Credit:
Reviewed / Chloe Toscano / Panasonic
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Panasonic Nanoe EH-NA2C-W
One task I struggle with a lot as an amputee is haircare. I’m missing an arm, and while I feel like I’ve adapted most of my needs to be doable with one arm, blow drying and styling has remained challenging. It’s difficult to simultaneously style and dry my hair, so if I want to do so, I usually opt for a 2-in-1 blow dry brush. But unfortunately, those devices tend to cause a lot of damage, making them something I reserve for special occasions versus daily use.
For the most part, I usually just let my hair air dry because the task of blow drying my water-logged curls and then separately styling generally seems to be too much of a hassle. Naturally though, having been born with permanently unkempt ringlets and loose curls, I’ve only ever wanted what I don’t have—well-tamed hair.
This is exactly why I always get pretty excited whenever a new styler pops up. Now that I have one arm, I am doubly excited by new stylers that are innovative in both function and accessible design, which is exactly why I was delighted to try out the new Panasonic Nanoe.
What I like about the Panasonic Nanoe
The weightless feel of this petite hair dryer makes it easier to maneuver while styling and drying.
It’s lightweight
When you struggle with an upper extremity impairment, whether that be dexterity issues, limb difference, muscle weakness, or anything else, one thing is certain: Heavier, clunkier, and difficult-to-maneuver tools never make your day easier. So if you start your hair-drying process, a time-consuming task for some, with a weighty dryer, you’re setting yourself up for a harder time.
Tasking my right arm with the work of two arms causes it to get tired out more easily. For me, activities that require holding that arm above my head for extended periods of time cause it to tire particularly fast. This is why, upon unboxing this dryer, I was immediately pleased by how light it is. Many disabled people will opt for travel dryers since they’re lighter and more compact, but those come with the downfall of being less efficient, therefore requiring more drying time.
Weighing in at just 1.17 pounds, I found this lightweight hairdryer to be more powerful than some of the travel-specific dryers I’ve come across. The Nanoe’s three heat settings are not as powerful as those of a full-sized dryer, but it occupies a solid middle ground
The oscillating nozzle works great
This is, in my opinion, the coolest part of this dryer. You know that small and quick wrist-flicking motion you usually use to distribute the air from your dryer across your gorgeous head? Well, for many, that motion also causes wrist soreness.
If, like me, you don’t have the option of switching hands, this can prove to be a very exhausting little motion. And for some, it might not even be a possibility in the first place.
The nozzle on the Panasonic Nanoe dryer is equipped with a piece that whips back and forth, mimicking the wrist-flick for you. The design is simple and genius. This setup is also awesome if you struggle with mobility and need to prop the dryer up on a stand. Whereas a regular propped-up dryer would require you to awkwardly move your head around (a lot) to distribute the airflow, this little nozzle helps do that for you.
What I don’t like about the Panasonic Nanoe
I found that it a bit difficult to snap the drying nozzle into place.
Dry modes may be tough to change
A bit of a catch-22, the nozzle was simultaneously my favorite and least favorite part of this hair dryer. It took about 30 seconds for me to get pretty frustrated with the adjustment and detachment process of this piece.
It’s clear that this product was designed with the drying process in mind, but no one thought so far as to how accessible actually adjusting the nozzle would be. Once it’s attached and either locked or unlocked it’s a phenomenal accessory, but getting it where you want isn’t a breeze and took me a few tries and a bit of irritated stomping.
Snapping it onto the device isn’t the worst of it. If you struggle with your hands, you can hold the dryer between your knees, feet, or legs and snap it on pretty easily without much force. Switching between “oscillating” and “non-oscillating” modes, however, is tedious.
For the nozzle to oscillate, you need to have the tip clicked outward. And to block the tip and opt for a single-direction airflow, it needs to be clicked inward.
The trouble? If you pull too hard to opt for the multidirectional airflow, the whole nozzle comes right off. Every other time I went to push it in to block the oscillating nozzle, I had to press with all my might, which I found counter-productive for a part seemingly meant to make the dryer more accessible.
Should you buy the Panasonic Nanoe?
Despite the issue with the nozzle, I still find this to be an awesome dryer and would recommend it for both how light it is and for the oscillating function. A good work-around for the nozzle is to pick whichever mode you might be using most and leave it on that setting.
This is a workable solution because, otherwise, the rest of the dryer is thoughtfully designed. It’s also very useful if you’re looking for something to help you do some pre-drying before switching to a multi-tool such as a 2-in-1 dryer to help minimize some damage to your hair whilst avoiding an overbearing and exhausting pre-dry.
In short, the Panasonic Nanoe is an innovative hair dryer that dries hair quickly and gently with its unique Nanoe technology. Adjusting settings may be tough, but this is still one of the best hair dryers I’ve tried in terms of accounting for a limb difference.
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