I’m sure many moms with young, school-age kids can relate to this: I rarely style my hair. Unless, of course, you count hand-combing it into a bun or ponytail. Blow-drying? That’s a luxury I usually reserve for special occasions, like weddings.
Between full-time work and child-rearing, there just isn’t enough time in the day. And honestly, if given the choice, I’d always rather sit in a salon chair than spend 30+ minutes wrestling with a heavy, bulky hairdryer, trying to tame my frizzy, wavy hair into sleek submission—only to end up looking hulas later anyway.
So when I was asked to review Dyson’s newest hairdryer, the Supersonic r, I knew exactly how I’d put it to the test: if it made blow-drying my hair painless, easy, and fast enough to motivate me to use it every day before work, then it would earn full marks from me.
Dyson hairdryers have built their reputation on fast drying without extreme heat, thanks to their high-velocity jets of controlled air and styling attachments tailored to different hair types and needs.
The Supersonic r is billed as Dyson’s most powerful yet lightest model, boasting a design that’s 30% smaller and 20% lighter than its predecessors. Weighing just 325g, it’s significantly lighter than both the Supersonic Nural—known for its scalp protection tech that adjusts heat and airflow as it nears your head—and the original Supersonic, which revolutionized the hairdryer market with its fast-drying, no-heat-damage promise. Both earlier models weigh in at 660g.
The Supersonic r also promises “precision drying for a smoother finish,” “more shine,” and “no heat damage.” On paper, it sounds like the hairdryer that could finally change how I feel about blow-drying my hair every day. But how does it actually perform?
Painless
The Dyson Supersonic r offers three airflow speeds and four heat settings—including a cold shot—so you can control how much heat you can tolerate. Even the hottest setting feels comfortable on the scalp. It’s also not as loud as other hairdryers, even on max airflow, so it doesn’t hurt your ears. And when I switch to the lowest heat and airflow setting to keep things extra quiet, it still gets the job done effectively.
Another major plus: it doesn’t hurt my hand. Unlike other hairdryers that either get too hot to hold or feel like a mini arm workout, the Supersonic r stays cool to the touch and is incredibly lightweight.
Quick blowout
Reportedly Dyson’s fastest hairdryer yet, the Supersonic r features 10 heater foils built into the curve of its unique r-shaped design. This allows for more even airflow and consistent heat distribution—right where you need it.
What I noticed immediately after my first use was how quickly my frizzy hair smoothed out. I was done and ready to go in under five minutes (on already dry hair; it takes me around 10 minutes to dry and style from wet). For the first time in a long while, I actually went to work with my hair down!
When I received the Supersonic r to review, I didn’t expect to get spoiled by how easy it made styling my hair. I could get a salon-smooth, frizz-free, shiny finish anytime—without spending a thousand pesos on a blowout that I’d wash off the next day.
Easy to use
The Supersonic r is shaped like a curved pipe, so it felt a bit awkward to use at first. But the more I used it, the more natural it felt. Its slim, curved body actually made it easier to hold and maneuver, giving me a firmer grip as I dried and styled my hair—including those hard-to-reach areas at the back of my head.
It also comes with five magnetic attachments that snap on easily, allowing you to customize your styling based on your hair type and texture: a Professional Concentrator for precise airflow; a Powerful Air Attachment that delivers high-speed drying; a Smoothing Nozzle with a comb-like edge to reduce frizz and create a smooth, natural finish; a Gentle Air Attachment that diffuses airflow evenly for a softer feel on the scalp; and a Flyaway Attachment that attracts longer hairs to tame and hide flyaways.
Each attachment is preset with the optimal temperature and airflow for its specific function, automatically adjusting to your styling needs—no guesswork required. However, you can manually override these settings using the control buttons to increase or decrease heat and airflow. The built-in RFID sensor in each attachment remembers your last used settings.
Whatever attachment you use, it lets you aim the airflow and heat directly on the part you are styling, without blowing strands everywhere and messing up what you’ve already fixed.
Unlike the Supersonic Nural, however, which is designed for sensitive scalps, the Supersonic r doesn’t have a scalp protection mode. So be careful not to hold it too close or use it for too long—though you probably won’t need to, since it works fast. You can also use the Gentle Air attachment for a softer touch. In the week I used it, my hair looked and felt healthier, with no signs of heat damage or scalp dryness.
Is it worth the investment?
When I received the Supersonic r to review, I didn’t expect to get spoiled by how easy it made styling my hair. I could get a salon-smooth, frizz-free, shiny finish anytime—without spending a thousand pesos on a blowout that I’d wash off the next day, or several thousand on a Brazilian Blowout that only lasts a few months.
At P37,900, it’s definitely a splurge. But if you regularly blow-dry or heat-style your hair, it could save you time and money in the long run—plus it comes with a two-year warranty. Just be sure to clean the filter regularly to keep it running well.
The Supersonic r comes with a sturdy, leatherette-trimmed Presentation Case for neat storage and protection. It also features a long 2.7m cord and a bulky plug, which houses the main electronics—keeping the hairdryer itself light and easy to handle.
Would I buy the Dyson Supersonic r if I hadn’t been sent a review unit? If I were serious about turning over a new leaf and committing to styling my hair daily—so I don’t have to keep hiding it in a bun—then yes, I would. This is as easy and as quick as I’ve ever experienced blowdrying my hair by myself.
The caveat? I was only able to do this consistently during the review period because my child is on summer break—I didn’t have to wake up at 5am to prep her baon and get her ready for school. The real test will be whether I can keep it up once school starts again in a few weeks. I’ll have to update this published review then.
