Do high-end hairdryers live up to the hype?

telegraph.co.uk:

Supersonic. At £329.99 a pop, it’s way pricier than any hairdryer I’ve ever considered, although it’s won heaps of awards.Intrigued as to whether it could ever be worth shelling out that kind of money or whether I should stick to the low-cost buys, I decided to let two new-to-the-market dryers – one expensive, one budget(ish) – go head to head.£359, zuvilife.comFirst up, the luxury model… the new Zuvi Halo (rrp £359, zuvilife.com).

Instead of using very hot air, it’s based on the natural evaporation process that occurs in the sun and wind, so it uses both light (as in infrared energy) and warm air (as opposed to hot) on a fast speed to dry the hair’s surface rather than penetrate deep into the internal cortex.During manufacture, Zuvi employed a robotic arm to ensure reproducible movements and angles across hundreds oftesting sessions.

They say the Zuvi leaves hair 109 per cent more hydrated internally when compared to a traditional dryer, which means the cuticle lies flatter so hair looks shinier, and that it uses about 60 per cent less power, making it eco-friendlier.At home, when I switched it on, not only did the mirrored halo (the bit you point at your hair) light up green but the dryer sounded different – even the dog came to investigate.

It’s whooshy rather than whiney and pretty quiet. Also, when you hit the off button, it cuts out instantly – no motor wind-down.