We tested the T3 Featherweight StyleMax to see how it compares to hair dryers from top brands like Revlon

These days, hair dryers run the gamut from simple and cheap to fancy and expensive. The T3 Featherweight StyleMax sits comfortably in the middle. It offers significantly more heat settings and attachments than a basic hair dryer, but it doesn’t quite have the same technology as the priciest models. The $199.99 price tag seems reasonable and fair considering its premium features. 

The BestReviews Testing Lab did a deep dive into the T3 Featherweight StyleMax to see if the hair dryer lives up to the hype. After testing the product, we came away impressed. We found the cons of this product to be relatively minor compared to the benefits of the diverse heat and airflow settings and the easy-to-use styling presets.

What is the T3 Featherweight StyleMax?

Heat Settings: 5 | Wattage: 1,875 Watts  | Attachments: 4 | Cold Shot: Yes | Power Source: Plug-in

The T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer looks and performs like a high-end luxury hair dryer. Using 1,875 watts of power, it delivers a wide, ion-infused air stream to gently dry hair while adding body and shine. It’s designed to minimize frizz thanks to the ion generator. 

The product promises to prevent overdrying hair by using a smart microchip to minimize temperature fluctuations. Meanwhile, a custom-designed fan propels a wider airflow to retain up to 60% more of hair’s natural moisture while drying. 

The T-shaped body (white with rose gold accents) has a 9-foot cord, which is great if you have some distance between an electrical outlet and your styling area. The hair dryer weighs just 1.53 pounds. 

The T3 Featherweight StyleMax has five heat settings (the most of any hair dryer we tested) and three airflow settings, selected with buttons on the back of the handle. There is also a Cool Shot button located on the front of the handle. The preset settings were our favorite feature, giving you the ideal combination of heat and airflow based on your specific hair type (fine, medium, thick) and desired styling method (rough drying, adding volume, smoothing or gentle drying). 

Compared to the brand’s other hair dryers, we like that this product comes with more attachments than the T3 AirLuxe (which only has one styling nozzle). The T3 AirLuxe also doesn’t include the styling presets. 

Pros

• Variety of heat settings: This hair dryer has more heat settings (five) than any other hair dryer we tested, including the high-end Dyson Supersonic ($429.99) with four. 
• Preset styling modes based on hair type: We love the preset heat and airflow settings based on hair type and desired styling method, which means you don’t have to memorize any setting combinations. 
• Stylish: In our opinion, the color combination of white and rose gold makes this the prettiest hair dryer we tested. 
• Fair price for high-end product: The features match those of luxury hair dryers, so the $199.99 price point is high but fair. 
• Four included attachments: This hair dryer comes with the ideal attachments to dry any hair type. 
• Dries hair quickly: This product worked about as quickly as the other high-end models we tested. 
• Leaves hair shiny, not frizzy: We had no complaints about how shiny hair was after drying. 
• Long cord: The extra-long cord adds flexibility to where you can use the hair dryer in relation to an outlet. It also makes it easy to hold the product from any distance and at any angle. 

Cons

• Buttons difficult to press: We didn’t love that the S+ button has two different functions (selecting hair type and style setting). Pressing and holding the button to select the hair type didn’t always work as anticipated. 
• Hard to tell which hair type selection is lit: When selecting a hair type, the setting next to it would sometimes be slightly lit as well, making it tough to tell which setting we were using.
• Snap-on attachments: The snap-on attachments felt a bit antiquated compared to magnetic attachments (like on the Dyson SuperSonic) or lock-in attachments (like on the Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0). 
• T-shape design: We didn’t find the T-shape design quite as convenient or ergonomic as the shape of the bottom-heavy Dyson Supersonic. 
• Airflow strength: The highest airflow setting on this product didn’t feel quite as strong as the highest setting on the Dyson Supersonic. 
• Cool Shot button on front of handle: We found that the one button on the front of the handle was easy to press accidentally. 

Who is it for?

This product is a great purchase option for anyone who is looking for a high-end luxury hair dryer with a large variety of settings but doesn’t want to shell out over $400 for a Dyson Supersonic. Since it comes with a variety of styling presets based on hair type and four attachments for various styling needs, this product would be a great purchase for a hairstylist who works with clients with different hair types. It would also be a good product to share among family members or roommates with different hair types since it can cater to everyone’s needs. 

