Another vacuum brand just ventured into the haircare market – and I was blown away by Gtech's debut dryer

Gtech DryOnic hair dryer: two-minute review

The Gtech DryOnic hair dryer is this vacuum brand's first foray into the world of haircare, and it's an impressive debut. The DryOnic not only looks the part – I reviewed the Oyster-colored model and it has a classy, premium aesthetic – but it's super powerful.

There are four fan speeds and five heat settings, ranging from 34C / 95F to 100C / 210F. All of these settings are relatively easy to manage, once you get used to the fact the power button doubles up as the speed control. Plus you can see what settings you've selected, at a glance, via the built-in LED display. This all combines to make drying your hair quick and easy.

The wide range of speed and heat settings also means you can customize the dryer based on your hair type, whether you need a gentle, lower heat to prevent damage, or full power for quick drying. The DryOnic doesn't give the same level of personalization as something like the L'Oreal AirLight Pro, for example, which lets you adjust the temperature in small increments using an app. But it offers plenty of control to suit most people's needs.

The DryOnic additionally offers something I'm yet to see on any other dryer I've reviewed – Child mode. When selected, this mode sets the fan speed to level two and keeps the temperature at 80C. This is marketed as a safety feature and it works well. I found it the most useful when drying my son's hair; it helped me know which setting to use to make sure it didn't get too hot on his head.

The magnetic attachments – a nozzle and diffuser that come with the dryer as standard – are easy to swap in and out and make switching between modes easy. The Cold shot function then helps set whichever style you opt for.

It's not quite perfect. The DryOnic dryer runs slightly louder than I had expected, given the low-noise claims from the brand, at 79 decibels. I also often accidentally knocked the controls mid-style, due to where they're positioned on the handle. The diffuser is bulky, and I would also love a travel pouch or storage case. Yet all things considered, I'm a fan of this dryer.

At its £180 price point, the Gtech DryOnic hair dryer offers strong performance and convenience. If speed, design and versatility are priorities, then it's a solid investment.

Gtech isn't the first vacuum brand to make the move into haircare – it follows the likes of Dyson and Shark, both of which have seen considerable success in this area. It's a natural transition due to the shared motor technology found in the different appliances (although the launch of a straightener alongside – review imminent – is a little more left-field). While I'm surprised it's taken Gtech so long to join the best hair dryers pack, the up-side is that the brand has seemingly spent the time making sure its first foray into the haircare sector ticks a lot of boxes.

That's the short version; read on for my full Gtech DryOnic hair dryer review.

Gtech DryOnic hair dryer review: price & availability

• List price: £179.99 + 2 attachments
• Available: UK only
• Launched: January 2025

The Gtech DryOnic hair dryer is only currently sold in the UK, and it's available direct from Gtech as well as at a range of third party retailers like Tesco and Wilko. The dryer is listed on the Gtech US website but is not yet available for purchase, and is expected to launch in more regions at a later date.

At list price, the DryOnic is £179.99 (around $230 / AU$370), and ships with a concentrator nozzle and diffuser attachment by default. That price puts it in the upper mid-price category, where it sits alongside the GHD Helios and T3 Featherweight. But is notably cheaper than the dryers from its fellow vacuum-turned-haircare rivals – the Dyson Supersonic Nural, and Shark's SpeedStyle and FlexStyle models (although Shark's additions are more multi-stylers than dedicated hair dryers).

If the Gtech is beyond your budget, the £170 Featherweight ends up being the best like-for-like alternative. It comes with four attachments by default – two concentrators, a diffuser and a smoothing comb – and while it lacks the LED display of the Gtech model, it offers similar customization options through its Hair Input and Style Mode options.

• Value score: 4 out of 5

Gtech DryOnic hair dryer review: design

• 4 speeds; 4 heat settings + Cool shot and Child mode
• Classy design
• Easy-to-use attachments but diffuser is bulky

With its narrow handle, and long, thin barrel, the Gtech DryOnic looks more elegant than many of the short and stumpy dryers that have become the norm (Dyson Supersonic, I'm looking at you) without looking overly industrial, as is the case with models like the mdlondon BLOW.

I tested the Oyster-colored DryOnic and I love the contrast between the cream finish and its gold-colored accents and buttons. I always worry about using light-colored devices in case they pick up dirt and grime but the smooth, matte finish meant that this didn't happen once throughout my review period.

I also love the clever way Gtech has managed to keep both the LED display and the filter at the rear of the barrel. To accommodate displays or LED indicators, a number of rival dryers today either put the filter at the base of the handle, which makes it easy to block with your hand, or they shrink the display onto the handle, making it harder to see and use.

