Ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer Review: fast, powerful, but not cheap

I’ve always thought expensive hair dryers were a bit of a joke. My logic was simple: hot air is hot air, why pay three or four times more? But my old Boots cheapo finally died, and I was fed up with 20–25 minute drying sessions and frizz. After seeing the ghd Helios pop up everywhere and reading a ton of reviews, I bit the bullet and bought the black UK-plug version. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now on my own hair (medium length, wavy, slightly frizzy) and occasionally on my partner’s thick, curly hair.

From day one, the first thing that stood out was the speed. My drying time basically got cut in half. Instead of standing there forever with my arm getting tired, I’m done in about 8–10 minutes, sometimes less. That alone already makes it feel different from basic dryers I’ve used. The second thing is the finish: my hair comes out noticeably smoother with fewer flyaways, even when I don’t bother with a brush and just rough dry.

It’s not perfect though. The price hurts, and for someone with already straight, easy hair, I honestly think it’s overkill. Also, some people say it’s lightweight; to me it’s more “average” than truly light, especially if you’re doing long blow-dries or if you’re a stylist using it all day. And if you expect it to magically replace straighteners, forget it. It’s still a hair dryer, not a miracle wand.

Overall, my first impression after a few weeks is pretty clear: it’s very good at drying fast and reducing frizz, but the value really depends on your hair type and how often you style it. If you’re just blasting your hair dry twice a week and don’t care about the finish, you’re paying for stuff you won’t really use. If, like me, you’ve got slightly annoying hair and you blow-dry a lot, it starts to make more sense.

Let’s be honest: the price is high for a hair dryer. You’re firmly in premium territory here, and there are plenty of decent dryers for a fraction of the cost. So the real question is not “is it good?” because it clearly is, but “is it good enough to justify the price for you personally?”. For some people, yes. For others, not really.

If your hair is thick, frizzy, curly, or just takes ages to dry, the time saved and the smoother finish start to justify the cost. Shaving 10–15 minutes off every blow-dry adds up, especially if you style your hair several times a week. In that case, the Helios feels more like a practical upgrade than a luxury toy. The finish you get is closer to what you’d get from a salon, which might also mean less time with straighteners, so less heat damage overall.

On the other hand, if your hair is already straight, fine, and dries quickly, the value is a lot weaker. You’ll still get faster drying and a bit more shine, but the difference compared to a decent mid-range dryer is nowhere near as big. In that scenario, you’re paying a big premium for marginal gains and a nice brand name. I’d probably tell a friend in that situation to buy something cheaper and put the extra money towards a good straightener or products.

Overall, I’d rate the value as good but very dependent on your hair type and habits. For heavy users with difficult hair, it makes sense. For casual users with easy hair, it’s more of a treat than a smart buy. It’s not a rip-off, but it’s also not some magical bargain. You just have to be honest about how often you’ll really use its strengths.

Design-wise, the Helios definitely looks like a higher-end dryer. The black finish with the metallic accents is clean and simple. It doesn’t scream “salon”, but it also doesn’t look like a cheap supermarket model. The shape is a bit more streamlined than older ghds and some other brands I’ve used. The handle is slightly angled, which does help with wrist position when you’re drying for more than a few minutes. It weighs about 820 g, so it’s not a featherweight, but it’s not a brick either.

One thing I really noticed is the airflow direction. With the contoured nozzle on, the air comes out in a pretty tight, controlled stream. When I use a round brush, this makes it easier to smooth sections without blasting air everywhere. Compared to my old dryer, which felt like a hair hurricane, the Helios feels more targeted. That’s nice if you like doing a proper blow-dry, less useful if you just rough-dry and don’t care where the air goes.

The buttons are placed on the inside of the handle (towards your thumb if you hold it normally). That’s convenient for quick changes, but like I said earlier, it also means you might hit them by mistake at the beginning. The cool-shot button is on the front, and you have to hold it down instead of clicking it once, which is slightly annoying if you like to set each section with cool air. It works fine, but after a while your thumb does feel it.

