Best Hooded Hair Dryer For African American Hair 2023: 5+ Detailed Reviews

Top 5 Best Hooded Hair Dryers For African American Hair 2023:

1. Hair Flair Bonnet SoftHood Hair Dryer
2. Nova Microdermabrasion Freestanding Hooded Hair Dryer
3. Granteva Bonnet Hood Hair Dryer 
4. Conair Pro Style Bonnet Hair Dryer
5. BRJ Soft Bonnet Hood Hairdryer 

Maintaining gorgeous natural curls can sometimes be a challenging task. Undoubtedly, the hardest part is keeping the moisture locked in, so your hair can be bouncy and shiny.

It can take a lot of time and effort to dry your thick, curly hair with a regular blow dryer, and it often leads to less-than-stunning results. 

That’s where the hooded hair dryer comes in. 

A hooded hair dryer is the most effective and healthy way to dry your hair and keep the curls on point. However, we know it can be a tricky task choosing the right hooded hair dryer as there are so many factors to watch out for. 

As always, we are here to offer a helping hand, so we’ve listed 5 best hooded hair dryers for African American hair. Also, we’ve provided some tips on what to consider before purchasing one, so read along!

Detailed Reviews: 5 Best Hooded Hair Dryers For African American Hair In 2023

1. Hair Flair Bonnet SoftHood Hair Dryer – Best Overall

Hair Flair soft hood hair dryer passed with flying colors upon our testing! There are several good reasons this pink bonnet hair dryer is amongst the top-rated ones on the market, and after this review, you will undoubtedly want to try it out.

First and foremost, this hooded hair dryer features a chin strap designed to hold it in the place. Although it works great, it may be a little uncomfortable when drying as it tightens up around the neck. However, you can use any headband to keep it in place instead.

This soft hooded hair dryer needs to be attached to the blow dryer for it to work because it doesn’t include a heating unit. You also have to keep it in a low setting, but you can adjust the speed as you wish. 

The hole opening (2,25 inches) on the hose for the blow dryer is pretty tight and small, and some units may even not fit in. Overall, it will fit all standard blow dryer nozzles, but make sure to watch out for that factor.

The capacity of the hood is amazingly large and can accommodate any hair length. It can also fit extra-large rollers and curlers!

The great thing about this bonnet hair dryer is that it has 120 ventilation holes that allow the proper and even heat distribution. Still, we find it a little bit slower at drying hair (more than 1 hour), but it provides fantastic results. 

You can wash the hood easily and pack it in a small travel bag so you can carry it around.

2. Nova Microdermabrasion Freestanding Hooded Hair Dryer – Premium Pick

Although this unit is expensive, it will save you some money in the long run as you won’t go to the salon that often. This unit is powerful as it operates at 1300 watts!

This is a freestanding hooded hat dryer that we’ve found a little hard to assemble at first because the instructions are unclear. Nevertheless, you can adjust the unit’s height (48-63 inches tall), as well as its bonnet and hinged hood door. 

The hood is 11 inches wide and 20 inches deep, and it’s big enough to fit any size of the rollers or other accessories. Warm air circulates pretty well; thus, the heat is distributed evenly. But the loosen hair tends to get pulled into the fan sometimes, as the air flows upwards.

The unit needs to preheat (30-40 minutes earlier), and it can reach a temperature of 75 °C. The cool shot feature allows you to cool off your hair and lock in the hairstyle.

It also has a handy timer that can be set up to 60 minutes, and it will inform you when it’s done with a beep sound. The best thing about this bonnet dryer is that it isn’t loud like other hair dryers on the market.

Rolling wheels make it easy to transport, but the one thing we find uncomfortable is the unit’s angle of the bonnet. You have to tilt your head back a little, no matter how you adjust it.

In general, this unit works fast and efficient, just make sure to put some ear protector pads as it can reach high temperatures.

3. Granteva Bonnet Hood Hair Dryer – Budget-Friendly Choice

Granteva bonnet dryer will save you some money and still give you amazing results. The bonnet is made from quality nylon, waterproof, and straightforward to clean, which is a big plus.