Gtech gets round this by having the filter run the circumference of the barrel, with the LED display then fitted to its rear. This sounds like a minor detail but it makes a big difference, and Gtech should be commended for the thought that's gone into it.

A large Cold shot button sits beneath the barrel on the front of the handle, and two smaller Power and Temperature buttons sit on the rear. All three have grooves on their surface to make them stand out from the dryer's smooth finish and this makes them easy to find mid-style, should you want to change settings. It took me a second to work out that the Power button doubles up as a Speed control, but other than that, the dryer is intuitive to use.

Speaking of settings, the Gtech DryOnic offers four fan speeds and a total of five temperature settings:

• 34 C / 95 F (Cold Shot)
• 40 C / 105 F
• 60 C / 140 F
• 80 C / 175 F
• 100 C / 210 F

The dryer defaults to 40 C / 105 F and fan speed 2 but as you move between the different heats and speeds, the respective icons change on the LED display. The display itself is basic but this makes it easy to understand, and simple to see and adjust settings on the fly. Plus, the dryer has a memory function; it automatically remembers the last speed and heat setting you used, so you don’t have to reset it each time you turn it on.

When you long press the Temperature control, the dryer will switch to Child mode and the settings will become locked on fan speed 2 and at 80 C / 175 F. You won't be able to make any changes unless you long-press the Temperature control again, to exit Child mode.

The dryer measures 8 x 5.25 in / 20.3 x 13 cm with a slightly rounded designed and well-proportioned handle that fits comfortably in my hand. My first impression was that the dryer was a bit top-heavy but it feels more balanced when you start using it, and at 0.9lbs / 411g, it's a relatively lightweight dryer to use and move around your head. To put this into perspective, the Dyson Supersonic weighs 1.5lbs.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Gtech DryOnic specs

Gtech DryOnic hair dryer review: performance

• Fast drying, even on lower settings
• Easy-to-use attachments
• Louder than expected

During my review period, I tested all of the DryOnic's range of different heat and speed settings. On the hottest, fastest setting (100C, fan speed 4), the DryOnic dried my long, thin, naturally curly hair in just four minutes. This is around a minute faster than the Dyson Supersonic, but almost twice as long as my go-to hair dryer, the Revlon Pro. The downside to this speed was my hair lacked movement and looked slightly parched.

On the lowest heat and speed setting (40C, fan speed 1), it took almost six minutes to dry my hair. Yet this is still impressive, especially considering other dryers I've used can take this long on their highest setting, and because how soft and smooth my hair felt afterwards.

The best results I got were when the dryer was set to 80C and fan speed 3. This setting gave the best balance of time and finish, taking five minutes to dry my hair, and leaving it looking smooth with minimal frizz. It was easy to calm this frizz by either using the concentrator nozzle, or by finishing my style with Cold shot. I liked the fact the Cold shot stays on after being pressed – you don't need to press and hold the button – and that it actually feels cold. Unlike other Cool shots that just lower the hot air temperature slightly.

ATTACHMENT PIC

Speaking of the nozzle, both DryOnic attachments are magnetic, which makes them really easy to swap in and out; there's no twisting or clicking into place. While not the largest of attachments, the Concentrator nozzle really helps to focus airflow for precise styling and smoothing. You just need to use it on small, thin sections of hair to get the best results.

Similarly, the diffuser distributes heat evenly and helped define my curls without too much frizz. I found the diffuser works best on medium heat with low fan speed, keeping curls bouncy and reducing frizz. My only complaint is that the diffuser is bulky.

One downside of the dryer generally is the noise. At an average of 79 decibels, It’s not unbearably loud, but it’s noticeably louder than other models and the pitch jarred with me. If you’re sensitive to noise, this might be something to consider, but for me it's not a dealbreaker.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should I buy the Gtech DryOnic hair dryer?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Gtech DryOnic

• Used the DryOnic as my go-to dryer for two weeks
• Experimented with a range of heat and speed combinations
• Created different styles with the attachments

For two weeks, I used the Gtech DryOnic as my go-to daily hair dryer. I used it to rough dry my hair after the shower; used the concentrator nozzle to create salon-style blowouts; and dried my naturally curly hair using the diffuser. I experimented with a range of heat and speed combinations, monitoring how long it took to complete each look, and how my hair looked and felt. I also tracked how long styles lasted, and my hair's health over the review period.

First reviewed: January 2025