Having long hair, it is important that I have a reliable hairdryer. When the old one started smoking (awful habit!) and smelling of burning, I realised it was time for it to go to the Great Old Scrapheap in the Sky.

This was, as is often the case, the same time as our hoover and video recorder died, and my iron was on its way out. Luckily for me, Mum was in a generous mood and offered to buy me a new one from the catalogue. I didn’t want anything too fussy, just something functional and – well, something that dried my hair quickly and effectively!

The hairdryer she chose was a Remington Aero Pro 1825 for £19. It comes with 3m of cable, a 2 year guarantee, a diffuser attachment, a removable nozzle (apparently called a ‘styling concentrator’ – oooh!), a little cleaning brush for the hairdryer and a styling brush for you.

It is easy to use, with three heat settings (high, medium and low), two speed settings (high and low), an on/off switch and a ‘coolshot’ button for cold air. So, pretty straight forward really.

There is a small booklet explaining what each part is and how to use it, but I’m sure you’d be able to guess anyway. It also lists the usual safety do’s and don’ts – don’t immerse it in water (D’oh!), don’t point the hairdryer at your eyes while it’s on (Damn, how else will my mascara dry?!) and other really important stuff you’d never have thought of yourself <cough>…

The hairdryer itself looks nice. It is black and silver, sleek and shiny, with a matt handle which is easy to hold. It’s a good curvy shape too, but not too big or bulky.

Being 1825 watt, it is also faster at drying my hair. I do hate those hairdryers that are the equivalent of Sunday drivers – slow, plodding, get there eventually. Oh no! I want my hair dried right and I want it NOW!

So far, I haven’t foun
d any problems with this at all and it seems good value for money. My last one lasted about five years or more, so hopefully this one will be just as long too. The longevity of a tortoise would be good.