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The 10 Best Hot Air Brushes to Buy in 2024

The 10 Best Hot Air Brushes to Buy in 2024

Getting the perfect blowout at home isn’t easy, but a hot air brush is probably your best bet!

A hot air brush can be the tool to give you the glamorous hairdo you’re after or just simply maintain your current style. Even beginners can use hot air brushes and get salon-like looks at home.

As the name indicates, a hot air brush is a hairbrush that blows hot air. It serves the dual purpose of drying your hair while simultaneously helping you style it.

You’ve probably seen a hot air brush in your favorite influencer’s or stylists’ TikTok or Instagram videos using the brushes to create stunning hairdos. While we can’t guarantee that you’ll get the exact same results with the hot air brushes in this guide, they’re probably your best shot!

Important Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Hot Air Brush

Hair Length

Your hair length is the first indicator to which hot air brush is the best for you. Generally, the longer your hair, the larger the barrel.

If you have short or medium-length hair, you need to pick a hot air brush with a small barrel (1 to 1.5 inches). A small barrel can easily get closer to your roots, giving you more diverse styling options.

If you have long hair, you need to select a hot air brush with a large barrel and mixed bristles. This will help you detangle hair effortlessly without causing damage. Long-haired users must section off their hair into smaller parts and then use the brush on each section.

You can read below the buyer’s guide to find out more about how hair length impacts your choice in a hot air brush.

Hair Type

Your hair type is another deciding factor. While a hot air brush works on all hair types, choosing the right one for your hair gives the best result.

If you have fine or thin hair, you should consider a hot air brush with adjustable temperature settings and high-quality bristles. The ideal hot air brush will also have ceramic coating or ceramic-tourmaline heating materials to help mitigate thermal damage and dryness.

Those with coarse/thick hair need to select a hot air brush with high temperatures for effective drying. Another option would be to pre-dry your hair a little with a towel before using a hot air brush. A stiff brush is also for better detangling and styling.

A detailed explanation of how hair type affects your choice in a hot air brush can be found below.

Hot Air Brush Types

There are several types of hot air brushes on the market today. They can be differentiated by barrel size, bristles, heat distribution, rotating vs. stationary, and other factors.

Typically, the barrel size you choose depends on your hair length. Smaller barrel sizes are suitable for shorter hair, and larger ones for longer hair.

The material of the bristles needs to be stronger for thick hair and softer for fine hair.

Most modern hot air brushes use ceramic or tourmaline heating elements. Unlike previously used aluminum barrels, these materials heat-up quickly but do not burn your hair.

A stationary hot air brush and rotating hot air brush have the same effects, but using the latter is easier for some. If you have straight or medium hair, a rotating brush makes for better detangling. But the same is not valid for those with thick/curly hair. A rotating brush also requires some practice to get the best results.

Now that you have an idea of what is available, here are our top 10 picks for hot air brushes to buy in 2024.

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Top 10 Best Hot Air Brushes 2024

1. Best Overall Pick: Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer

Why we like it: Revlon’s hot air brush uses an innovative oval barrel that makes it perfect for styling hair of all types and lengths.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: All hair types
  • Key Features: oval-shaped and ceramic-coated barrel, ionic technology, nylon bristles
  • Ideal For: Adding volume, detangling, preventing heat damage

General Information

Volume, body, bounce, shine – everything you want for your hair, the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer delivers. The brush has made a name for itself because of its oval-shaped fixed brush head and round edges.

This brush is super lightweight, easy-to-use, and leads to stunning hairdos. It’s designed to work on all hair types and lengths. Whether you have straight, wavy, or curly hair, this hot air brush gives you a great blowout.

Key Features

The expertly designed oval-shaped head makes this a better hot air brush than its competitors. It adds more volume, smoothness, and is excellent for both curling and straightening.

The barrel makes it perfect for all hair types, including damaged hair, since it adds less pressure on the strands.

The ceramic coating on the barrel ensures that the heat spreads evenly and that there are no hot spots on your head. This brush uses ionic technology to dry hair quicker while retaining moisture. The well-spaced air vents are also useful for this purpose.

With nylon pin bristles, this brush virtually glides through your hair and detangles effortlessly.

