Customer Reviews

Infiniti by Conair 223XR Cord Reel Dryer

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

So this is a Tourmaline Ionic Ceramic Dryer. What's in it for Me?
(For model specific info, skip down to the *******)

Ionic. Ceramic. Tourmaline. If you've shopped for a hair dryer or flipped through a beauty magazine in the past few years you've likely seen these buzz words. Yet what do they mean to you, the consumer?

"Ceramic" - The coil (the component of the hairdryer that heats the air to dry the hair) is made of ceramic which heats more evenly than a metal coil - purported to cause less damage to hair.

"Ionic" - Very simply, "ions" are atoms or molecules with a positive or negative charge - because the atom has gained or lost an electron. Great! but what does that have to do with hairdryers? According to hair dryer manufacturers, "instead of taking the air from the room and heating it, an ionic hair dryer uses negative ions to shrink the water droplets in hair . . . [helping] dry hair faster and with less damage, making it smooth and shiny." However, an environmental engineer can tell you there is no strong science to back up this claim. If you're unsure then just realize that all hairdryers still have coils which heat the air to dry the hair. (see above)

"Tourmaline" - a type of gemstone touted by hair dryer manufacturers to produce more ions and therefore dry hair even faster with less damage. (see above) This claim also unproven by hard science.

Yet despite the lack of science to back the claim that Ceramic and or Tourmaline Ionic hair dryers "help smooth the cuticle layer creating silky, shiny hair [with] less frizz and more manageability" users continue to report the hairdryers do just that. Even consumer tests report this technology dries hair up to 70% faster.

Is there a placebo effect?

At this point in the game it no longer matters. Because the overwhelming majority of the dryers on the market today are either ionic, ceramic, or both and you can now purchase models with these features without any additional cost over models without these features it is no longer necessary to agonize whether or not it's "worth it" to plunk down $300 just to see for yourself. What you should do instead is evaluate the hair dryers other features.

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And on those "other" features I can heartily recommend this hairdryer.

(in order from most important feature to least)
*The three heat settings and two speed settings are separate buttons, plus one of those "cool shot" buttons that were all the buzz a few years back. This is a very important and often missing feature for hairdryers, especially for dryers in the lower price range. If you don't have the speed and heat settings on separate buttons then you only have two options "high speed with hot heat" or "low speed with low heat." Despite the new technology, it's always been recommended not to simultaneously use the highest heat stetting at the same time you use the highest speed setting because the potential to damage the hair shaft is higher. That leaves you with "low speed with low heat" which takes *forever* to dry your hair. With the speed and heat settings on separate buttons you have the option to dry your hair on high speed but with lower heat or high heat but lower speed which are the best options to dry your hair quickly and safely. The third button, the "cool shot," is used at the end of drying to cool the hair quickly to help it "set."

*Retractable chord - anything that helps keep your home less cluttered is a bonus. Wrapping the cord around the body of the dryer is damaging so the retractable chord feature is a wonderful bonus.

*You also get concentrator and a diffuser attachments which come on many but not all dryers.
-The diffuser is for curly or other styles that can get blown out with the direct application of a jet of air. Also great for heat setting rollers that would get frizzy with direct air.
-The concentrator (that small attachment you normally throw away) serves the opposite purpose and is excellent for straightening and styling hair or training bangs.

*Removable filter - a common feature that helps to keep lint and hair out of the moving parts. Can be removed for periodic rinsing to maintain dryer performance.

I've owned this dryer for only a few weeks, so I cannot speak to its longevity. This is my third hair dryer with a cord reel, which I find convenient. The first one was OK and worked well, but was noisy. My second one (Conair 1875 Watt Ionic Cord Keeper Hair Dryer), which I used for only a couple months, was also noisy. The cord in it was also too short (4 feet) and when retracting it, rewound so quickly that the plug would whip around and hit me painfully in the hand. I had to be careful about how to hold it when retracting the cord. It also had only fast/hot and slow/warm settings. I got fed up with it, so I looked for new options at a local Target.

I found this dryer and was hesitant to pay twice as much for it as I did the previous ones. I couldn't imagine what could be special enough about it to justify two and a half times the cost.

When I tried it, I was quite surprised. The first thing I noticed is that it is heavier and feels very solid and well built. I don't care about the weight--it takes me only a minute or two to dry my medium-length (for a man) hair. The next surprise was that it is extremely quiet--even at high speed. I no longer have to turn up my radio to hear the news while drying my hair. It has independent controls for heat and speed. I usually like to use high heat with the low speed so it doesn't blow my hair so much. The 5-foot cord retracts slowly and safely and is just the perfect length for my situation.

