Best hair dryer brushes for salon-worthy styles

Looking like you’ve just stepped out of a salon is a breeze with a hair dryer brush. Capable of drying, volumising, straightening and curling, this multifunctional styling tool is all you need to get professional results.

Around since the 1970s yet largely overlooked for decades, the hot air styler is enjoying a retro revival having been lauded on social media by influential beauty vloggers impressed by its results.

And it’s easy to understand fans’ enthusiasm. Simultaneously drying and styling tresses, a hair dryer brush is ideal for anyone short on time. It also puts an end to the difficult and frustrating task of grappling with a round brush at the same time as a blow-dryer.

So whether you want your hair to be big and bouncy, curly or silky-straight, this is your go-to gadget. The best bit? There’s no need to wait for a salon appointment, nor is there the hefty hairdressing bill, plus you can perfect your ‘do while still wearing your PJs. Result.

How we chose our recommendations

Recommendations from real parents

The first place we go to for tried and tested product recommendations is our trusted Mumsnet users. This thriving community provides us with honest, unbiased reviews that you can trust.

Expert guidance

From employing expert writers who know their serums from their face oils to thoroughly researching each and every product, we make sure our picks follow expert guidance, and we always look for buys that are approved by those in the beauty industry.

Consumer feedback

We spend hours going through hundreds of online reviews, across a multitude of sites, to make sure the products we recommend are fit for the job.

Celebrated best products

We also keep an eye on what products have won industry awards and received recognition from trusted sources and feed this into our analysis too.

Here are the best hair dryer brushes to buy this year.

1. Best overall hair dryer brush: Remington Hydraluxe Volumising Air Styler

Price: £25 (on sale - was £45) | Buy now from Amazon

This hot air styler from Remington leaves your hair high and dry for all the right reasons. Adding volume as it gets to work on your locks, it dries quickly thanks to 1200 watts of power and a strong airflow, using cooler air to protect your hair.

With three heat and two speed settings, this hair dryer brush is suitable for all hair types from fine to thick, but might be best matched with mid-length or long hair due to it being on the large side.

An ideal choice for first-timers as well as aficionados, it weighs less than similar stylers and also features a useful swivel cord. Our only gripe is its lack of case for storage and travel – because the chances of it getting left behind when we head off on our hols is slim to none.

Pros

• Protects your hair from damage with cool air

• 1200w of power for effective drying and styling

Cons

• No storage case

2. Best budget hair dryer brush: TRESemma Keratin Smooth Marula Smooth Volume Hot Air Styler

Price: £29.99 | Buy now from Amazon

TRESemme’s Keratin Smooth Volume hair dryer brush has a large hot air styler designed to add serious volume and body. Reviewers love the firm bristles on the brush, which help with precise styling.

It’s the frizz-control appeal of this hair dryer brush that we love the most, making it easy to achieve smooth, lustrous hair. And all for a really affordable price.

These hot air stylers also come with a full size Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine spray to help protect your hair as you go. Some reviewers did find it wasn't the most durable styler though, so this is something to bear in mind before you buy.

Pros

• Affordable

• Great at controlling frizz

• Comes with heat protection shine spray

Cons

• Power switch can be fiddly

• Other models may be more long-lasting

3. Best rotating hair dryer brush: BaByliss Big Hair 50 mm Rotating Hot Air Styling Brush

Price: £45 | Buy now from Amazon

If your head’s in a spin over which hair dryer brush to splash out on, this rotating one from BaByliss is a pretty safe bet. The Big Hair does what it says on the handle, receiving thousands of rave reviews from satisfied users.

Mumsnetters particularly like this popular styling brush for its superior ability to create body and fullness with a large barrel that’s ceramic for ionic conditioning.

Suitable for most hair types, you’ll be doubly pleased to know that it has two rotation speeds, two heat settings and a two-year guarantee. You can use its cool setting to finish your style too.

The BaByliss Big Hair Hot Air Styling Brush can take a little getting used to, but it’s well worth persevering.

Pros

• Grips hair really well

• Large barrel creates body

Cons

• Settings can take some getting your head around

4. Best hair dryer brush for shorter hair: John Lewis & Partners 2781JLU Volume Air Hair Styler

Price: £30 | Buy now from John Lewis

You’d be right to have high hopes for this volumising ceramic styler from John Lewis & Partners, which lifts hair and gives it bounce. Best for short to shoulder-length locks, it’s also praised by many JL customers with fine hair, making it a good choice if that’s your tress type too.

It has a 2cm bristle brush for smoothness and shine, as well as a slightly larger plastic one to tame and detangle hair. There are two airflow and heat settings, but be aware that this styler can get hotter than expected, even on the lower one.