Other features that are great for users are the 3 heat settings that allow you to pick the best for your hair, 3 color options, and a lengthy cord.

The only downside is that this hot air brush is designed specifically for the US, so it’s not suitable for international travel.

Some might even consider the 1-minute heating up time as a downside, but 60 seconds isn’t too long to wait for the perfect hairdo.

Pros

  • Innovative design to add more volume
  • Easy detangling with nylon bristles
  • Ionic technology, ceramic-coating, and air vents to prevent heat damage
  • Works on all hair types

Cons

  • Cannot be used outside the US

2. Best Premium Pick: HOT TOOLS Professional 24K Gold One Step Dryer Volumizer

HOT TOOLS Professional 24K Gold One Step Dryer Volumizer

Why we like it: This is a professional-grade hot air brush with charcoal-infused bristles that soak up excess oils while styling and drying hair.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: All hair types, especially those with oily hair
  • Key Features: oval-shaped barrel, 24 karat gold-infused barrel, charcoal-infused bristles
  • Ideal For: Adding volume, absorbing oil, long-lasting blowouts

General Information

The Hot Tools Professional 24K Gold One Step Dryer Volumizer is built for professional hair styling but can also get you the best blowout at home.

This hot air brush has the features to curl, straighten, and dry your hair effortlessly. Not only does it give you the style you desire, but it helps your hair look fresh for days!

The brush is lightweight and ideal for getting a soft, straightened look. Similar to the results of using a flat iron but without the heat damage.

Key Features

The most identifiable feature of this hot air brush is the gold-infused barrel, but the bristles are where the magic happens.

The Hot Tools hot air brush has activated charcoal-infused bristles and a combination of soft and stiff bristles. The charcoal removes excess oil from your hair as you’re styling it and helps it stay fresh for longer. This product is a must-try if you have naturally oily hair, which makes your hair fall flat a day after you style it.

The combined bristles ensure it can be used for all hair types, even delicate, damaged hair.

Much like its Revlon counterpart, Hot Tools uses an oval-shaped fixed brush head to provide a voluminous, sleek look. You can use it for both curling and straightening. The barrel is covered in 24 karat gold for even heat distribution and less thermal damage.

It has 3 heat settings, an 8-foot cord, and uses ionic technology to reduce frizz and retain moisture. The company also offers a limited 7-year warranty.

Unfortunately, much like Revlon, it is designed specifically for the US, so it’s not suitable for international travel. Another downside is its heat settings, with the highest heat setting being too hot for normal hair but not enough to dry thick hair quickly.

Pros

  • Charcoal-infused mixed bristles for a long-lasting blowout
  • 24K gold-infused barrel for even heat distribution
  • Ionic technology and well-placed air vents to avoid thermal damage
  • Works on all hair types, especially oily hair

Cons

  • Cannot be used outside the US
  • Takes slightly longer to dry out thick, coarse hair

3. Best for Styling: Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler Kit

Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler Kit

Why we like it: The Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler Kit is a complete hot air brush styling kit with multiple brush heads to smooth, curl, straighten, and add volume.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: Medium to long hair
  • Key Features: 8 different attachments, digital motor, technology to make styling easier
  • Ideal For: All forms of hairstyling

General Information

The Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler is a comprehensive hair drying and styling package that works wonders on all hair types. It is well worth the steep price tag for users with medium to long hair.

The kit comes with 8 attachments- a pre-styling dryer, 4 Airwrap barrels of 1.2 and 1.6 inches, 2 flat smoothing brushes, and a round brush.

Key Features

Dyson is a tech company, and they’ve utilized their strengths to deliver the best results, whether it’s loose curls, voluminous waves, or smooth, frizz-free hair.

The brush is powered by a digital motor, so extreme heat is not required for drying and styling. Dyson’s technological prowess is also evident in the brush attachments.

For example, the Airwrap barrels utilize an aerodynamic phenomenon known as the Coanda effect, which attracts your hair to wrap around the barrel. Dyson also uses ionic technology to reduce frizz.

This kit is not the best for people with short hair, who are better off with a smaller barrel for the round brush and the smoothing brushes. They might also find the other attachments a bit excessive.

