Review: Dyson Supersonic vs Parlux 3200 Compact

[EatsShitAndLeaves]

Hi All,

I posted on AIBU about buying a Dyson Supersonic. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2649882-aibu-to-pre-order-a-new-dyson-hairdryer

Upshot is I ordered one and it came today. Following requests on that thread I said I would post a review here, specifically how it performed vs my current Parlux (which I really rate).

So here we go......

As background I have long (bra strap length), highlighted hair. The strands are fine, but there is a lot of them so I would class my hair as thick, but not coarse. It has a tendency to dryness from being colour treated and is also wavy - but not attractively so, rather if left to dry naturally it just looks frizzy and unkempt.

I start by towel drying my hair, applying Ojon Hair Oil and then use my Parlux, without the nozzle to get it to about 90% dry before styling. This takes around 5 minutes. I then attach the nozzle and use a round brush to style and straighten. When in a rush this takes about 10 minutes, but if I'm aiming for a "great hair day" or a special occasion I spend about 15 minutes. So on an average day I'd say drying time is 15 mins in total.

This is what attempted to replicate - in the interests of a direct comparison, with the Dyson today.

So, first impressions. It looks fantastic. The dryer itself and accessories (2 nozzles, a diffuser and mat) feel and look very high quality. The dryer itself is much lighter than my Parlux - which with a 15 min drying time is a big plus. The nozzles attached by magnets, which I was a bit sceptical about - but they are very secure.

So I started by using the dryer to get to my 90% stage without any attachments as per a direct comparison with my Parlux. Goodness me - it is powerful. Shockingly so - but in a good way. I then used the smoothing nozzle to style. It's also very, quiet - I'd say over half the noise of my Parlux - you can easily have a normal conversation whilst using it.

I started at 2.06 and I kid you not, by 2.14 I was done. It had got my hair to the 90% dry stage in 3 minutes and my styling took 5.

My hair looks great - as smooth as if I had tried a "great hair day" with my Parlux in half the time. The fact that its lighter also made the whole process a lot easier on my arms.

To be honest even though I ordered one I wasn't sure if I believe the hype - especially when up against a Parlux rather than a regular hair dryer - but I can say, on my hair type a least it delivers!!!

So here's the big question - is it better then my Parlux? I can say categorically yes (again caveating my hair type and the fact I didn't use the diffuser or the Styling concentrator nozzle).

However is it 3 times as good as my Parlux? To be honest, here I am faltering a bit. It is without a doubt the best hairdryer I have used, but at more than 3 time the price is it really worth it? I think it going to depend on how much reducing your drying time is worth to you.

I do love it and if you have the cash to splash then I would recommend it - but in all honesty I would probably still have to concede that in terms of value for money the Parlux still wins, even if the Dyson is the better dryer.

Maybe it is Dame it's not been its "natural" colour for over 20 years - I've forgotten ha ha!!!

I imagined dyed cherry red locks!

I'll stop now before I sound even weirder

it's cos eatshitderek has red hair, I think - pretty sure I saw some pics on here (I sound like a stalker)

I don't think I saw pics of ESD- I just have bizarre imaginary images if what posters look like

Eats, your hair looks lovely!

Got my drying time down to 19 minutes this evening, that's quite a phenomenal time saving for me! And another positive, long hair can't get sucked into the filter bit, something I always have to watch out for particularly if drying my hair with my head upside down.

Don't know if you're noticed, but the limited edition set with the box is now listed on the Dyson website - £50 more than the standard edition. I contacted customer services to see if I could get a box on its own, but they wouldn't do it. They do give you the option to return the original order and reorder the set with the box...

That box issue is pissing me off!!!

The hairdryer is still good for me :-)

ESD - I irrationally want to see a photo of your red hair - can you also let me know about the Parlux as there is a waiting list if you don't want it .

I desperately need to get my hair cut and coloured again - even DH is "wondering" when my next hair appointment will be .

Little - thank you

It can be nice but tbh I've been travelling with work (international) and getting to T&G
to get it cut and highlighted at a weekend just isn't a priority but needs to become one as my roots are an inch long and my hacking job at my long fringe in desperation was a disaster.

I'm not a diffuser user - my hair is wavy though - so I'm tempted to give it a go as well as dye my hair cherry red as that sounds soooo cool.

Little That's an excellent point about it not sucking hair into the filter. It doesn't happen often but when it does...ouch!

Eats, I imagine the last thing you want to do with your weekend is spend hours at the hairdressers!

I've used a diffuser for the best part of 30 years, my hair isn't super curly, more the curly end of the wavy spectrum. Thanks to the mess hairdressers have made drying my hair over the years, I couldn't believe there was any other option. Last November I finally started colouring my hair with my current wonderful hairdresser, and he insisted on blow drying it - I was amazed at the result so have been experimenting at weekends ever since . It's actually flipping great to have more than one hairstyle for a change.

On a completely different point, I was disappointed to note that Dyson state that the hairdryer is only to be used in the country of purchase. Using it in a different country invalidates the guarantee. Yes, I really do take a full size hairdryer on holiday, even to India

Ha ha, thanks Enid, I thought it might just happen to me!

Well there's the epic fail for me then

I travel a lot for work and can't rely on hotel dryers.

I take my Parlux everywhere.

I'll be damn pissed of if the Dyson breaks and I can't claim the warranty because I used it in New York/LA/Madrid etc

Or is the point we are all meant to be rich enough to have a Dyson in "every port".

That is VERY disappointing

Looks like I have to keep the Parlux as my "travel" dryer.

FFS - part of the attraction was how light and compact it is for travel - actually fuming cross about this and notes to self AGAIN to read the small print.

Yep, it's really p'd me off too.

Never had an issue using my Parlux anywhere, and can't find a similar warranty exclusion relating to use of Parlux hairdryers abroad.

Well I'm damn well going to complain to Dyson about that.

My concern is that the high end engineering can't cope with the varying voltage - but this SHOULD have been a consideration as part of a £50m project.

Having said that I'm still confused - travel adaptors don't just allow you to plug into a local socket - they also limit the voltage.

What??? You can't travel with it?!

What a bloody rip off

I have a Parlux. I didn't purchase it...because it's grossly expensive for a hairdryer. I was given it. And that's just what it is. A hairdryer. It blows air like any other hairdryer. I have no doubt the dyson will be the same. I would vomit if I paid £300 on a hairdryer

Not strictly true, it blows hot hair but certainly isn't like any other hair drier. That's like saying all washing machines are the same, all cars are the same, all tumble drier are the same- they're not!

I wouldn't vomit. I'd jump up and down and squeal in delight

Good - I'm assuming that's projectile vomiting in direct comparison to the power output of the hair dryer in question

If La Dyson did break down, how on earth would they ever know it had broken down in Timbuktoo?

I was thinking the same thing, Frikka - came to the conclusion it's probably got a concealed GPS tracker thingy behind the vomit shield!

Yep, they couldn't know where you'd used it.

I'm sure they're just covering themselves with this, but it's a major fail. I imagine it will have a negative effect on sales, ridiculous.

The Dyson terms about country of purchase are standard. I cannot find many details about the Parlux guarantee except that it is only 6 months because it is a 'professional' hairdryer, not consumer product, so they do not have to offer the 2 year EU guarantee.

Have just been given the Dyson and am in love with it. I wondered if anyone would be interested in buying my almost three year old hot pink Parlux 385 which is fabulous but Dyson wins hands down.