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I tested ghd’s new speed hair dryer, and my other styling tools are now redundant

Ghd’s previous hair dryer was launched in 2020

I got my hands on the new device a week ahead of its launch (The Independent)

From straighteners to styling sprays, ghd has spent 25 years cementing its place in both professional kits and everyday bathroom cupboards. Now, it has launched a new hair tool: the ghd speed hair dryer.

The brand’s previous dryer (£179, Boots.com) has been used on the likes of Lily James, Zendaya and Kim Kardashian, so when I heard ghd was launching a brand-new model six years later, my interest was immediately piqued.

Powered by the brand’s new halo technology, it works by surrounding the central stream of hot air with a ring of cooler airflow to help reduce scalp temperatures. It promises the high-speed performance ghd is known for, but within a cooler-to-the-touch device, with none of the usual scorch factor.

After trying the tool with ghd stylists in a salon setting, I was keen to see whether I could recreate those sleek, long-lasting results at home, and whether the halo technology really made a difference. Keep scrolling to find out how I got on.

How I tested

Unboxing the ghd speed hair dryer

I used ghd’s speed hair dryer to take my hair from wet to dry while styling it with a bouncy blow-out finish. I have medium-length straight hair (1c texture) and prepped it with heat protection, a hair bonding treatment, styling cream and texture spray.

I also used a ceramic round brush and hair rollers to help give the blow-dry volume and flicky, curled ends. At the end of this review, you’ll find a more detailed rundown of the factors I considered while using the speed hair dryer.

Ghd speed ultra-fast hair dryer

Power 118,000rpm
Watts 1,800-2,100W
Speed settings Four
Heat settings Three heat settings + cool shot
Attachments One included, additional four available for purchase between £30 and £39
Why we love it
- Remains cool to the touch throughout styling
- Ghd halo airflow technology enables you to boost volume closer to the scalp without risking heat damage*
- Gives hairstyles good staying power after use
- Quieter than the Helios and many other competitor devices
- Lightweight
Take note
- *Halo technology isn't a foolproof solution to hot spots on the scalp, but it beats competitors by a long shot

As a long-time devotee of the ghd helios, I was first in line to try the brand’s latest launch. I got my first taste at ghd HQ, where the styling team transformed my straight, slightly frizzy, flat-at-the-roots hair into something lifted, glossy and full of bounce – all in 15 minutes. The real test, though, was whether I could recreate the same results at home, without the professional-level prowess.

Armed with a round brush and the dryer, I got to work. The device is impressively quiet and lightweight (602g), yet no power has been sacrificed. Compared to other hair dryers I’ve used in the past (including Dyson’s and the ghd helios), the airflow was noticeably cooler against my scalp and hands. That’s not to say it didn’t take a long time to dry my hair – in fact, it took me around 30 minutes to achieve a face-framing, bouncy finish, which is roughly the same time I’d spend with my Dyson airwrap (which costs nearly £200 more). For a poker-straight style, I’ve no doubt I could cut that down to 10 minutes.

The halo technology really proves its worth when styling the front sections. I favour a soft, under-the-chin swoop, but that can leave my roots looking flat. The ring of cooler air enabled me to get closer to the scalp and lift at the base, creating noticeably more volume. The cooler outer shell also meant I could rest the dryer on my lap between sections and grip it wherever felt natural. No frantic hand-switching required.

A thoughtful lock feature inside the handle prevents you from accidentally knocking the airflow or temperature mid-blow-dry, and it remembers your chosen settings for next time.

I’ve never managed to achieve such a salon-worthy finish with a traditional hair dryer. Much as I love my airwrap and helios, I tend to use them in tandem. With the speed, I can streamline my routine and still walk away with glossy, bouncy results.

Is the new ghd speed hair dryer worth it?

Without a shadow of a doubt. While ghd’s helios hair dryer is a top-notch device for speedy, sleek strands (as I noted in my guide to the best hair dryers), the new ghd speed hair dryer makes creating straight, voluminous styles noticeably easier, thanks to its cool-touch shell and halo technology.

The outer casing stays cooler, meaning you can hold the dryer closer to the roots with the concentrator nozzle and reposition your grip mid-style without fear of burning your hands. As anyone well-versed in a proper blow-dry knows, achieving long-lasting curls or flicks often requires flipping the dryer upside down, so that added manoeuvrability is a genuine advantage. My 1990s-inspired flicked ends held well into the evening, and I avoided the scorched-hair smell I usually contend with when reaching for hair curlers.

Yes, it’s more than £100 pricier than the helios, but it could streamline your toolkit in the long run. No hot brush, no hair curler, just one hard-working dryer.

How I tested the ghd speed hair dryer

As with all product reviews, I pull together a set of testing criteria to ensure I’m paying attention to all the important features of the product in hand. For the ghd speed hair dryer, the factors I took into consideration were largely similar to those I referred to in my guide to the best hair dryers, including:

Hair type suitability: While I recorded my first impressions of the speed on my hair type alone (watch this space), I made a point of checking the attachments on offer for curly and coily hair textures, to assess universal suitability.
Ease of use: I noted how heavy, loud, powerful, easy to grip and simple to operate the dryer was, including trying all its various speed and heat settings.
Drying efficiency: Timing my blow-dry from start to finish, I assessed how long my styling session lasted while using the speed, comparing this period with my experience using competitor tools. I also gauged whether the device took my hair simply from wet to dry or whether it managed to tackle frizz, boost shine and give my hair volume.
Value for money: At £299, the speed is ghd’s most expensive dryer to date, so I weighed up whether users were likely to glean that much value from the device or whether they would be just as well off purchasing the helios (or a similar dryer on the market).

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

As The Independent’s beauty writer, Lucy Smith has covered multiple hot air tools. Be it IndyBest’s hero guide to the best hair dryers or a standalone review of the Dyson co-anda 2x airwrap, Lucy keeps herself informed of all the latest haircare innovations and knows where the bar sits for the best products in 2026. Having interviewed trichologists and hair stylists, she’s well aware of the science behind hair tools and more, and has applied her knowledge to her roundups of the best leave-in conditioners, hair brushes and more. Plus, as someone who heat-styles her hair multiple times a week, she was just the person to judge the effectiveness of ghd’s latest release.