The T3 Aire IQ Is a Great Hair Dryer Held Back by Its Own Technology

I’ve always had fluffy hair. It’s varied in texture throughout my life as I put it through the wringer of bleaching it, dyeing it neon colors, heat-styling it, re-nourishing it, and repeating the process all over again. It’s usually a combination of curl types 2A to 3A, and I very rarely heat-style it. But this year I started using diffusers on a regular basis, and I was excited to try the T3 Aire IQ blow dryer—and its diffuser attachment.

And I weirdly ended up liking the diffuser attachment the least.

The T3 Aire IQ looks fantastic on a bathroom counter. The little hair dryer comes in White or Satin Blush, and it includes a heavy magnetic stand where it can rest. It’s got a soft brushed casing that looks stylish without being too showy, and the stand has built-in storage for two of the three attachments—the Quick Dry and Style attachments. The diffuser doesn’t have a dedicated storage spot. You can store the diffuser on the stand, but then you’ll need to find a place to store the other two. This annoyed me a little. I do like the look of the overall package, though—displaying hair tools can be cumbersome and they sometimes become a bit of an eyesore. The T3 Aire IQ manages to take up a small amount of space in a stylish way (unlike some much bulkier dryers I’ve tested, which get chucked into a bathroom cabinet when not in use).

Nice to Heat You

When you first turn on the dryer, the little display lights up and says “Hello.” Choose your language (English or French). Choose your hair texture (fine, medium, or coarse), and then connect an attachment. The tool will automatically start on a predetermined heat and speed setting. And it’ll remember your hair type, so those adjustments will automatically change as you connect different attachments. (Note that the dryer does not work without an attachment connected.) You can also select the settings manually. You can set the dryer down or press the center button to pause airflow (the set-down feature lowers the airflow but doesn’t turn it off completely, and you can turn on or off the set-down pausing in the settings). You can choose among three speed settings and five heat settings, and turn the ions on or off. There’s a cold shot switch that you can flip on or off—no button-holding necessary. The dryer will even remind you when it’s time to clean the filter (by removing it from the dryer and wiping away dust).

The dryer weighs 2 pounds (about the weight of a hammer), and it didn’t feel too heavy while I was using it compared to other dryers I’ve tried. Thankfully, even if you’re not gifted in the biceps department, the technology means you won’t be holding it for too long, since your hair will dry so quickly. It’s also pretty quiet—I was able to use it in my en-suite bathroom while my partner slept, a feat I haven’t managed with other dryers.

Photograph: Louryn Strampe