How loud is a hair dryer?
Typical loudness
75–95 dB
A handheld fan blowing air over a heating element to dry hair.
At the user’s ear during use; compiled from manufacturer and consumer-test figures.
How that compares
Hair dryer against things of a similar loudness.
Motorcycle 80–110 dB
Blender 80–95 dB
Hair dryer 75–95 dB
Pressure washer 75–95 dB
Lawn mower 80–85 dB
Leaf blower 65–92 dB
Air compressor 60–92 dB
Vacuum cleaner 62–85 dB
How long you can safely listen
About 8 hours a day before hearing protection is recommended.
Decibels are logarithmic, which makes the intuitive arithmetic wrong in a way worth knowing: every 10 dB is ten times the sound energy, and two identical sources together are 3 dB louder than one — not double. So two 70 dB fans are 73 dB, not 140 dB.
Levels are measured at roughly one metre unless stated otherwise. Sound falls off with distance — about 6 dB per doubling — so the same appliance is noticeably quieter across a room than beside your ear.
More about a hair dryer
- How much does a hair dryer weigh? 0.35–1.1 kg
- How much does a hair dryer cost? 15–450 $
- Hair dryer vs Electric kettle Side by side
Common questions
- How loud is a hair dryer?
- A hair dryer reaches 75–95 dB. At the user’s ear during use; compiled from manufacturer and consumer-test figures.
Related pages
- How much does a hair dryer weigh? 0.35–1.1 kg
- How much does a hair dryer cost? 15–450 $
- How loud is a washing machine? 70 dB
- How loud is a air conditioner? 50–70 dB
- How loud is a dishwasher? 38–62 dB
- How loud is a vacuum cleaner? 62–85 dB
- How loud is a blender? 80–95 dB
- How loud is a dehumidifier? 42–58 dB
- How loud is a air purifier? 24–60 dB
- Hair dryer vs Electric kettle Side by side
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place
- What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public domain (US Government))
- Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Public domain (US Government))