The 8 best hot brushes for a salon-like blow dry at home – all reviewed by our beauty team
Can't get to the salon for a blow dry? These hot brushes have all earned our beauty team's seal of approval
Recreating a salon-like blow-dry at home is far from easy, and we'd never claim to have skills anywhere near those of a trained hairstylist. But when we're unable to book in with a pro, the best hot brushes are a pretty good plan B – drying and styling with the kind of results that have friends and loved ones asking: "Have you had your hair done?"
Far simpler than attempting to twirl a brush through your strands with one hand while you blast it with your best hair dryer with the other, these clever tools marry both steps in one. As Syd Hayes, session hair stylist and BaByliss ambassador says: "Hot brushes are great for people who struggle to blow dry their hair themselves, they are a quick and easy way to add body and volume to the hair [and] are a great hybrid to dry and style at the same time – time-saving at its best."
In even better news, we've tested nearly every single hot brush on the market over the years, so we can reliably tell you which ones truly perform. Assessing everything from the size of the barrel, bristle types and how they impacts the results, heat and speed settings, the overall weight of the tools (nobody wants to have armache for the rest of the day) and, of course, the price, we then wrote detailed reviews to the best. While the Revlon One-Step Volumiser Hair Dryer Brush came out top for its nifty shape, rounded edges and comfortable user experience – these all earned our seal of approval...
The best hot brush deals
These deals were last checked on 02/09/26 and we will continue to do so to ensure that all of the products below are still in stock, still discounted and, most importantly, are the very best deals around at the moment.
Our six top best hot brushes
RRP: £49.99
It's not hard to see why Revlon's One-Step Volumiser found viral fame on social media; it's serious value for money, priced at just under £50 and often discounted for even less, drying and styling speedily and effectively considering its price tag. Results are a nice voluminous blow dry effect with enhanced bounce to boot.
RRP: £399.99
One of the most versatile multi-stylers on the market – and arguably the tool that sparked the trend – the Dyson Airwrap combines serious innovation with customisable styling thanks to its many attachments. It is undeniably pricey, but a worthwhile investment if you like to rotate different hairstyles and rather than stick to just one or two, max.
RRP: £125
With a generous brush head that's ideal for longer lengths or styling larger sections of hair at once, the Drybar Double Shot Blow Dryer Brush is a brilliant 2-in-1 tool. The flatter sides mean you can stretch out the hair for style or angle the tool for more lift and movement.
RRP: £179
Though this ghd tool doesn't dry and style simultaneously (it has to be used on dry hair), it's a good option for those whose hair lacks volume naturally. Heating up quickly to impart impressive lift in the hair, it's great for creating big and bodified hairstyles – and has a handy cool tip.
RRP: £95
A very reasonably priced option and ideal for those who only want to spend two figures, Amika's 2.0 Blow Dryer Brush is another that has a generous sized brush head that can style larger sections of hair with ease. Expect smooth results with a nice amount of body.
RRP: £75
With a chic, monochromatic design, the BondiBoost Blowout Brush's larger brush head means big volume is easy to create, while the larger flatter sides lend themselves well to smoothing out longer hair. Costing less than £70, it's also pretty reasonably priced compared with many competitor tools.
The best hot brushes, reviewed by our beauty team
Best hot brush overall
The Revlon One-Step Volumiser Hot Brush
With thousands of reviews, the Revlon One-Step Volumiser is easily one of the most famous hot brushes, gliding through even thick hair with relative ease. Its design meant I could place it fairly close to the scalp and underneath sections of hair for the much-coveted bounce and volume many would usually see from a salon blow dry.
The dryer has an elliptical cylinder shape, marrying the perks of a flatter, smoothing paddle brush with those of a volumising round brush. In practice, this means the flatter sides of the brush can create a smoother and sleeker finish, while the rounded edges can lift and add body. Though quite bulky and wide, I found it surprisingly lightweight to hold for its size, allowing for greater control.
That said, it does heat up quickly and intensely, which is why it's extra essential to apply heat protection for hair before styling with this hot brush (just as you would when using your best hair straighteners), which will help to preserve your hair's health and condition. Torn between Revlon vs Drybar Hot Brush options? Our detailed comparison of the two tools should help you decide on the right one for you.