In terms of sound, it’s quieter than cheap dryers but not silent. The tone is less screechy and more of a lower whoosh, which is easier on the ears, especially in the morning. I wouldn’t call it “low sound level” in an absolute sense, but in normal home use it’s definitely less irritating than budget models I’ve had. Overall, the design is practical and solid, but if you’re expecting this super light, whisper-quiet machine, that’s not what it is.

On the comfort side, I’d say the Helios is pretty solid but not perfect. The handle is ergonomic enough, with a slight curve that makes it feel natural in the hand, and the weight is balanced so it doesn’t feel like it’s dragging your wrist forward. During a normal 8–10 minute dry on my medium hair, I don’t really get arm fatigue. When I used it on my partner’s very thick, long hair for around 20 minutes, I did start to feel it a bit in my forearm, but nothing dramatic.

The 3 m cable is honestly one of the underrated upsides. It sounds like a small thing, but being able to move around without yanking the plug or dragging an extension lead is just convenient. I can stand a bit away from the mirror and still have freedom to move the dryer around my head. The cable is fairly thick and doesn’t tangle easily, but you do have to be a bit careful not to twist it too much when you’re swapping hands.

Noise-wise, it’s manageable. It’s definitely less shrill than the cheap 2000 W dryer I used before. You can still have a basic conversation while it’s on, but you will be raising your voice. On the highest speed and heat, it’s obviously louder, but the sound is more of a smooth whoosh rather than that high-pitched whine some dryers have. If you’re sensitive to noise, it’s better than budget models, but it’s not quiet enough to use next to a sleeping baby or anything like that.

The main comfort downside for me is the heat on the scalp when you’re on full power and full heat. This thing gets hot. If you keep it too close to your head, especially around the roots, you really feel it. You have to keep it moving and not park it in one spot. That’s fine once you’re used to it, but the first couple of uses I did slightly overheat my scalp because I was treating it like my old, weaker dryer. So comfort is good overall, but you do need a bit of adjustment time.

I haven’t had the Helios for years obviously, but after several weeks of regular use I can at least comment on the build and how it feels compared to cheaper dryers I’ve killed in the past. The overall construction feels solid: the plastic casing doesn’t creak, the finish hasn’t scratched, and the nozzle clicks on firmly without wobbling. There are no weird rattles when it’s running, which I’ve had on budget models after just a few months.

The air filter at the back is removable, so you can clean it easily. That’s important if you want the motor to last, especially in a house with pets or a lot of dust. I’ve already done one quick clean and it was straightforward: twist, pull off, brush the fluff, pop it back on. If you’re lazy about maintenance, at least this makes it simple enough that you might actually do it.

The 3 m cable feels thick and robust. It’s not one of those stiff, annoying cables that constantly try to curl back up on themselves, but it also doesn’t feel flimsy. I’ve stepped on it a few times and accidentally rolled over it with a chair, and so far no visible damage or kinks. The strain relief where the cable meets the handle looks reinforced, which is usually where cheaper dryers fail first.

Ghd offers a 2-year warranty, which is reassuring but also kind of expected at this price level. I can’t say yet how it’ll hold up after 3–5 years, but based on the feel, I’d be surprised if it died as quickly as the £20–£30 dryers I’ve burned through in the past. It feels like something you buy once and actually keep for a while, as long as you don’t drop it constantly or ignore cleaning the filter. Still, for the money, I’d have liked maybe a 3-year warranty to really inspire confidence.

This is where the Helios actually justifies itself a bit. In terms of drying speed, it’s clearly ahead of the basic dryers I’ve had. My medium-length wavy hair used to take around 18–20 minutes to get fully dry if I wanted it properly dry at the roots. With the Helios on high heat and medium or high speed, I’m done in about 8–10 minutes. On days where I don’t care about it being perfect and just rough dry, I’m easily under 7 minutes. On my partner’s thick, long curly hair, we went from 30+ minutes with the old dryer to around 15–18 minutes.

