TRESemme Smooth & Shine Hair Dryer - Powerful 2200W Blow Dryer, Anti-Frizz Technology, Lightweight Fast Drying, 3 Temperature Settings, Black, 5542DU

The TRESemme 5542DU sells over 4,000 units a month on Amazon UK. 13,800+ reviews at 4.5 stars. It's a 2200W ionic dryer with tourmaline-ceramic tech, and it usually costs about £12. At that price, people buy it without thinking much about it. Most of them seem happy.

What tourmaline-ceramic means

Tourmaline is a mineral that generates negative ions when heated. Combined with the ceramic heating element, it distributes heat more evenly and produces more ions than ionic-only dryers. In practice: less frizz and less chance of scorching one spot. Our what is ionic hair dryer article explains the tech properly.

Whether tourmaline-ceramic at £12 performs noticeably differently from regular ionic at £15 is honestly hard to say. The difference between either of them and a non-ionic dryer is clear though.

What you get

The dryer, a concentrator nozzle, two heat settings, two speeds, cool shot. No diffuser. If you need a diffuser for curly or wavy hair, the Remington D3190 includes one for a few pounds more. Our how to use a hair dryer diffuser guide covers that.

The rear filter is removable for cleaning. Worth doing every few months.

How it feels

Lightweight for a 2200W dryer. The cord is longer than average, which you appreciate as soon as you've used a dryer with a short one. Ergonomic handle. Nothing about it feels premium but nothing feels cheap either. It's a mid-market dryer that happens to cost less than most.

Where it falls short

Two heat settings rather than three. For most people that's fine. If you have colour-treated or fine hair and want finer temperature control, it's limiting. Our best hair dryer for colour-treated hair guide has options with better heat management. For fine hair, our best hair dryer for fine hair roundup covers that too.

No diffuser in the box. At this price that's not surprising, but the Remington includes one.

Who buys this

Everyone, apparently. Students, families, people replacing a broken dryer who don't want to spend time researching. It dries hair fast and costs less than a takeaway. Three-year guarantee.

Our best budget hair dryer guide compares this to the Remington D3190 and other cheap options. For a step up, our best hair dryer under £50 roundup has the next tier.