The 8 best hot brushes of 2024 for smooth at-home blow dries every time

When it comes to styling, the best hot brushes often marry the qualities of a round brush with a hair dryer in one streamlined tool, or pair the ease of a brush motion with heated bristles for use on dry hair. Either way, these versatile tools work on all hair types to secure silky-smooth and frizz-free styles – without spending time and money on visiting an actual salon.

Indeed, new and innovative tools can deliver tailored results in different hair types and incorporate unique features and buzzy technology, from bristle types and heat settings to the overall design and ergonomics. But much like scouting out the best hair dryer, finding the right hot air brush for you takes some research and thoughtful consideration. Once you find your perfect match, though, it could well change your styling regime forever.

"Hot brushes are great for people who struggle to blow dry their hair themselves," explains Syd Hayes, session hair stylist and BaByliss ambassador "They are also 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. The large, [sometimes] rotating ceramic brush and polishing bristles rival a hair stylist’s professional blow-drying technique, creating a salon-worthy finish."

As with our other hair tool guides, from the best diffusers for curly hair to the best ghd hair straighteners, we rigorously tested all of the below models in order to share in-depth reviews of truly the best devices on the market. After testing dozens of tools, assessing them for their features and technology, ease of use, design elements (such as construction), and how each styling tool works for specific hair types, there are the ones that came out on top.

Our six top hot brush picks

The best hot brushes, reviewed by our beauty team

With more than 30,000 reviews on Amazon (yes, you read that correctly!), this is one of the most famous tools in this category, gliding effortlessly through even the thickest strands. Because of its design, this brush can be placed fairly close to the scalp and underneath sections of hair, achieving the much-coveted bounce and volume many would usually see from a salon blowout, or by fiddling with a hair dryer and ceramic brush.

The dryer has an oval shape, which combines the perks of a hair-straightening paddle brush with those of a round brush. The flatter sides of the brush can act as a straightening paddle for a sleeker finish, while the rounded edges function like a rounder brush to lift and add body. Though it is quite bulky and wide, this brush is quite intuitive and lightweight to hold, meaning greater control over styling.

That being said, it does heat up quickly and intensely, which is why it's all the more essential to apply heat protection for hair before styling with this hot brush, in the same way that you would when using your best hair straighteners. This will help to preserve your hair's health. Torn between the Revlon vs Drybar Hot Brush options? Our detailed comparison of the two tools should help you make a decision.

Read our full Revlon hair dryer brush review for an in-depth analysis of the One-Step Volumizer

Arguably the most famous hair styler on the market, the Dyson Airwrap is a master of pretty much all trades. Though it's the most expensive option here by quite some way (which is why many seek cheaper Dyson Airwrap alternatives), this system leverages technology called the Coanda effect as well as a proprietary digital motor. Between the various attachments it works to curl, wave, smooth and dry strands without involving direct extreme heat. The one-click, agile attachments can be quickly adjusted and changed while styling, covering everything from a bouncy blow dry to loose waves and tighter curls. It takes a little getting used to, but our step-by-step guide to how to use the Dyson Airwrap is loaded with tips to help you.

Without getting overly technical, the aforementioned Coanda effect is a physical phenomenon that "attracts" hair and curls it around the barrel of the brush to be gently heated and styled with air. In other words, you don't have to manually wrap each section of your hair around the barrel – the Airwrap system automatically does this tedious task for you. Yes, it's a costly piece of kit, but we'd argue that if you have the funds and want a versatile tool that won't damage your hair, the investment is worth every penny. It's one of the best hot brushes we've tried for a professional-looking blow dry without having to spend hours labouring over the task and is particularly useful for those with long hairstyles.

Check out our full Dyson Airwrap review to read more about this pricey tool

The Drybar Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush revives lacklustre hair, creating a shiny blowout in a fraction of the time it would take using a typical hair dryer and brush combo (such is the power of a 2-in-1 tool). Though it's suitable for all hair types, we deem this option one of the best hot brushes for those with damaged or damage-prone strands – its wide and lightweight construction offers exact control over styling; in other words, you're less likely to overexpose fragile strands to heat.

What's more, the variable temperature control means you have options depending on what you find works best with your hair texture. From the gentle curved edges to its defined bristles, this dryer is thoughtfully designed to build body and fullness from every angle without the use of excessive heat.

The thicker barrel also means this model was great for creating volumised looks and glassier straighter styles, rather than beach hair waves. It's a powerful tool that transformed one of our tester's towel-dried hair to a glossy, volumised blow dry in just 15 minutes. If your hair lacks natural volume and you really want to add lift, our tip is to turn your head upside down and curl the hair upwards, holding the heated brush for a few seconds when you reach the root for a polished, bouncy blow dry look. We were also particularly impressed with how glossy and shiny our hair looked after using this tool.

Read our full Drybar Double Shot Blow Dryer Brush review for more insight into this sunny yellow tool.

Unlike many hot brushes, the ghd Rise heats up like a traditional curling tong rather than using air to style. This means it can only be used on dry hair, so you’ll need to use a hair dryer beforehand. You can then use the Rise in several 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 and 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 amazing "after" pictures using the Rise on long hair, so although 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.

