Our curly-haired tester has tried most hair dryer diffusers – these are the 8 best on the market

If you regularly style your hair curly and don't already own one, investing in one of the best diffusers for curly hair is a smart idea. These attachments are a one-way ticket to well defined curls with minimal frizz. They disperse the air from your dryer across a much wider surface area, which in turn distributes it more evenly through your hair, making the process much gentler on your strands. This in turn helps to maintain curls' shape and keeps excess frizz to a minimum – so they really are worth it.

By and large, many of the best hair dryers for curly hair include diffusers, or at least the option to buy an attachment. “A diffuser is a brilliant tool to use for those looking to add definition to their curls, even out their curl pattern, and add volume," says top hairstylist and salon owner Charlotte Mensah. "Using one ensures that the air doesn't disrupt your curl pattern or cause breakage. Diffusers can be used on a variety of different hair textures and patterns. It’s just about finding the right accessory attachment and technique for you.”

Not only does the woman&home beauty team test hair tools like the best hair dryers for a living, but as somebody with curly hair – loose ringlets, or a mix of mostly 3a and some 2c, for those familiar with the curl types system – I always use a diffuser when styling my hair curly. This means I know precisely what makes a good one – namely a good number of holes for even air flow that will keep curls defined and not generate excess frizz. The best universal buys are from Diva Pro, Drybar and Bio:Ionic, while the best overall combination has to be the Dyson Supersonic and its diffuser. Here are my detailed reviews of the best – and when you're done here, our guide on how to use a diffuser is loaded with advice on getting the most from your new attachment.

Lucy Abbersteen

Lucy is a freelance beauty editor and regularly contributes to woman&home's beauty section. She has previously worked at Marie Claire and OK! and written for titles including Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, Glamour and PS.

Best diffusers for curly hair: The quick list

The best diffusers for curly hair, reviewed by our beauty team

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To help you create a salon-worthy style at home, US blow dry bar chain Drybar has its own range of tools and hair styling products including a great diffuser, The Bouncer. Inside there’s an adjustable ceramic layer that allows you to reduce the airflow for an even gentler dry, which is a nice personalised touch. About half of the prongs of the diffuser extend well past the bowl, meaning you’re able to lift sections easily if you want to create more of a volumised look.

Plus it really lives up to its name: bouncy is exactly how it left our curls when we used this with Drybar’s Buttercup Dryer. The Bouncer also works with the travel Baby Buttercup, as well as some non-Drybar dryers, but the nozzle is quite a narrow one, so do bear this in mind if you plan to use to use it on your current dryer from another brand. Other than that, the Bouncer is a good all-rounder and reasonably priced, with some compatibility with other brands' tools, which is why we chose it as our overall best diffuser for curly hair.

Read our Drybar Buttercup Dryer review for an in-depth look at the brand's hair dryer

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Another universal diffuser option, Bio:Ionic’s attachments work both with a selection of its own dryers and those of other brands with a traditional shape – even smaller travel-friendly options. So if you’ve not been able to find one from your current hair dryer’s brand, this sturdy and premium-feeling attachment could be the winning ticket. The prongs are also a generous length and can reach the scalp, while the surface of the diffuser is covered with a good amount of holes. It also features adjustable airflow, so we liked that you could adapt the amount of air that comes through the dryer to suit your styling needs and preference.

With the adjustable fitting, it secures well to many standard-size dryers for a nice, snug fit – as well as smaller designs like those often associated with the quietest hair dryers – so it's a great universal buy. Not only did it impress us enough to earn its place in our guide to the best diffusers for curly hair, but with hundreds of five-star reviews it’s clearly a hit with the masses.

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With its diffuser, the Dyson Supersonic is many hairdressers' go-to for drying curly hair, including Jonny Eagland, senior stylist at John Frieda Salons, whose advice is to go for this if your budget allows. “The airflow is so gentle and it has three different heat and speed settings, but it’s also super lightweight, so it won’t stress your shoulders when holding for a fair amount of time,” he says. "When I'm not testing other tools for work, this is the dryer-diffuser combo that I use whenever I style my hair curly at home," Lucy says. "For me, it always yields defined ringlets and leaves my hair feeling healthy and soft."

