Panasonic Nanoe Compact folded

If you’re looking for a powerful compact hair dryer that folds for easy storage, look no further than the Panasonic Nanoe EHNA2C. The latest installment in Panasonic’s Nanoe line (characterized by the ionizing “nanoe outlet” above the nozzle of each dryer), this model is sleek, convenient, and features three airflow settings.

What’s in the box of the Panasonic Nanoe hair dryer? 

The contents of the Panasonic Nanoe EHNA2C are pretty simple. In the box, you’ll find the dryer itself, warranty and product information, and a single oscillating quick-dry nozzle attachment.

Panasonic Nanoe Compact review

What does an oscillating attachment do?

The key feature of the Panasonic Nanoe line is, in my opinion, not the brand’s deep-penetrating ionic “Nanoe” technology. Most, if not all, hair dryers have some kind of proprietary ionizing technology that’s supposed to change your haircare routine forever, and in my experience, they’re all more or less equally as effective. Some may dry slightly faster, or deliver slightly smoother results, or come with more bells and whistles, but at the end of the day, your hair is going to end up dry either way.

No: What I think the key feature of the Panasonic Nanoe line actually is is their oscillating nozzle. It wiggles slightly as the dryer runs, jiggling the airflow of each Nanoe just a tiny bit. The oscillating attachment means that you don’t have to shake or toss your hair dryer to prevent hot spots as you use it, and while simple, it’s pretty handy. It moves less than others I’ve seen, so even though you get that little bit of extra heat dispersion, the oscillation won’t increase your drying time. (Confession: I still jiggle a little even though I don’t need to. Old habits die hard!)

How to use an oscillating attachment to reduce heat damage hair

How do I use an oscillating attachment to reduce heat damage?

To use a hair dryer with an oscillating attachment, I’ll generally shampoo and condition my hair with a moisturizing formula—right now, I’m using a custom duo from a brand called Prose. Then, I’ll towel my hair dry and add a heat protectant. (The one I use in this video review is from Living Proof, but anything designed around heat protection will work!) Finally, I’ll pop on the oscillating attachment and dry my hair in small sections, moving slowly to different sections of hair and focusing on the mid-length and ends of my hair. This is the key technique that’ll help you reduce heat damage: You want to hold your dryer at a distance, never staying in the same spot for long.

When my hair is almost dry, I kind of twist it loosely to add shape at the ends and roots. I’ll use the oscillating attachment to gently dry both my roots and ends, and when they’re fully dry, I switch to the dryer’s cool function to set the shape. This cold shot helps to set the style and make it last even without hairspray.

Panasonic Nanoe EHNA2C

How do the different Panasonic Nanoe models compare?

Panasonic’s Nanoe is a really interesting line—or, at least, it is to me. Thanks to the brand’s focus and experience in consumer electronics, Panasonic personal care tools are designed and labelled in a way that reminds me more of televisions and microwaves than of other hair products like shampoo or flat irons.

When Panasonic releases a product, they release it with just one name: In this case, “Nanoe.” Then, that name is paired with a product code: This one’s is “EHNA2C.” When the brand updates their product lineup, as they are continuously doing, they tend to re-release old favourites under new product codes with improvements to their design and function.

So, instead of having a lineup of product names like “Nanoe, Nanoe II, Micro, and Ion,” you’ll see something more like the “Nanoe EHNA2C, Nanoe EHNA65, and Nanoe EHNA27K.” Over time, I find that the way Panasonic does things makes it really easy to stick with the same brand over time. It’s easy to know which products will be like the ones you’ve loved before, but it also gives Panasonic a lot of room to keep product lines up to date and constantly release better versions of old products. So, when it comes time to replace your hair dryer, you always know which one to purchase to continue getting the same great experience.

Using the Panasonic Nanoe hair dryer

As someone with straight, thin hair, I don’t need a lot out of my hair dryer. The Panasonic Nanoe line does the job, and I’ve liked every product I’ve tried from the line, but I haven’t loved any of them. The long nozzle that’s characteristic of the Nanoe range feels a little awkward to me (it’s roughly as long as my forearm), and my hair often ends up tangled in the intake filter of their compact models, like this one.

Because my primary issue with the Nanoe line is the length of its nozzle, I had a great experience with the Nanoe Compact. (An experience, I think, that most people would get from the original.) The Panasonic Nanoe EHNA2C is petite-sized and easy to use, with excellent power and heat. I can see it being a better choice for travel, but I also recommend compact hair dryers for people with thin to medium-thick hair who simply don’t need their blow dryer very often. I reach for a blow dryer once a season at most, and I really only keep one at home for guests. So, a compact model like this one is perfect for me. It still does a great job, and while its functions are more limited, its smaller storage size makes it worth the compromise.

