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Between work obligations and getting my three young children off to school, finding the time to give myself a decent blowout can be challenging, to say the least. I have long hair, and while it’s fine, there’s a lot of it so it takes a good 15 minutes with my current blow dryer just to get it dry. That’s without spending precious extra minutes, which I often don’t have, to style as I go. Fortunately, as a shopping writer, I have the unique opportunity to try all the latest and greatest new beauty product launches and TikTok viral must-haves. I also have an extensive database of beauty experts to tap into for insider intel and product recs. After penning an article on the best hair dryers, where several professional hair stylists recommended the Aireluxe, I knew I had to give it a try myself to see what the fuss was all about and if it was worth it.
I often skip drying my hair because it feels like such a tedious task, and you know, my arm gets tired. The thought of a professional hairdryer, like the T3 Aireluxe, that could cut my dry time in half was super enticing as a busy mom who wants to look more put together with less effort. But does it really work? I put the T3 Aireluxe to the test to find out.
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I’ve been using the same big and bulky hair dryer for years, which was fine, but it was high time for an upgrade. I have long, fine hair that’s prone to frizz, and I’m sadly not one of those girls who can just let her hair air dry and look flawless. I need to blow my hair out for a luxe look, so I was excited to try the T3. Straight out of the box I noticed how lightweight it was, especially compared to the heavy and ancient hair dryer I’d been using.
As a mom who likes to move around while I blow dry and keep an eye on the kids, I also appreciated the extra long 9-foot cord, which made maneuvering in the bathroom and popping out into the hall to make sure my kids weren’t doing something they shouldn’t, easy. I also liked that it came with two concentrators: one to speed up drying time (my holy grail) and the other for smoothing and styling. The fact that there were so many different heat and speed settings to choose from so you could really customize your blow dry was a nice touch, along with a cool shot button to set the look, and a volume boost switch.
The T3 Aireluxe is infused with RapidAire IQ Technology and boasts a custom-engineered fan to deliver a 128% wider airflow, drastically reducing drying time. A powerful Ion Generator, infused with 10 million negative ions per second, helps diminish frizz and amplify shine for healthier, more hydrated locks sans the damage.
Five different, digitally controlled heat settings and three speed settings allow for a customized blow-drying experience to suit every hair type. A lock-in cool shot button blasts cold air to set your blow dry, while a volume boost switch amps up the texture and volume. This hair dryer also comes with a drying concentrator for an even wider air flow and to help cut down dry time, plus a styling concentrator for a smoother, salon-worthy blowout.
The T3 Aireluxe Professional Hair Dryer retails for $199.99, which may seem like a splurge at first, but when compared to other professional, bestselling, and cult-fave hair dryers like the Dyson Supersonic ($429.99), it’s quite the steal. I especially think the price is super reasonable, considering how lightweight this hair dryer is yet incredibly powerful (and fairly quiet!), not to mention the advanced ion technology to maximize moisture and minimize hair damage—if you regularly dye your hair or frequently use hot hair tools this is so important. Moreover, there are so many heat and speed combinations (15 in total) to choose from, so this is a hair dryer that will really work for every hair type.
The T3 Aireluxe comes with a drying concentrator to deliver a wider airflow and gently dry hair quicker. The concentrator is easy to snap on and off and it always stays put when drying so, you don’t have to worry about it randomly falling off. It is quite tight though, so getting it off the first few times may be slightly difficult but you get the hang of it.
The smaller concentrator included with the T3 Aireluxe is the styling concentrator, which is designed to be used on small sections of hair to smooth and style just like a salon blowout. Like the drying concentrator, it snaps on and off and fits tightly.
To test the T3 Aireluxe, I put it to use during my daily routine, playing with the various speed and temperature settings and trying the cool shot button and volume boost switch to see what settings worked best for my fine and frizzy hair. Because a quick blow-dry is what matters most to me as a busy mom, I also put the claims that this hair dryer cuts dry time in half to the test by timing my blow-dry and comparing it to the dry time of my previous hair dryer (and the random hair dryers I’ve recently used at hotels). I also noted how frizzy my hair looked after blow drying, before using a flat iron, the overall appearance, and how my hair felt.
