Shark SpeedStyle Pro Hair Dryer, High Performance High-Velocity Hair Dryer For Straight & Wavy Hair with Scalp Shield Technology, 3 Attachments, Lightweight, Ionic, No Heat Damage, Black HD731UK

The Shark SpeedStyle Pro is aimed squarely at people who like the Dyson Supersonic but not the price. High-velocity motor, compact body, 662g, three attachments in the box. 4.7 stars. It's newer to the market than the Dyson or ghd but the reviews so far are very positive.

Scalp shield

This is Shark's main selling point. Activate it and the air temperature drops to a level that won't burn your scalp while drying roots. Useful if you've got fine hair, a sensitive scalp, or you're worried about heat damage to new growth. Most dryers just have a cool shot button for a blast of cold air at the end. This is different: it keeps the air warm enough to dry but cool enough to not hurt.

Our best hair dryer for fine hair guide covers heat protection across different models if that's a priority for you.

The three attachments

Turbo Concentrator for directed airflow, QuickSmooth Brush for smoothing while drying, and a FrizzFighter Finishing Tool. The heat and airflow settings auto-adjust depending on which attachment you clip on. No fiddling with buttons mid-style.

The brush attachment is the interesting one. It turns the dryer into something closer to a Revlon One-Step, letting you smooth and dry at the same time. Our how to use a hair dryer diffuser guide covers attachment techniques more broadly. Note: no diffuser included, so this one's aimed at straight and wavy hair, not curls.

Weight

662g. Lighter than a BaByliss Midnight Luxe, heavier than a Dyson Supersonic. Light enough that long styling sessions aren't painful. Our best lightweight hair dryer roundup compares weights if that's a deciding factor.

How it compares to Dyson

Cheaper. Significantly. The Dyson Supersonic costs two to three times more. The Shark doesn't have the same brand cachet or the magnetic attachments, but the performance is closer than the price gap suggests. The scalp shield feature has no direct equivalent on the Dyson.

Our ghd Helios vs Dyson Supersonic comparison covers the premium end of the market. The Shark undercuts both.

Who it's for

People who want a premium-feeling dryer with smart heat control but don't want to pay Dyson prices. The auto-adjusting attachments take some of the guesswork out of styling. 2-year warranty on registration.

If you're on a tighter budget, our best hair dryer under £50 guide has capable options for less. For the full picture across all price points, our best hair dryer UK roundup covers the lot.