<p class=”body-text”>Now keep reading for the full breakdown of the best hair-dryer brushes, according to my own testing and product reviewers, along with <strong>tips from a hairstylist on how to choose the best blow-drying brushes</strong> and what to look for before you buy. So let’s get started, huh? </p>” />
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Best Overall Hair-Dryer Brush
Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer
Best Overall Hair-Dryer Brush
Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer
Pros
- Works for most hair types
Cons
- According to reviewers, it didn’t leave hair totally smooth and silky
Not only has the Cosmo staff personally reviewed the Revlon One-Step on curly, wavy, and straight hair (and, ahem, genuinely loved it), but this cult-favorite hair-dryer brush also has more than 318,000 (!) positive reviews on Amazon, so you know it’s good. With three heat and speed settings and a mix of nylon and tufted bristles, this blow-dry brush will leave your hair with maximum volume and shine.
- Heat settings: 3
- Features: Ionic and ceramic technology, safety plug
THE REVIEW: “As a Black woman, I was skeptical about the ability of this dryer to straighten my hair,” notes one tester. “Well, baby, I’m in love; I highly recommend this dryer to anyone looking for an alternative to a regular blow dryer—oh, and yes, it definitely gets hot enough to get the job done.”
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Styling
Dyson Airwrap Styler Complete Long
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Styling
Dyson Airwrap Styler Complete Long
Pros
- The lower heat design is much less damaging to your hair
Cons
- It’s pricey $$$
Let’s be honest: If you’ve got a spare $600+ lying around, then yeah, the latest Dyson Airwrap is the best hot-air brush to fulfill all your wildest hair dreams. Aside from the fact that it comes with two wand-like heads to curl your hair and a brand new Coanda dryer head that simultaneously dries and smooths, it also comes with three different brush heads (a soft smoothing brush for fine hair, a firm smoothing brush for frizz, and a bristled brush for volumizing) to give you the exact customized look you want.
- Heat settings: 3
- Features: 6 barrels, storage case, filter cleaning brush, no heat, strong motor
THE REVIEW: “I have super thick long hair and it takes forever to dry it normally,” notes one reviewer. “It takes half the time now with this—the combination of the smoothing tool and volume attachments not only smooth and straighten my hair but give it that ‘just left the salon blowout’ look in no time at all.”
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Short Hair
Conair INFINITIPRO Frizz Free 1 1/2-inch Hot Air Brush
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Short Hair
Conair INFINITIPRO Frizz Free 1 1/2-inch Hot Air Brush
Now 38% Off
Pros
- Gives your hair that nice “bouncy’ look
Cons
- May not be the best for detangling super thick hair
With shorter hair, you don’t necessarily want to use a thick, clunky brush head since you won’t be able to get as close to your scalp with it. Instead, try this one-and-a-half-inch barrel with short, mixed bristles and a gentle ceramic base (ceramic = less damaging heat) to help add volume and smooth flyaways to your lob or bob.
- Heat settings: 2
- Features: Ionic technology, 6′ swivel cord, thermal barrel
THE REVIEW: “This hot air brush is a game changer. If you have trouble maneuvering a round brush and hair dryer, I recommend this heat styling combo. It’s very light, and the heat/speed combo is perfect to blow out your hair without blowing it all over the place,” reads one tester’s review.
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Frizzy Hair
Drybar The Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Frizzy Hair
Drybar The Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush
Pros
- Combines nylon and tufted bristles for better tension and control
Cons
- Reviewers with thick, coarse hair note that this works best combined with other tools to straighten hair
In an ideal world, we’d all be able to go to a Drybar every other day for a professional blowout, right? Dreams. The next best thing? This blow-dryer brush, which has three heat settings (cool, medium, and high) along with an ionic base (sounds fake, but ionic technology really does help seal your hair cuticle and curb flyaways and frizz) to help you get a shiny blowout on your own.
- Heat settings: 3
- Features: Ionic technology, ergonomic, lightweight, combination bristles
THE REVIEW: “Because my hair is very thick, it often gets frizzy with a blow dryer, but this takes [on] the frizz,” writes one tester. “I’ve owned several hair-dryer brushes in the last decade and was hesitant about this one due to the price but let me tell you, it is worth it!”
Best Lightweight Hair-Dryer Brush
L’ange Le Volume Elevé 2-in-1 Titanium Brush Dryer
Best Lightweight Hair-Dryer Brush
L’ange Le Volume Elevé 2-in-1 Titanium Brush Dryer
Pros
- The teardrop design gives you closer access to your roots, allowing for more volume
Cons
- Users say the bristles may begin to fall off over time
Some hair dryer brushes can weigh you down—literally. Opt for a lightweight option with the L’ange Hair Le Volume brush. Coming in at just over two pounds (!), when I use this hair-dryer brush, I don’t feel my arm cramp up after minute four of blow-drying. Not only that, but the teardrop-shaped barrel is specially designed to get closer to the roots for more volume.