We find the tiny holes and Dyson’s advanced technology make for really gentle, frizz-free drying, but do bear in mind that the bespoke magnetic design won't work with other hair dryers. The diffuser has been re-engineered since the Supersonic first launched for more even drying. If you're not yet a Dyson owner, you can afford it and you’ve been on the fence about it until now, it really is that good for curly hair – and at the time of writing, the attachment on its own is out of stock, so if you're looking for a sign.

Read our full Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer review for an in-depth analysis (and keep an eye on our Dyson Hair Dryer deals to save some money)

Most people know about the best ghd straighteners, but the brand’s hair dryers and attachments are also loved by industry experts all over the world. Compatible with both the ghd Helios hair dryer and Air hair dryers, the prongs of this diffuser are nice and long, allowing you to separate and move around sections of your hair while you style, and it feels very well-made and durable.

It is on the larger size as diffusers go and, as such, we found that it can hold a good amount of hair in one go and is great for creating a nice bit of volume. It’s also a flatter diffuser rather than a slightly concave bowl shape; Mensah describes it as "perfect for those who want to keep their settings on low heat and just add a smaller lift to curls". If you’re a ghd dryer owner, or you're planning to purchase one of their dryers, we think you’ll be pleased with this one's results.

Of all the diffusers we tested out, this one truly lives up to its universal credentials as it fitted on all the non-Diva Pro dryers we used to test it. This is mainly for two design reasons: firstly, the end of the XXL Diffuser is really big, which allows it to fit right over the nozzles of most hair dryers. Secondly, the inside also features flexible padding that adjusts around your dryer of choice, ensuring a really secure fit that helps to stop this diffuser from sliding off mid-dry. Lucy says: "Lots of diffusers are designed to be used with just the one dryer, so I love that this could be used with most traditional-shaped hair dryers, but the size is far more generous than the average diffuser, too."

The cup itself is nice and wide and more than an inch or so deep, lending itself well to those with very long hairstyles and/or lots of curls, and it dries nicely. We found that the prongs, although flexible, are a little thin, which could be an issue for those with thicker and/or denser hair. But overall, we think this is a great universal diffuser that'll work with most dryer models, which sets it apart from lots of others on the market.

If you know you’re going to diffuse your hair after every wash because you wear it curly most or all of the time, then you could just buy a dryer that’s always got a diffuser attached to it. As its name suggests, Bellissima Italia’s Diffon Ceramic Diffuser features ceramic technology for a gentler heat, two-speed settings, and nice long fingers. But perhaps more importantly we found it really easy to use, surprisingly light at just over 700g (about 1.6 lbs), and gives curly hair a nice bounce boost. Lucy says: "I love how compact the design is – and that there's no fear of the diffuser detaching from the dryer while drying – and my end result was bouncy, defined curls."

If you’re going to the gym or on a trip and you’re only planning wash-and-go curls, this tool is also much more space-friendly than packing a bigger hair dryer and separate diffuser. The downsides are that you can't adjust the heat and speed separately, there's just one switch, and there's no cool shot function. But although there are more advanced models out there, when you consider the technology of this compact model versus its price tag it's a pretty great deal.

If your main hope for your new diffuser is to keep frizz to a minimum when drying, the T3 Cura or Cura Luxe dryer and Soft Curl Diffuser are a brilliant styling choice. The base of the diffuser is covered with small holes to really evenly distribute the air for gentler drying, and it clips onto the dryer securely so that there's very little chance of it coming off while you diffuse.

This is another diffuser that's been designed to only work with its brand's dryers, and it's actually only compatible with two specific models, so unfortunately it's not a universal buy. But we do rate the combination of the two for nice soft curls – especially if your hair is prone to frizzing while drying as it really does keep that to a minimum. Our experience is that it leaves your curls looking soft and healthy after using it.

Cloud Nine is another hairdresser-founded brand that makes great, quality tools, including some of the best hair straighteners on the market. So if you like the look of The Airshot dryer (or you already own one) then you’ll be pleased to hear that the brand also offers a matching diffuser.

It is, as you’d expect from Cloud Nine, very sturdy and well made and, because the bowl is a nice dome shape and the prongs of the diffuser are very long, it would work particularly well on somebody with a lot of thick, curly hair. Because it doesn’t clip onto the dryer, sliding over the nozzle instead, we found that it's important to push the diffuser on as tightly as possible to secure it in place. But all in all, it’s a very good quality attachment and a great addition to The Airshot dryer.

