This puts it on par with the GHD Air, despite being three times cheaper. On the highest temperature setting, this time dropped to 3 minutes 27 seconds but left out hair looking more frizzy, so we’ll take the 30-second hit. Despite the powerful fan, the Hydro-Fusion isn’t overly noisy in use, and the two attachments that come with the dryer are simple to attach, and fit well. BaByliss Hydro-Fusion 2100W hair dryer review:Are there any downsides?

The handle has a slight curve, too, and both give the hair dryer a feminine touch. As does the compact nature of the overall design, and the fact it’s a fairly lightweight machine. Despite its slightly misleading name, it’s heavier than a number of its rivals, including the Dyson Supersonic, but only by around 100g so it’s a marginal difference. It touts ionic technology, which is designed to release negative ions towards the positive ions in your wet hair. In theory, this causes the water molecules to evaporate faster and reduces the amount of time it takes to dry – and also reduces any potential heat damage. It’s not alone in using this tech: a large number of the most popular hair dryers have this feature. However, few include it at such a low price. The Salon Light weighs marginally less, at 540g versus 650g, and elsewhere in the Salon Light’s favour is that its 3m cable is 80cm longer than that of the Orchid. We assume this is where the Salon Light gets its name from; because it’s lighter than other BaByliss models because it’s certainly not the lightest hair dryer around. BaByliss’ flagship technology is its moisturising and hydrating “Advanced Plasma” ionic technology. This combines positive and negative ions, which the company claims keeps the hair moisturised and adds a high-shine finish while reducing drying time. READ NEXT: Best hair dryers BaByliss Hydro-Fusion 2100W hair dryer review:What is ionic technology?The ionic technology in the BaByliss 2100 Salon Light and its results are on par with those offered by the Panasonic Nanoeand Remington’s Keratin Protect for a third of the price. Thanks to its ionic technology and ceramic heating element, the BaByliss 2100 Salon Light again punches above its weight, leaving our hair looking shiny and smooth. It fell a little short of the shine we’ve seen on more expensive models, but outperforms other dryers that cost similar.

Having used both, though, there’s very little to separate them. Despite their differences on paper, drying time is similar and they both left our hair equally soft and shiny. It’s likely your choice will come down to which you like the look of best. BaByliss 2100 Salon Light review: Design and key featuresWhile using the Salon Light with its nozzle, when styling, for example, the extra weight was a little more noticeable, but this was counteracted by the dryer’s thin and sleek shape. This compact shape also means the dryer is more portable than many of its rivals.

Ceramic technology dries the hair using infrared heat whereas tourmaline-ceramic uses a mixture of infrared heat and negative ions, in addition to the standard ionic technology, which theoretically offers greater protection.