- Dyson has released a consumer version of its Supersonic r Professional
- It’s the brand’s smallest, lightest, most powerful hair dryer
- Available now in US for $569.99, due 2 March in UK at £449.99
Previously a professional-only hair dryer, the Dyson Supersonic r has now been added to the core haircare range, and made available to us mere (non-hairdresser) mortals for the first time. This is Dyson’s smallest, lightest and most powerful dryer – it’s 20% smaller and 30% lighter than the original Supersonic – so if you have deep pockets and want to create salon-worthy styles from the comfort of your own home, this is your chance.
The Supersonic r first went on sale back in February 2024, and initially turned heads because it looked more like a pipe than any hair dryer we’d ever seen. After everyone had stopped making jokes about its appearance, the dryer began to win people over with its performance. That weird design is far more comfortable and easier to wield than a traditional dryer, and allows for more precise styling too.
The only thing stopping it from troubling our best hair dryer list was the fact it was professional-only. Until now. The Dyson Supersonic r that’s about to go on sale is identical to the original pro version, save for a shorter cable (home-length, rather than salon-length).
The more streamlined and maneuverable shape and lower weight are made possible by some redesigned mechanics. Under the hood you’ll find a more streamlined air heater than the one found in the regular Supersonics, and a Dyson Hyperdymium motor too (possibly the same / a version of the one that powers today’s best Dyson vacuums).
The r will initially be available in Ceramic Pink, and a Jasper Plum version is in the works too. These are two of the new colorways being filtered into the Dyson’s haircare lineup, and, in my option, a big upgrade on its previous tropical tones.
The r also comes with some intriguing looking new magnetic attachments to play with. What is this PowerfulAir tool? How the heck does the SmoothNozzle work? All things I look forward to discovering when I get my hands on one. I am pleased to see there’s an compatible version of the fan-favorite FlyAway attachment.
All attachments have RFID sensors, which means the dryer knows which one is attached and will remember your last-used temperature and airflow settings with each.
When and where can I get my hands on it?
The Supersonic r has just gone on sale in Ceramic Pink in the US, at a list price of $569.99.
In the UK, the Supersonic r will come with a list price of £449.99 (£50 more than the Nural). The Ceramic Pink version will go on sale from 2 April at Dyson Demo stores, Dyson.co.uk and select retailers (you can sign up for a UK release notification).
It looks like it will also launch in Australia – you can sign up for AU release notification – but I haven’t had a date or price confirmed yet. The Nural costs AU$749, so it’ll be perhaps a little more than that.
The Dyson Supersonic r Professional will remain on sale on Dyson’s ‘For Business’ website page as well as via select trade distributors. It looks like the two versions are identical, except the ‘Professional’ version has a longer cable, making it more suited to use in a salon. The Pro version also has different colorways.
Nural vs r – which dryer will reign supreme?
The brand’s current range-topper is the Supersonic Nural. I was blown away by that model when I tested it for my Dyson Supersonic Nural review, and it remains the best premium hair dryer we’ve tested at TechRadar. I’ll do a proper comparison once I’ve had a chance to try the r out, but at a glance it looks like the r is smaller and lighter, but that the Nural might have more special features.
The Nural comes with a Scalp Protect setting, where the dryer monitors how far away from your head it is, and gets hotter or cooler to maintain what feels like a constant temperature on your scalp. There’s no mention of that with the r. Ditto the automatic drop to lower power when you put the Nural down.
Many of the attachments look different, but I think most are different versions of the same idea. It’s notable that the r doesn’t come with the upgraded, two-part diffuser, but rather a more traditional-looking version. Both dryers can recognize which attachment is on, and switch to your last-used settings with that attachment. Based on US and UK pricing, the Nural is slightly cheaper, too.
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