INTRODUCTION

   Ever since i was a kid i had a somewhat common issue, whenever i got out during the winter with even slightly wet hair most of the times I’d get back home only to wake up next morning with a high fever. So strange as it may sound to some people (i know it did to some of my friends back in the day) i started using a hair dryer even before i went to junior high. On top of that since i didn't feel like using my mother’s (mostly because it was quite large and noisy) i got my very own and since i couldn't really afford a good one i ended up buying a compact travel model which had a DC motor inside (got me through school just fine). Eventually i started only buying semi-professional grade models with AC motors inside a couple of which surprisingly enough didn't last nowhere near as long as that travel model. Nowadays brushless models are taking over the market, not only because they promise better airflow levels and increased endurance compared to both traditional DC and AC models, but also due to significantly lower noise levels. Well since I’ve wanted to check that technology out for well over a year now when a company called Laifen reached out and asked if I’d like to test their Swift and Swift Special models i had no reason to say no.

   Laifen was established in 2019 by Hongxin Ye, a creative geek and his team of passionate developers, inspired by the idea that a well-developed motor could improve the performance of an appliance significantly. With the endeavor of over 2 years, Laifen has finally been equipped with the technology of 110000 rpm motor, and integrated it into an outstanding high speed hair dryer, balancing a perfect user experience with an economical price. We believe, with the efforts of Laifen, our users could enjoy daily life with higher efficiency and more convenience. In addition to hair dryer, Laifen has devoted herself into the popularization of high technology, bringing the latest technology and more enjoyments to every family.

   The Swift and Swift Special hair dryers are identical with just 2 differences, available colors and bundle contents. So even though the Swift is available in matte black, silver, white gold, white silver and red (ruby) colors (intro picture) the Swift Special is available in matte black, silver, white silver and red (ruby) colors (outro picture). In terms of bundle the Swift hair dryer includes 1 standard nozzle while the Swift Special hair dryer includes 1 standard nozzle, 1 diffuser nozzle and 1 quick styling nozzle. With that out of the way everything else remains the same, both models feature compact fire-resistant enclosures that weigh just 407g inside of which Laifen has placed brushless motors (T6061 aluminum alloy fan blades) with dynamic balance capable of reaching up to 110.000RPM to produce airflow levels of 22.291m/s with just 59dBA of noise (1000 hours lifespan - 1600W for 230V countries and 1400W for 120V countries), negative ion technology for optimal results (200 million negative ions), thermo sensor (real-time temperature monitoring), high density filters and both overheating and overcurrent protections. The Swift and Swift Special hair dryers also feature 360 degrees rotating magnetic nozzles, magnetic air inlet (filter cover), auto changing air mode (switches between cold and hot air automatically) and an LED ring which changes color according to air temperature (red for hot air, yellow for warm air and blue for cold air). Time to see if the Laifen Swift and Swift Special are worth your attention.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Both the Swift and Swift Special hair dryers arrived in white boxes the front of which is taken by their pictures.

Some of the product specifications are printed on a small sticker at the rear of the box.

The bundles are safely tucked inside formed pieces of plastic.

Both models come with their manual in 4 different languages, quality certificate and a standard nozzle but the Swift Special also has a diffuser nozzle and a quick styling nozzle in the box.

THE SWIFT & SWIFT SPECIAL

Both the Swift and Swift Special hair dryers weigh just 407g and measure 89mm in length, 70mm in width and 277mm in height (cord length is 1.8 meters).

To have a better idea about their size i placed them next to the Imetec Bellissima P3 3400 which i got in early 2020 and still works fine (weighs 1240g and measures ‎247mm in length, 101mm in width and 292mm in height).

The nozzles are quite sturdy and medium in size.

Instead of using gaps at the front of the hair dryers Laifen has placed metal rings.

These metal rings attach to the nozzles magnetically and thus allow for 360 degrees rotation.

At the rear of the Swift and Swift Special we find a two-speed switch and an button which can be used to toggle between cold, warm and hot air and the auto-changing mode (press and hold).

Unlike traditional hair dryers who suck air from the rear the Swift and Swift Special do not so the rear is covered.

Instead, the air intake/inlet is located at the lower end of the handle.

The cover is also magnetically attached so you just need to pull it out in order to access and clean the filter.

As mentioned earlier at the rear Laifen has placed an LED ring which changes color according to air temperature. So blue is for cold air, yellow (more like brown) is for 50 degrees warm air and red is for 80 degrees hot air (Celsius).

NOISE LEVELS

I may not have professional equipment in the lab in order to test airflow levels but i did use my ExTech HD600 dBA meter to measure noise from just 20cm away.

CONCLUSION

   Laifen is not really a company i was aware of, not until they reached out that is so typically i was a bit sceptical about their products at first. So, let’s start with airflow levels. The Swift & Swift Special produce extremely good amounts of airflow and even though I can’t say that they dried my hair faster compared to my Bellissima hair dryer thanks to their size and weight they are far easier to use. Funny thing is that if you place the Swift and Swift Special down, they will start moving around on their own exactly because of their size, weight and great airflow levels. As for noise levels well it’s clear that Laifen (just like everyone else) offers an official number (59dBA) recorded from at least 1 meter away and that’s why there’s such a large difference with my own. Still, it’s clear that both the Swift and Swift Special are roughly 4-5dBA quieter compared to my Bellissima hair dryer so no complaints here either. The somewhat large selection of colors is also something that will probably gain the attention of many potential buyers so kudos to Laifen for that (I am a bit surprised they left out pink and yellow however). Finally build quality is something I really can’t say much about. Both hair dryers are very lightweight so they may not seem extremely durable but during the 1+ month I’ve used them almost on a daily basis I had zero issues. On top of that the brushless motor used is not supposed to weigh much and has a projected lifespan of 1000 hours and as for the enclosures themselves being made by a flame retardant material is certainly a good thing.

   Currently the Swift and Swift Special hair dryers by Laifen are on sale for USD169.99 and USD189.99 respectively (directly from their online store) a price tag which at first may seem quite high to some (my readers can now use coupon NIKLF for 10% off). Still if you take a look at the competition things level out pretty quickly since Laifen is actually on the low end in regards to brushless hair dryers, especially of this particular type/design. Bottom line I don’t think there’s something other hair dryers can do better than the Laifen Swift and Swift Special (at least performance wise) and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Brushless Motor)
- Airflow Levels
- Compact Size / Lightweight
- Noise Levels
- Negative Ion Technology
- Temperature Ring
- Magnetic Nozzles & Inlet Cover
- Available Colors
- Bundle (Swift Special)

CONS

- Price (For Some)