Good Hair Day

My hairdryer has been playing up. It is a rather old Revlon. Not as old as my little travel hairdryer which lives in the back bedroom drawer, for the use of guests [bought with my Boots Loyalty points in 2008] I think the Revlon is about 10 years old - whilst in Dorset, the temperature switch broke off, and it has been permanently on hot. But since the summer, it kept overheating, cutting out after 2 minutes, and had to rest and cool down for two minutes...so hair drying was a pain. 2It's OK" I said "I shall manage with my little one, although it is less powerful and slower." Bob suggested I treat myself to a new hairdryer. So we did the research. I am trying really hard to "Buy it well, and buy it once". You can get dryers for under £15, online and on the High Street. But will they last?

I have once borrowed a new Dyson supersonic - with it's new technology. Yes it was very fast, and does not use extreme heat. But it costs £330!! Bob was very impressed with the technology, not so much by the price [or by James Dyson]

I checked out Sali Hughes' review of dryers. She suggests that a cheaper alternative might be the Parlux 3200, the choice of many professional salons. That is around £100.

I then went to the John Lewis website  where their own brand basic model is £25 and has a three year guarantee, a long cable and many positive reviews. [Too many dryers have such a short cable, that you have to sit on the floor to use them!] I started doing the maths...

The Parlux dryer says it should last for "3000 hours of drying"so let us assume that the Dyson will do at least that well.My hair is short, and takes 10-15 minutes to dry. Approx 15000 sessions. Using the Dyson will then cost about 20p a time, and the Parlux about 7p. If the John Lewis only lasts half as long, that is 2p a time. [I'm not factoring in electricity, just replacement cost]

Hang on a minute. I wash my hair twice, sometimes three times a week - not every day. Say 150 times a year. If their figures are right, a dryer should last me 100 years!

A salon is using a dryer constantly - perhaps 50 times a week, so a dryer will last them maybe a year or two. Even a professional working woman, with long hair, who washes it every day, and maybe twice if they go to the gym/exercise whatever, will get 10 years plus from their dryer. I can see why they might choose a premium brand. But at my age, I do not need all that. So I finally decided the John Lewis one would be quite good enough, thank you. I'm not very good at spending money on myself.

This was the point at which Bob came in, brandishing the Revlon. He had found a piece of blue plastic and created a replacement switch. The dryer now does 'medium hot' and 'cool', which is absolutely fine by me. The money not spent has been transferred into the Replacement Car Fund. 

Even Bob can't keep my aged little Toyota going much longer!