All in all, this is a reasonably-priced option that comes with a zipped storage pouch for convenient portability. It also comes with a three-year guarantee for extra peace of mind.

Pros

• Great for fine hair

• Comes with zipped storage pouch

Cons

• Can get very hot

5. Best hair dryer brush for long hair: Revlon Salon One-Step Volumiser

Price: £46.99 | Buy now from Amazon

You’ll be blown away (sorry) by the One-Step Volumiser from Revlon. This esteemed gadget’s powerful airflow rivals that of a conventional hair dryer, resulting in some Mumsnetters ditching the latter entirely. Styling as it dries, a salon-worthy blow-dry can be achieved in half the time.

Made for medium to long hair, the One-Step has a two-inch oval barrel that is ceramic-coated for even heat distribution and to reduce damage. Thousands of happy customers laud its ease of use and ability to glide through even the unruliest hair, with several describing it as a game-changer.

It’s not the quietest hair dryer brush on the market, nor is it the lightest. On the plus side though, it comes with a four-year guarantee and an unofficial assurance that the compliments on your beautiful barnet will keep on coming.

Pros

• Powerful hair flow

• Ceramic coated barrel

Cons

• Quite heavy to hold for long stretches

6. Most versatile hair dryer brush: BaByliss Air Style 1000 Hair Styler

Price: £43.99 | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re all about the attachments, then this BaByliss four-in-one hot air styler is the pick for you – it’s like having a hair dryer, straighteners, curling iron and hot brush in just one appliance.

The Air Style 1000 comes with four easily interchangeable heads: a drying nozzle, smoothing blow-dry brush, conical curling barrel, and a 50mm round volumising and shaping brush with soft, ball-top bristles to create root lift.

With consistently positive reviews, even from those with the thickest of hair, this 1000 watt styler gives you fast results and a sleek, frizz-free finish.

Pros

• Multiple attachments for versatile styling

• Can handle thick hair

Cons

• Manually rotating round brush head

7. Best dual-headed hair dryer brush: T3 Airebrush Duo

Price: £169.95 | Buy now from Beauty Bay

If you’re serious about your hair styling and want cutting edge technology to aid you in your hair-beautifying attempts then the T3 Airebrush Duo is the one for you.

The T3 isn’t the cheapest option but it comes armed with both a round and a paddle brush and no less than 15 heat and speed combinations. Reviewers love being able to set the brush to a heat and speed that works well for their unique hair style.

This styler's main selling point is being able to deliver big on style and tackle even the frizziest of locks, without frying your hair. This is thanks to its microchip and ion generator, both of which are smart additions that work to smooth your hair without any heat damage.

Pros

• Ion generator technology fights frizz and adds shine

• Choice of two brush heads

• 15 heat and speed combinations

Cons

• More expensive than competitors

• Some users found the wand to be a little heavy

8. Best hair dryer brush for volume: Hot Tools Black Gold Volumiser

Price: £69.46 | Buy now from Amazon

Pump up the volume with this superb styler that has legions of effusive fans, with all hair types, from thick and frizzy to fine and limp. It even gets the thumbs-up from hairdressers themselves.

With three heat settings, this hair dryer brush gets to work quickly to straighten, curl or add body to your hair, leaving you with a professional-looking finish.

Having the temperature dial at the bottom of the handle can be a bit annoying, but we’re choosing to overlook this minor inconvenience and focus on the styler’s overall fabulousness.

Pros

• Can handle all hair types

• Loved by hairdressers

Cons

• Temperature dial placement can take getting used to

9. Best hair dryer brush for hair health: Dyson Airwrap™ Complete Long Multi Hair Styler

Price: £449.99 | Buy now from Boots

OK, we know this one’s at the top end of the market, but Dyson’s Airwrap is making waves in more ways than one. It really does do it all – with no extreme heat – and Mumsnetters report having less damaged hair than when styling using other tools, such as straighteners.

In true Dyson style, aerodynamics are put to good use wrapping hair around the styler and the airflow always stays below 150°C to protect your locks.

Inside the cute carry case are attachments including a pre-styling dryer, two sizes of barrels for curling and three brushes for smoothing or volumising. So whether you want to create casual curls, a bob with bounce or long locks with lift, this styler is all you’ll need. The downside is its price, but you’re highly likely to get a good return on this innovative investment.

Pros

• Protects your hair from damage

• Comes with a carry case

• Range of attachments

Cons

• Luxury price tag

10. Best hair dryer brush for easy use: Revamp Progloss Volume & Wave Hot Ceramic Styling Brush

Price: £49.91 | Buy now from Amazon

This Revamp hair dryer brush is cleverly designed with retractable bristles. The idea is that once you’ve curled a section of hair, you simply retract the bristles to release the brush. Reviews loved how easy this was and how well placed the buttons were. No more fiddling around!

