Hair Dryers · owner-verdict comparison

ghd Helios vs Laifen Swift Special: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the ghd Helios: 83% of 54 owners recommend it, vs 58% of 12 for the Laifen Swift Special.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

ghd Helios

83%of 54 owners recommend
83% recommend · 8% neutral · 9% don't
Owners praise
  • Dries hair fast
  • Powerful, strong airflow
  • Smooth, frizz-free salon finish
Owners complain about
  • Feels heavy to some hands
  • Too powerful for fine, fragile hair
  • Loud in use
Full owner report →

Laifen Swift Special

58%of 12 owners recommend
58% recommend · 9% neutral · 33% don't
Owners praise
  • Long-term reliability with no problems even after a year or several years of regular use
  • High overall satisfaction, with owners describing themselves as 'in love' with the dryer and praising its build quality
Owners complain about
  • Underwhelming for curly hair despite the curly-hair marketing — limited heat zones, a diffuser low-speed setting that's still too strong for even diffusing, and frizz or a waxy 'coating' feeling on curls
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the ghd Helios if
  • People with thick or long hair wanting fast drying
  • Anyone chasing a smooth, frizz-free salon result
  • Buyers wanting salon-grade power for less than a Dyson
Skip it if
  • People with fine or fragile hair the power can damage
  • Those sensitive to weight and arm fatigue
Get the Laifen Swift Special if
  • Straight or wavy hair owners wanting fast drying and reduced frizz
  • Buyers who value build quality and long-term reliability over years of use
  • Anyone prioritizing speed and looks over specialized curly-hair diffusing
Skip it if
  • Curly-haired users expecting true diffuser-level control (limited heat zones, high low-speed)
  • Noise-sensitive users bothered by the dryer's high-pitched sound

What ghd Helios owners say

My favourite thing I've bought recently is probably my GHD helios hair dryer. It was expensive but compared to my previous revlon hair dryer it is significantly, noticeably better and has way more control.
some__random on Reddit
I've only used it once and I loc eit already! My hair feels like after going to a salon.
zhigita on Reddit
I have a GHD Helios and it's now too strong for my thin hair, it was causing tugs ans snapping. I've had to swap to the one we use to blow dry the dog
Gstrang81 on Reddit

What Laifen Swift Special owners say

I've had it for almost a year and love it.
k-r-i-s-t-i-n on Reddit
I bought this one and have been impressed by the speed of drying and reducing frizz
InternAny4601 on Reddit
It's only marketing for curly hair. The dryer looks nice, but there are only 3 different heat zones.
Normal-Soil-7094 on Reddit

ghd Helios vs Laifen Swift Special: frequently asked questions

Is the ghd Helios or the Laifen Swift Special better?

Real owners lean toward the ghd Helios: 83% of 54 owners recommend it, vs 58% of 12 for the Laifen Swift Special.

Who should get the ghd Helios?

Owners point the ghd Helios at people with thick or long hair wanting fast drying, and anyone chasing a smooth, frizz-free salon result.

Who should get the Laifen Swift Special?

Owners point the Laifen Swift Special at straight or wavy hair owners wanting fast drying and reduced frizz, and buyers who value build quality and long-term reliability over years of use.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the ghd Helios is feels heavy to some hands. For the Laifen Swift Special, it's underwhelming for curly hair despite the curly-hair marketing — limited heat zones, a diffuser low-speed setting that's still too strong for even diffusing, and frizz or a waxy 'coating' feeling on curls.