The 8 Best Hot Air Brushes

I’m always chasing that fresh-from-the-salon blowout look, but doing it myself with a round brush and a blow dryer feels like a full-on arm workout. And honestly, I just don’t have the time or the coordination for that. That’s why I started using hot air brushes.

These tools combine a blow dryer and a styling brush into one, making it so much easier to get smooth, bouncy hair without juggling two different things. They’re perfect for one-tool hair styling, whether I’m starting with damp hair or just touching up second-day strands.

I’ve tried a bunch of these blow dry brushes, from the super cheap viral ones to the crazy expensive salon tools. Some are amazing, and some… not so much. Here are the ones that actually live up to the hype.

 

 

My Favorite Hot Air Brushes

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer And Volumizer Hot Air Brush

This one is about $40, and you’ve probably seen it everywhere. The Revlon One-Step is famous for a reason. It really does give you that salon blowout look by drying and adding volume at the same time. My hair always looks so shiny and smooth after using it.

It’s an awesome, affordable alternative if you’re curious about hot air brushes but don’t want to drop hundreds of dollars. It works fast, which is a huge plus for me on busy mornings.

The Downside: It gets seriously hot, even on the lower settings. I have to be careful not to leave it on one section for too long. And if you have very coarse or curly hair, it might not be the best fit for you.

 

 

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete

At around $600, the Dyson Airwrap is a huge investment. But if you can swing it, it’s an incredible tool for pretty much any hair type. It uses what they call Coanda technology, which styles with air instead of extreme heat, so I feel way better about using it regularly.

It comes with a ton of attachments for creating everything from big, voluminous blowouts to bouncy curls. I especially love using it for quick touch-ups to revive my style. It’s so versatile.

The Downside: The price is obviously a big hurdle. It’s extremely expensive.

 

 

Hot Tools 24K Gold Blow Dryer Brush

You can find this one for about $60 at the drugstore. I think it’s a great starting point for beginners. It cuts down my styling time a lot and gives my fine hair a nice boost of volume and smoothness.

The 24K gold surface helps distribute heat evenly, which means less time spent with heat on my hair. It’s simple, effective, and gets the job done without much fuss.

The Downside: If you’re used to more advanced styling tools, you might find this one a little basic. It doesn’t feel as seamless as some of the higher-end options.

 

 

ghd Duet Blowdry Hair Dryer Brush

This one costs around $400. The ghd Duet is designed to take your hair from wet to styled, and it delivers a super professional-looking blowout. My hair feels incredibly smooth and shiny after using it on towel-dried hair.

It has a heated barrel and precise airflow that really work together to give you that salon-quality finish. It feels like a serious, heavy-duty tool.

The Downside: It’s pretty heavy to hold for a long time, and it’s also quite loud compared to other stylers.

 

 

Drybar The Single Shot Blow-Dryer Brush

For $150, the Drybar Single Shot is perfect for anyone with fine or shorter hair. The smaller barrel size makes it so much easier to get close to the roots and create real volume and bounce.

It does a great job of cutting down on frizz and gives a really polished look. I also love the handle; it’s comfortable to hold and doesn’t make my hand cramp up. It dries my hair surprisingly fast.

The Downside: It’s a bit pricey, especially considering its smaller size.

 

 

Amika Hair Blow Dryer Brush 2.0

The Amika brush is around $120. In lab tests, this one often comes out on top for how much shine it delivers. I totally agree—it makes my hair look incredibly glossy and healthy.

It’s really lightweight and easy to handle, and it works fast to dry and smooth my hair. I’ve tried it on different hair textures, and the results are consistently good and so shiny.

The Downside: There aren’t a ton of heat settings, so if you like to have really specific control over the temperature, this might feel a little limited.

 

 

Shark SmoothStyle Hot Brush

This Shark brush is about $80. I like that you can use it on both wet and dry hair to get a sleek, voluminous look. The heated comb technology smooths everything out without feeling like it’s frying my hair.

The controls are just a simple twist at the bottom, which is very intuitive. And the cool tip at the end is great for getting a good grip while styling.

The Downside: The final look isn’t quite as polished as what I can get with some of the more expensive brushes.

 

 

InfinitiPro by Conair The Knot Dr. Detangling Hot Air Brush

At just $40, this Conair brush is a steal. It comes with two attachments: a detangling brush head and a volumizing pick. The pick is awesome for getting lift right at the roots.

It’s great for getting through knots without a lot of pulling and leaves my hair smooth and shiny. For a basic, easy blowout, it really does the trick.

The Downside: It’s pretty basic. If you want to create more complex or varied styles, you’ll probably want a tool with more features.

Finding the best blow dry brush really depends on your hair type and your budget. If you just want to see what the fuss is about, a budget-friendly option like the Revlon or Conair is a great place to start.

But if you style your hair often and want to protect it from damage, investing in something like the Dyson or ghd could be worth it. Either way, these tools make getting a great hair day so much easier.