T3 vs. Dyson Hairdryer

I have had my T3 Micro Featherweight 2 model hairdryer for over 5 years now and it’s been a wonderful tool for my Type 2A hair, and (in the realm of hair dryers) has clearly lasted for quite a long time. My husband recently gifted me with the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer so I thought it might be helpful to share a few observations between the two products in case you are in the market for a new hairdryer and are considering either T3 or Dyson.

Admittedly, T3 has released a newer model since I purchased mine over five years ago called the Cura Luxe which features 5 heat settings, a volume booster, and an auto-pause sensor! However, since I have a Featherweight model and that’s where my experience lies, that will be the T3 product that I share about today, but please note that the newer model will have more advancements than my model (which I was completely happy with!).

FILTER

T3 Micro: The T3 filter on the back of the hairdryer head is easy to quickly swipe with your fingers to gather larger pieces of collected dust every few days, but a dry brush (like an old toothbrush or a “spoolie”) would be ideal to get the lint out of the smaller nooks and crannies.

The T3 is made in the traditional hairdryer design so air is pulled through the back of the barrel, the air is the pushed through the barrel around a heating element, and then finally blown out the other end creating hot forced air that can be aimed at your hair to dry / style it. I personally have to be quite careful to keep my long hair away from the “sucking” end of the hairdryer barrel to prevent it from getting sucked in and burned on the heating element (worst smell ever!).

Dyson: Conversely, the Dyson pulls air in from the base of its handle through a two-filter system. It is easy to remove the outer filter to access the finer mesh filter for cleaning and given its location at the base of the handle, it’s much easier to keep away from my hair while it is in use.

BUTTONS / CONTROLS

T3 Micro: The T3 features one toggle switch used to control intensity level (high, low, or off) and another toggle switch to control the temperature (low, medium, and high). I was so used to the way the buttons worked on my T3 that it took me a little while to acclimate to how the Dyson’s controls work. Even though the controls are very easy and straight forward, my muscle memory kept wanting to use the buttons differently.

Dyson: Dyson utilizes three separate buttons for these controls… a slider “button” to turn the power off and on, one button with three heat levels, and another button with three blowing intensity levels. I found the slider button to be a bit harder to control because of my lack of grip from hyperhidrosis and how flush it feels against the handle — a beautifully sleek design for anyone else, but mildly challenging for me due to my condition. That being said, I do like that there are three options (low, medium and high) for both blowing strength and heat level as well as a separate on / off button.

Both T3 and Dyson provide a “cool shot” button for locking in styles and both are very quiet… the Dyson has a higher-pitched whir of airflow, but it’s still an extremely quiet machine.

T3 Micro

Additional details:
— 2 Speed & 3 Heat Settings
— Digital IonAir Technology: Digitally-controlled heat combines with a powerful negative ion generator to dry hair quickly while maintaining body and shine.

Dyson

Additional details:
— 3 Heat & 3 Speed Settings
— Digital v9 motor spins at 110,000rpm propelling 3.5 gallons of air every second.
— Combined with AirMultiplier technology (which amplifies airflow by three times!), the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer produces a high-pressure, high-velocity jet of controlled air, for fast drying and precision styling.
— Intelligent heat control that measures air temperature over 40 times per second to prevent extreme heat damage.

WEIGHT

The weights between the two hairdryers is pretty comparable, with T3 Featherweight coming in at 1.3 lbs vs. Dyson Supersonic weighing 1.8 lbs. The T3 is heavier in the barrel as that is where the fan and heating mechanisms are. The Dyson has better weight distribution as there are elements in both the handle and the barrel. Both feel very balanced and ergonomic in my hand.

ACCESSORIES

I love that each dryer comes with a head attachment that directs the hot air in a more focused way for styling purposes (two options with Dyson!). One key difference is that T3’s attachments actually snap into place, whereas Dyson’s are magnetic so they are easier to attach and remove.

For my curly / wavy girls:

I had previously assumed that diffusers were only intended for people with much tighter coils than mine, but I learned last year that they’re great to use even if your hair is just wavy! These amazing airflow re-distributors attach to the dryers the same way that their respective flat nozzle styling heads do. I find the magnetic version to be so much easier (and there’s much less opportunity than the snap fixture to get worn out or break with frequent adding and removing!). The diffuser attachments are sold separately for both hair dryers, but certainly worthwhile investments if your hair has any sort of bend or curl to it. I highly recommend adding this hair dryer accessory to your hair dryer purchase.

Diffuser for T3 Featherweight models // for T3 Cura models

Dyson Diffuser // New Gentle Air Diffuser

Worth noting: T3 offers a compact travel hair dryer option, but Dyson does not. However, I would say that the Dyson hairdryer is already quite compact so a travel option isn’t necessary.

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All in all, I would recommend both hairdryers. The T3 is a great hairdryer and I was very satisfied with its performance and capability. The Dyson is a bigger investment (which will likely last for over a decade with proper care) and is a bit more deluxe, but absolutely worth the splurge — even my husband loves it! Both are absolutely worthwhile purchases, it just depends on where your priorities are.

*Top Tip: no matter what model you decide on, I recommend waiting for a sale at either Nordstrom (Dyson / T3 Cura Luxe) or Sephora (Dyson / T3 Cura Luxe) to get your machine at a lower pricepoint!

I also have reviews on the Dyson Corrale Straightener and the Dyson Airwrap Styler if you’re curious about those as well!

I hope this comparison was helpful for you.
Happy shopping, friends!

xx, Natalie