Get stunning, model-worthy results with the best salon dryer chairs and hooded hair dryers. These professional bonnet dryers reduce damage from traditional dryers, make hair more manageable, reduce arm strain, and help create that knockout look you’re going for. For those who don’t have room for a full hair dryer chair, more portable hood dryers can be used with your existing styling chairs.
Worried about heat damage? Go infrared with a professional color processor.
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1. EDITOR’S CHOICE: Chelsea Hair Dryer Chair by BR Beauty
Pros:- Made in the USA
- Matching chairs available
- Luxurious tufted design
- Seat lifts out for cleaning
Cons:- Style doesn't go with all decor
- Not everyone will love the colors
- Too big for some
Skip chairs that work but don’t add style and check out this luxe Chelsea Dryer Chair by BR Beauty. The dramatic sharp lines of the black base add another hint of style to a part of the chair that is normally boring and bulky. Its tufted armchair look and with rivet accents that will make your clients feel pampered. The seat of the chair is removable so it’s easy to clean out any fallen hairs that slip into the cracks.
A hooded dryer is built-in to the top of the base and has around nine inches of height adjustability. User-friendly controls are found on top of the chair base and are simple dials for a timer and temperature control. The smokey dark grey of the hood is a nice balance between the grey chair and the black base.
I love that this chair and dryer combo is made in the USA to support American manufacturing and that the built-in dryer is both UL and CSA certified.
BR Beauty has a whole line of Chelsea chairs if you’re in the market to update your salon. I’ve featured the Chelsea Backwash as one of the best salon backwash unit buys around. They also have a Chelsea Styling Chair and a Chelsea Hair Drying Chair without a built-in dryer.
- Hood height adjustment (from chair): 2.25 to 11 inches
- Timer: Yes
- Temperature control: Low to high
- Power: 980W
Find more Chelsea Hair Dryer Chair by BR Beauty information and reviews here.
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2. DIR Capsule Wall-Mounted Dryer Hood
Pros:- Zero footprint
- Preset buttons
- Precise timer and temperature
- Can control circulation speed
Cons:- Has to be installed on the wall
- Mount must be near an outlet
- No wattage given
DIR’s Capsule Wall-Mounted Dryer Hood is the answer to salons that are struggling with not having enough floor space for everything they need. This Capsule Dryer mounts to your wall and folds away when not in use.
Unlike traditional fixed hoods that only have limited height adjustment up and down, DIR’s dryer has a 37-inch support arm with horizontal movement and a 26.8-inch swinging arm with 180-degrees of vertical movement. This allows for a much greater range to more easily adjust to your salon’s setup.
The dryer is controlled by a control panel with an LCD display on the top of the hood. There is a display for the timer with up and down arrows that increase by one-minute intervals up to a maximum of 99 minutes. The temperature control is the same arrow setup but by 1-degree Celsius. A maximum temperature is not listed.
This is where it gets neat. In addition to the timer and temperature settings, you can choose between three levels of air circulation speeds depending on your needs. Plus, there are three preset buttons with pre-programmed suggested settings for different hair processes. There are buttons for perms, Marcel, and drying.
The Capsule Dryer comes with a one-year warranty.
- Hood height adjustment: 180-degree swinging arm
- Timer: 1 to 99 minutes
- Temperature control: Increases by 1-degree Celsius
- Power: Not given
Find more DIR Capsule Wall-Mounted Dryer Hood information and reviews here.
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3. Pibbs 516 Dry Express Dryer on Casters
Pros:- Double hood design with lifting visor
- Five-caster star base is easy to move
- Made in Italy
- Two-speed control
Cons:- Low-tech controls
- Pricier than others
- Slower shipping
The Pibbs 516 Dry Express Dryer claims to reduce drying time by a third due to a double-hood design which makes airflow more efficient, drying hair faster. It can’t hurt that the front section of the hood flips up so the person in the hood can lift it up for their comfort without removing the entire hood if they’re feeling claustrophobic.
