Green drying but not green hair. (BaByliss 5137U Eco Dryer)

Member Name: belglen

Product:	BaByliss 5137U Eco Dryer
Date:	30/12/08 (204 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Efficient, lightweight, very little packaging

Disadvantages: None

For Christmas this year I asked my husband to buy me a new hairdryer. Well after all he did use my last one to defrost the freezer and blew up the motor. Basically I searched for a dryer found it in the Argos catalogue gave him the details and sent him to buy it. When it comes to hairstyling I have very basic requirements, my hair is cut in a bob shape and needs very little actual styling. However I have very thick hair that retains the water when I wash it so I need a decent hairdryer with a good strong blow.

My previous dryer was a 1200w dryer so I was looking for something similar or perhaps a bit stronger. I looked through various Internet sites, read some reviews on Dooyoo and finally settled on a BaByliss Eco Dryer, powerful but yet green.

What's different about this dryer?
Well basically it claims to be "greener" by giving the equivalent of 2000w but from a 1000w dryer, a bit like the low energy bulbs. The blurb states:

"Incredibly light and powerful
Eco-AirTM technology encompasses an advanced heater and fan design that rebalances the heat and airflow, producing a drying rate as fast as the top 2000W hairdryers but with only half the energy consumption
Ionic conditioning for frizz-free shine
Two heat / speed settings plus cool shot
Slim concentrator nozzle for straight smooth drying
Eco-friendly packaging"

The performance
Well as stated in the blurb it does come in eco-packaging, and I am glad to say just the right amount basically a box that the dryer fits in, not too large a box that it requires lots of polystyrene inserts to keep it in place, it is held in a plastic bag but again not a really large one just big enough, there is one information leaflet contained and the dryer and nozzle, that's all. The dryer itself is very basic, it has 2 speed settings and a button to press for a blast of cooler air. There is an attachable nozzle to help direct the airflow, not a very large nozzle but functional. I have found that the dryer itself does give a good strong blast of hot air, not sure what the ionic conditioning is but my hair did not feel overly dry or frizzy after drying. I have used the dryer a few times with no problems and consistent results. My hair has dried in the style that I want it and is manageable after drying. I do use the nozzle and it does help direct the air onto the hair for straight styling.

The dryer itself is quite pretty, it is white with green trims, it is quite a small dryer reminds me a bit of a travel hairdryer, except the handle doesn't fold down. It is fairly lightweight, so your wrist doesn't get really sore when using it. The product claims to use less energy than a 2000w dryer but still give the same performance, for me anything that helps keep my electricity bills down is a good thing. So far I have not had any of the burning hair smell that you sometimes get with dryers, it does not get too hot when holding it. It does take quite a while to dry my hair and so far it has not got too hot when I have used it. Obviously time will tell as to whether or not it lasts well but so far I am hopeful.

Even though this was a present it cost £19.54 in Argos and is available from other stores such as Boots and Amazon. More information on the product and other BaByliss products can be found at www.babyliss.co.uk

This is a dryer I would definitely recommend, it seems to do what it says, although I can't prove the lower energy claims but as a dryer it works well and is reasonably priced.

I have only given 4 stars because time will tell on reliability.

Summary: A good basic hairdryer that will hopefully prove its green credentials.