Finally, while the Nanoe Compact is significantly smaller than the regular-sized Nanoe line, I noticed that it’s still much larger than my usual compact dryer. If size is of the utmost importance to you, make sure to check the product dimensions before purchasing.

Panasonic Nanoe EHNA2C review

Is a compact hair dryer right for everyone?

Simply put: No. While I had a great experience with this hair dryer, I don’t think it’s quite up to par for an everyday hair tool. If you use your hair dryer regularly, I recommend the full-sized Panasonic Nanoe EHNA67instead, which I reviewed last year. The EHNA67 has the same general silhouette and features as the Compact, but it’s a little sleeker and much larger. It’s more powerful (1875 watts to the Compact’s 1400 watts) and it’s designed with a separate cold shot button, allowing you to make use of both high and medium speeds of cool air.

Having a separate cold shot button may seem inconsequential, but it’ll give you more control over setting your hairstyle. It’ll also help speed up your everyday hair care routine when it comes to things like round brushing and styling—the EHNA67 comes with a directional attachment as well, which will help create even more professional results.

So, my advice? If you’re looking for a smaller hair dryer, check this one out. It’s not a particularly tiny compact dryer, but it’s well-made and very sleek. For more power and features, opt for a full-sized Nanoe instead.

Shop the Panasonic Nanoe Compact hair dryer online at Best Buy today.

Rae Chen
Rae Chen covers everything from handbags to speakers here on the Best Buy Plug-in Blog. They can also be found at thenotice.net, where they've been writing about beauty & wellness since 2007.

414 COMMENTS

  1. La buse oscillante est la meilleure caractéristique qui est différente de ce que j’ai maintenant.

  2. I like the oscillating quick-dry nozzle that helps dry your hair faster and with less heat damage. My current dryer has no such thing.

  3. The nanoe technology would be a great benefit and an upgrade from my existing hairdryer that doesn’t have ionization features.

  4. The nanoe technology sounds promising for my frizzy hair! Hopefully I get to try this hair dryer someday.

  5. I like how the different airflow settings can reduce heat damage because I feel like my current hair dryer heats up really quickly.

  6. THE oscillating head and smaller size are great features that my old hairdryer doesn’t have so time to upgrade

  7. One feature I love about the Panasonic Nanoe EHNA2C is the three airflow settings. It would be an upgrade from my current hair dryer because I actually don’t own a hair dryer! Thanks

  8. the oscillating nozzle is the best feature thats different from what i have now. having no hot spots while drying my hair would be a nice change

  9. My favorite feature of the new Panasonic Nanoe Compact Hair Dryer EHNA2C (if I have to choose just one), would be the 1400 watts of power, frizz-smoothing nanoe technology!
    And, it would most definitely be a huge upgrade from my current hair dryer, because the one I currently use does not provide me with this feature, or any of the other amazing features that the new Panasonic Nanoe Compact Hair Dryer EHNA2C provides! Awesome job Panasonic… Keep up the good work!!

  10. How compact it is for traveling. When I went down south for xmas, was surprised to see on the way back that the motel room we had didn’t have a hair dryer. I guess petty theft is all over now.

  11. If I could travel anywhere in the world I would take this with me to Australia, that would be my dream vacation!

  12. I like the smaller size as I find that my arms get tired holding a dryer. Upgrade would be much lighter than the one I have.

  13. I like the smaller size as I find that my arms get tired holding a dryer. Upgrade would be much lighter than the one I have.

  14. I like the smaller size as I find that my arms can get tired holding a dryer. The Upgrade would be lighter than my one

  15. I like the smaller size as I find that my arms can get tired holding a dryer. Upgrade would be lighter than mine

  16. I really like the frizz-smoothing nanoe technology. This compact size would be an upgrade from my old large clunky dryer.

  17. I like the compact feature because I don’t have a compact hair dryer. It’s perfect for my limited cupboard space and for travel.

  18. I like the smaller size, and the cooler function. Definitely an upgrade for my current dryer, which is now in two pieces in the garbage after a long life!

  19. I love the frizz-smoothing nanoe technology, and this dryer can dry my hair faster and with less heat damage!

  20. I love this dryer; I have difficult hair, but this looks like a product that would work for me. I especially like the frizz-smoothing nanoe technology. Thanks!

  21. My favorite feature is the high, medium, and cool settings allow you to customize the drying experience for every hair type! Everyone in the family will enjoy it!

  22. The oscillating attachment feature and this would be an upgrade since my current hair dryer doesn’t have this feature

  23. I like that it is compact which is especially useful when going out to travel on road trips, it would take up less space in my bag than my current hair dryer.

  24. I like that it is compact which is especially useful when going out to travel on road trips, it would take up less space in my bags than my current hair dryer.

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