Those with long hair need to be patient since there’s no high temperatures to help with styling. We also recommend slightly wetting each section of hair immediately before styling for the best results. This could take 45 minutes or more, depending on how long your hair is.

Pros

  • Diverse styling options
  • Uses Airwrap technology and Coanda effect for optimum styling
  • Prevents thermal damage
  • Great for medium to long hair

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Not ideal for short hair
  • Time-consuming for long hair

4. Best Budget Pick: Conair Instant Heat Styling Brush

Conair Instant Heat Styling Brush

Why we like it: The Conair Instant Heat Styling Brush is a multi-purpose hot air brush with 25 heating settings, tailored for all hair types

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: All hair types
  • Key Features: small barrel size, 25 heat settings, 30-second heat-up time, turbo-heat option
  • Ideal For: Adding volume, creating loose curls

General Information

If you’re looking for a compact brush that can deliver amazing loose curls and waves, then the Conair Instant Heat Styling Brush is your best bet!

This budget brush has several heating options and it’s the perfect size to use on all hair lengths and types. Its slender build and small size make it great for traveling. It also has dual voltage capabilities, so it can be used internationally via an adapter.

Key Features

The defining feature of the Conair Instant Heat Styling Brush is the 25 heat settings that make it easy to use on all hair types. Heat settings 1-8 are meant for fine hair, 9-14 for normal hair, 15-20 for curly hair, and 21-25 for thick hair.

The brush takes just 30 seconds to heat up. If you’re in a rush and want to dry your hair super quickly, you can use the Turbo Heat button to increase the barrel temperature by up to 36 degrees Fahrenheit in just 60 seconds.

With a 1.25-inch barrel, Conair’s hot air brush can be used on short hair or long hair. The barrel size also makes it a good option for lightly curling your locks. The barrel is made using elements of chromium, nickel, copper, and steel, which provides high temperatures quickly.

However, the barrel does not have a protective layer of coating so heat damage could occur with long-term usage.

If your hair tends to have many tangles, you should skip this brush since the thick plastic bristles and small barrel size aren’t very effective at detangling.

Pros

  • 25 heat settings for different hair types
  • Turbo Heat button for quick heating
  • Works on all hair types
  • Dual voltage capabilities and small size makes it ideal for travel

Cons

  • No dedicated optimum heat distribution technology
  • Not good for detangling

5. Best for Short Hair: John Frieda Hot Air Brush

John Frieda Hot Air Brush

Why we like it: The John Frieda John Frieda Hot Air Brush features a 1-inch barrel that gives salon-like blowouts at home for those with short hair.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: Short hair
  • Key Features: 1-inch barrel, combination bristles, titanium barrel with ceramic coating, compact size
  • Ideal For: Reducing frizz, adding volume

General Information

The John Frieda Hot Air Brush is the best one out there for short hair. The small size of the barrel and the compact handle means users can take the product closer to their roots for improved styling.

This tiny hot air brush packs a punch with a ton of features that leaves your hair looking gorgeous in minutes.

Key Features

This 1-inch brush is perfect for short-haired users by allowing them to style closer to their roots. The smaller barrel size also makes it easier to wrap hair around it.

This hot air brush uses a combination of stiff nylon pin bristles surrounded by more flexible bristles. The soft bristles gently wrap around your hair while the stiffer ones work on styling and detangling.

The John Frieda Hot Air Brush uses ionic technology to reduce frizz and smooth hair. The titanium barrel is coated in ceramic for better heat distribution. The ceramic also prevents thermal damage.

The brush has 2 heat settings and even a cooling option to help with setting the style. However, it has only 500 watts of power, meaning lesser air flow and longer styling and drying times.

It does not have dual voltage capabilities so it cannot be used during international travel.

The handle is meant to be ergonomic but falls short, leading users to hold the brush rather awkwardly and forcefully.

