T3, a top-rated line of hot tools favored by celebrity hairstylists, just launched a compact, 1.3-pound hair dryer dubbed the T3 Fit, its lightest blow dryer ever. Beyond the three heat settings, two speeds and a cool shot to help lock in your hair style, this new release is 30 percent smaller, according to the brand, and 20 percent lighter than its full-size counterpart: the T3 Cura.
SKIP AHEAD Other lightweight hair dryers
The relatively quiet blow dryer also comes with a nine-foot long cord and wrap for easy storage, along with a nozzle to help concentrate air flow during blow outs. It is compatible with the T3 diffuser, which helps enhance your curl pattern, although you’ll need to purchase the attachment separately. T3 Fit also boasts an ergonomic design, which is particularly helpful for anyone who takes a prolonged time to dry and style their hair.
T3 Fit Hair Dryer
This white-and-rose-gold hair dryer sports the brand's signature IonAir technology, which gives off millions of negative ions to smooth and dry your hair quickly without causing heat damage. According to celebrity hair stylist Kevin Murphy, ionic hair dryers are made for frizzy hair. "If your hair is not frizzy, it's going to lead to unwanted styling results like flat hair, and it reduces the longevity of your style if you want body and bounce," he previously told us.
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According to the pros, lower wattage hair dryers (around 1,600 watts) are best suited for those with medium-to-fine hair like the T3 Fit and Dyson Supersonic. In contrast, those with thick or coarse hair should look for blow dryers equipped with 2,000 watts or more. Murphy previously noted that if you need to pass through your hair multiple times, it can cause unwanted heat damage to your strands. Overall, your safest bet when shopping for a new hot tool is to consider both your natural hair texture and the device’s wattage and temperature.
Although T3’s entire line of hot tools — curling irons, flat irons, hair dryers and various accessories — are readily available on Amazon, Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s and DermStore, the brand new Fit is only available directly through T3, at least for the time being.
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T3 Fit alternatives
While the T3 is popular among beauty experts and Shopping readers, it’s not your only option on the market for a travel-friendly and high quality hair dryer. Here are four other options, starting at $15, worth considering as you shop for a hair dryer in 2021.
1. Conair Vagabond Hair Dryer
This ergonomically-designed hair dryer from Conair weighs one pound and sports a folding handle for easy storage when traveling. Vagabond is the most affordable hot tool on our list, and it’ll have your basics covered, like two heat speeds — low and high — along with a cool shot that helps extend your hairstyle. However, it doesn’t boast extras like ionic technology and nozzle attachments to customize your hair styling.
2. KENLOR Professional Hair Dryer
Another affordable and lightweight option worth considering is this Dyson Supersonic-inspired hair dryer that weighs 1.4 pounds and comes with two nozzles, including a diffuser for curly hair and a concentrator for when you want to blow out your strands. The foldable hair dryer features ionic technology so, like the T3 Fit, it will play nicely with frizzy hair. It also boasts two heat settings — hot and warm — along with two speed settings: high and low, plus a cool shot.
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3. Drybar Baby Buttercup
If you’re comfortable investing over $130 in a top-rated hair dryer, you might want to consider the Baby Buttercup from Drybar, a national chain of hair salons that specializes in blowouts. The powerful ionic hair dryer is the lightest option on our list of T3 alternatives — it weighs 13 ounces, or .81 pounds. This foldable blow dryer is also equipped with a seven-foot extension cord and concentrator to help straighten your hair quicker. As a bonus, it comes with a travel pouch for added convenience once you safely resume traveling again.
4. InStyler Turbo Blow Dryer
Naturalistas should consider investing in a more robust blow dryer like the InStyler Turbo Ionic Blow Dryer, a travel-friendly option previously recommended by celebrity hair stylist Kristen Shaw. This powerful blow dryer is equipped with 2,000 watts for faster drying. It also weighs just over .84 pounds, making it InStyler’s lightest model available right now. The Turbo boasts tourmaline ceramic technology, which helps prevent pesky frizz and flyaways, to boot.
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