As the 2.0 of its name suggests, this is a newer and improved version of Amika's original fan-favorite Blow Dryer brush that is 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.

We really loved the minimalistic design here – the almost entirely black color 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 pretty much zero risk of getting arm ache during your styling session as a result. There are brushes on the market that have more functions and settings, yes, but if your max budget is £100 and you aren't fussed about having lots of attachments to play with, our testers loved the sleek and bouncy results that can be achieved with this easy tool.

Read our contributing beauty editor's Amika 2.0 Blow Dryer Brush review for a detailed analysis of this hot brush.

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 we were 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.

This super-luxe hair dryer brush is designed to create beautiful styles, but also healthy-looking hair, with three heat settings for different hair types. The large paddle brush detangles the hair easily, while the iconic technology promises to combat frizz for a sleeker blow dry. We found that this hair dryer brush delivered, that swishy, freshly-cut feeling without having to actually book in for the fresh cut. After use, our hair felt glossy and healthier, with instant bounce. We found this hair dryer brush to be powerful too, as it dried the hair quickly. The cool setting was also useful when it came to setting styles in place.

This hair tool uses a moisture-balancing ionic system that combines positive and negative ions to help the hair stay healthy and hydrated. The 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. This is perfect for those who want natural-looking, swishy hair without having to spend hours styling it.

Beauty Works' Speed Styler is arguably one of the best hair straightener brushes around, delivering the same smooth results that you’d expect from the Airwap’s firm brush head. Unlike the Airwrap, however, there are no extra attachments and it can only be used on dry hair.

Though it's heavier than most (I found it weightier than my ghd straighteners), it is the only one on our list to have a digital temperature display – a nice touch – as well as being adjustable. It takes a while to heat up (two minutes to 180ºC), so it’s not the best for those who are often in a rush. Despite the large paddle design, I found it best to style in small sections with this tool. It straightened and smoothed my hair well and made it look healthier, though it's worth noting that the results were more natural than the poker-straight 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.

How we tested the best hair dryer brushes

To ensure our final guide to the best hair dryer brushes is truly the best, our testers – who have different hair types – washed and blow-dried their hair using each one at least once to assess and compare how well it styled hair. Between them, our testers have decades of beauty industry experience, so you know you can trust their expertise when it comes to hair tools. During the testing process, they took note of the following factors.

• Price
• Number of heat and speed settings
• Number of attachments (if any)
• Inclusion of a cool shot function
• Bristle types and lengths
• Any additional technology, e.g. smoothing
• Cable length
• Colour options and overall design

How to choose the best hair dryer brushes

There are several factors to consider when choosing between the best hair dryer brushes. Think about your hair’s texture, length, and overall health, and then consider the design of the brush to inform your choice.

• Shape: A round or oval barrel will give you the best results for volume, while a straighter brush will work well with curly hair. The diameter is also an important consideration, as 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 hair dryer brushes are slimline and lightweight compared with typical dryers, which means they can also be used as the best travel hair dryers. The lighter your dryer, the easier it'll be to use for a prolonged period of time if you have longer and thicker hair, as well as being easier to transport. Ceramic or titanium barrels are better for smoothing out hair and reducing frizz than plastic counterparts. We also love tourmaline barrels and ionic technology, both of which are designed to keep excess frizz to a minimum.
• Bristles: Long and widely-spaced bristles are ideal for styling longer and thick hair, as they generally glide through coarser and denser strands more efficiently without applying too much heat. Brushes with shorter, finer bristles work better for shorter hairstyles.
• Settings: Top tools feature a variety of heat and speed settings, meaning more control over your hairstyling. If there's only one heat setting, those with fine hair should make sure it's a relatively low heat, while higher settings will better serve those with coarser and/or thicker hair.

What are the different types of hot brush?

Today’s market offers a spectrum of hair dryer brushes, meaning there is something for everyone. To get the most out of your investment, keep your eye out for specific technologies, unique brush functions, and design elements, such as these:

• Stationary hair drying brush: The brush is held in a fixed position in these designs, so you have to manually roll it to style your hair. While the manual labor sounds daunting, stationary brush dryers tend to not tangle hair - unlike their rotating cousins - which makes them better for beginners.
• Standard rotating hair drying brush: Featuring a rotating, mobile brush head, these stylers add more volume and minimise some of the hassles associated with twisting or twirling hair as it styles. 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 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 the direction of your curls, 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.
• Heated brush: Some brushes don't feature blow drying functionality, instead featuring a heated plate (and possibly also heated bristles) that's designed to smooth out already-dried hair.

How to use a stationary hair dryer brush

1. Section the hair: Using a hair tie, clasp or clip, roughly section the hair into layers and brush though with a paddle brush or comb to ensure the hair is free from tangles and prepped for the heated brush.
2. Brush through: With the heated brush: Brush the hair through with a heated brush from the root to the tip, pausing at the end of the hair length to create shape.
3. Roll up to the root: Roll the brush up the hair until you reach the root and then hold there for a few seconds. You can then switch to a cool setting (if the brush has one) for extra hold.