Say goodbye to traditional hair dryers, Lidl’s £10 gadget guarantees smoother, sleeker hair

A loud, heavy hair dryer, a mist of frizz, a mirror fogged before you’ve even found the diffuser — mornings don’t need to feel like that. Across the UK, a £10 gadget from Lidl is quietly rewriting the routine, one smooth strand at a time.

My friend glides it through damp lengths and the bathroom doesn’t fill with hot air, just a hush of warmth; her hair falls glossy, not puffed, not frazzled. She laughs when I ask the price, then shows me the receipt — less than a tenner during the weekly shop, slipped between spring onions and oat milk.

We’ve all had that moment when hair seems to have its own weather forecast; today, it’s calm. The mirror fog clears and a sleek, grown-up head of hair stares back. The secret sits in my palm.

The £10 curveball from the middle aisle

Meet the quietly disruptive buy from Lidl’s middle aisle: a compact, lightweight styling brush that dries and smooths as you go. It looks deceptively simple — a vented brush head, a modest motor, a gentle glow when it’s on — and that’s the point. **Yes, it’s £9.99.**

I watched Emma, 29, try it before a commute in Leeds: towel-dry, detangle, slow passes downward. In eight minutes, she’d gone from damp to polished, with ends that didn’t scream “I slept on them wet”. She sent me a selfie from the Number 2 bus; not a halo of frizz in sight. She said she felt like her hair had finally made peace with the weather.

Why does a £10 tool punch above its weight? Airflow meets smoothing tension, so you’re not blasting hair; you’re guiding it. Think brush-first, heat-second. The effect is anti-static, the finish more uniform, and because the air is targeted along the hair shaft, strands lie flatter. The science isn’t flashy; the results are.

How to get salon-sleek at home for a tenner

Work in sections the width of the brush. Start at the roots with a gentle pull, then glide down in a single, steady pass. **Heat without havoc.** If your hair holds water, give it a 60-second air-dry first, then focus on the mid-lengths and ends. Finish each section with a cool sweep to set the shine.

Avoid rough towel-drying like you’re buffing a car; that lifts cuticles and invites fuzz. Comb through with a wide-tooth comb while hair is still damp, not sopping. A pea-sized heat serum helps; two peas is too much. Let’s be honest: nobody does that every day. So when you skip, just slow your passes and keep the tool moving.

Some people expect a salon blowout in three minutes and crank up the heat. Don’t chase speed — chase consistency. You’ll get there.

“Since swapping my clunky dryer for the Lidl brush, mornings are calmer and my hair behaves. My fringe finally lies flat without that crisped edge,” says Tasha, 34, from Bristol.

• Short hair: lift at the root, then roll the brush under once for shape.
• Curls: stretch gently; don’t press. Keep your pattern, lose the frizz.
• Fine hair: lower heat, longer passes. Shine over volume.
• Thick hair: clip into four sections. Roots first, ends last.
• Fringe: tiny sections, quick cool shot to lock it in.

Is this the end of the rattling hair dryer?

Not the end — the rethink. Traditional dryers are brilliant for speed and volume, but they’re also loud, bulky, and often overkill for everyday hair. This £10 Lidl find slips into life like a good habit: light enough for carry-on, easy to pick up for a quick polish before a Zoom, and friendly to the kind of hair that flips into frizz the second you step outside. It shines for school runs, office mornings, date nights you didn’t plan. For many, it reduces the weekly blast-dry to the occasional treat. The real promise is not a miracle, it’s control — smoother texture, sleeker lines, less heat drama, less noise. And that feeling when something cheap and cheerful earns its place in the cupboard next to the mugs. You notice it most on the days you’re running late and want your hair to look like you planned this all along.

FAQ :

• Does the Lidl £10 gadget work on thick or curly hair?Yes, with patience. Work in larger sections at the roots for control, then smaller sections on the ends. Keep the brush moving to stretch without flattening your curl pattern.
• Is it kinder to hair than a traditional dryer?It uses a brush-guided airflow, which can reduce hot spots and friction. Use a heat protectant and finish with a cool pass for a smoother cuticle.
• How long does it take to go from damp to sleek?Short to mid-length hair: around 6–10 minutes. Long or very thick hair: 12–18 minutes, depending on starting wetness and desired finish.
• Can it replace my straighteners?For many, yes on regular days. It smooths and tames waves. If you want poker-straight or sharp lines, you might still reach for plates on occasion.
• Is it travel-safe and easy to store?It’s compact and light, so it slips into a tote or cabin bag. Use a heatproof pouch if you pack while it’s warm.