It’s a freestanding hood dryer on a chrome center pole with a five-point base on casters. This allows it be rolled into place and then wheeled back out of the way. To customize the height of the hood you can adjust how tall the pole is with a simple turning lock on the pole.
While the Dry Express is highly efficient, Pibbs keeps the controls low-tech with three simple knobs on top of the dryer: one for a timer, one for temperature, and one to control the speed of the circulating air. This dryer has two speeds to choose from which is a feature you don’t tend to see on off-brand dryers.
It’s a good choice for salons without enough space for a dedicated chair but who don’t want to skimp on quality. It comes with a one-year warranty.
- Hood height adjustment: Not given
- Timer: Up to 60 minutes
- Temperature control: Low to high
- Power: 1,200W
Find more Pibbs 516 Dry Express Dryer on Casters information and reviews here.
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4. Luxury Hair Dryer Chair by D Salon
Pros:- Dryer and chair can separate
- User-friendly controls
- Full dryer and chair unit
- Budget-friendly
- Independent dryer section is on wheels
Cons:- Shipping isn't free
- Doesn't look as modern as others
- No temperatures given
If you’re looking for a chair and dryer combo but don’t have a huge budget, consider this Hair Dryer Chair from D Salon. It’s reasonably priced and comes with a chair and hooded hair dryer that slot together to form one unit.
The dryer can be used by itself and is on wheels so it’s easy to move where you need it. A metal bar secures the dryer and chair together so even though they are technically separate, when secured in place, they look and act as if they were one piece.
The dryer has simple controls consisting of an on/off button, timer dial, and a dial for temperature from low to high. These buttons are on the top of the dryer’s base so you can access them with no issues if you want to push your dryer chair up against the wall.
For a chair, it’s fairly compact at 25 inches wide on the outside of the arms, 35 inches deep, and 33 inches tall at the top of the chair.
- Hood height adjustment: 45 to 57 inches
- Timer: Five to 60 minutes
- Temperature control: Low to high
- Power: 1,180W
Find more Luxury Hair Dryer Chair by D Salon information and reviews here.
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5. LCL Beauty Rolling Hooded Hair Dryer
Pros:- Has wheels for easy movement
- Affordable
- Black goes with everything
- Compact base
Cons:- Not as long-lasting as higher-end brands
- Needs some assembly
- You get what you pay for
The LCL Beauty Rolling Hooded Dryer is a nice option if you have a tight budget and aren’t looking for a chair-combo unit. Of the four legs that hold this dryer up, two of them are wheels so you can tip and roll it like a suitcase when you need to move it. It only weighs 32 pounds so it’s not that hard to push around.
There are very simple controls with the standard on/off switch, a temperature dial, and a timer dial. It’s a simple, compact design that won’t take up much space. Keep in mind that with a budget option you are getting what you pay for. This will work in a pinch, but don’t expect to get years and years of use out of it the way you could with a higher-end brand.
As far as measurements, the body of the dryer (not including the hood) is 25 inches tall, 6.5 inches deep, and 12 inches across. The legs are four inches tall on top of that.
- Hood height adjustment: Eight inches of adjustment
- Timer: Five to 60 minutes
- Temperature control: Low to high (up to 162-degrees Fahrenheit)
- Power: 1,000W
Find more LCL Beauty Rolling Hooded Hair Dryer information and reviews here.
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6. Chea Dryer Chair by BR Beauty
Pros:- Dryer with four temperature settings
- Durable base of real wood
- Made in the USA
- No assembly needed
Cons:- Too big for some
- European style isn't for all salons
- No fancy control interfaces
The Chea Dryer Chair by BR Beauty turns its nose up at bulky chair and dryer combos and instead offers stylish chrome arms and a rounded base that would look fantastic in a row. One of the biggest perks of this chair is that there is no assembly needed at all. That is extremely rare and worth any price in my experience.
This base is made of real wood for a durable, long-lasting structure. It comes with BR Beauty’s X-TRA Hot Dryer, a well-liked dryer itself that has user-friendly controls. There’s a simple timer and a temperature dial with four settings including low, medium, and perm.
