The best hair dryer brushes for easy styling and volume

When it comes to styling, the best hair dryer brushes marry qualities of a round brush and hair dryer in one streamlined tool. For all hair types, this versatile gadget brings a silky-smooth and frizz-free coiffed blowout, sans salon visit and time wasted.

But alas, finding the right one poses its own set of setbacks and considerations. Today's hair dryer brushes target specific textures to deliver tailored results and incorporate unique features, from the type of bristles and heat settings to the barrel design and grip.

With your convenience in mind, we've rounded up the top hair dryer brushes recommended by hair experts, shoppers, and media outlets. We've tested multiple models and assessed the following: features and technology included, ease of use, design elements (construction for example), and how it styles specific hair types. Our curation underscores notable crowd favorites, including the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Dyson Airwrap Complete Hair Styling Set, among others.

The best hair dryer brushes

With over 100,000 reviews on Amazon (yes, you read that correctly), the Revlon One-Step Volumizer is unanimously a top-performing leader in its category, gliding effortlessly through even the toughest of hair textures. By design, this best seller can be placed close to the scalp and underneath hair, bringing coveted bounce and volume you'd normally see with a salon blowout or by using the best hair dryer for your hair type.

The dryer has an oval shape, which artfully combines the perks of a hair straightening paddle brush and round brush. The flatter side of the brush acts as a straightening paddle for sleekness and eliminates the need for flat iron touchups; the rounded edges functions like a round brush to lift and add body. Though bulky and wide, it's quite intuitive and lightweight to hold, enabling greater control over styling. 

That being said, it does heat up quickly and intensely. Sure, its power brings benefits (hello, smooth locks!). However, it also may cause heat damage over time, which is a thing to note if you have dryer ends. That's why we recommend applying heat protection while styling as you normally would when using your best hair straighteners.

A top-tier media darling, the Dyson Airwrap Complete Hair Styling Set is a jack of all trades and, yup, a master at pretty much all of them. Suitable for all hair types and textures, this robust system leverages what's called "The Coanda effect" and a proprietary digital motor. The dynamic duo curls, waves, smooths, and dries locks, without applying extreme heat. 

Technical jargon aside, the Coanda effect is a physical phenomenon: It "attracts" hair to curl around the barrel to style with air. In other words, you don't have to wrap a section of your hair around the barrel, hold it in place, and then release—the Airwap system assumes this tedious task itself. Though it's a costly expense, shoppers say the investment is worth every penny.

This system comes with one-click, agile attachments, which can be quickly adjusted and changed while styling. 

1. For volume, curls, and waves: 1.2 inch barrels 

2. For loose curls and waves: 1.6 inch barrels

3. To control frizz: Firm smoothing brush

4. To smooth fine hair: Soft smoothing brush

5. To volumize and shape flat, fine hair: Round volumizing brush

6. For styling prep: Pre-styling dryer

7. For on-the-go travel: storage case

8. Dyson Airwrap™ Base

Albeit mini in size, the Osensia Ultra Small Round Brush is adept at delivering maximum volume, hold, and shape. Both light and durable, this hair dryer brush harnesses vents to provide even airflow, reducing drying time and heat damage as a result. Its tiny diameter also lends hyper-precise control over styling, a clear advantage over bulkier options that are less likely to reach the roots. The cushioned handle is a handy solution against strain from long duration use, providing both secure grip and comfort.

The only caveat: It's limited to fine, thin, and short hair types. Nonetheless, it's perfect for bangs , annoying flyaways, and touchups, so you'll still want this in your cart.

The DryBar Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush revives mops of damaged, unmanageable hair, creating a shiny blowout in a fraction of the time. Though suitable for all hair types, this option works best for those with damaged locks, thanks to its wide and lightweight construction that lends exacting control over styling (a.k.a. there's less tendency to overexpose fragile strands to heat). Plus, with variable temperature control, you can apply a certain amount of heat based on your hair texture. From gentle curved edges to defined bristles, the dryer is thoughtfully designed to build body and fullness from every angle even for hard-to-reach coils, without giving off excessive heat. 

A labor-saving tool, the Aima 4-in-1 dryer brush is meticulously made down to the granular details. For starters, this versatile dryer consolidates the functions of multiple stylers, namely a dryer, comb, hair curler, and hair straightener. Fueled by ionic technology, it nourishes hair and flattens frizz, producing enviable silky-smooth locks in the process. It also has an anti-scalding top to be maneuvered as you style, and offers a handle with diamond-shaped detailing for intuitive grip. In addition, it features ceramic coating as a preventative measure against long-term heat damage.

To style coils and waves, the Bed Head hair dryer brush leverages tourmaline and ceramic to tame frizz, all while imparting a sleek, glossy finish. Its mixed bristles penetrate each strand from root to tip, equipping users with exacting control and precision. Shoppers rave about its ability to dry thick, coarse-wavy hair in a jiffy and how it makes hair visibly smoother, softer, and shinier than a flat iron (though if you're a die-hard hair straightener fan, you'll want to make a beeline for the best straighteners for curly hair on the market for a truly poker-straight finish).  