The brush also comes with custom heat settings, allowing you to set the temperature between 150 to 200 degrees. As well as being able to manage the temperature you style your hair at, meaning you can minimise damage, the barrel of this brush is infused with keratin, argan and coconut oil. These oils help to enrich and protect your hair as you style, leaving you with a smoother finish.

Pros

• Retractable bristles

• Easy to reach buttons

Cons

• No choice of brush head

11. Best hair dryer brush for gentle styling: GHD Rise Professional Hot Brush

Price: £169 | Buy now from Amazon

GHD promises a consistent temperature of 185 degrees across the whole barrel of their Rise Professional Hot Brush. This temperature control means your hair is styled quickly and evenly, without you having to go over the same section again and again.

This hair dryer brush heats up in 25 seconds and, thanks to its powerful barrel, it works quickly too. So, no more spending hours and hours on your hair.

GHD designed the slim barrel to enable you to get close to the roots and achieve optimum root lift. However, some reviews found the root lift a little underwhelming but praised the brush’s ability to create loose curls.

Pros

• Even temperature control

• Rapid heat up time

Cons

• More expensive than other options

What are hair dryer brushes? 

Hair dryer brushes are an electronic hair tool that helps to dry and style your hair. These corded, round brushes blow heat from inside a barrel to dry your hair at the same time as styling it.

They’re loved by so many as they make it easy to achieve a salon-style blow-dry at home.

Can you use a hair dryer brush on wet hair? 

Yes. Hair dryer brushes are designed to dry and style hair. However, most brands recommend drying your hair a bit before using your hair dryer brush. If you start with soaking wet hair it will not only take a very long time, but the risk of damaging your hair with all the excess heat increases.

Try getting your hair a little bit dry (around 40% dry) before starting, with a towel or hair dryer.

Are hair dryer brushes worth it? 

Think of it like this: the money you save from not having to go to the salon for a professional blow-dry can be spent guilt-free on one of these multifunctional gadgets.

With prices differing so drastically, which hair dryer brush you choose may depend on how much you would normally have spent at the hairdressers. You’ll also save time with one of these styling tools and can achieve a similar finish without even having to leave the house.

It may take a bit of practice to get the hang of using your hair dryer brush, but stick with it as the results – and the fact that you can dry and style simultaneously with just one hand – mean that it’ll be more than worth it. Watching tutorials on the internet is advisable too.

Some Mumsnetters find that their hair dryer brush does such a good job that they no longer have a need for any other styling appliance, with hair dryers and straighteners soon becoming redundant.

What's the difference between hair dryer brushes and traditional hair dryers? 

Hair dryer brushes are designed to create a salon style finish at home. They do dry your hair but their main function is to add volume to your roots, smooth out your hair and either straighten or add waves and curls with their barrel design.

Hair dryers are designed to dry your hair quickly and thoroughly. While they can be used to styling too, this is usually in combination with a separate paddle or barrel brush.

How do you use a blow dryer brush?

Blow dryer brushes are designed to simplify your hair styling and are usually very easy to use.

You need to give your hair a rough dry first, either with a towel or a hair dryer. Then, once it starts to feel a little dry (think no more drips or leaving wet marks on your clothes), you can use your blow dryer brush.

Taking your hair section by section you wrap your hair around the barrel of the brush, rolling it towards your roots. Hold the brush there for a few seconds while it dries and styles the hair and then remove the brush.

Repeat this throughout your hair to achieve volume and a smooth finish.

Do heated brushes damage your hair?

Heating hair is damaging – there are no two ways about it. Using a low setting on your hair dryer brush and a heat protection spray are the best defences against damage when utilising hot styling tools.

How do I choose a hot air brush?

Pick one suitable for your hair type – typically with a larger barrel for longer hair and vice-versa – and consider what tops your priority list in terms of what you’ll be using it for. Some stylers are ideal for adding volume, while others are best at smoothing or curling. Certain appliances work best on partially-dried hair, so bear this in mind when making your choice.

With prices ranging from tens to hundreds of pounds, you’re sure to find one to match your budget.

Which hair dryer brush is the best?

The powerful Remington Hydraluxe Volumising Air Styler is the best hair dryer brush as it can be used with any hair type and will leave hair looking sleek and healthy. Its oval shape lets you get close to the roots and it protects the hair while combating static and frizz. This mid-range air styler’s five-year guarantee is an added bonus too.

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Main image credit: Remington