If you’re looking to update your salon chairs, BR Beauty’s Sylvia Styling Chairs match this dryer chair’s style.
- Hood height adjustment: 2.25 (from chair) to 11 inches
- Timer: Yes
- Temperature control: Low, medium, and perm
- Power: 980W
Find more Chea Dryer Chair by BR Beauty information and reviews here.
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7. Nova 1300W Rolling Bonnet Dryer
Pros:- Great for tight spaces
- Flip-up visor
- Huge range of height adjustment
- Nice for home users as well
Cons:- Needs assembly
- For best results, it should be pre-heated
- Temperatures are in Celsius
The Nova 1300W Rolling Bonnet Dryer is a nice fit for home users and for salons with tight budgets because it’s so compact and affordable. It’s small and on five caster wheels so you can bring it out when you need it and roll it out of the way when you’re done.
I really like the huge range of height adjustment you have with the bonnet on this chrome pole. It can be raised from 48 inches from the ground up to 63 inches tall. If that’s not enough, the hood of the dryer isn’t fixed. The bonnet is on a hinge which allows it to swivel 180-degrees so you can get the best angle.
The controls are simple but a lot more precise than some other models. The temperature dial is labeled by five-degree increments all the way up to 75-degrees Celsius (167-degrees Fahrenheit). And yes, the temperatures are labeled in Celsius. The timer goes up to 60 minutes and Nova recommends that you pre-heat this dryer for 30 minutes before use.
- Hood height adjustment: 48 to 63 inches
- Timer: Five to 60 minutes
- Temperature control: Up to 75-degrees Celsius
- Power: 1,300W
Find more Nova 1300W Rolling Bonnet Dryer information and reviews here.
How To Choose the Right Salon Hooded Hair Dryer?
The biggest factor is space. If you have room for more than one full hair dryer chair unit, go for something luxurious like the Chea Dryer Hair by BR Beauty. The rounded bases look great in a row and the chrome arms make a statement.
If you are tight on space, consider a portable hooded dryer on wheels like this one from DIR to roll up to your current salon chairs. For those who don't have the floor space to spare for that, they also make wall-mounted hood dryers with extending arms.
Another issue is how much do you really use it? Consider if it would benefit your salon to have split your budget between two freestanding dryers so two people can be drying at once or if it is better to splurge on a luxe chair dryer that will improve the look of your salon.
How Comfortable Is It?
The most important thing is that your hair drying chair has to be comfortable. People are going to be sitting under these dryers for long periods of time so you want it to be a pleasant place to relax for up to a couple of hours.
Whether that means purchasing a dedicated chair or upgrading your styling or barber chairs to work with a portable dryer, don't skimp on this or else you're going to end up with fidgeting, uncomfortable clients.
Will Sitting Under a Salon Hair Dryer Chair Damage My Hair?
Trust me. Blow dryers are so much worse.
Any application of heat has the potential to damage your hair leading to frizzy, dry, breaking hair. According to a hair cosmetics study, heat damage can even change the color of your hair.
Bonnet dryers use diffuse heat that surrounds your hair evenly. The circulated warm hair simulates air-drying under ideal conditions--but faster. This is much gentler on your hair and less likely to cause heat damage than blow drying which uses higher heat and more force.
It's also worth mentioning that hood dryers save the stylist's arm all the work of manual blowdrying and saves time as they can be working on something else while the client dries.
Is Bonnet Drying Better Than Air Drying?
In nearly all cases, yes--whether you're asking scientifically or style-wise.
A study by dermatologists has shown that while high heat damages hair, gentler low heat actually results in less damage and discoloration than simply air drying.
You never think about air-drying as being something that could damage your hair but, in this study, the air-dried hair was the only sample shown to have damage to the cell membrane complex. Gentle, continuous heat didn't suffer heat damage and avoided this cell damage as well.
As far as looks go, bonnet drying can reduce frizz, increase volume, and sets your hairstyle so it will last longer than traditional blow drying.
What Can I Do If My Hair Is Already Damaged by Heat?
Don't despair--try one of the best deep conditioner treatments to help restore moisture to your hair.