Pros

  • 1-inch barrel perfect for comprehensive styling
  • Ceramic-coated barrel reduces heat damage
  • Combination bristles are gentle and great for detangling
  • Uses ionic technology for smoothness and to lessen frizz

Cons

  • Only 500 watts of power, meaning slower drying times
  • Handle size might be too large for some users
  • Cannot be used outside the US

6. Best Rotating Hot Air Brush: INFINITIPRO by CONAIR

INFINITIPRO by CONAIR

Why we like it: the INFINITIPRO by CONAIR is a bi-directional rotating brush that adds extra volume and body to your hair while detangling effectively.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: All hair types
  • Key Features: Rotating barrel, ionic technology, tourmaline ceramic barrel
  • Ideal For: Adding volume, shine, and curl

General Information

Take your blowouts to the next level with Conair’s INFINITIPRO hot air spin brush. The barrel of this brush rotates in both directions, adding even more volume than a stationary brush.

Key Features

The brush comes with 2 barrels – a 1.5-inch option and a 2-inch option, making it great for medium to long hair lengths. Choose between the sizes for either loose curls or tight ones.

The barrel of the brush rotates in both directions, making it easier to add a ton of volume to your locks. When you want to style closer to your roots, you can also choose not to rotate the barrel and simply use it like a normal hot air brush.

The INFINITIPRO’s rotating barrels are not great for fine hair since the rotation could add more stress on your strands and lead to breakage. If you have fine hair or really short hair, you’d be better off with a stationary brush.

Both barrels have soft, flexible bristles. This is gentler on hair but makes it harder to detangle thick or curly hair.

The barrel also uses tourmaline ceramic heating technology and an ion generator so there’s no need to worry about heat spots, frizz, or fried out hair.

The INFINITIPRO has 2 heat settings and 1 cool setting, which helps set the style. While the heat is enough to dry most hair types efficiently, it does take a while to work its magic on thick hair.

Pros

  • Rotating barrel gives blowouts with more ease
  • Detangling is painless
  • Uses tourmaline ceramic and ionic technology

Cons

  • Not ideal for fine hair
  • Barrel size too big for short hair
  • Takes longer to detangle thick, coarse hair

7. Best for Curly/Thick Hair: Bed Head One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer

Bed Head One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer

Why we like it: The oval-shaped barrel and mixed pattern bristles of the Bed Head One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer helps you get a smooth, salon-style blowout in minutes.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: Curly/Thick Hair
  • Key Features: Oval-shaped barrel, innovative bristle arrangement, tourmaline ceramic heating technology
  • Ideal For: Detangling, adding texture and volume

General Information

Finding a hot air brush for curly or thick hair can be quite a task since you need the brush to detangle and smooth your hair while also giving you the best blowout.

The Bed Head One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer does all of this and more, making it the best pick for curly/thick hair.

Key Features

The Bed Head One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer is similar to the Revlon One-Step but with one key difference that makes it the best for thick, curly hair – the bristle arrangement.

Unlike the Revlon One-Step, where the mixed bristles are placed all around the oval barrel, the Bed Head One-Step has only hard plastic bristles on the flat side with the mixed bristles on the sides. This enables users to detangle easier.

The brush’s bristle placement, well-placed air vents, and oval barrel also means those with curly hair can effectively straighten out their locks.

The Bed Head One-Step uses tourmaline technology, which is similar to ionic technology and produces similar results of frizz-free and smooth hair.

The letdown for this product comes in its heat setting options. In some cases, the low option is too low while the high option is way too forceful and rather noisy. As a result, most users tend to stick to the low setting, leading to longer drying times.

Another problem is that on the high heat setting, the brush blows rather forceful air, which moves hair away from the barrel, so the shorter strands stick out. Extreme heat also dries out hair.

Pros

  • Great bristle placement for easy detangling
  • Tourmaline, ceramic barrel for even heat distribution
  • Oval barrel for added volume

Cons

  • Heat settings are ineffective
  • Low heat setting takes too long to dry
  • Inconsistent heating leads to dried out hair

8. Best for Fine Hair: Conair 2-in-1 Hot Air Curling Combo

Conair 2-in-1 Hot Air Curling Combo

Why we like it: This hot air brush is compact and gently detangles and styles fine hair without damaging it or causing breakage.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: Fine Hair
  • Key Features: Two small interchangeable barrels, lower heat output, hard bristles
  • Ideal For: Getting loose curls and waves

General Information

Conair’s curling combo is the perfect hot air brush for those with fine hair. Its curling capabilities on fine hair are debatable, but if you want a gentle hot air brush that smoothly gets rid of tangles while styling, this is it.