For the most part, I’ve always used high-quality hair dryers, so while my typical blow dry time was anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes depending on the dryer I was using, on the highest T3 Aireluxe speed and temperature settings, drying my hair took roughly 8 minutes. I think if you’re using an inexpensive hair dryer without all the bells and whistles or a smaller travel hair dryer, this hair dryer will absolutely cut your dry time in half, if not more. If you’re already using a high-end hair dryer though, this may not be the case, though it may shave some precious minutes off your hair dry routine.
If you’ve ever had to take a break while blow drying your hair or are constantly switching hands because your arms are tired, you’ll appreciate how lightweight the T3 Aireluxe is, weighing just a smidge over a pound. I never felt like my arm got tired or that I needed to switch to my left hand just to get some relief—I only did so for convenience when it made sense to use my non-dominant hand to get those hard-to-reach sections on the left side of my head. For those with a lot of hair or really long locks, this is a major selling point.
Cord length isn’t a spec most gals will look at prior to purchasing a hair dryer, but if you’ve ever been confined to one spot due to a short cord when trying to get ready, you know it sucks. I like to move around, sit down, and venture out into the hallway or bedroom to check on my kids as they play or answer a question. The T3 Aireluxe cord is extra long at 9 feet and doesn’t get tangled super easily, giving me lots of freedom of movement as I dry my hair without the hassle.
I’ve never met a hair dryer that’s whisper quiet, but the T3 Aireluxe is quiet enough that I can still hear what my kids are up to or if they’re being too quiet, which is never a good sign (parents, you know what I’m talking about). I can easily answer a question from upstairs while they’re playing downstairs, though we all do have to talk loudly, but that’s going to be the case with any hair dryer. For reference, with my old hair dryer, I’d have to shut it off every time they needed anything and that got old really fast, hence why I probably never took the time to dry my hair.
My hair is super prone to frizz, and I found that the T3 Aireluxe really does help minimize it, especially when I take the time to use the styling concentrator and can spend more time on my blowout. If I’m just using the drying concentrator on the highest heat and speed settings, I still like to run a flat iron over my hair for a sleeker look, though the frizz isn’t nearly as bad as my last hair dryer, so it’s definitely an improvement. My hair was a bit shinier and felt more hydrated, healthy, and softer after switching to the T3 Aireluxe. However, I blow dry my hair once or twice a week max, so I think this contributes to healthier hair overall, along with a good shampoo and conditioning routine.
I’m a big fan of using the highest heat setting on a hair dryer to decrease drying time (because, hello, kids!), but sometimes the highest heat setting is so hot you have to turn the hair dryer off halfway through just to cool down before resuming. This is thankfully not the case with the T3 Aireluxe. Even on the highest heat setting in the middle of summer, the hair dryer was comfortable to use, and I didn’t feel like I was burning up or sweating actual bullets.
My only gripe with the T3 Aireluxe is the placement of the cool shot button, which if you read customer reviews, you’ll find is a common complaint. It’s situated on the opposite side from all the other buttons and is basically where your thumb naturally wants to sit when drying so it’s easy enough to accidently press it and get a blast of cold air mid-hair dry. As I’ve gotten more used to the dryer, it doesn’t happen nearly as often, but it’s still inconvenient when it does.
If you’re looking to upgrade your hair dryer and don’t want to break the bank on a Dyson, I think the T3 Aireluxe is a great lightweight, decently quiet option that will diminish drying time greatly. It’s easy to hold, won’t weigh down your arm, and the built-in ion generator blasts hair with negative ions for a smoother, shinier, noticeably healthier finish. Most importantly, it dries hair fast so it’s worth every penny just for that. It also looks good on your bathroom counter thanks to a sleek and stylish design, which is an added perk.
I love the T3 Aireluxe Professional Hair Dryer so much that I threw out my old blow dryer, which wasn’t cheap but was a few years old and considerably heavier. I really like how lightweight and fast drying the Aireluxe is, cutting precious minutes off my blow-dry routine, which is invaluable when you’ve got three kids to get off to camp or school in the morning and don’t want to get up any earlier than you have to.
I think the price point is right in that sweet spot of being high-end but not so ridiculously expensive that it’s hard to justify. While there are 15 total temperature and speed setting combos, this hair dryer isn’t so high-tech that it’s overwhelming to figure out how to use or even get started with. I’ve had my Aireluxe for nearly nine months now, and it works just as well as the day I got it. It’s not super compact, however, so I don’t typically travel with it unless I have room to spare in my suitcase.
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