Dyson Supersonic Nural review: The most intelligent hair dryer yet

The Dyson Supersonic Nural first arrived on the scene in 2024 as the long-awaited evolution of Dyson’s original Supersonic hair dryer, which completely changed the haircare category back in 2016. At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re pretty similar, but there’s actually a lot more going on here than meets the eye.

The Nural takes everything that made the original such a standout and gives it a clever upgrade, adding a layer of smart features designed to protect your scalp and tailor the styling experience more to you.

Keep reading to find out my full review, and whether those upgrades actually improve the styling experience in general.

Price and availability

In the UK, the Dyson Supersonic Nural is priced at £399.99 when bought directly from Dyson, with occasional bundles sometimes appearing at the same price point depending on availability. In the US, it typically retails for $499.99.

It is widely available through Dyson’s own website and Dyson stores, as well as selected retailers such as John Lewis, Currys and Argos.

I’ve been testing the Pink and Rose Gold colourway, but the Nural is also available in Red Velvet and Gold, Prussian Blue and Rich Copper, and Dyson’s latest finish, Ceramic Apricot and Topaz.

Attachments

As with other Dyson hair tools, there are different variations depending on your hair type. These versions then come with different attachments, so your kit is tailored to how you’ll actually use it.

I’ve been trying the Straight to Wavy option, which includes five attachments. The Gentle air attachment is designed for close-up drying and styling, whilst the Styling Concentrator has been re-engineered with a wider, thinner blade of air for more precise styling. There’s also the Diffuser, which disperses air evenly around curls, the Flyaway Smoother to create a finished look, and the Smoothing Nozzle to remove unwanted frizz.

Only the Gentle air attachment, Styling Concentrator and Smoothing Nozzle are compatible with Scalp Protect Mode, which I’ll come onto in a second. Each attachment connects magnetically to the dryer itself, which makes switching between them quick and easy.

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Design and features

The Dyson Supersonic Nural is still instantly recognisable as a Dyson hair dryer, keeping the same signature cylindrical design with the motor housed in the handle for better balance. It remains compact and lightweight, with airflow running through the central hollow barrel.

Where it differs from the original Supersonic is in the added intelligence, as inside the barrel are new sensors that allow the machine to actively adapt as you style. There’s also capsule illumination, where a subtle light changes colour depending on the heat level, giving you a clear visual cue as you adjust settings.

It also includes practical smart features like pause detect, where airflow automatically reduces when you put the dryer down, then resumes when you pick it back up.

One of the biggest upgrades is Scalp Protect Mode, which measures how close the dryer is to your head and automatically adjusts heat output in real time. The closer it gets, the more it reduces temperature to help protect your scalp and minimise heat damage, whilst still drying efficiently. You can switch this on or off, and as mentioned, it only works with three of the five attachments.

Another smart addition is attachment recognition. The Nural can detect which styling attachment is in use and automatically recall your preferred heat and airflow settings for that tool, making switching between styling routines quicker and more seamless.

When it comes to controls, there are three precise airflow settings – high, medium and low. There are also four heat settings, ranging from 28°C up to 100°C, as well as a 28°C cold shot designed to set your hair after styling.

Performance

The Dyson Supersonic Nural is undoubtedly one of the best hair dryers on the market today, and it feels like a significant step forward from its predecessor. Within around a week of use, I noticed my hair felt less tangled and dry, and noticeably shinier too. As nothing else in my haircare routine changed, it definitely like this was down to the Nural itself.

The dryer is lightweight to hold and has an undeniable premium quality about it. It feels sturdy and expensive in the hand, and even small details like the magnetic attachments add to its high-end feel.

As with most hair tools, I quickly worked out which attachments suited me best. The Gentle Air attachment was the one I reached for most to rough-dry my hair before styling, especially as it works with Scalp Protect Mode. I’m not particularly sensitive to heat, so I don’t always notice when tools get too close to my scalp, which made this feature a really useful for protecting hair health. It was also impressively quick, taking around 8-9 minutes to dry my hair, and as it’s the lightest attachment, it barely added any weight.

I also absolutely loved the Flyaway Smoother. Having used something similar on the Airwrap i.d., I was already a fan, but I much prefer the Nural’s version as it has a sort of integrated brush that helps smooth and detangle further.

The other attachments performed well too, but I found myself naturally gravitating towards these two the most. I was also surprised by how quiet the Nural is, which was great when trying to avoid early morning complaints from my partner.

That said, I did find that Scalp Protect Mode could occasionally lower the temperature more than necessary, even when the dryer wasn’t particularly close to my head. It’s clearly a very sensitive feature, which is better than the alternative, and it can be turned off quickly. However, when I was in a rush, I sometimes chose not to use it, as it could slightly increase drying time. Still, it’s a great feature to have overall, and not something I’d want removed.

Verdict

The Dyson Supersonic Nural takes everything that made the original Supersonic so popular and refines it with incredibly useful smart features. From Scalp Protect Mode to attachment recognition, it feels like a more intelligent hair dryer that actively works with you as you style. Whilst some of its settings are a little over-sensitive, its overall performance, build quality and results are hard to fault. It’s undeniably expensive, but if you want a premium hair dryer that prioritises both styling and hair health, the Nural is about as good as it gets right now.

Alternatives to consider

If you like the sound of Dyson’s technology but want more styling versatility, I’d highly recommend the Dyson Airwrap i.d. It achieved five stars in its full review and shares many of the same intelligent features, but with the added ability to curl and shape as well as dry.

Another strong alternative is the Shark FlexStyle, which delivers a similarly fast-drying experience with a focus on airflow rather than extreme heat. It doesn’t quite match Dyson’s precision heat control or scalp-focused smart features, but for everyday styling, it's a very close contender.