The BabylissPRO hair dryer brush harnesses a rotating barrel, which can adapt to your position, angle, and targeted hair section. As you dry, this bi-directional function works to volumize and shine hair with ceramic heat. It also includes soft bristles, which gently glide through strands and won't rip them out. All in all, the verdict is clear: It's a godsend for fragile, thin hair that's prone to breakage and needs some extra TLC.

The Hot Tools Professional 24K Gold hair dryer brush is a dense yet lightweight option that quickly styles and dries the most unruly of strands. Designed to eliminate the need for a flat iron, this brush includes a 24K Gold styling surface, which evenly distribute heats and thereby delivers silky locks — consistently. The ergonomic design incorporates a rotating temperature control for quick adjustments as you style; while its wide oval shape brush straightens, volumizes, and smooths hair. As a solution against chronic frizz and static, the brush's Direct ION Technology maintains neutral charge on the hair's surface. (Ed's note: If your hair's surface is charged positive, individual strands will repel each other and thus bring poufy, frizzy hair.) Safe to say it's the perfect staple for thick, difficult-to-manage tresses, with a bit of chemistry thrown in for the smoothest results.

The  John Frieda Hot Air Brush slightly exceeds one inch in diameter, serving as the quintessential hair dryer brush for bobs and pixie cuts. For versatile styling, this option features multi-heat and cool settings, plus a swivel cord that moves with you to prevent kinking. The oval size and shape allow those with short hair to easily wrap hair around the brush and glide through — and its bristles won't tug on the scalp.

FAQ about hair dryer brushes

What to look out for in a hair dryer brush

There are several factors to consider when choosing a hair dryer brush. They key is they must be examined in the context of your hair’s texture, length, and overall health. With this shopping strategy on hand, you'll be able to curate a more convenient, time-efficient hair routine in no time.

Barrel Design: Your barrel's design should prevent hair tangling, breakage, and overexposure. More notably, it enables you to create the body and results you want. A major design element to consider is your brush's shape, the most effective being round and/or oval for volume.

Barrel size and weight: Your barrel’s diameter determines the level of volume, shape, and bounce you want to achieve. If you want intense body, opt for a hair dryer brush with a stout, fatter barrel, which will produce adequate lift and bend. Otherwise, you’ll want a one-inch barrel at most, or your hair won't fit. 

Barrel size also directly relates to hair length, so choose accordingly. Larger barrels work perfectly for long hair and vice versa.

In terms of weight, your barrel needs to be lightweight, agile, and compact for travel. If it's too heavy, it'll be difficult to use for a long duration of time, thereby making it less ergonomic and convenient.

Furthermore, look out for ceramic or titanium barrels, as they are better at taming frizz and smoothing tresses better than their plastic counterparts. We also love tourmaline barrels and ionic technology, which also help combat frizz.

Bristles: Long, widely-spaced bristles are ideal for styling long and thick hair, as they generally glide through coarse locks and penetrate dense strands more efficiently without applying much heat. Conversely, brushes with short and fine bristles work better for shorter hairstyles.

Variable Heat Setting: The temperature of your hair dryer brush will depend on a multitude of factors: your hair’s texture and health, your scalp’s moisture content (think natural oils produced), and the natural condition of your hair and scalp. Exposing genetically dry hair to extreme heat may leave your hair broken, dull, and even more dehydrated.

That’s why it’s imperative to select a hair dryer brush with a variable heat setting that lends flexibility and control. The finer your hair is, the lower the heat setting needs to be. The highest settings are solely reserved for those with coarse, thick hair. As always, spritz your best heat protectant to shield your precious tresses from heat damage.

Variety of speeds: Your styling tool should offer a bevy of speed models that can be adjusted to your liking. Multiple modes also expand your styling options and techniques with minimal limitations.

Types of hair drying brushes on the market

Today’s market offers a barrage of hair dryer brushes with something for everyone. To get the most out of this investment, keep your eye out for specific technologies, unique brush functions, and design elements. 

Stationary hair drying brush: features the brush in a fixed position, so you have to manually roll it to style your hair. While manual labor sounds daunting, stationary brush dryers tend to not tangle hair, unlike their rotating cousins—therefore making them better for beginners. 

Standard rotating hair drying brush: features a rotating, mobile brush head, which adds more volume and minimizes hassles associated with styling and/or twirling. If flexibility is your jam, you can also opt for a hair drying brush with a spinning head, which tends to “catch” more hair than stationary options. 

Dual-rotating hair drying brush: includes two directional buttons, enabling the brush to spin either forward or backward. Whether you’re left or right-handed, or simply want to alternate directions of your curls for a more natural tousled look, this nimble feature is super convenient.

Interchangeable brush head: typically includes one dryer unit and additional brush attachments. These attachments are versatile, can accommodate different hair lengths, and create different styles. 

“Tangle-free” brush head: features a button that enables the barrel to swivel and release jumbled hair sections or strands.

How to style your hair with a hair dryer brush

We've highlighted tailored tutorials on how to use a hair dryer brush for your specific hair type and length.

Note: Most of these clips feature the Revlon Volumizer; however, they incorporate techniques that can be used with any hair drying brush.

For short hair

For medium- or shoulder-length hair

For long hair

For thick, coarse, or curly hair

For fine hair