How we tested

We tested the T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer on fine, dense hair about 22 inches long. We first shampooed and conditioned the hair. After the wash, we wrapped the hair in a towel for approximately five minutes to absorb excess water, then towel-dried it. 

We sprayed the hair with a few spritzes of Biolage Styling Smooth Shine Milk, a moisturizing product. We combed the product through the hair and parted it. We air-dried the hair for approximately 10 minutes, which greatly cuts down on blow-drying time and leads to less damage to hair overall. 

Before blow-drying, we liberally sprayed the hair with TRESemmé Heat Tamer Spray to protect it from heat damage, and we combed the hair to detangle it and better disperse the product. 

We rough-dried the hair using the Drying Concentrator attachment. We used the preset for fine hair, which worked perfectly. We finished with the Styling Concentrator attachment in combination with a round brush. We started with the Smooth preset for fine hair but ended up adding a bit more airflow. We liked that this product provides the option of using a preset setting to guide our choices but also allows the freedom to manually make changes best suited to our needs. We finished the styling with the Cool Shot. 

We did not test the Smoothing Comb or Diffuser attachments since they weren’t suited for our tester’s hair type. 

Price and where to buy

The T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer retails for $199.99 and is available for purchase from Sephora, Amazon, Ulta Beauty and the T3 website. 

The $199.99 price of this product is the same as that of the Shark SpeedStyle and significantly cheaper than the Dyson Supersonic at $429.99.

What does it come with?

This hair dryer comes with a variety of attachments for different hair types. There is a Drying Concentrator (which is best for rough-drying hair), a Styling Concentrator (for smoothing hair), a Diffuser (for use on curly or wavy hair) and a Smoothing Comb (for curls and coils). All four snap into place. 

Drying Concentrator

This is a nozzle with a wide opening that is best used to rough-dry hair. It delivers a wide stream of air to quickly yet gently dry hair. To use it, snap it into place at the front of the cooled hair dryer head. Press and hold the S+ button to toggle through the hair types to select yours (thin, medium, thick). Select the Rough Dry setting and the T3 Featherweight StyleMax delivers air at the temperature and airflow best suited for your specific hair type. 

Styling Concentrator

This is a nozzle attachment with a narrower opening than the one on the Drying Concentrator. It is used to smooth hair over a paddle brush or round brush and works well to straighten ends after using the Drying Concentrator. To use it, adjust the style mode to Volume or Smooth. Divide hair into 3- to 4-inch sections and brush through each section, applying tension with the brush while following with the hair dryer. Finish by pressing the Cool Shot button and repeating the motion on the cooler air setting to seal in the hairstyle. 

SoftTouch 3 Diffuser

This is the largest attachment. By delivering a wide and gentle flow of air with even heat, it helps to define wavy or curly hair and add texture to layered hairstyles without adding frizz. After snapping the Diffuser on the cooled hair dryer, select your hair texture. Select the Diffuser style mode for the right heat and airflow for your hair’s texture. Alternatively, you can manually select your desired heat and airflow strength. Direct the air at the roots while scrunching the hair. When hair is dry, set your style by using the Cool Shot button. 

Smoothing Comb

This attachment is easy to identify because it has teeth just like a comb. It can be used to lift hair at the roots, smooth hair or stretch and detangle curls and coils with concentrated heat and airflow. After snapping the comb into place on the cooled hair dryer, select your hair texture and select the Smooth style mode, which will default to the best heat and airflow settings for your hair type. (If preferred, you can select the settings manually.) Run the comb attachment through the hair to smooth and detangle it. When you’re finished, lock in the style using the Cool Shot button. 

Style modes

While you can select any combination of the five heat options and three airflow settings, one of the best features of this hair dryer is that it comes preprogrammed with settings that are optimized for specific hair types and styles. To use the presets, first choose your hair thickness (fine, medium, thick) by pressing, holding and then toggling the S+ button. Using the same button, select either the Volume, Rough Dry, Smooth or Diffuse setting to match the heat and airflow to your styling preference and hair type. 