- Heat settings: 3
- Features: Teardrop barrel, ionic technology
THE REVIEW: “I have very curly hair and in the humidity, it gets extremely [frizzy], this product goes beyond a five-star rating,” one tester notes. “I have tried everything out there—this thing is miraculous.”
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Thick or Curly Hair
INH Insert Name Here Blowout Brush
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Thick or Curly Hair
INH Insert Name Here Blowout Brush
Pros
- Reviews say the brush gets hot enough to quickly dry your hair, but not too hot where it hurts
Cons
- It does not have dual-voltage, and a voltage converter may damage the brush
Rather than a mix of bristles scattered across the head, the flat sides of this brush just have nylon bristles with ball tips, making it easier to brush and detangle your thick hair or curly hair while you blow it out, minimizing damage.
- Heat settings: 3
- Features: LED indicator, ceramic titanium plates, ION generator for faster drying
THE REVIEW: “After my first use, I’m in love!” one reviewer writes. “It dries my hair in less than five minutes on the high setting, and my hair had volume!”
Best Dual-Headed Hair-Dryer Brush
T3 AireBrush Duo Interchangeable Hot Air Blow Dry Brush
Best Dual-Headed Hair-Dryer Brush
T3 AireBrush Duo Interchangeable Hot Air Blow Dry Brush
Pros
- The cool setting is great to set your blown out hair, reviewers say
Cons
- IMO, the paddle brush head is not nearly as effective as the round brush head for a bouncy look
Trust me when I say two heads are better than one here. This smart (like, very smart) blow-dryer brush has five heat settings and three speed settings, so you can get a hella-bouncy blowout with the round brush attachment, or snap on the paddle hair brush attachment for a smooth, glossy finish.
- Heat settings: 5
- Features: Several speed and heat settings, ionic technology, two brush heads
THE REVIEW: “I have thick, straight, color-treated hair,” one reviewer notes. “I’m not using this product to straighten my hair, but instead to give it volume/movement and sleekness, like at the salon. The T3 does all of this and doesn’t dry out my hair like the other products do.”
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Shine
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Oval Ionic Hot Air Brush
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Shine
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Oval Ionic Hot Air Brush
Pros
- Leaves hair feeling and looking super smooth
Cons
- May take a bit of a learning curve to get used to the rotating design
You know how your hairstylist will pull and wrap the same section of hair over and over (and over) during a blowout? Yeah, that’s all to flatten your hair cuticle and make your hair silky. It’s also tough to do on your own—unless you have a rotating hot-air brush like this, which spins your hair around a frizz-smoothing base to really sleek it out and add shine.
- Heat settings: 3
- Features: Ionic technology, combination bristles, swivel cord, removable filter for easy cleaning
THE REVIEW: “My hair was all frizz, all the time,” writes one reviewer. “I tried straightening irons, expensive blowouts, and dozens of products—everything failed, but for me, this worked! My hair is smooth and shiny and soft again.”
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Fine Hair
Conair 2-in-1 Hot Air Styler Brush
Best Hair-Dryer Brush for Fine Hair
Conair 2-in-1 Hot Air Styler Brush
Pros
- It creates major root volume
Cons
- Testers say that if you don’t blow dry it out in an even motion, kinks can easily occur
K, this brush is TINY, meaning if you’ve got long, coarse, or thick hair, please mosey on by. For everyone else? Meet your BFF. Because the brush heads are so skinny (1 inch and ¾ inch), you can easily nestle them right up under your roots to volumize your fine hair (pro tip: spritz on a volumizing spray first). Or, if you’ve got a bob, lob, or pixie cut, just twirl small sections of your damp hair around the brush to create waves and curls.
- Heat settings: 1
- Features: Cool tip, nylon bristles, tangle-free swivel cord
THE REVIEW: “I have fairly short, fine, thin hair, and the 3/4 inch barrel is perfect for just giving my hair enough curl to look fuller,” one reviewer writes. “It’s great for making nice curls on longer hair too.”
Best Flat-Brush Hair Dryer
Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Styler
Best Flat-Brush Hair Dryer
Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Styler
Now 24% Off
Pros
- The bristles are very malleable, reviews say
Cons
- Testers note that the hottest setting can sometimes be too hot
Ah, Revlon—so nice, it gets listed twice (hi, I’m free for all your taglines, thanks). The one complaint I’ve heard during blow-dry-brush reviews? The round brush is kinda hard to maneuver for total hair newbs. If that sounds like you, try this flat brush, which blow-dries your hair as you brush it. Just note that it’s most likely best for hair that’s already straight (think: straight hair with some bumps and waves).
