I bought this Valera Ionic hair dryer for the simple reason that it’s the brand used by the hairdressers at my local Aveda hair salon. I have very thick, unruly hair and needed a powerful dryer to save time and create smoothness. Valera is a quality, Swiss-made, no-nonsense brand and this model offers three heat settings, two speeds and a cool shot button. I was sure it would last well if it’s being used with good results day in, day out by professionals. It features an ions generator but, although it dries quickly, I can’t honestly say I’ve noticed a difference in my hair’s feel or texture.

The key benefits I feel this hair dryer has are that it is powerful at 1700-2000W and reliable with an extra long-life motor. It is also easy-to-use with a 3m long, no tangle cable and a 5-year motor guarantee.

On the negative side, it feels heavy, weighing in at more than the 580g advertised on Valera’s website. The handle is quite chunky for smaller hands like mine and it’s easy to catch the temperature and speed control buttons by mistake when pressing down the cool shot button with your thumb. It would also be nice if it came with a diffuser.

*price at time of reviewing