Well-designed bristles, compact sizing, and dual voltage capabilities mean this hot air brush can give a glamorous blowout anytime, anywhere.

Key Features

Conair’s 2-in-1 Hot Air Curling Combo offers 2 barrels – a 1.25-inch barrel with hard plastic bristles and a 1-inch barrel with soft bristles.

For fine hair, the hard bristles and the small barrel size are a godsend as they do not wrap around your hair and can eradicate tangles without causing breakage. You can use one barrel for detangling and smoothing and the other for styling as needed.

The brush has 2 heat settings and the lower option is just perfect for fine hair.

Conair’s combo brush has 300 watts of power. While the low power may be a downside for those with thick, coarse, or long hair, it’s amazing for fine hair since it’s very gentle and eliminates chances of heat spots and breakage.

The brush has no specific technology for even heat distribution or preventing thermal damage, so fine-haired individuals are better off with the low heat setting.

Pros

  • Hard aluminum bristles are great for brushing fine hair
  • Small-sized barrels for effective styling
  • Low heat is gentler on hair

Cons

  • No features to prevent heat damage
  • Not the best for hair curling
  • Power too low for thick or long hair

9. Best for Straightening: Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer And Styler

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer And Styler

Why we like it: The Revlon One-Step features a large flat paddle with flexible bristles that can help straighten hair well.

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: All hair types, especially thick and curly hair
  • Key Features: Large flat paddle, flexible bristles, ionic technology
  • Ideal For: Straightening, creating loose waves

General Information

Revlon’s second entry in this list is a hot air brush that is amazing for straightening out your hair and creating a gorgeous wavy hairdo.

A hot air brush cannot give you the stiff, flat straightening look that a flat iron can, but it does give you a soft and more natural straightened look. You can also create slight waves.

Key Features

Revlon’s hot air brush gives your hair a smooth, luscious look with its large flat fixed brush head. The paddle is large enough to work through thick hair and the bristles are stiff yet flexible, meaning you detangle as you dry and straighten.

The only downside is that the paddle’s size makes it harder to straighten close to the roots.

The heat options are also great, with the brush producing enough heat to effortlessly dry thick or curly hair. It takes less time than most other brushes on this list to give a great blowout.

However, the heat might be too high if your hair is prone to damage and breakage. If used incorrectly, heat spots can occur.

The brush is available in 2 color options and also uses ionic technology to greatly reduce frizz.

Pros

  • Well-designed paddle for quick straightening
  • Flexible bristles make detangling easier
  • Ionic technology for a smooth finish

Cons

  • Paddle size might be too large to get close to the roots
  • Cannot be used outside the US
  • Heat might be too high for those with normal/fine hair

10. Best for Shine: BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Rotating Hot Air Brush

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Rotating Hot Air Brush

Why we like it: The BaBylissPRO uses a 2-inch bi-directional rotating barrel to add volume to long or medium hair and reduce frizz

Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance:

  • Best For: Medium to long hair
  • Key Features: Anti-static barrel, bi-directional rotation barrel, ionic technology
  • Ideal For: Adding volume and shine, reduce frizz

General Information

BaBylissPRO’s Nano Titanium hot air brush has a bi-directional rotating brush head that moves through your hair with precision to add volume and shine.

It has all the features to give your hair a salon-style blowout at home and if you’re willing to splurge a little, it’s a great tool.

Key Features

The brush head of the BaBylissPRO’s Nano Titanium hot air brush rotates very precisely so you won’t miss a spot when styling. The direction of rotation can be changed with a simple button and this automatic rotation is a great volumizer.

To ensure hair doesn’t get caught in the rotating brush, the bristles are flexible and adequately placed. They are also anti-static, meaning you don’t have to worry about baby hair sticking out while styling.

The company uses titanium on the barrel, which is a great heat conductor. The barrel also uses ionic technology to reduce frizz.

While these features are great, the heat settings could be better as they aren’t very effective on thick, coarse hair. Moreover, the 2-inch barrel is too large to be used on short hair and also makes it harder to get closer to the roots.

