(Beauty)

The Best Affordable Hair Dryers For Blowout-Worthy Results

by Madge Maril
Grosescu Alberto Mihai/Shutterstock

Finding non-damaging heat styling tools can save your hair in the winter. After all, letting hair air-dry after a shower isn't an option when you need to leave for work and the temperature's below 30 degrees. You don't have to spend over $100 on a hair dryer to get results, either; in fact, some of the best affordable hair dryers are less than $75.

Naturally, Ulta is one of the best places to shop for affordable hair dryers, with a mix of classic and upcoming brands to choose from. Sitting at a 4.3 star rating out of 110 reviews, the BaBylissPRO Porcelain Ceramic Carrera2 Dryer is the right mix of top-rated and affordable. Fans of the $74.95 dryer say it outperforms others they've owned, and keeps hair looking and feeling healthy. The cult dryer's success could be due to BaBylissPRO's porcelain ceramic — an innovative technology that uses infrared heat.

Browse through Target's array of hair dryers, and you may be surprised that the $55.99 Instyler Blu Turbo Ionic Hair Dryer has more positive reviews than dryers quadruple its price. With an almost perfect five star rating out of over 870 reviews, the lightweight hair dryer has an ionic output to dry hair faster. Both heat and speed are customizable, letting you use cooler air regularly to protect your hair and hotter air on the mornings you need to get out the door ASAP. The affordable blow dryer doesn't skimp on style; the body of it is white and angular, with pretty blue details.

The low prices aren't the only surprise Target has up its sleeve. Throw everything you thought you know about hair dryers out the window and meet the Revlon Oval One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizing Styler. Shaped like an oval brush (complete with detangling bristles), this sneaky hair dryer has a nearly five-star rating from 465 reviews on Target's website. Having a hard time picturing how it works? Revlon's website has a handy, picture-filled guide of how the tool helps you get the look of a professional blowout at home. Even better, the revolutionary hair dryer is on sale at $51 from $59.99.

If you wake up every morning to a new and exciting hair dilemma, go for a hair dryer ready to face any ask, like the Jinri Professional Hair Dryer. At $47.99, the dryer is a steal: it comes with three attachments, including a large diffuser, and uses negative ionic technology to break down the water molecules on your hair. Use the straightening comb attachment for when you need to get your hair into shape, and the diffuser attachment for glossy blowouts.

Holiday shopping may be taking up most of your budget and inspiring thriftiness where possible, but saving money on a hair dryer won't keep you from getting incredible results. Below, eight six top-rated hair dryers below $75.