The downside of this product is its capacity. It is only 6 inches deep and can’t quite accommodate larger rollers. It is also more suitable for shorter hair rather than long hair. However, you can work with small to medium size rollers.

It has an adjustable drawstring that tightens around the forehead and also a chin strap. While those keep the bonnet in place, it can be uncomfortable as the chin strap tends to stretch around the neck while the blow dryer is working. But the good thing is that flexible hose lets you move around and do other things while drying your hair.

This product has small ventilation holes designed to allow the air to circulate over the head, providing fast and uniform drying. 

However, there are not enough ventilation holes, and so the hood tends to overheat. Although, we didn’t experience burning around ears and neck when the blow dryer was on low to medium heat setting.

Granteva soft hood dryer is perfect for deep conditioning and hydrates the hair more; hence it’s very smooth and shiny after the treatment. 

4. Conair Pro Style Bonnet Hair Dryer – Best Hard Hooded Hair Dryer

This Conair Pro Style bonnet hair dryer is amongst the best hard hat hair dryers on the market. First off, even though this dryer might seem bulky because of its size (14 inches long and 13 inches wide!), it can be folded and stored easily. Also, transportation is simple as the unit includes an ergonomic handle!

Conair Pro Style has a large hood that is 14,5 inches deep and can accommodate even extra-large rollers. You can also adapt the height as you please as it can go up to 16 inches high. Furthermore, the 6-foot long cord is stored in the base of the unit, so there is no untangling before every usage.

This dryer operates at 1875 watts, and it heats up quickly, so you don’t have to preheat it. It has 2 heat and speed options. However, it only provides a high and low heat setting; there’s no in-between. Also, the heat is not distributed evenly as the back of the head usually stays wet.

The other downsides that we’ve found are that there is no timer included (which is not necessary but is very handy to have), and the unit is too loud for our liking.

Nonetheless, the dryer works fast and leaves the hair soft and bouncy, so we think it’s worth the try.

5. BRJ Soft Bonnet Hood Hairdryer – Good Value For The Price

The last but not the least is this BRJ soft bonnet hair dryer. It’s super-efficient and comes at a very affordable price!

The best thing about this hood dryer is that it includes comfortable headband, which will protect your ears, neck, and forehead to prevent skin burns and irritation. The downside here is that chin strap attached to the hood is uncomfortable as it starts to tighten around the neck as soon as the blow drier starts working.

Next off, the product has ventilation holes that distribute the warm air evenly across the head. We think it works best when the blow dryer operates on low to medium heat rather than high heat. It also ensures faster drying, and the hair is soft and bouncy after it. 

It’s 9 inches deep and 6 inches wide, and can fit small to medium-sized rollers/curlers. Despite that, it is more suitable for shorter to medium hair, as there’s not enough space inside the hood for longer ones. It also proved great at deep conditioning and oil hair treatments.  

You can attach any standard-sized blow-dryer, so you don’t have to watch out for that factor. The hose attached to bonnet is 1 meter long and flexible, allowing you to do your makeup or other chores while drying your hair.

Finally, the hood is very easy to wash and can last a long time. Also, the product comes with a handy pouch for easier transport.

What Is A Hooded Hair Dryer?

A hooded/bonnet hair dryer is a device that dries your hair and can be put on over your head like a hood (hence the name). Other than drying, it is used for setting pins or roller curls. While it dries hair just like regular hairdryer does, there is a big difference. 

For starters, a hooded hair dryer is a hands-free tool that circulates and regulates hot air evenly throughout your hair. It seals the moisture in and keeps the curls bouncy and shiny, but it can sometimes take much longer to dry your hair. So, it is for the best you use it when you have a lot of free time in your hands.

Types Of Hooded Dryers

1. Soft Hooded Dryer

• This type of bonnet hair dryer offers full head coverage, and you can adjust it depending on your hair length. A hood is connected to the central unit with a hose. The central unit transmits the warm air to the hood through a tube. Some models don’t include heat units, so you have to attach your hairdryer to a hose and adjust it to low heat mode. 
• Nevertheless, these are very flexible, convenient, and travel-friendly. They are also quite comfortable as you can move your head easily rather than sitting rigidly under the traditional hat dryer. 