Read our full Revlon hair dryer brush review for more details
Best hot brush for wet and dry styling
Arguably the most famous multi-styler, the Dyson Airwrap is a master of almost all trades. Thanks to its tech, it's the priciest here by some way, leveraging unique technology as well as a proprietary digital motor. The attachments can curl, wave, smooth and dry into a bouncy blow dry without the high, direct heat of a traditional iron, and can be quickly adjusted or clicked on and off while styling. (The technique takes getting used to at first, especially with the barrels, but our step-by-step guide on how to use the Dyson Airwrap is loaded with tips to help you.)
At the heart of the tool is the "Coanda effect". Without getting too technical, this physical phenomenon "attracts" hair and curls it around the barrel or brush to gently heat and style it using air. You don't have to wrap sections, as the Airwrap does this for you. It's a costly gadget, but I'd argue that if you have the funds and want a versatile tool that won't damage your hair, the investment pays off. It's one of the best hot brushes we've tried for creating a professional-looking DIY blow dry fairly quickly and easily, and is particularly useful for those with long hairstyles. Newer iterations have improved on the original tech, and can even be paired with a smartphone app to create your ideal styling programme.
The Dyson Airwrap is the only multi-styler we've featured here as we mostly focused on all-in-one tools, but if you're after something similar and less expensive, we've reviewed more in our guide to the best Dyson Airwrap alternatives, too.
Read our full Dyson Airwrap review for more details
Best hot brush for damaged hair
The Double Shot lifts, dries and revives lacklustre hair, yielding a shiny blowout in a fraction of the time it would take non-hairdressers with a separate dryer and brush. Though suitable for all hair types, I think it's one of the best for those with damaged or damage-prone strands; the wide and lightweight design offers good control over styling, so you're less likely to overexpose fragile hair to heat. Plus, it's never frazzled mine.
The variable temperature control also means you can customise the settings to your hair's texture and thickness. From the gentle curved edges to the defined bristles, it's thoughtfully designed to build body and fullness from every angle without excessive heat.
The thicker barrel also makes it great for creating both volumised looks and smoother styles, rather than beach hair waves. It also packs in power, transforming my towel-dried, mid-length hair to a glossy, volumised blow dry in about 15 minutes. If your hair lacks natural volume and you really want to add lift, you can turn your head upside down and lift sections of hair away from your head, holding the heated brush for a few seconds at the root for mega bouncy results. I was also particularly impressed with how glossy and shiny my hair looked after using this.
Read our full Drybar Double Shot Blow Dryer Brush review for more details
Best volumising hot brush
Unlike many hot brushes, the ghd Rise heats up like a traditional curling tong rather than using air to style, so it can only be used on dried hair. You can then use this tool in a few ways, all of which require practice. Adding lift was probably the easiest; wrap a small section of hair around the barrel close to the roots, hold it for five seconds, then rise up as you release.
For body and bounce, you use the Rise in a similar way to the best heated rollers, wrapping it up from the ends to the roots and holding it there for five seconds. This technique didn’t seem to do much for my hair, which I put down to its sheer length and thickness. Curls were the trickiest to master as you have to glide the barrel down the hair, then roll up towards the root, hold it and unwind. (Luckily, ghd has pre-empted this with some great online tutorials.)
As with other ghd tools, the Rise beeps once it’s heated up and is ready to use, which takes 15 seconds. There are no settings here – it styles at the brand's optimum temperature of 185ºC, which is consistently maintained across the barrel while styling. The bristles are short, which allows you to get right into the root without tangling. I’ve seen some impressive "after" pictures using the Rise on long hair, so while that didn’t happen for me, I think it would be great for those with short hairstyles or medium hairstyles who want a tool that adds "oomph" to hair quickly.
The best lightweight hot brush
As 2.0 suggests, this is the newer and improved version of Amika's original fan-favourite Blow Dryer brush, designed to yield even smoother and shinier results. With a tourmaline-coated barrel and ion technology, it's been engineered to reduce frizz and boost shine, while multiple-length bristles keep hold of every hair in your chosen section to smooth it all out into your desired blow-dried finish.
I also liked the minimalistic design here; the almost entirely black colour scheme is a hit with those who prefer their styling tools not to have a loud design. But more uniquely, it weighs a tiny 380g, so it is very lightweight and there's therefore little risk of getting arm ache during your styling. Sure, other brushes on the market have more functions and settings, but if your max budget is £100 and you aren't fussed about having lots of attachments, I love the sleek and bouncy results that can be achieved with this easy tool.
