At lunch last week, my friend Alice Marshall asked me for a hair dryer recommendation.  Now, with a scant 1/8 of hair on my head, I'm not exactly a good test subject, but I've done my research for Alice, and come up with some recommendations.  The very best: CHI Ionic Low EMF Professional Dryer.  Although Consumer Reports didn't test this new model, they rated the less-expensive CHI Pro GF (below) tops, while noting very little difference in terms of drying speed compared to $20 hair dryers, and no way to evaluate the various Ionic/Tourmaline/ceramic technology claims.  The CR ratings really cover just noise, ease of use and features. User ratings online, however, also highly favor the CHI, with lots of anecdotal support for faster drying, better looking, healthier hair.  Though it retails for $300, you can buy it for $118 from Amazon.com, (Note the manufacturer only honors their warranty when you purchase from a salon.)  For more affordable options, choose the Farouk CHI Pro GF for $79 at Amazon, or the highly-rated $35 Conair 213X Infiniti Professional
(heavily praised except for its heavy weight) or the $23 Revlon Tourmaline Ionic Lightweight (pictured, right), also praised for its separate speed and heat controls.