2. Hard Hat Hair Dryer

• This type is a classic bonnet you see in professional salons. It is primarily used to set already styled hair and dries much faster than a soft hooded dryer. Moreover, it’s available in various versions such as tablet types, wall-mounted, and the one with the stand. Hard hat hair dryers are more expensive, more durable, and offer more quality and faster drying. Investing in one of these units is profitable as you’ll be able to cut the costs of visiting the salon every week, and you’ll get salon-quality results.

Benefits Of Using Hooded Dryer

• Keeps the hair hydrated as it locks the moisture in
• Helps your hair in better absorption of nutrients from the conditioner applied
• It doesn’t emit direct heat to your hair, so there’s no damage
• Hooded dryers dry African American hair much faster than regular blow dryer
• Produces amazing ‘wet set’ styles
• Helps in removing dandruff
• Creates shiny, bouncy and overall gorgeous curls
• You can easily do other things while drying your hair

Related Read: Flexi Rods Complete Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Things To Consider Before Buying a Hooded Hair Dryer

Size

• This is undoubtedly the first thing you should watch out for. If the hooded hair dryer is not big enough to fit your whole head, it’s of no use. Moreover, the size is also essential in terms of storing the device, so always check the dimensions first.

Wattage

• Different types of hair require different temperature levels for proper drying. Soft hooded ones come with a wattage range between 500 and 900 W (if the heating unit is even included), while hard hat ones have a wattage between 1000 and 2500 W. It all truly depends on your hair type and the hairstyle you want to achieve, so let those two be your guides when choosing.

Settings 

• Always opt for a device that offers multiple heat and speed settings. Thick and coarse African American hair requires medium to high functions. On the other hand, low heat and speed functions are considered ideal for fine hair.

Timer

• This is a terrific feature to have as you can just set the timer and allow the dryer to do its thing, and it will inform you when it’s done. Simple as that!

Cool Shot

• This feature prevents your hair from over-drying and locks in your style. As hair sets as it cools, you can switch off the hot airflow when your hair is almost dry and turn on the cool shot feature.

How To Use A Hooded Hair Dryer

1. Wash your hair thoroughly using warm water, shampoo and conditioner
2. Tap your hair with a cotton towel and don’t rub it because it could lead to hair breakage
3. Divide your hair into smaller sections
4. Place the hooded hair dryer and make sure all your hair is tucked inside the hood
5. Increase the temperature gradually
6. Once your hair is dry, begin to reduce the temperature bit by bit

Improve Results After Using A Hooded Hair Dryer

• Always use a heat protectant to help repair any hair damage
• Buy an ear protector pads as higher temperatures can be uncomfortable
• Cool your hair in the end so you can lock in the hairstyle and have shiny and soft curls

Final Thoughts And Recommendations

In the end, many factors determine which hooded hair dryer you will buy. Either way, we think hooded hair dryers are a good investment, especially if you have thick and a bit coarse hair that is sometimes hard to handle.

We believe all of these are great options, and you won’t regret whichever you choose. Now it’s time for our top picks and recommendations:

Best Overall: Hair Flair Bonnet Hood Hair Dryer

• Undoubtedly, the best one for this round is this Hair Flair hood hair dryer. It features a useful adjustable chin strap that holds the hood in place. It is big enough to fit your hair properly, even when it has curlers, rollers, or other items. Moreover, it has 120 ventilation holes for more even hair drying and is travel-friendly!

Premium Pick: Nova Microdermabrasion Freestanding Hooded Hair Dryer

• Consider setting aside some extra penny, as this Nova Microdermabrasion standing hair dryer will make your hair look like you’ve just got out of the salon! This unit is very powerful and dries your hair in no time. Plus, you can adjust everything to ensure the perfect drying – from heat and timer to height, front piece, and bonnet.

Budget-Friendly Choice: Granteva Bonnet Hood Hair Dryer

• The amazing Granteva hood hair dryer is amongst the best hooded hair dryers, and it is also very affordable. It features adjustable drawstring and chin straw for more stable drying and leaves your hair incredibly soft. It’s made from quality materials and very easy to wash and take with you anywhere you go.