This lightweight hairdryer may be pricey, but it straightens my natural curls in about 30 minutes without causing my arms to cramp up

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• The T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer is super lightweight, addressing the concern of hand and arm cramps when styling.
• The hairdryer uses ionic technology that helps dry hair faster and prevents frizz.
• It's not cheap at $250, but it's worth the cost if you hate battling heavy hairdryers and prefer to have multiple heat and airflow settings to choose from.

In order to straighten my thick and textured hair, my hairdryer needs to be powerful enough to target the moisture trapped in my strands, help me detangle my locks, and get them straight enough to be able to trim my ends. It also needs to be lightweight enough to hold for long periods of time.

The T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer accomplishes all of that and more. The ionic hairdryer three heat settings, and on the second and third power levels, the result is shiny and healthy straightened hair. The lightweight body also makes it easy to handle, and it's quiet enough that it won't disturb my roommates.

The downsides are its $250 price tag (though Costco members can get it for $99), and the fact that it only comes with air-concentrating diffusers and no curly-hair diffusers. However, if you use dryers more for straightening hair than volumizing it, this one is worth it for how fast and easy it is to use, and how healthy it makes my hair look.

Below, I'll walk you through what makes the dryer worth the cost, what makes it different from cheaper dryers that just blow out hot air, and what it's like to clean.

What sets the T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer apart?

I spoke with licensed cosmetologist Jordan of Jordan Artistry, who said she looks for four attributes in a hairdryer: multiple heat settings; a lightweight build; diffuser attachments; and ionic drying. "Ionic technology allows hair to dry faster, reduce static, and fizz," says Jordan. "Ionic dryers are a great option for people who deal with flyaways or have thick hair that absorbs a lot of moisture."

The T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer uses a technology called T3 IonAir, which emits ions to speeds up the drying process and differentiates it from cheaper dryers that only heat or cool the air flowing through. It also has all the other attributes of a good hairdryer, including multiple heat settings, narrow and wide air-concentrating diffuser attachments, and a super lightweight build. At 24 ounces, the Featherweight is easy to manage and doesn't give me arm or hand cramps.

It's worth noting that T3 offers a couple of other styles of blowdryers, including another Featherweight dryer that folds up but has less power than the 3i and fewer settings, and two higher-speed, higher-power styles called Cura ($235) and Cura Luxe ($285). We haven't tested any of the other dryers so we can't say for sure which ones are the best or most worth the cost, but the Featherweight 3i is most similar to the basic Cura. They have the same number of settings, the same wattage, and the same attachments, but the Cura is a newer generation.

Is the T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer worth the cost?

If you're a busy person with a lot to get done in the day, the answer is yes. After using the hairdryer several times in order to get my hair straightened for detangling purposes, it does the job in 30 minutes or so, where other hairdryer brands I've tried have taken almost twice as long.

My thick and textured hair requires a lot of power because my curly strands retain a lot of moisture after co-washing or shampooing. With the three-heat settings, I can crank the dryer up to the max heat and use either the wide concentrator clip-on to dry my hair evenly or the narrow concentrator clip-on if I need to get precise, concentrated airflow for a smaller section.

If you're able to buy it from Costco, the $99 price isn't too expensive, but for anyone who doesn't have a membership, the dryer will cost you about $250. Whether that price tag is worth it to you isn't for me to decide, but if you're asking whether or not the hairdryer works well and is worth the investment, I'd say yes.

Is it easy to clean?

One of the best things about this hairdryer is the ease of cleaning. On the back of the dryer, you can simply brush or wipe away the dust buildup using a cloth or even a small toothbrush. This ensures that my T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer will last longer and perform at its best.

Cons worth mentioning

The price might be higher than your run-of-the-mill hairdryer (ranging from $99 to $250), which can put a dent in your beauty budget. However, if you think about having a product that will potentially last for years with proper care and maintenance, it's worth the splurge.

The bottom line

If you need a hairdryer that will give you the most bang (or blast) for your buck, I recommend the T3 Featherweight 3i hairdryer. For those who need to hop in the shower and get their hair dried quickly without disturbing a roommate or getting an arm cramp, it's a worthy investment.