I would not describe the quietness of the dryer as slightly better than the cheaper driers I have used before--it is a dramatic difference. I have often wondered about the potential hearing loss my old dryers might cause, but didn't worry too much because it didn't take very long to dry my hair. If I still had long hair, I would be seriously concerned about the noise from a cheap dryer.

As for how well my hair looks after using it, I notice no difference from the other dryers. My hair if very fine and thick with some wave, so it is pretty easy to care for. It will frizz in high humidity, but I live in Denver and humidity is not a problem here. I have not tried this in a humid environment.

I highly recommend this dryer.

Update on 2010-10-17: This dryer is still working great and I still consider it the best dryer I've ever used.

Update on 2011-12-29: I cut my hair shorter last April and no longer use the hair dryer. It was still working perfectly after three years.

I regularly have to dry my daughters hair (she's 10). Being a ham-fisted male, I have a hard time working with some of the arcane tools I've been provided (a hair iron?). I just finished using this dryer on her hair and it works great, even for me.

The device is designed very well. The retractable cord makes the dryer easy to store and retrieve. The settings are very simple to use and with only a few available, I'm not spending all kinds of time figuring out which ones to take advantage of. The high heat setting was not at all uncomfortable for me or my daughter, but with the trigger to switch on cool air, if my hands or her head got hot, we had quick relief if needed. It dried her hair very fast, but I could tell that it wasn't damaging the hair as it did it. The attachment that dries and untangles proved to big for my daughters shorter hair, but she may grow into it. I used the the funnel attachment quite a lot because it made controlling the flow & direction of the air much easier. I found the noise level to be really low compared with hair dryers I've used in the past.

We were both very happy with the experience. Best of all for my daughter, the dryer is pink, which won her over pretty quickly. It really seems like a sophisticated hair dryer and I anticipate quite a lot of use.

Out of the box, this dryer certainly comes with all of the "essential requirements" that I look for in a hair dryer. I won't buy a dryer without high/med/low heat and high/low speed which this one has, because I do my hair both curly and straight. I like that it comes with a concentrator and diffuser, because it is sometimes hard to fit aftermarket attachments. The filter is easy to remove and clean It also isn't too heavy. The color is cute, although I don't know if most men would like it.

On using it, it has good power, and it's not too noisy. It also doesn't get hot anywhere but on the very tip by the metal grate, and even that's not bad. If you are a stylist who likes to hold the barrel of the dryer, this is totally doable. And it's cool enough to put away immediately after use instead of leaving it to cool, which is especially nice. The cord is a good length.

The retractable cord is definitely a nice feature, but should be done two-handed, guiding the cord so it doesn't come up and hit your hand or arm (I tried it, OUCH!). It's a tad tricky because the button is small and slightly awkward to get to one-handed.

All that said, I have two issues with this product. The first is minor... there is no loop or hook to hang the thing up! I keep my dryer on a hook inside the door or my bathroom vanity cabinet, and it's an annoyance that I can't hang this there. And because the cord is retractable, you can't really loop it around the barrel and hang it with that without negating that feature.

The second issue is more significant. I am no engineer, but in my lay opinion, this dryer has WAY too much vibration. It gives my hand a bit of a workout while holding it. I can't say whether this is a problem will this model, or just for some reason the one that I was sent. But it is significant, and it is still happening after 10 or so uses.

This dryer is nice, but without understanding specifically the benefits of "ionic, tourmaline" etc., I don't see anything that makes it better than any other dryer with those same essential features I mentioned at the beginning. Personally, I'd rather have one with a hanging loop.

Update: At right around two years the cord started to disconnect intermittently. This was totally my fault because I always opened it to the maximum...slowly...and then let some back in. I replaced it with the same hair dryer. I liked it that much.


Going on ten months. Still a great hair dryer. Should be in the hair dryer hall of fame

Original review:
First touch feels solid. If someone attacks you in your bathroom it will make a good weapon. :-) I supposed the extra heft is the cord itself. We liked the length of the power cord and the fact that it automatically retracts. Who knows how long this feature will work but for now it's nice and at worst it ends up like a normal hair dryer. The color is a little bright but fun. We have had nothing but Conair hair dryers over the years. They all have good durability. We have another 1875 Watt Conair model and this Infiniti model has a greater airflow...the most I have encountered with any hair dryer. My wife stated that her hair dried faster. I felt that way as well however it doesn't take that long to dry my hair anyway. Would I buy this one? In a heartbeat.