How we tested the best diffusers for curly hair

To find the very best diffusers for curly hair, our tester put attachments from both high-end and affordable brands through their paces, assessing each one's ease of use and the results it achieved. Our curly-haired testers considered all of the following factors when drying with these diffusers:

• Width and depth of diffuser bowl
• Size and number of holes
• Length and number of prongs
• How well it secured onto a dryer
• How well it defined and/or added volume to curls
• How much excess frizz was generated, if any
• Compatibility with other brand dryers
• Price

How to choose the best diffusers for curly hair

Now that you're convinced that your dryer needs a diffuser to bring out the best in your curl pattern, the next question concerns what you actually need to look for in an attachment to make sure it’s right for both your hair and your dryer.

• Choose a size that suits your hair: “A good diffuser should have a large surface area to rest the hair in when drying, as some can be too small and don’t give ample frizz-free drying space," says Jonny Eagland, senior stylist at John Frieda Salons. "The holes in the diffuser should be smaller to allow for even and more gentle airflow, as the less disruptive the flow, the better the curl definition and reduction in frizz." There are 'sock' diffusers and other shaped designs on the market, but the most common form is a cup or bowl-shaped design.
• Ensure it works with your existing dryer: At the risk of stating the obvious, the diffuser will either need to be compatible with your current hair dryer or work with your new model, if you’re replacing your current tool. The safest bet is usually to buy from the same brand if they offer a matching diffuser, though there are universal models out there too. If you opt for the latter, check if you’ll be able to return it if it doesn’t fit your dryer - this is especially important if you’re shopping online.

Charlotte Mensah

Charlotte Mensah is an award-winning hair stylist, founder of the Hair Lounge salon and her own eponymous haircare brand, and the author of Good Hair: The Essential Guide to Afro, Textured and Curly Hair. When this article was first published, she was also an ambassador for ghd.

Michelle Thompson

Michelle Thompson is an award-winning hair stylist and Afro and textured hair specialist, as well as an ambassador for ghd.

Nià Pettitt

Nià Pettitt is a content creator and the founder of The Curl Bar London, a salon specialising in curly hair.

Jonny Eagland

Jonny Eagland is senior stylist at London salon Nicola Clarke at John Frieda, as well as an ambassador for haircare brand Virtue.

Does a diffuser really work for curly hair?

Definitely. We – and many other curly-haired women – can speak from experience that using a diffuser is a pretty failsafe way to dry perfectly-defined curls. Because the air is distributed more evenly from the dryer, it dries the hair more gently and therefore helps to preserve your curl pattern.

Is it better to air dry curls or use a diffuser?

"It all depends on the result you want to achieve," explains Michelle Thompson, UK ambassador for ghd. Using a diffuser has its benefits: not only will your hair dry quicker but you can also create a lot more volume."

If you know that your curls tends to become frizzy if you air dry your hair, or that it takes a very long time to dry naturally on its own, you'll most likely find that using a diffuser and a dryer on a low speed and low heat setting gets you much better results.

What types of diffusers are there? 

Generally speaking, diffusers come in two main categories; a "bowl" shape with prongs, which is very popular, or a "sock" design that fits over the nozzle of your hair dryer. They can vary in the bowl's shape and size – some models, like the DevaFuser, have a completely unique shape.

Is it healthier to use a diffuser on hair? 

It certainly is, according to experts. "As the airflow is dispersed throughout the holes of a diffuser, there is no direct forceful airflow being directed onto one specific area of the hair at one time," Thompson says. "Using a diffuser on thick, curly, high-density hair that takes many hours to dry naturally is definitely recommended, and it is healthier for the hair to be dry rather than it being wet for a long time."

What is the best diffuser for type 2 curls, type 3 curls and type 4 curls?

If you have very long curls or a lot of hair (or both!) it's worth looking for a diffuser that has a larger surface area or bowl. Although these attachments work on all curl types, curly hair is a huge umbrella term for lots of different patterns, from tight coils to looser waves. "The best thing to look for is how the diffuser works on your texture – use reviews to understand the results in that person’s hair [compared to yours]," says Nià Pettitt, founder of The Curl Bar London. In our round-up, the attachments that we thought were best overall came from brands including Drybar and Diva Pro, while the best dryer and diffuser combination probably goes to Dyson.

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