The feel of the Helios is a cut above, too. We'll report back once we've been using the dryer for a few months. Whether it’s foundation, hair spray or just everyday grime, a white product probably won’t stay very white for long. The only concern is that it may not stay looking fresh and clean for long. We’ve never been big fans of the white Platinum Plus styler but the Helios' rose gold finish really adds a dash of class to the all-white body. By comparison, the white and rose gold Helios is far more alluring however. The Air only ever came in one colour option, although you could get models with different coloured grilles in the limited edition gift sets. This may, in part, explain why GHD is selling the Helios in four two-tone colourways – black and silver like the GHD Air, navy blue and black, maroon and gold, and white and gold. Close your eyes, and the Helios's lightness lacks that same weighty reassurance. The downside to this is that the heft of the GHD Air was partly what made it feel so sturdy and luxurious compared to the lighter, cheaper rivals on the market. Its handle shape is ever-so-slightly more slender, making it feel more comfortable to hold. In fairness, though, the GHD Air's extra weight never really caused any issues thanks to how well-balanced it is, and the GHD Helios follows suit. The 510g Helios is smaller, sleeker and 20% lighter than the 640g GHD Air, but is a mite heavier than Dyson's 465g Supersonic. Yet instead of looking like siblings, the two dryers are more like cousins. The design of the GHD Helios and GHD Air is remarkably similar, from the location and design of the power, heat and cold shot buttons (a literal copy and paste job from the GHD Air) to the overall shape, the branded grille and the metal that sweeps around the rear of the dryer. GHD Helios review: Design and key features At this price, you really only have two dryers to choose from – and they both happen to be sold by GHD. In fact, we’d say it's the first hair dryer to rival the Dyson Supersonic for sheer drying power – and that's an impressive feat. It is however the most stylish of the bunch, and performance is a distinct step up from both the Air and the Nanoe. It also only ships with a single concentrator nozzle, compared to Dyson's two nozzles and diffuser. In terms of features, the GHD Helios and GHD Air are on par, yet the Helios lacks the styling settings of the Nanoe – two power and two heat settings plus a cool shot button vs the Nanoe's three power, three heat and cool shot. At the time of writing, it's retailing online at around the £65 mark. We’d also class the Panasonic Nanoe as another key rival and while it has an RRP of £110, it rarely sells for anywhere near that price. At £159, it sits between cheaper competitors – including its predecessor the £99 GHD Air – and the exceedingly expensive Dyson Supersonic (£300). The GHD Helios is pitched firmly as a premium, professional product. This redesigned, re-engineered hybrid of the GHD Air and GHD Aura is the model that the brand is hoping will re-establish it on top. Having seen these rivals gain ground, the iconic brand is back with the GHD Helios. That said, many of GHD’s rivals have caught up, selling dryers with similar – and in some regards better – performance for a cheaper price. It was released at a time when so-called professional hair dryers, and their matching high price tags, were fairly rare outside of hair salons, and GHD carved out a niche by charging a premium price for a premium, luxury product that was designed to appeal to consumers and hair stylists alike.īest hair straighteners 2023: Tried and tested favourites to tame frizzy hairĪt launch, it was considered a game changer, and it's a testament to that dryer’s quality that eight years on it’s still considered one of the best hair dryers on the market. GHD's first foray into the hair dryer market was the GHD Air in 2012. Has GHD built another hair dryer worthy of a place in Expert Reviews' best hair dryer list? GHD Helios review: What you need to know The burning question, as ever, is whether it has been worth the wait. The Helios has actually been available exclusively in a small number of salons since the start of January, but now it's on general sale in the UK. With cheaper models increasingly snapping at the Air's heels, the company's latest model – the GHD Helios – has arrived just in time. Having retired its GHD Aura a few years back, the brand's only remaining full-sized dryer has been the GHD Air. GHD has long ruled the hair straighteners roost, but when it comes to hair dryers the British brand hasn't had it quite so easy.
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