ADDED: We have had the product for a few months. It is the best hairdryer I have ever had. The solid feel does not translate into weight...probably because it is so well-balanced. And it seems to have a gyroscopic effect that keeps the dryer pointed where I want it. As soon as the one we have for our guests dies, I'm buying this one.

UPDATE: I've had it for a year now. The cord mechanism failed once. Basically it works like new.

Comes with 2 attachments for air distribution control - Diffuser and Concentrator

Spec: 1875 watts
110-125 volts AC at 60hz

Pros:
-Ionic technology produces negative ions to neutralize the generally positive charges on the hair which helps to eliminate static
-As an electrical engineer, one of the first things I noticed is the presence of great safety device at the end of the cord. The ALCI or Appliance Leakage Circuit Interrupter, much like a GFCI or ground fault current interrupter. If the device sense a short circuit which is similar to what happens when the dryer falls in the tub, the electrical current will automatically get disconnected which can be a lifesaving factor. GFCI is now mandatory for all new bathroom constructions, but if you travel or happens to be in an old house that is not equipped with a GFCI, then it is good to know that it is a built-in device in your dryer.
-Retractable cord
-Some dryers only have a 4 ft cord. The additional foot is a big advantage.
-3 heat settings
-2 speed settings

Cons:
-A bit bulky & heavy

I could instantly tell when I opened the box to my new Infinity by Conair it was a quality item. It feels very substantial but not heavy. The Conair has a sturdy metal chasis painted in a gourgeous raspberry pink color with brushed stainless steel accents. Better yet, the body stays cool even after a long drying session.

You are given ultimate control as well, with settings for cool, warm, hot and low, medium, and high. It is very powerful and can really blow some air if you want it to. Two or three accessories are included and attach very easily.

The ultimate test is comparing the sound level to my existing hairdryer. The Conair passed the test. The volume level is very acceptible. It was quieter than my last hairdryer, which I also subjected to a side-by-side noise test.

The highlight of the Conair is the retractable cord. Like other reviewers said, this item does not have a folding handle. The cord is straight, and pulls out to a generous length if you need it and retracts at the push of a button. A red mark on the cord tells you when you are at the end of the cord. I think this is a fantastic product.

I have *very* curly hair and just recently had Japanese hair straightening done with the Bio Ionic ReTex system. I have heard about ionic hair dryers for a long time and have wanted to try one but wasn't sure if they would really work.

My hair has never felt softer than when I used this dryer. Drying time was about half the regular time, and the dryer was so quiet! My hair was shinier than ever and feels so good!

The hot temperature felt hot if I put my had in front of the air flow, but my head never felt that burning sensation that I have with other dryers on high temp.

The cord retracts quickly and easily but you need to be careful that it doesn't hit your hand! So far, it's a great dryer. Will update after several months of use.

I LOVE this dryer!

NOTE - this is mislabeled as a folding dryer - the cord retracts but the handle does not fold.

After 3 months of useage, I know this hair dyer inside and out.

The only CON is that this dryer is very heavy. But after experiencing the great drying power, I can overlook this CON.

Now onto the PROS:

First, this dryer does what it claims, it reduces static amazingly well. The ionizing effect is obvious. My hair is softer and non-fuzzy, a daily occurrence with my older hair dryers.

With the perm that I have, my previous hairdryers would make my hair very frizzy. It was very easy to overdry. With this Conair Infiniti, my hair drys nice and smooth, silky and soft.

My hair is halfway down my back. With my other hairdryers I would frequently have my hair sucked into the back of the dryer, burning my hair and catching it in the fan. The Conair Infiniti has a double layer, a metal screen inside a plastic housing, making the chances of mishap much less. Early in the morning this is a nice safety feature.

The diffuser attachment works great to dry the curls without them flying all over the place.

IMPORTANT - Be sure to read the instructions. Dry your hair on hot. To set the curl go to cold air. This works wonderfully! Thanks for the tip.

Retractable cord is great for storage. The color pink is sassy and space-age. I like it. I would easily give it 5 stars, if it wasn't for the weight.

I have broken two of these hair dryers in less that 4 months. The first one, the power switch broken internally so I couldn't turn it on or off. I liked it so much up until that point that I went and bought another of the exact same hair dryer. Unfortunately, less than 3 months after purchasing, I unplugged it to move it to a different outlet and it no longer works. I have pushed both the test and reset buttons numerous times, tried multiple outlets, let it sit over night and it just plain does not work anymore. I really enjoy how quickly it got my hair dry and loved the cord keeper feature but based on the experience it will be a long time before I purchase another Conair product.