The Laifen Swift isn’t an exact copy of the Supersonic, but its similar design makes it an excellent compact option that can still dry hair impressively fast. Plus, it’ll cost you less than $150.
I’ll be the first to admit that the Dyson Supersonic is an elegant hair dryer — but that elegance comes with the high price tag of $429. If you want to buy a dryer brand new but aren’t into paying a few hundred bucks, the Laifen Swift offers much of what the Dyson does, but at roughly a third of the price.
At drastically different price points, you might assume that you’re getting a drastically different experience, but having tested both, I find that the Laifen checks the boxes where it matters most. For instance, the Supersonic is popular because of its fast dry times. Though the Laifen Swift has 1,400 watts of power to the Supersonic’s 1,600 watts, it still blows an impressively strong gust of air, and consistently dried my hair in a similar time frame as the Supersonic, give or take a few minutes.
The Supersonic also has a unique design, with a shorter nozzle than a traditional dryer. While Laifen’s is solid where Dyson’s is hollow, weight-wise, the Laifen is about a full pound lighter, making it a great option for travel and generally very easy to maneuver.
Dyson also popularized magnetic dryer attachments with the Supersonic. Laifen’s attachments are just as solid and reliable as any of Dyson’s attachments. That said, this model of the Laifen only comes with a concentrator attachment, but you can get a model with three attachments (including a diffuser) for just $20 more. While the Supersonic does come with five attachments, I’ve yet to meet the person with a head of hair that would require all five.
Finally, the Dyson Supersonic’s price and brand indicate that it’s a product built to list. Having tested both products for a limited period of time, I can’t speak to this in the most concrete terms, but I will say that I have regularly used the Laifen Swift when I’m not actively testing other dryers, and it’s held up for two years.
At the basic level, as a dryer, the Laifen more than gets the job done. It has one fewer temperature setting than the Supersonic, and can run too hot at its highest setting, but overall, if you’re looking for something to dry your hair quickly, reliably, and without incurring too much damage to your hair or your wallet, the Laifen Swift is a solid choice.
