Dyson has unveiled a new hair dryer, the Supersonic r.
To the uninitiated, it may look like a piece of pipe rendered in a familiar Dyson colorway, but it’s actually a cutting-edge hairstyling tool aimed at the professional market. It will cost $569.99 in the US, but as of yet, there’s no word on international pricing.
It’s apparently called the r because of its r-shaped shape, and the Supersonic because that’s the name of the original: Dyson’s much-copied mallet-shaped hairdryer, launched in 2016 to much acclaim by everyone – and some complain about its $429.99. / Price £329.99.
Dyson
But the original was designed for the general consumer market and the r is truly not.
Developed since 2017, it has been optimized for use in hair salons. Its weight, shape, button placement and filter are designed so that the hair dryer can be picked up and used effectively several times during the day, without the hair dryer becoming clogged with pieces of hair and products, and without the stylist suffering from tennis elbow. wielding a heavy styling tool.
The R is 30% smaller and 20% lighter than the mainstream Supersonic, weighing just 325g. The filter also removes for easy cleaning.
Inside there is a new simplified radiator, made up of nine 0.25mm sheets to provide a larger surface area to heat the air and ensure no hot or cold spots. And it’s all made possible by a lightweight version of the digital motor found inside every modern Dyson vacuum.
Dyson
The intelligent heat control technology found in all Dyson hair care products has also been enhanced with RFID (radio frequency identification) chips in the five styling accessories included with the hair dryer. The hair dryer will recognize the accessory and adjust its settings accordingly, even remembering adjustments previously made by the stylist.
At this point, Dyson appears to have no plans to make the Supersonic r available on the consumer market. However, we’d be willing to bet that at least some of the technology will find its way into our hands in other products.
To learn more about the original Supersonic, read our review (spoiler: we think it’s very good), or for more recommendations, take a look at our roundup of the best hair dryers we’ve tested.
