You cannot talk about personal grooming and fashion without considering the hair. Your hair is an important accessory, and caring for it improves your style and increases your confidence.
A hair dryer is one of the best inventions for hair drying, setting and styling. There are two major types of hair dryer available – the handheld dryer and the bonnet dryer. The major difference is that bonnet dryers have better air circulation than the handheld dryers. Hence, hair is dried evenly with the bonnet dryer, and there is less risk of hair damage.
A bonnet dryer, also known as a hood dryer, consists of a large hood/bonnet that fits over the head. It distributes hot air evenly, rather than blasting it. Unlike handheld dryers, bonnet dryers can also be used in hair styling and certain hair treatments. Instead of purchasing a
separate curling iron for styling purposes, you can
use rollers and curl formers underneath the bonnet. These dryers also help in absorption of leave-in conditioners and some hair oils, which result in shinier and smooth-looking hair. There are two types of bonnet dryers, the hard bonnet dryer and the soft bonnet dryer. As the name implies, the hard bonnet dryer consists of a hard hood or bonnet, while a soft compressible bonnet is a characteristic of the soft bonnet dryer.
Before purchasing a bonnet dryer, there are several factors to consider, such as the nature and length of your hair and the size and nature of the bonnet. There are different sizes of hard and soft bonnets. Depending on the intended hair treatment, you should consider bonnets that are resistant to chemicals. Another important thing to note is the power wattage and heat setting. These determine how hot the bonnet dryer can get and how much time will be taken to dry the hair. There are also some innovative technologies that help retain moisture and prevent burning of the scalp. You should also consider the length of the hose in a soft bonnet dryer, easy lock features, and ease of storage.
While there are many advantages offered by a bonnet dryer, a good one doesn’t need to be so expensive. Of course, the final decision lies with you, but the aim of this review is to offer you reasonably priced bonnet dryers with the important features your hair needs. So have a good read, and hopefully at the end, you will select a bonnet dryer that ensures you always have a great hair day.
Price
Generally speaking, the features of a bonnet dryer ultimately affect the price. The traditional or hard bonnet dryer usually costs more than the soft bonnet dryer. The level of technology featured also affects the price. If you want a bonnet dryer with ionic technology, you'll have to pay more.
The price of a good bonnet dryer with key features ranges between $20 to $160. During our research, we came across cheap bonnet dryers but we decided to ignore them in our reviews. While a cheap bonnet dryer may cost just a bit less than the ones featured, you certainly have more to lose. After all, it is better to pay for a higher-priced dryer than to pay for medical expenses for a burned scalp, right?
Features
Sometimes, the difference between shiny, beautiful hair and cracking and static hair is the type of bonnet dryer used. When buying a bonnet dryer, it’s crucial to find out the type of bonnet dryer that will suit your hair needs. The wrong bonnet dryer will leave you with an undesirable hair experience and make you have a bad hair day. The following are the features to look at when buying a bonnet dryer:
- Power wattage
- Heat/speed setting
- Bonnet type
- Bonnet size
- Heating technology
Construction and Design
There are two types of bonnet dryers, hard bonnet and soft bonnet. They both have the same operating mechanism. The hard bonnet dryer has a hard plastic hood that fits over a person’s head to dry hair. Hot air escapes through some tiny openings inside the hood and dries the hair evenly. Some of the hard bonnet dryers have large hoods that are capable of accommodating rollers of different sizes. The hard bonnet types can either be table tops or full standing dryers, such as the ones used professionally in salons.
Soft bonnet dryers cover your entire head, drying hair uniformly and evenly. This drastically decreases the risk of hair damage when compared to the hard hood, because soft bonnet dryers do not focus on only one section of the scalp. They also have flexible connecting hoses that allow you to multi-task during use. While the table top hard bonnet dryers are portable, the soft bonnet dryers are more compact. This is important if you intend to travel with this appliance.
