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I have had a yearslong love affair with T3, the brand behind my favorite curling iron and the blow-dry brush I use every time I style my hair. You would have to pry the Aire 360 kit out of my cold dead hands before I ever get rid of it. So when the brand reached out about launching its “most intelligent hair dryer” yet — which creates custom settings to suit all hair types and textures using T3’s Heat ID algorithm — I knew I had to test it out.
I did for about two weeks, and I have thoughts. Keep reading for my full review.
What makes the T3 Aire IQ so special?
Three words: Heat ID Technology. This dryer is smart enough to create personalized airflow and heat settings that will give you the most optimal blowout, based on your hair type and texture. It knows your perfect heat and speed settings, which means a faster dry time and less heat damage.
The Aire IQ also features T3’s signature Soft Aire Technology to soften airflow and protect your hair’s natural moisture, as well as Smart Attachment Recognition to refine heat and airflow based on the styling attachment you use. It essentially takes the guesswork out of your blow-dry routine.
Does it live up to the hype?
Kind of. I was pretty impressed with the packaging when I pulled it out of the box. Like all T3 tools, the light-pink ceramic-coated blow-dryer looks absolutely beautiful. The magnetic stand that comes with it is equally chic and displayable. This blow-dryer would sit front and center next to my prettiest perfume bottles if I had a big bathroom with spacious marble countertops. One can dream, right? The fancy-shmancy touchscreen also piqued my interest.
I let it sit in the box for a few days because I dreaded reading through all the instructions and figuring out how to use it. I have tried many hot tools and beauty devices over the years that tout cutting-edge technology, so I assumed from experience that there would be a learning curve. I was wrong, though. When I finally had some free time a few days later, I decided to test this baby out and was surprised at how simple and straightforward the process was. I plugged it in, selected my hair texture on the touchscreen (medium), and then connected the quick-dry attachment. The dryer automatically kicked on and was ready to use.
Wait, that’s it?, I thought. It is user-friendly, but after reading all the bold claims T3 made about this new tool, I was expecting a little more regarding innovation and technology. All that buzz for a one-step customization process seems excessive.
Did it change my blow-dry routine?
Not really, honestly. I always blow-dry at high speed with hot air, which is the setting the Heat IQ technology generated for me. The significant difference is that I must use a traditional wooden round brush with the Aire IQ, since it doesn’t come with a heated brush attachment or curler attachments, like the Dyson and Aire 360 kit. It took me about 35 minutes from start to finish (I have low-porosity hair that takes a while to dry, so that timeline is pretty typical for me).
I tested out other settings as well to see what the air speed and temperature would be. The most noticeable change came when I selected “coarse” as my texture and attached the diffuser; the speed was lower and the air was warm but not hot, so it felt gentler on my hair. That was also the case when I selected “fine” as my texture and used the quick-dry attachment.
The auto-pause feature is the biggest game changer — and by far the best thing about the Aire IQ. It automatically stops when I set it down on the counter, which is helpful when I am blow-drying in sections and have to pause to unpin one.
Did I notice a difference in my hair after using it?
My hair felt amazing afterward. It was silky-soft, and I could run my fingers through it with no problem. I do think that, over time, the Aire IQ would be less damaging than other blow-dryers I own. But unfortunately, my hair looked pretty average. I will take some of the blame since I am way more skilled with a blow-dry brush than a round brush. But still. If this is being marketed as a revolutionary blow-dryer, I expect it to do some work for me. Even though it’s less damaging than a traditional blow-dryer, I don’t think it’s more efficient since it did not significantly reduce my blow-dry time.
I found myself eyeing my trusty T3 Aire 360 kit every time I used the Aire IQ. The dryer in that kit dries my hair much faster, plus it comes with a blow-dry brush, which I much prefer over a regular round brush. Overall, my hair looks better when I use the Aire 360 than when I use the Aire IQ.
Do you need this?
No. If you have a solid blow-dry routine already, you should pass on this. And it’s not even because I think the Aire IQ is a bad blow-dryer. I think it’s way above average. But if you, like me, are emotionally attached to your current blow-dryer, it’s not worth upgrading to this one.
If your current blow-dryer is a pain in the ass — whether it distributes heat unevenly, has that burnt-hair smell every time you turn it on (you know the one), leaves your hair looking frizzy and damaged, or was decent at one time but is now on its last leg — the T3 Aire IQ is a great investment. It is so well-made and will last you years to come. After reading this, if you are between the Aire IQ and the Aire 360 kit, I would recommend it to people who are very concerned about heat damage and to people who use a diffuser every time they dry their hair. If you don’t fall into either of those categories, get the Aire 360 kit instead.