This tool is better used as one of a number of styling steps rather than a solo styler.

Pros

  • Rotation adds more volume
  • Anti-static titanium barrel conducts heat well
  • Ionic technology and well-placed air vents to avoid thermal damage

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Barrel too large for short hair
  • Barrel size makes it harder to get closer to roots
  • Takes longer to dry out thick, coarse hair

How To Choose the Best Hot Air Brush

Because it’s sure to be an accessory that you use every day, a hot air brush is an important purchase. Here’s a more in-depth look at picking the right one for you.

Hair Length

Hot air brushes can be used to style all hair lengths. The ideal length to use this tool would be a shoulder-length bob, but that doesn’t mean it won’t boost your look for shorter or longer hair.

Since you want to style as much of your hair as possible and don’t want to leave your roots flat, your hot air brush needs to reach close to your roots.

Short Hair

A hot air brush isn’t effective on extremely short hair, like a buzz cut, because you can’t wrap it around the barrel. However, if your hair is a little longer, it can work wonders. If you’re looking for a hot air brush for short hair, you should stick to a 1-inch barrel.

Shoulder-Length Hair

Having shoulder-length hair gives you the perfect opportunity to try out everything a hot air brush can do. It’s the right length to give your bob some bubbly curls or straighten it out. If you have medium-length hair, stick to a barrel that is 1 to 2 inches wide.

Long Hair

Long-haired users can get loose waves, curl their ends, or simply keep their current style but add more volume. If you have long hair, choose a 1.5-inch to 2+ inch barrel. While using the tool, you must section your hair into smaller parts and style each section.

Hair Type

Like anything that is related to haircare, your hair type is a major deciding factor. Hot air brushes can be used on all hair types, but that doesn’t mean you should randomly pick one.

Fine Hair

Hot air brushes are excellent for this with fine hair since it adds plenty of volume and makes your hair look luscious. You need to select brushes that are ceramic coated, have soft or mixed bristles and lower heat settings to avoid thermal damage.

Small barrel sizes are ideal for those with fine hair since it reduces the pressure on your strands while curling around the brush.

Thick Hair

If you have thick hair, choose a hot air brush that has high heat temperatures. You also have to pre-dry your hair until it’s only slightly damp before using a hot air brush for styling. Choose larger barrels for better detangling and easier styling.

Curly Hair

While a hot air brush cannot fully straighten hair like a flat-iron, it’s still great for adding that “oomph” factor for curly-haired individuals. It smoothes your hair and makes it look gorgeous. Pick a hot air brush with a 2-inch or larger barrel.

Straight Hair

A hot air brush can add more body and loose curls or waves to straight hair. You can use hair mousse or hairspray for long-lasting volume.

How Do Hot Air Brushes Work?

Imagine a hairbrush with a hairdryer inside it – that’s pretty much what a hot air brush is. It’s a brush with the mechanism to blow hot air from inside onto your hair.

The hot air from within the body dries your hair while the brush head can straighten, curl, or style your hair however you want.

Hot Air Brush Types

Not all hot air brushes are made equal. Several crucial factors differentiate one from the other:

Barrel Size

The size of the barrel directly affects what your hair will look like after styling. Hot air brushes typically come in sizes ranging from 1 inch to 2.5 inches in diameter.

The general rule is that the larger the barrel, the straighter the resulting style. If you want tight curls, choose a smaller barrel like the 1-inch one. Looser curls and relaxed waves can be achieved through larger barrels that are two or more inches.

As stated above, your hair length also dictates the best barrel size for you.

Bristles

Most modern hot air brushes use nylon bristles. Bristles can be stiff, soft, or somewhere in between.

Stiff bristles are great for detangling, especially for long, thick hair. Soft bristles are ideal for thin, fine hair as they gently style your hair without causing breakage.

The Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer, for example, uses stiff nylon bristles for better smoothing and detangling. But if you have fine hair, you can also opt for brushes with softer bristles such as the Conair 2-in-1 Hot Air Curling Combo.

Heat Distribution

The method used by a hot air brush to heat up and then spread that heat evenly across your hair is critical. You want a brush that doesn’t take forever to heat up, lets you control how hot it gets, and spreads the heat well without damaging your hair.

The Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer, has a ceramic-coated barrel for optimum heat control and distribution. While the HOT TOOLS Professional 24K Gold One Step Dryer uses gold in their barrel for good heat distribution.

Many of the other hot air brushes listed above use a combination of elements to ensure users get consistent results.

Another way to control heat distribution is to let users decide how hot they want their brush to get. Most hot air brushes offer 2-3 heat settings while the Conair Instant Heat Styling Brush provides 25 settings!

Ionic Technology

You’ve probably seen ionic technology mentioned multiple times above, such as the INFINITIPRO by Conair, but aren’t aware of what it is and how it works.

Ionic technology isn’t new, it’s been around for decades. It affects what’s on your hair rather than the hair itself.

Ions are atoms or molecules that are present on your hair. They have a positive or negative charge. While your hair has ions with both charges, positively-charged ions lead to frizz and static. These ions are likely to be in your hair even after towel drying.

Hot air brushes with ionic technology aim to emit negative ions. This neutralizes the hair, leading to less static and frizz. It also helps hair dry faster while retaining moisture, leading to less thermal damage and breakage. Thus, ionic technology helps users get shiny, sleek hair.

Stationary vs. Rotating

Hot air brushes can be stationary/fixed, rotate in one direction, or rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwise.

Stationary Brushes

Stationary brushes are fixed in one position, so users have to turn it themselves to achieve curls and waves. These brushes are great for beginners and experienced users since everything is under their control.

Rotating Brushes

Rotating brushes, like the BaBylissPRO’s Nano Titanium Hot Air Brush, usually turn in both directions. They make styling easier since users just have to hold it and move through their hair from roots to ends. The automatic rotations also add more volume.

Brushes that rotate in both directions have the advantage of being suitable for both right and left-handed users. These brushes take some practice to master to ensure your hair doesn’t get tangled in the brush head, so it’s not suitable for beginners.

The Advantages of Using a Hot Air Brush

A hot air brush has many benefits:

  • Adds volume to your hair, reduces frizz, and makes styling a breeze.
  • Produces less heat when compared to tools like a flat iron. Lower heat is better for your hair since it causes less damage.
  • More comfortable to maneuver than a standard hair dryer since you don’t need to coordinate 2 separate tools. You can use one hand to hold the hot air brush and the other for better sectioning and styling.
  • It is useful for both last-minute touch-ups and detailed styling.
  • Most hot air brushes are compact and can fit in your purse or bag easily. They’re the perfect travel accessory.

Pro Tips for Using a Hot Air Brush

@babylissprola

El Hot Air Styling Brush: Tu herramienta favorita de BaBylissPRO 💖 @SEDECADEHONDURAS

♬ original sound – BaBylissPRO Latinoamérica

For the best hairdo, here are some pro tips on how to use a hot air brush:

  • Wash your hair.
  • Dry your hair slightly with a towel.
  • Brush through hair.
  • For long hair, part your hair into multiple sections.
  • Plug in your hot air brush and wait for it to heat-up.
  • Starting from the back off your hair, roll sections of your hair around the barrel, roll it up, and then roll it down.
  • Repeat for all the sections.
  • Apply any other products, like hair serums.

While these steps are the same for long and short hair, remember to choose the right barrel size for your hair length. If you have long hair, you might have to brush through multiple times.

Are Hot Air Brushes Bad for Your Hair?

In short, no.

The long answer is that while hair styling tools like straighteners could damage hair with long-term usage or overuse, hot air brushes don’t work the same way.

In a hot air brush, the styling is done using soft, stiff, or flexible bristles. This method is a much better option than a flat iron, which sandwiches hair between 2 heated plates to straighten it. The extreme heat of a flat iron leads to dry hair or worse, burnt hair, if you’re not careful.

Moreover, hot air brushes use varying materials and technologies to reduce the heat impacting your hair. Ionic technology, different heat settings, and ceramic coatings all ensure that you don’t have to worry about hair damage while styling.

Final Thoughts

A hot air brush can be the best styling tool to keep your hair looking glamorous for days. No more trying to fumble around with a brush and a dryer at the same time. Just pick the right brush and you can effortlessly take your hair to the next level in minutes.