I have very, very thick hair (I measured the ponytail between 5.5 and 6 inches around) and it's fairly porous, so it really tends to hold water and can take a very long time to dry.  It's also fairly long (about  nine inches past my shoulders).  I've been considering a higher quality blow dryer and, in a back issue of InStyle, it was reviewing something called a T3 Tourmaline hair dryer.  It was priced at $200 and the article said it could dry hair up to 60% fater.  Does anyone have any experience with this, or any other good brands of blow dryers?  (My last one was a Hot Tools blow dryer).  Also, what about flatirons?  Any good brands there?  Again, I was using a Hot Tools flatiron with metal plates.  Can we go into brushes and combs, too?  Are the Mason Pearson brushes really worth it?  What about wooden vs horn combs? 

Sorry for asking so many questions at once, but my mother has been sick since December and I took the semester off from college last spring.  Now that she's doing better, I'm starting to get more interested in my appearance again and I need to start replacing some products.  Thanks, and sorry to dump so many questions on you guys at once.

No comment on any of the heat tools  I don't use 'em, don't know a thing about them.

As for horn vs. wood, it's mostly personal preference. I like them both for different reasons. Hardwood combs come with more choices in design and material. http://combmaker.com/html/home.html - Ric Carpenter and http://www.artistreewoodart.com/Hair/Hair%20Comb/seinwohaco.html - Dale Randles both make wonderful hardwood combs. I own two of Ric's fabulous combs, and I've heard great reviews from customers who own Dale's combs. Ric travels sometimes, so if anybody contacts him and doesn't get a quick answer, don't panic  Dale's combs tend to be pricier, but I heard that it's got a polished finish on the teeth. I like horn combs for my scalp, scratching gunk off the scalp.  http://heavenlyharvestinc.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2_30&products_id=119 - Debra Hampton is also a good dealer for detangler horn combs. She provides wonderful customer service and her combs are very affordable.

Both horn and hardwood are anti-static, and neither can be used in the shower, nor used on wet hair. Ric's combs come with natural wood oil (don't know about Dale), and many people treat their horn combs monthly with lanolin (can be bought from a few soapmakers ingredient dealers online, such as http://mystifyyoursenses.com/ - MystifyYourSenses  and possibly http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/fixedoils.html - SnowDrift Farm ).

Hope this helps

Anais

edited to add: RE: Brushes vs. combs - I don't think brushing is worth the trouble. The idea of brushing and combing is to detangle, and a comb does a much gentler job of detangling than a brush. Bristle brushes tend to put more wear and tear on the hair, and are generally suitable for mostly straight hair. Brushes are not recommended for curlies and wavies because it breaks up the curl pattern. But there is one AWESOME thing about the poky kind of brushes - they are great massage for the scalp.

Thanks BrooKiki  I'm glad you enjoy the site.

Anais