Read our Amika 2.0 Blow Dryer Brush review for more details
The best hot brush for a bouncy blow dry
This blow dryer brush from BondiBoost is, quite frankly, huge. Not in terms of its overall size or weight, but because the supremely large brush head makes it a bumper blow drying tool. Measuring at 75mm, or just shy of 3", it's by far and away one of the biggest options that money can buy – and certainly among the options we've tested at woman&home. Not everybody will want a blow dry brush this large, of course, but for those who think that bigger is better when it comes to their blow dry, this tool ticks that box and then some.
With a pleasing monochromatic colour scheme, the Blowout Brush Pro is quite standard in terms of its design and the technology involved, though I was glad to see there's ionic technology to help prevent excess frizz and contribute to a nice, smooth finish. But at less than £70, its price-tag is very reasonable and it's therefore a good choice for those who don't have a triple digit budget to play with when shopping for the best hot brushes.
The best hot brush for a shiny, swishy finish
This luxe-looking hair dryer brush from BaByliss is designed to create beautiful styles, but also leave hair looking healthy, with three different heat settings on offer. The large paddle brush detangles the hair easily, while the iconic technology helps to cut down frizz for a sleeker blow dry. I found it delivered a swishy, freshly-cut feeling (without having to actually book in for a fresh cut). After using, my hair felt glossy and healthy with decent bounce. I also found it to be a pretty powerful tool, as it dried the hair nice and quickly. The cool setting was also useful for setting my style in place.
The Hydro Fusion styler uses a moisture-balancing ionic system that combines positive and negative ions to help the hair stay healthy and hydrated. Its soft bristles also create a sleeker finish and softer look overall, but this might not be the tool for you if you're looking for a more dramatic shape. All in all, it's ideal for those who want natural-looking, swishy hair without having to spend hours styling it.
The best paddle hot brush
Beauty Works' Speed Styler is arguably one of the best hair straightener brushes around, delivering the same smooth results you’d expect from the Dyson Airwap’s firm brush head. But unlike the Airwrap, this isn't a mult-styler; there are no extra attachments here, and it can only be used on dry hair.
Though heavier than most (I found it weighed more than my ghd straighteners), it's the only one on this list with a digital temperature display – a nice touch – as well as being adjustable. It does take noticeably longer than other tools to heat up (two minutes to 180ºC), but that's not the end of the world. Despite its large paddle, I found it best to style in small sections. It straightened and smoothed my hair well with a healthy finish, though I found the results looked more natural than the poker-straight, sleek finish of straighteners.
Its curved design and ionic-coated bristles help to detangle strands as you style – but despite this, I struggled to get it through my thick, coarse hair at times. I therefore think it’s better suited to finer hair; of the five-star reviews I read, many described how well it worked styling these hair types. The shape also doesn't lend itself as well to creating added volume – if that's your main goal – as some of the conical or oval-shaped dryer brushes featured here.
How we tested the best hair dryer brushes
A selection of the hot brushes we tested for this feature from (L-R) T3, BondiBoost, Dyson, Drybar and Hot Tools
To ensure our final hair dryer brush guide only included the best tools, I washed and blow-dried my hair using each one at least once to assess and compare how well it styled the hair. With years of beauty industry experience behind me, I took note of all of the following factors while testing.
- Price
- Number of heat and speed settings
- Number of included attachments (if any)
- Inclusion of a cool shot function
- Materials, including bristle types and lengths
- Any interesting tech – e.g. smoothing or automatic shut-off features
- Cable length
- Design and colourways
As with all our beauty shopping guides, from the best diffusers for curly hair to the best ghd hair straighteners, I rigorously tested a broad range of tools for consideration so that the final list of in-depth reviews were truly the best on the market. This final edit of hot brushes comprises those that came out on top in terms of design, user experience and result.
How to choose the best hair dryer brush for you
The woman&home team trialling hair dryer brushes
There are a few factors to consider when choosing your new hair dryer brush. Think about your hair’s texture, length and overall health, and then consider the following factors in line with those to inform your choice.
- Shape: Round or oval barrels will give you the best results for volume, while a straight-sided or paddle brush work well to smooth and stretch out hair.
- Barrel size: Diameter is also important; a wider barrel will give you more lift and works well with longer hair types, but if you're rocking a short hairstyle or medium haircut, then you'll need a smaller barrel.
- Weight: Most brushes are fairly lightweight, even acting as an alternative to the best travel hair dryers (though they don't save as much space and don't all have universal voltage). The lighter the tool, the longer you can use it without arm ache, important to those with long and/or thick hair.
- Materials: Ceramic or titanium create a smoother finish compared to plastic counterparts. We also love tourmaline barrels and ionic technology, which help to reduce frizz and boost shine.
