Best Hot Air Brushes

With a hot air brush, you can dry and style your hair at the same time. Forget having to fiddle with a blow dryer and a round brush. A hot air brush does the work of both, making the job of getting ready in the morning a lot simpler.

However, finding the right hot air brush for your hair is not so easy. With so many of these handy beauty tools on the market, how do you find the best hot air brush for you?

If you’re ready to purchase a hot air brush, check out our five favorites and learn why we love them. If you want to know more, our guide tells you what to look for when choosing a hot air brush and shares our styling tips.

A hot air brush can be used to dry, curl, or straighten hair. It’s a three-in-one styling tool.

What to look for when buying a hot air brush

Hair type

Your hair type is the number one factor to consider when buying a hot air brush. The shape, temperature capacity, and barrel of the best hot air brush for you depends on your type of hair.

• Thin or heavily damaged hair: Those with thin or heavily damaged hair should stay away from styling tools that heat up to very high temperatures. Look for a hot air brush that allows you to change the temperature via a dial or LCD screen to ensure that you don’t accidentally burn your hair.

• Frizzy hair: If your hair easily frizzes, opt for a hot air brush with ion technology to help achieve a smooth, frizz-free look.

• Thick hair: Those with thick hair should look for hot air brushes with tough bristles and tangle-free safety features. Thick hair also requires higher temperatures for quicker drying and styling.

Shape

Hot air brushes come in various shapes, but the most common are round brushes. Round hot air brushes are great for multiple styles and offer the most versatility. Paddle hot air brushes and comb hot air brushes don’t necessarily blow out hot air. Some only heat up and act more like hair straighteners.

Heat

Some hot air brushes offer only high or low temperature options. If you want control over your hot air brush’s temperature, choose a model with a heat dial. Some hot air brushes come with options for cold air, too.

Barrel and bristles

Hot air brush barrels are most commonly made of ceramic, tourmaline, or chrome. Ceramic and tourmaline are excellent choices for smoothing hair, but they are usually more expensive than hot air brushes with chrome barrels.

Pay attention, too, to the bristle material. Higher-quality bristles made of sturdy materials won’t break off as quickly over time, and they’ll make the brushing process a lot smoother.

Rotation

A rotating barrel makes styling and adding volume to your hair a lot easier. A rotating hot air brush automatically twirls around your hair to add body. If you want to create a lot of volume with your hot air brush, look for a model that rotates in different directions, which will give a more natural finish. For the most versatility, choose a hot air brush that allows you to shut off the spin function.

Barrel length

If you have long hair, a long barrel is the way to go. A hot air brush with an extended barrel makes it easier to reach all sides of your head and can accommodate more hair.

Swivel cord

Is your hot air brush comfortable to hold and maneuver? This is especially important for users with long, thick manes, which take longer to style. Look for extended swivel cords to ensure you can work all around your head easily.

Weight

Make sure your hot air brush is lightweight enough to hold for the time it takes to style your hair. Fatigue can set in quickly when styling with a heavy tool.

Wet styling

Watch out. Not all hot air brushes are capable of drying hair. For the most convenient styling, choose a hot air brush that can dry wet or damp hair. Using a hot air brush that’s not made for wet styling can damage your hair and the brush.

Safety features

As with any hot styling tool, it’s important to consider the safety features. If you’re often in a hurry when you get ready in the morning, consider a hot air brush with auto shut-off. Most hot air brushes also come with heat-resistant bristle tips to make brushing your hair and handling the brush safer. Some rotating hot air brushes can sense if your hair gets tangled and will help you out with a curl-release function.

Accessories

Hairspray: Once you've spent time getting the look you want, use a quality hairspray to make sure your hairstyle holds.

Vanity mirror:  You need to see your hair from all angles in order to achieve a symmetrical style with no flat spots.

Price

Hot air brushes range in price from $25 to over $100.

Budget models will be less durable and usually aren’t powerful enough to dry damp or wet hair. However, inexpensive hot air brushes are often smaller and a good choice for travel. Pricier models will have more features and produce smoother looks.

High-end hot air brushes are more durable and produce enough heat to dry damp or wet hair.

When considering various hot air brushes, we factor in barrel width and determine how design variations serve the styling needs of short, medium, and long hair.

We research how well the bristles resist breakage and how easily they slide through locks of hair — two important indicators of bristle quality.

Brushes that reach high temperatures work well for hard-to-style hair, but intense heat can damage fine, thin hair. We research the temperature maximums of each product on our list.

We think about what customers with fine hair may look for in a hot air brush. Because extreme heat can damage fine hair, we keep an eye out for brushes with variable temperature control.

The length of a hot air brush determines the styles it can create. We look at barrel lengths to figure out which brushes are best for different styles.

We look for barrels that smooth frizz, keeping an eye out for ion technology, which is great for creating sleek looks.

User comfort plays a key role in our recommendations. We appreciate lightweight models with contoured handles that minimize hand fatigue.

Brand is an important factor for many consumers. We evaluate hot air brushes from top brands, comparing their quality and ease of use.

We research whether a brush can be used to style both wet and dry hair. Brushes that are meant for drying and styling appeal to consumers who wish to accomplish both tasks with one tool.

We take note of hot air brushes with rotating barrels. This feature takes some of the work out of styling hair.

Tips for using a hot air brush

• Don’t try to style tangled hair. While high-quality hot air brushes have solid bristles that can help detangle hair, always brush out your hair before you use your hot air brush.

• Some hot air brushes reach very high temperatures. It’s harder to burn your hair with a hot air brush than it is with a flat iron or a curling iron because the heat is not as direct, but it’s still worth being cautious. Careful not to burn yourself either!

• Make sure to use a heat-protective serum or spray on your hair to prevent heat damage. Even more expensive hot air brushes with ion technology aren’t damage-proof. Protect your hair before you use a hot air brush.

FAQ

Q. What’s the advantage of a hot air brush over a straightener or a curling iron?

A. Hot air brushes are great for infusing volume, and they can dry hair, unlike a hair straightener or a curling iron. They also apply heat less directly, so it’s harder to burn your hair with a hot air brush.

Q. I'm worried about damaging my hair. Is a hot air brush for me?

A. Hot air brushes are gentler on hair than other hot styling tools since the heat is not as direct. But always use a protective serum or spray first to keep your hair from getting damaged by the heat.

Q. Do I need to clean my hot air brush?

A. Yes. Product build-up can occur and, of course, hair will get stuck. Use a special cleaner to remove build-up, and pull out hair from your brush when necessary. You can find special cleaners wherever you purchased your hot air brush or at a salon.

Q. I want to curl my hair. Is a hot air brush a good option for me?

A. With a hot air brush, you wrap sections of hair around the brush and hot air blows out to create volume. You can achieve a soft curl look with a hot air brush, but you can’t get tight, well-defined curls with this styling tool.