The ghd Helios sits at around £130-155 depending on the colour and retailer. That puts it squarely in the mid-range — well above the budget dryers that crowd the £20-35 bracket, but well below the Dyson Supersonic's £400 asking price. It's ghd's lightweight option, built around a brushless DC motor and their Aeroprecis technology, and it's aimed at people who want a professional-feeling dryer without the weight of the older ghd Air.
I've been using the Helios alongside the ghd Air, Remington D3198, and Dyson Supersonic Nural to work out where it fits and whether the price makes sense. The short answer: it's a good dryer. The longer answer involves some caveats about what you're actually paying for.
Key Specs
| Spec | ghd Helios |
|---|---|
| Wattage | 2200W |
| Motor type | Brushless DC |
| Weight | 780g |
| Cord length | 3m |
| Airflow | 120 km/h |
| Ionic technology | Yes (30% more shine vs air-drying) |
| Attachments | Contoured concentrator nozzle |
| Heat settings | 2 + cool shot |
| Speed settings | 2 |
| Voltage | 220-240V (not dual voltage) |
| Guarantee | 2 years |
| Price (UK) | ~£130-155 |
| ASIN | B084GM29DF |
What's Good
It's genuinely light
At 780g, the Helios is roughly half the weight of the ghd Air. That's the single biggest reason to pick it over ghd's older model. If you've ever held a dryer above your head for fifteen minutes on thick hair, you know that weight matters. The Helios doesn't make your arm ache. It's not as light as the Dyson Supersonic, but it's in the same general territory for comfort during a full dry.
The motor has proper power
2200 watts and 120 km/h airflow. That is enough to dry shoulder-length hair in under ten minutes on the highest setting. The brushless DC motor is also quieter than a standard AC motor at equivalent power, which is a welcome side effect. It's not silent — no 2200W dryer is — but it's noticeably less aggressive than the ghd Air or most budget dryers at full speed.
The Aeroprecis nozzle works well
ghd's contoured nozzle is narrower and more shaped than a standard concentrator. It directs airflow more precisely along the hair shaft, which matters if you're doing a smooth blowout with a round brush. The difference between this and a cheap snap-on concentrator is real. You get better control of where the air hits, which means fewer flyaways and a cleaner finish on straight styles.
3-metre cord
This sounds mundane. It isn't. A 3m cord is the difference between standing comfortably in front of your bathroom mirror and crouching next to a socket with an extension lead. The Remington D3198 has a 1.72m cord, which is the single biggest complaint people have about it. The Helios doesn't have this problem. Three metres is enough for any normal bathroom setup.
What's Not
The price is hard to justify on specs alone
£130-155 buys you a lot of dryer — but a Remington D3198 at £25 also dries hair with 2200W of power and ionic conditioning. The Helios is lighter, quieter, better built, and has a much longer cord. Those are real differences. But the basic job — getting wet hair dry and reasonably smooth — is something a budget dryer handles just fine. You're paying for comfort and refinement, not a fundamentally different outcome.
No diffuser in the box
The Helios comes with the concentrator nozzle only. If you have curly or wavy hair and you need a diffuser, that's an extra £20-25 from ghd. At this price, including a diffuser would have been a reasonable expectation. The Remington D3198 includes both a diffuser and concentrator for a fraction of the cost.
Brushless DC motors have trade-offs
The brushless DC motor is the reason the Helios is light. But brushless DC motors have a shorter overall service life than traditional AC motors. For a hairdresser running a dryer eight hours a day, an AC motor (like the one in the ghd Air) is the more durable choice. For home use a few times a week, the Helios motor will last years and you probably won't notice the difference. But it's worth knowing that lightweight comes with a longevity trade-off.
Only two heat settings
Two heat and two speed settings plus a cool shot. That's it. The Dyson Supersonic Nural gives you four heat settings and three speed settings. Even the Remington D3198 has three heat settings. Two settings is enough for most people, but if you have fine hair that burns easily, you might want more granularity between "warm" and "hot."
ghd Helios vs ghd Air
This is the comparison most people are making. Both are ghd, both are professional-grade, and the Air has been around for years as the brand's flagship dryer.
| ghd Helios | ghd Air | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~£130-155 | ~£95-120 |
| Weight | 780g | ~1,540g |
| Motor | Brushless DC | AC |
| Wattage | 2200W | 2100W |
| Cord | 3m | 3m |
| Ionic | Yes | Yes (advanced) |
The weight difference is massive. The Helios is roughly half the weight of the Air. If you're drying your own hair at home, that alone is reason enough to pick the Helios. The Air feels heavy after five minutes. The Helios doesn't.
The ghd Air fights back on two fronts: price and motor durability. It's typically £20-40 cheaper than the Helios, and its AC motor is built for the kind of continuous use you'd find in a salon. For a mobile hairdresser or someone who dries three or four family members' hair back to back, the Air's motor will hold up better over time.
For personal use at home, the Helios is the better pick. For professional or heavy-duty use, the Air makes more sense despite the weight.
ghd Helios vs Dyson Supersonic Nural
The Dyson Supersonic Nural costs roughly £400. That's nearly three times the Helios. What does the extra £250 buy you?