- Bristles: Longer, widely-spaced bristles are ideal for styling longer and thick hair, as they generally fit through thicker and denser strands more easily, without adding more heat and power. Shorter bristles should be sufficient for shorter and very fine hair, while "tuftier" bristles are better for a more secure hold and tension.
- Settings: Top tools will have variable heat and speed settings for more control over styling. If there's only one heat setting, those with thinner hair should use on a relatively low heat, while higher settings may be needed to style thicker strands. Cool shots help set your hair at the end of styling, while an automatic shut-off feature is also handy.
- Add-ons: While often all-in-one tools, some come as a dryer unit with brush attachments. This allows you to customise your tool to style your hair type and thickness optimally, or to create different end styles.
What are the different types of hot brush?
While most hair dryer brushes are pretty similar in function, there are a few different types on the UK market, covering various sizes, materials, tech and even interchangeable brush heads. But the key types you need to know are as follows.
- Stationary: Fixed brush heads have to be rotated manually to add bounce. This may sound daunting, but stationary tools are less likely to tangle hair – unlike rotating models – making them ideal for beginners. They also work well for those who want to create a sleeker style and limit bounce to the ends of hair, for example.
- Rotating: Here, the brush automatically rotates to add more volume, removing the need to curve the brush yourself. So if flexibility is your priority, you can also opt for a hair drying brush with a spinning head, which tends to 'catch' more hair than stationary options.
- Dual-rotating: Directional buttons enable these brushes to spin either forward or backward. Whether you’re left or right-handed, or simply want to alternate the direction of your curls, this flexibility is very convenient.
- 'Tangle-free' brush head: Features a button that enables the barrel to swivel and release jumbled hair sections or strands.
- Heated: Some brushes only heat, not dry, designed to be used on already-dried hair – in the same way as the best hair curlers and straighteners.
How to use a stationary hair dryer brush
- Prep: First, apply any styling products to freshly-washed hair that's wet or damp, depending on what you find best, and remove excess water with a hair towel. Your products will be specific to your hair – for moisture, volume, etc – but the non-negotiable for all types is heat protection for hair.
- Section: The number of sections will depend on how thick and dense your head of hair is, but generally, the thicker or more hair you have, the more sections. A pin tail comb is useful for dividing hair, then secure each one with a clip or hair tie.
- Detangle: Each time you unclip a section, brush it through using the regular brush or comb you usually use to detangle your hair until it's completely tangle-free. This will help the tool to glide through with no snagging for a more seamless experience, as well as stretching out the hair a little before you use the brush.
- Brush: Switch on your brush and input your chosen heat and speed setting, then take a section of hair that's about as wide as the brush head and place it into the roots. If you have fairly thick and/or dense hair, hold the brush here for a few seconds to help dry them. Then, slowly brush through, holding the hair taut to create some tension. Either brush through in a straight motion, or rotate as you brush to add bounce.
- Repeat: Depending on your hair's thickness, you'll probably find it takes at least a couple of passes through the hair to dry it completely. Dry from both the top side of the section and the underside to ensure the hair is dried, stretched and smoothed from both directions. If you have time, it's also smart to let the hair cool and set before unclipping your next section.
- Boost: If your goal is a voluminous and bouncy style, roll the brush up the hair until you reach the root, then hold it there for a few seconds. Finally, switch to the cool setting (if the brush has one) to set it.
Meet our experts
The main tester for this guide, Lucy is a freelance beauty editor with a decade of experience. She has written for titles including Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and Glamour, as well as regularly contributing to woman&home, plus . She is very experienced in reviewing hair tools – from straighteners and curlers to hair dryers – and has tested many of the hot brushes on the market during her career. This and her wealth of experience interviewing hairstylists means she knows what makes a good one.
Sennen is Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home, where she shares the latest beauty launches, trending buys and personal product recommendations, from makeup and hair to skincare and nails. As both a beauty shopping expert and a seasoned hair tool tester, she also provided some insights to help shape our detailed reviews of the best tools.
Aleesha is Beauty eComm Editor at woman&home, where she shares her expertise in everything from the best beauty techniques and hair tools to the latest product launches. She has tons of experience testing all sorts of hot brushes, also sharing her insights to support this guide.
Syd Hayes is a renowned session hair stylist and the director of Q Cut salon in Kew Gardens, London. He is also an ambassador for BaByliss and has worked on countless photo shoots and fashion week shows during his career.