The best heated rollers
Volume and bouncy curls that set while getting ready: four heated roller sets compared, from a quick 20-roller set to big rollers for soft, blow-dried waves.
Heated rollers do their work while you get on with something else: wind them in, fix them, and let the hair cool round them while doing make-up or having breakfast. The idea is nearly a century old: the inventor Solomon Harper made the first electrically heated rollers in 1930.
Size decides the result. Smaller rollers give tighter, springier curls, 32mm gives classic bouncy curls, and the big 38 to 44mm rollers give volume and loose waves. Leaving them in until the hair has cooled is what makes the style last, as Remington’s instructions say. The rollers get very hot in the middle, so hold them by the ends and keep the set out of children’s reach while it heats and cools, as BaByliss advises.
What matters
- Roller size: small for tight curls, 32mm for bouncy curls, 38mm and up for volume and waves.
- How many: 20 cover long or thick hair; 8 to 10 suit volume and quick top-ups.
- Clips or pins, and whether the clips heat up too.
- Heat settings, to go gentler on fine or coloured hair.
#1 of 4
Best overall
Remington PROluxe Heated Rollers (H9100, 20 rollers)
£59.99 RRP
Twenty velvet-flocked rollers in two sizes are ready in about 90 seconds, and the hinged clips heat up with them, which Remington says lets curls set in five minutes.
What owners say: Owners like how quickly they heat up and the big, bouncy curls they give on long, thick hair.
Heads up: Keep the lid closed until the rollers are ready, as Remington advises, so they heat through evenly.
A closer look: Remington’s instructions say to leave them in while the hair cools, for five to ten minutes, which is what makes the curl last. The medium rollers suit the crown and the pieces round the face, the large ones the lengths, and the cord wraps round the base when it’s put away.
- 20 rollers: 8 × 25mm, 12 × 32mm
- Ready in about 90 seconds
- Heated hinged clips
- Velvet-flocked finish
- Cool-touch ends
Best for: Quick, bouncy curls
- Rollers
- 20
- Sizes
- 8 × 25mm, 12 × 32mm
- Heat settings
- One
- Clips or pins
- Heated clips
#2 of 4
Runner-up
BaByliss Thermo-Ceramic Heated Rollers (3035U, 20 rollers)
£30–£50 Price range
Three sizes, from 19mm for tighter curls to 32mm for loose ones and volume, and a heat dial BaByliss suggests turning down for fine, bleached or coloured hair and up for thick hair.
What owners say: They heat quickly and are easy to get on with, owners report, and the curls come out with a nice shine.
A closer look: One roller carries a dot that turns from red to white once the set is hot enough, so there’s no guessing. The small rollers work round the face and at the nape, the large ones on top for lift, and the set can be pinned or clipped depending on how firm a hold the hair needs.
- 20 rollers in three sizes
- Adjustable heat dial
- Heat-ready dot on one roller
- 10 super clips and 20 pins
- Switches itself off after 72 minutes
Best for: Mixed curl sizes
- Rollers
- 20
- Sizes
- 8 × 32, 6 × 25, 6 × 19mm
- Heat settings
- Adjustable dial
- Clips or pins
- 10 clips, 20 pins
#3 of 4
Best for travel
TRESemmé Volume Heated Rollers (3039U, 10 × 32mm)
£20–£30 Price range
Ten large rollers for body and soft, loose curls rather than tight ones, in a compact set that’s dual voltage and zips into a soft case, so it can come on holiday.
What owners say: Owners are pleased that all ten heat together, and find the large size gives body in minutes and packs small for trips.
Heads up: Dual voltage means it works abroad, but it still needs a plug adapter outside the UK.
A closer look: Ten rollers are enough for medium to long hair when the aim is lift at the crown and soft bends through the lengths rather than a full head of curls. Leave them in until the hair has cooled completely, then loosen the curls with fingers before reaching for a brush.
- 10 large 32mm rollers
- All heat at once
- Dual voltage
- Soft zip-up carry case
- 10 metal pins
Best for: Volume on the go
- Rollers
- 10
- Sizes
- 10 × 32mm
- Heat settings
- One (high heat)
- Clips or pins
- 10 metal pins
#4 of 4
Best premium
T3 Volumising Hot Rollers Luxe Set (8 rollers)
£139.99 RRP
The biggest rollers here, 44mm and 38mm, for smooth volume and soft waves, with two heat settings and a velvet flocking T3 says boosts shine.
What owners say: Owners praise the build quality and say their waves hold for longer than usual.
A closer look: With only eight rollers, it’s made for big sections and a blow-dried look rather than tight curls, so it suits hair from shoulder length down. The insulated rims stay cool enough to hold while winding, and the whole set packs into its case.
- 4 × 44mm and 4 × 38mm rollers
- Two heat settings
- Velvet flocking, insulated rims
- 8 crease-free clips
- Storage and travel case
Best for: Big, smooth volume
- Rollers
- 8
- Sizes
- 4 × 44mm, 4 × 38mm
- Heat settings
- Two
- Clips or pins
- 8 clips
How they compare
| Feature | #1Remington PROluxe | #2BaByliss Thermo-Ceramic | #3TRESemmé 32mm | #4T3 Volumising Luxe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best for travel | Best premium | |
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 7.6 |
| Price | £59.99 RRP | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £139.99 RRP |
| Rollers | 20 | 20 | 10 | 8 |
| Sizes | 8 × 25mm, 12 × 32mm | 8 × 32, 6 × 25, 6 × 19mm | 10 × 32mm | 4 × 44mm, 4 × 38mm |
| Heat settings | One | Adjustable dial | One (high heat) | Two |
| Clips or pins | Heated clips | 10 clips, 20 pins | 10 metal pins | 8 clips |
| Best for | Quick, bouncy curls | Mixed curl sizes | Volume on the go | Big, smooth volume |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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