Volume

Volumizing helps add lift and body to hair. On the T3 Featherweight StyleMax, the Volume setting is depicted at the lower left of the S+ button. First, select your hair type by pressing and holding the S+ button and toggling through the options. Next, select the Volume setting by pressing the S+ button repeatedly until the bottom left icon lights up. If you have fine or medium hair, the Volume setting defaults to the third highest heat setting and the second airflow setting. If you have thick hair, the Volume setting defaults to the fourth highest heat setting and the second airflow setting. 

Rough dry

Rough drying takes dripping wet hair to a damp state and prepares it for styling. A good way to boost volume is to bend over so your head is upside down while you rough-dry your hair. On the T3 Featherweight StyleMax, the Rough Dry setting icon is shown to the upper left of the S+ button. First, select your hair type by pressing and holding the S+ button and toggling through the options. Next, select Rough Dry by pressing the S+ button once until the icon lights up. If you have fine hair, the Rough Dry setting defaults to the third highest heat setting and the second airflow setting. If you have medium hair, it defaults to the fourth highest heat setting and the second airflow setting. If you have thick hair, it defaults to the highest heat setting and the second airflow setting. 

Smooth

Use this setting when you’re using the Styling Concentrator to smooth and straighten hair with a paddle brush or round brush or when you’re using the Smoothing Comb to stretch and detangle curls or coils. On the T3 Featherweight StyleMax, the Smooth setting icon is at the top right of the S+ button. First, select your hair type by pressing and holding the S+ button and toggling through the options. Next, select the Smooth setting by pressing the S+ button until the icon lights up. If you have fine hair, the Smooth setting defaults to the third hottest heat setting and the second airflow setting. If you have medium hair, it defaults to the fourth highest heat setting and the highest airflow setting. If you have thick hair, it defaults to the highest heat setting and the highest airflow setting. 

Diffuse

This is best for use on curly, coily or wavy hair. By delivering a wide and gentle stream of air with even heat, it helps to define and texturize hair without adding frizz. On the T3 Featherweight StyleMax, the Diffuse setting is the icon at the bottom right of the S+ button. First, select your hair type by pressing and holding the S+ button and toggling through the options. Next, select the Diffuse setting by pressing the S+ button until the icon lights up. If you have thick hair, the Diffuse setting delivers the third highest heat setting and lowest airflow setting. If you have medium or fine hair, it delivers the second highest heat setting and lowest airflow setting.

How does it compare to other models?

The T3 Featherweight StyleMax is one of our favorite hair dryers. It makes for a great luxury pick at a lower price point than the top-of-the-line Dyson Supersonic ($429.99). We like that it has more heat settings (five) than both the Dyson Supersonic and the Shark Speedstyle, both of which only have four. We also enjoyed using the presets based on hair type, which is a feature we didn’t see offered on any other hair dryer we tested. Though other hair dryers can mimic similar settings, you have to manually input each one, which means memorizing the best settings for each style or using trial and error. 

However, we prefer the magnetic attachments with the Dyson Supersonic to the snap-on attachments of the T3 Featherweight StyleMax. We found the magnetic attachments easier to attach and remove, and they felt sturdier. We also like that the Dyson Supersonic offers an attachment to tame flyaway hair (sold separately), which is a great smoothing and finishing tool for anyone with frizz-prone hair. T3 has no similar attachment included or sold separately. 

Also, something to consider is that those with fine and straight hair types may find little to no use for the T3’s included Diffuser and Smoothing Comb attachments. We like that the Shark Speedstyle allows you to choose from various attachment bundles based on your hair type. In this sense, we think the Shark Speedstyle might be a better pick for someone who only uses certain attachments. The T3 might be a better option for a hairstylist or someone who shares the hair dryer with other people. 

For people who frequently blow-dry their hair, we feel the Dyson Supersonic’s heat damage-preventing technology makes it worth the splurge, but the T3 Featherweight StyleMax is a great option for anyone who wants a similar product at half the price. 

While the T3 is significantly more expensive than the Conair InfinitiPRO SmoothWrap hair dryer ($59.99), it offers a much wider variety of settings and attachments. Therefore, we would recommend the T3 over the Conair for anyone who wants more options than just the most basic hair dryer.  

T3 Featherweight StyleMax Hair Dryer Review: Should you get one?

We love and confidently recommend the T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer for anyone looking for a luxury hair dryer with a large variety of settings and attachments. This hair dryer is especially great for hairstylists or people who share a hair dryer with others who have different hair types.