Laifen Swift Premium Hairdryer Review

The Laifen Swift Premium enters the ring as a serious contender to the iconic Dyson Supersonic, offering a similar blend of compact design and negative ion drying technology—at a fraction of the cost. We’ve been eager to see if this budget-friendly alternative could hold its own against one of the best in the game. Spoiler: it’s closer than you might think. Let’s dive into how it stacks up!

Design

The Laifen Swift Premium hairdryer greets you with a sleek, compact design that makes it feel more like a travel hairdryer. But don’t let that fool you—it packs the 1600W heat performance of something much larger. Its build can be described as modest in terms of weight; at 407g, this hairdryer is easy to grip, and thanks to its rounded handle, one-handed use of the controls is easy. The 1.8m (5.9ft) cord is long enough to provide real freedom of movement without feeling tethered to the wall. One of our favourite features is the satisfyingly pleasantly strong magnetic attachments that snap on easily and stay locked in place. While we currently see only two attachments available—a concentrator nozzle and a diffuser—we hope for more variety in the future. The lower air filter is another highlight; the magnetic gold plastic vent slides right off, offering quick access for easy cleaning. Throughout the design, it’s clear that convenience is the priority, and for a hairdryer with one main task, that’s all we want!

Controls

Laifen has kept the controls simple but effective. The top switch is for On/Off and offers two speed settings, while the lower button toggles between three temperature modes—cool (room temperature), warm (50°C) and hot (80°C). If you prefer something more automatic, a long press engages an auto-cycling mode that effortlessly shifts between temperatures. Initially, when we read that the heat modes were toggled with just one button press, we worried it could lead to confusion about which mode was activated; however, we were—and continue to be—impressed by the LED ring on the back of the Laifen Swift Premium hairdryer, which clearly indicates the mode by illuminating blue, orange, or red.

Hair Drying Performance

Importantly, at just 59 decibels on the fastest setting, the Laifen Swift Premium’s brushless motor is quiet, especially compared to traditional models. You’ll have no problem holding a conversation, and the soft hum of the motor while in use is more soothing than annoying.

In our testing, the Laifen Swift Premium proved to be as efficient as it is quiet. It heats up quickly, delivering a comfortable warmth that never feels too intense or burning when in ‘warm mode.’ In ‘auto mode', the dryer cycles through all the settings to avoid excessive heat, providing an evenness that appears to dry hair more quickly than in ‘warm mode', which testers found to be great for the later stages of drying. The ‘hot’ mode, at 80°C, dries hair the quickest without feeling like it’s singeing your scalp or hair—something that’s often the case with the hottest settings of most hairdryers.

One concern we have with the Laifen Swift Premium is that the slowest blow setting seems too abrasive for shorter hairstyles, necessitating some distance between the hair and the dryer. We’d love it if there were an even slower option. However, longer hairstyles, in particular, seemed to benefit from its overall performance, leaving hair noticeably shinier and smoother. This is likely due to the built-in negative ion generator, which neutralises static electricity. The science behind it? These negative ions break water molecules down into smaller particles, making them evaporate faster. This results in quicker drying times and finishes that look more polished and frizz-free as static is reduced.

Verdict

For many, the Laifen Swift Premium is a worthy competitor to the Dyson Supersonic, which also features negative ion technology. The main difference lies in the Dyson’s larger array of attachments. With the Laifen’s intuitive controls, effortless magnetic attachments, and a design that emphasises quiet comfort, the Swift Premium easily holds its own against larger, more cumbersome models we’ve used! We love the compact and easy-to-handle design of the Laifen, and whether you have longer locks or simply want faster drying times without the fuss, the Laifen Swift Premium delivers on all fronts—and looks good while doing it.