On frizz and finish, the difference is noticeable but not magical. If I just rough dry with no brush, my hair still has some frizz, but much less than before and it looks more controlled. When I actually use a round brush and the concentrator nozzle, I get a pretty smooth finish that almost looks like I’ve used straighteners, especially at the front. Not dead straight, but definitely smoother and shinier than with cheaper dryers. It doesn’t completely remove frizz in humid weather, but it clearly reduces flyaways.

The heat and speed controls give enough flexibility. I usually start on high heat and high speed to get most of the moisture out, then drop to medium heat and speed for styling. The cool-shot button does help set the shape a bit, especially on the fringe or the ends. It’s not some dramatic freeze effect, but when I cool sections after smoothing them with a brush, they hold their shape better once I’m done.

Where it really shines is with difficult hair types. On thick, frizzy hair, the power and focused airflow actually make a difference. You can straighten and smooth sections faster, and the hair looks less puffy at the end. If your hair is already straight and easy, honestly you’re mostly paying for faster drying and slightly nicer shine. It’s still good, but the performance gap versus a mid-range dryer won’t feel as huge in that case.

Out of the box, the ghd Helios is pretty straightforward: you get the dryer itself, a single contoured concentrator nozzle, the attached 3 m cable, and the usual paperwork. That’s it. No diffuser, no extra nozzles, no fancy storage bag. For the price, I was expecting at least a diffuser, especially since a lot of people with curly or wavy hair look at this model. If you need a diffuser, keep in mind you’ll probably have to buy one separately, which just adds to the total cost.

The unit I have is the black version with a UK plug, 240 V, 2200 W power. There are three heat settings and three speed settings, plus a cool-shot button. The controls are placed on the handle: a rocker for speed and another for temperature. They’re easy enough to use, but I did accidentally knock the settings a couple of times while switching hands, especially at the start. You get used to it after a few uses, but the switches are a bit easy to bump.

Ghd advertises things like “Aeroprecis technology” and “enhanced ionic technology”. In practice, that just means the airflow is quite focused and strong, and the dryer seems to leave hair smoother than basic models. There’s no screen, no fancy LEDs, nothing overcomplicated. It’s just a powerful, modern dryer with a relatively simple interface. If you like gadgets and loads of attachments, this one is actually pretty barebones.

So in terms of presentation and what you get, I’d say it’s minimal but well thought out. You’re paying mainly for the motor, the airflow design, and the brand reputation, not a big bundle of accessories. If you want a full kit with different heads and a case, there are other brands that give you more in the box for less money, even if the performance is a bit behind.

I’ve used the Helios on three types of hair so far: my own wavy, slightly frizzy hair, my partner’s thick, curly hair, and a friend’s fine, straight hair who tried it at our place. Plus, I’ve used it on my beard a few times just out of curiosity. It definitely doesn’t behave the same on everyone, and that’s where I think the product is a bit overhyped for certain people.

On my wavy hair, it’s genuinely effective. I can go from towel-dried to smooth, almost salon-looking hair with just a round brush and the nozzle. It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough that I sometimes skip straighteners altogether. The ends look less dry, and the overall texture is softer. The ionic side of things seems to help with static too; I don’t get that fluffy halo around my head as much, especially in winter.

On my partner’s thick, curly hair, the main benefit is time saved and reduced puffiness. With a diffuser (not included, we used a separate one that fits), we got more defined curls and less frizz than with our old dryer. Without a diffuser, if we use a brush to stretch the curls, the Helios is strong enough to semi-straighten the hair fairly quickly. It still needs a straightener to be poker straight, but the base is smoother and less stubborn.

On fine, straight hair, the feedback was basically: “yeah, it’s fast, but I wouldn’t pay this much.” It dried my friend’s hair quickly and left it shiny, but she said her mid-range dryer already did a decent job and the jump wasn’t worth the price difference. On the beard side, it works fine on low heat and low speed to dry and shape it a bit, but that’s more of a side use than a selling point. In short, it’s very effective if your hair is thick, frizzy, or tricky. If your hair is already low-maintenance, it’s more of a nice-to-have luxury than a real upgrade.