The Dyson's intelligent heat control measures air temperature over 40 times per second and adjusts automatically to prevent heat damage. The Helios has no equivalent — you choose your heat setting and that's what you get. The Dyson also places its motor in the handle rather than the head, which creates a different balance that many people find more comfortable. And the magnetic attachments are better designed than any clip-on nozzle.
In terms of weight, the Dyson is lighter at around 660g versus 780g for the Helios. The difference is small but the Dyson's handle-heavy balance makes it feel lighter than the gap suggests.
The Helios dries hair fast and produces a good result. The Dyson dries hair fast, produces a good result, and actively protects your hair from heat damage while doing it. Whether that protection is worth an extra £250 is a personal call. For most people drying their hair at home, the Helios gets you 80-85% of the way there.
ghd Helios vs Remington D3198
This is really a question about value. The Remington D3198 costs around £25. The Helios costs five to six times more. Both are 2200W. Both have ionic conditioning. Both dry hair quickly.
| ghd Helios | Remington D3198 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~£130-155 | ~£25-35 |
| Weight | 780g | 575g |
| Cord | 3m | 1.72m |
| Motor | Brushless DC | Standard |
| Diffuser | No (sold separately) | Included |
| Concentrator | Yes | Included |
| Guarantee | 2 years | 3 years (if registered) |
The Remington is actually lighter on paper, though the Helios feels better balanced in the hand. The D3198's 1.72m cord is genuinely frustrating, while the Helios's 3m cord is comfortable in any setup. The Helios is quieter, better built, and produces a slightly smoother finish — the ionic output is stronger and the Aeroprecis nozzle gives better directional control.
But the Remington includes a diffuser and concentrator, offers a longer guarantee, and does the fundamental job of drying hair well. If you're watching your spending, the D3198 is hard to argue with. If you dry your hair every day and you want something that feels good in the hand and doesn't need an extension lead, the Helios justifies the step up.
Who Should Buy the ghd Helios
Buy it if: you dry your hair regularly and want something lighter than the ghd Air without going all the way to Dyson pricing. The Helios is a comfortable, powerful, well-built dryer with a proper cord length. If you've been using a budget dryer and you're ready to spend more for a better daily experience, this is a sensible landing point.
Think twice if: you mainly need a dryer for occasional use. A £25 Remington does the same basic job. Also think twice if you have curly hair and need a diffuser — you'll be spending an extra £20-25 on top of the Helios price, which pushes the total cost further from the budget alternatives that include one in the box.
Skip it if: you want the absolute best and budget isn't the constraint. The Dyson Supersonic Nural is better in almost every measurable way. Or skip it if you want maximum durability for professional use — the ghd Air and its AC motor are a better fit for that.
The Verdict
The ghd Helios is a good mid-range hair dryer. It's powerful, light, well-designed, and it does the job it's supposed to do without drama. The Aeroprecis nozzle is a genuine improvement over standard concentrators, the 3m cord is practical, and at 780g it's comfortable to hold for a full drying session.
The question isn't whether it's good. It is. The question is whether "good" at £130+ is better than "perfectly fine" at £25. If you dry your hair a few times a week and don't care about the finer details, the Remington D3198 is still the smarter buy. If you dry your hair daily and the weight, noise, and cord length of a budget dryer bother you, the Helios solves those problems without the Dyson price tag.
It's the kind of product that makes the most sense when you already know you want something better than budget but can't stomach four hundred quid for a hair dryer. That's a reasonable position to be in, and the Helios serves it well.
Browse all hair dryers we track on Amazon UK to compare live prices, or read our full best hair dryer UK roundup for more options.
ghd Helios: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ghd Helios better than the ghd Air?
For most home users, yes. The Helios is significantly lighter at 780g compared to around 1,540g for the Air. It uses a brushless DC motor versus the Air's AC motor, which makes it quieter and lighter. The Air's AC motor is technically more durable for all-day salon use, but for drying your own hair a few times a week, the Helios is the better pick.
Does the ghd Helios come with a diffuser?
No. The Helios comes with a contoured concentrator nozzle only. ghd sells a diffuser separately for around £20-25. If you have curly or wavy hair and need a diffuser included in the box, the Remington D3198 at around £25 includes both a diffuser and concentrator.
How long does the ghd Helios last?
ghd provides a 2-year manufacturer guarantee. The brushless DC motor is rated for thousands of hours of use, but brushless motors do have a shorter overall service life compared to traditional AC motors found in salon dryers like the ghd Air. For home use at a few times per week, you should get several years out of it without issues.
Is the ghd Helios worth it over a £25 dryer?
It depends on what you value. The Helios is lighter, quieter, and has a stronger ionic output than budget dryers. The Aeroprecis nozzle gives better directional control. But a dryer like the Remington D3198 at £25 still dries hair fast, has ionic conditioning, and includes a diffuser. The Helios is a nicer experience, not a fundamentally different result.
Can I use the ghd Helios abroad?
Only in countries that use 220-240V mains supply, which includes the UK, Europe, and Australia. The Helios is not dual voltage and will not work safely in 110-120V countries like the US, Canada, or Japan. You would need a separate travel dryer for those destinations.