- Heat settings: 2
- Features: Ionic technology, lightweight, swivel cord, flexible brush pad
THE REVIEW: “Let’s be really clear here, I HAVE 4c hair—no, really, it’s 4c,” writes one tester. “I spend so much time detangling my hair that it is ridiculous! I was able to blow dry my hair on the cool setting in 20 minutes.”
What are hair-dryer brushes?
A hair-dryer brush is a corded round brush that blows heat from the inside out to dry your hair as you brush, twirl, and style it. Basically, it combines your blow-dryer with your round brush, so you only need one tool to blow out your hair (plus, obviously, a very good heat protectant spray). The result? Straight yet bouncy hair. And don’t be confused by the jargon: hair-dryer brush, hot-air brush, blow-dryer brush—they’re all the same thing.
Can I use a hair-dryer brush on wet hair?
Yes, you can use a hair-dryer brush on wet hair. That’s actually how you use a hair-dryer brush: to dry your hair. Although to prevent excess damage, it’s always best to let your wet hair dry a bit (think: 30 to 40 percent dry) before going in with your blow-dry brush. Trying to blow-dry your sopping-wet hair requires a ton of unnecessary heat, tension, and manipulation.
And if you’re blowing out natural hair or tight, curly hair, know that you won’t get the same super-sleek results that you’d get from a traditional blowout or silk press—you’ll still be left with some texture, even if it’s straighter.
What is the best hair-dryer brush to not damage hair?
The least damaging hair-dryer brush depends on your hair type and skill level. If you’re someone who absolutely cannot give yourself a professional-looking blowout at home—especially if you have wavy/curly or thick hair—then yes, a hot-hair brush is definitely a good tool to try. But if you’re someone who is pretty skilled with a round brush and a blow dryer already, you might not find that it leaves your hair as smooth and sleek as your usual combo.
How to find the best hair-dryer brush:
First, know how to use a hair-dryer brush
“Make sure you’re using maximum tension with the hair-dryer brush and move slowly down the shaft of your hair in a ‘C’ shape motion,” says Melendez. If you want extra volume near your face (hi, curtain bangs), direct sections of the hair out and away from the face. It will probably take you a few times to truly ~nail~ the technique, but trust, it gets easier.
Manage your expectations
A hair-dryer brush is generally used for creating a smooth blowout. Though some believe you can use it to add curls to the hair, the most you can typically create is a soft body wave, says Melendez. Though some hair-dryer brushes may have specific features for curling the hair, your best bet is to stick to a curling iron.
Meet the expert:
- Andrés Melendez is a hairstylist at Whip Salon, and a colorist at the Benjamin Salon in New York, NY. Melendez splits his time accommodating clientele along the East Coast, NY, CT, and FL.
Why trust Cosmo?
Siena Gagliano is an associate editor at Cosmopolitan who writes beauty and has three years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news. She’s an expert at researching and writing hair stories, like the best shampoos for thinning hair and the best purple shampoos, and feels especially knowledgeable in hair-dryer brushes thanks to having long, dense hair that takes a particularly long time to dry and style. She regularly tests and analyzes hair-dryer brushes on her own hair for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top hairstylists to assess new formulas and brands.
Chloe Metzger is the former deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with nearly 10 years of experience researching, writing, and editing skin, makeup, hair, and nail stories across print and digital, including how to determine your hair porosity and how to do the Curly Girl Method. Her hair-dryer brush picks were based on product reviews, ratings, and personal testing, along with information from experts.
Associate Editor
Siena Gagliano is the associate editor at Cosmopolitan, where she primarily covers beauty in the makeup, skin, and hair spaces, as well as some fashion and lifestyle. Wanna know how to get the best brows of your life? Gotchu. What about how to achieve ridiculously glowing skin, a super bouncy blowout, or exactly how to use that viral face mask? Check, check, and check. Before joining Cosmopolitan, Siena was a writer at Bustle and several other media outlets. As NYC’s newest resident, she has vowed to find the best (extra) dirty martini this city has to offer—and yes, that means ~attempting~ to try every cute cocktail spot in the city (hit her up with some recs, pls). Follow Siena on Instagram where you’ll see that her account is mostly dedicated to pics of her cute dog and that magazine life.
Deputy Beauty Director
Chloe Metzger is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, overseeing the editorial content and growth strategy of the hair, makeup, and skin space on digital, while also obsessively writing about the best hair products for every hair type (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare routines that really, truly work (follow her on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes pics of that magazine life). She brings nearly a decade of writing and editing expertise, and her work has appeared in Allure, Health, Fitness, Marie Claire, StyleCaster, and Parents. She also has an unhealthy adoration for Tom Hanks and would like to please meet him one day, if you could arrange that. Thanks.
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