Top Must-Have Hair Salon Appliances

There's so many things to think about when opening up a new salon. Decor, appliances, and how everything will be organized are essential things to think about when creating a successful hair salon. Every salon needs the basics, but there's always a few luxury items that you can also splurge on. Below you'll find a list that will take the guess work out of deciding what equipment is a must-have, and what can be saved for later.

1.  Salon Chairs, Mirrors and Stations
This element is probably one of the most essential aspects of your hair salon. Your stylists need a space that they can work and move around in, and as a salon owner, you want to maximize the amount of stations you can have in the salon. More stations equal more stylists, and more money.

Consult with your stylists about what they like, and what they don't like. Things you may not think about, like shorter mirrors or stations that are too close to each other, can be better explained and visualized by the person that will be working in the space.

When mapping out your space, start with stations, move onto shampoo bowls, waiting area and so on. You want to map out the most important areas of the salon first and then move onto the others. If you start with a less important area, like the waiting room, you run the risk of using up too much space and running out of room for your stations.

2.  Shampoo Bowls
Why does almost every hair salon have a shampoo bowl that practically breaks your neck? I've only met a few shampoo bowls that I've actually liked, and ones that are comfortable tend to be a lot more expensive. Beat the system by investing in an inexpensive fix. Most beauty supply stores carry rubber lips that can be attached to the neck of a shampoo bowl for comfort and support. This simple device will transform even the most uncomfortable shampoo bowl.

3.  Hair Dryers and Color Steam Processors
Hood dryers, heat lamps and color steam processors are all handy to have around your hair salon. I prefer heat lamps to hood dryers if you're just using them for color processing, but if you do a lot of hair setting in your salon then that hood dryer will come in handy.

A steam color processor is not a must-have, but it can greatly speed up the processing time of hair color, which means your stylist can see more clients in a day. The initial upfront cost is higher, but the money will come back to you in the long run with higher client volumes.

4.  Central Vacuum System

This system is a splurge (we can obviously sweep up our own hair) but there really is no better way to keep a salon hair free than with a central vacuum system. Vents are attached to the wall and all you have to do is tap a lever with your foot and the hair is instantly sucked into the vent. Genius! Clients are always really impressed with this system, and stylists love using it too.