The bonnet size may also be influenced by the type of bonnet dryer. Before purchasing a bonnet dryer, look at the sizes of your rollers, Velcro and curl formers. Bonnet dryers are typically sized to contain small to medium-sized roller sets. Only a few hard bonnet dryers, mostly professional ones, come with jumbo-sized bonnets. There are also some soft bonnet dryers with large bonnets that pose no problem to large roller sets. To be on the safe side, check the size of the bonnet and know if it will fit heads with large rollers.
Bonnet dryers usually have their power rating label indicated on them. They typically rate from 800 to 1875 watts. The mode being used determines how much power the dryer will use. The lowest heat setting can use as little as 70 watts of power, while the highest heat mode will use close to 1800 watts. Bonnet dryers that rate as high as 1800 are known as fast dryers. They may be more expensive, but they reduce drying time and are better for thick and curly hair. Less drying time means less hair damage.
Performance and Ease of Use
A bonnet dryer with multiple heat and speed settings gives you more control. The nature of your hair determines which drying temperature to use. Some bonnet dryers have two heat settings, while others have three or more. Whether you are using it for styling or treatment purposes, the bonnet dryer with the most settings will give you more flexibility. A bonnet dryer with a cool shot option or cool setting could prove extremely useful over those without, especially to lock in some type of hairstyles when styling. You do not need much heat if you have a sensitive scalp or damaged hair, and the intensity of the highest heat setting depends on the power wattage of the bonnet dryer.
Brands of bonnet dryers have started incorporating some innovations, such as high flow tourmaline and direct ion technology. If you want shiny and smooth hair, look for a bonnet dryer with ionic and tourmaline technology. Tourmaline ensures that moisture is retained, so your hair dries properly without over-drying your hair cuticles. The ionic technology breaks water in the hair into droplets, reducing drying time greatly.
Consider the inside material of the bonnet. If you are planning to use your bonnet dryer for some treatments and styling, buy a bonnet dryer that is chemical-proof. If it's not, you risk damaging the internal surface of the bonnet. If you travel a lot, a portable bonnet dryer offers the most convenience. Soft bonnet dryers are more portable than the hard types, since most of them come in compact storage cases. A bonnet dryer with a long flexible hose lets you dry your hair while carrying out other activities. If you value silence, you can get a bonnet dryer that is not loud. The hard bonnet dryers are usually quieter than the soft bonnet dryers.
Bonnet dryers come in different bonnet sizes and two major types, the hard and soft bonnet dryer. The review we have done showcases various bonnet dryers with much consideration of key features. Since you have read our buying guide, selecting the best bonnet dryer for your hair will now be less stressful. So, let’s delve into the individual product reviews.
Features
Hair Flair believes your hair is your most important accessory, so the well-being and health of your hair is important. It designs and produces hair products that not only make hair styling fun, but also help you have a great hair day every day. Hair Flair delivers hair products that are budget-friendly and trustworthy. It also has an excellent team that offers superior service to its customers, and also helps them with useful tips and advice that can generally improve the hair.
The Hair Flair Softhood Dryer Attachment is a convenient and fast way to dry your hair. It features a unique chin strap, located at the bottom of the soft bonnet, which is adjustable and secures it in place. It also has a drawstring located on the side of the soft bonnet. When pulled, the drawstring ensures the soft bonnet remains in place, especially when it is in use. The soft bonnet is quite large and can accommodate rollers and curl formers. It also has 120 ventilation holes for faster. more even heat distribution.
This hair dryer attachment is easy to use. All you have to do is place the soft bonnet over your rollers, and pull on the drawstrings to secure it in place. Next, fasten the chin strap around your chin and then you introduce the hair dryer nozzle to the rear end of the attachment tube, which is elastic. The time it takes to dry your hair will depend on the power of the dryer and the nature of your hair. This hair dryer attachment also has a 39-inch (100cm) flexible hose that allows you to multi-task. You can also use this soft bonnet with conditioning treatment. It is hand washable and fits hair dryers with nozzles up to 2.25 inches (5.5cm). It comes in a handy and compact pouch. This makes it ideal for traveling.
It is our hope that we have provided enough bits of useful information to help you make the right choice of a bonnet dryer to help dry and style your hair, giving you the great hair you deserve.
