair dryer can get very hot after use. To protect your hands while using a heat styling tool, you can use heat-resistant gloves (oftentimes, these are included with curling irons, especially those without clamps). 

Which hair dryers have the best safety settings?

Various hair dryers, especially high-end and luxury models, will include safety settings to prevent overheating. For example, the Dyson Supersonic uses intelligent heat control that constantly regulates temperature while you dry your hair in order to prevent any extreme heat damage.

Another high-end hair dryer with excellent safety settings is the Shark SpeedStyle. When in use, it measures the temperature output 1,000 times per second in order to regulate the heat and make sure it never exceeds 230 degrees Fahrenheit and never approaches damaging temperatures. 

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

With four heat settings ranging from an 80-degree low to a 212-degree temperature high, this luxury hair dryer can accommodate all hair types. The product is built with intelligent heat control that helps prevent extreme heat damage and keep your strands shiny. Among the five included attachments is a gentle-air attachment, which is engineered to diffuse the airflow and lower the temperature by up to 20 degrees. 

Shark SpeedStyle For Straight & Wavy Hair

This powerful, compact tool dries hair fast without heat damage. Choose from four heat settings and three airflow settings plus a cool shot. While you blow-dry your hair, the SpeedStyle measures and regulates the temperature 1,000 times per second to make sure it never exceeds 230 degrees Fahrenheit. 

T3 Featherweight StyleMax

This hair dryer offers five heat settings and three speed settings, so you can find the perfect match for your specific hair type. It even has a feature that auto-customizes heat and speed settings to your hair texture and styling goals so that you can get a smooth and shiny style with less heat damage.

TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray

Whether you’re using a hair dryer, curling iron or straightener, this protective spray helps shield your strands from damage caused by heat and friction. Liberally spray the protectant all over your damp or dry hair (from a distance of 6 to 8 inches from your head) before using a hot tool.

Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.

Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.

Talia Ergas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.