Top 4 compared
The best hot air brushes
Hair dried and styled in the same strokes, for the smooth, full bounce of a salon blow-dry done at home.
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The top 4 at a glance
A hot air brush is a hair dryer and a round brush in one: warm air blows out through a bristled oval barrel, so hair dries and takes its shape in the same pass. A big barrel suits long hair and a full, classic blowout; a smaller one gets closer to the roots on shorter cuts, and travel versions shrink the whole thing to about the size of a hairbrush.
They work best on towel-dried hair rather than dripping wet, with a heat protection spray first, and a cool setting at the end of each section helps the shape hold. Most are ionic, which makers say cuts down frizz and static. Most also run on 120V only, so a brush for trips abroad needs to be dual voltage.
What matters
- A low heat setting, for fine or colour-treated hair.
- Nylon pins and tufted bristles together, for grip and shine.
- Weight, since it’s held up for the whole blowout.
#1Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer and Hot Air Brush (2.8 in, RVDR5222F)
$50–$75
One tool dries and styles: the 71 mm (2.8 in) oval barrel smooths mid-length to long hair while its rounded edges lift the roots and curl the ends. Revlon’s original one-step brush has cool, low and high settings, tourmaline ionic airflow and a mix of nylon pins and tufted bristles to grip each section.
What owners say: Surprisingly easy to use, owners say, and it dries hair fast while smoothing it as it goes. They find it reliable from one blow-dry to the next.
A closer look: Rough-dry hair to about three-quarters dry with the brush pointing down the lengths, then take sections from the back forward and roll the ends under on the last pass for the bounce. Revlon pitches this larger barrel at longer hair; anyone with a bob should look at the smaller Plus below.
- Rounded edges lift the roots
- Ionic airflow
- Ceramic-coated barrel
- 3-year limited warranty
Best for: Big blowouts on longer hair
- Brush or barrel
- 71 mm (2.8 in) oval
- Heat settings
- 2 + cool
- Bristles
- Nylon pins and tufted
- Detachable head
- No
- Power
- 1100W
- Cord
- 1.8 m (6 ft), swivel
- Weight
- 740 g (1.6 lb)
#2slopehill Mini Dual-Voltage Hot Air Brush (CS-1012)
$30–$50
A hot air brush for the suitcase: one button switches it between 120V and 240V, a European plug comes in the box, and at 25 cm long and 363 g (13 oz) it’s much smaller than a full-size brush. The 1000W motor blows through a vented oval barrel with ionic airflow, with two heat and two speed settings.
What owners say: Owners love how much smaller and lighter it is than a regular brush dryer, and how easily it packs. It still has plenty of power, they say, and the dual voltage earns it a place in the suitcase.
A closer look: Set the voltage switch for the country before plugging in, and fit the European plug where the outlets need it. On longer hair, work in narrower sections than you would with a full-size brush, and roll the ends under on the last pass.
- One-button 120V/240V switch
- European plug included
- 25 cm long
- Overheat protection
- Ionic airflow
Best for: Trips abroad and carry-ons
- Brush or barrel
- Mini oval
- Heat settings
- 2 heat, 2 speeds
- Bristles
- –
- Detachable head
- –
- Power
- 1000W
- Cord
- 360° swivel, length not given
- Weight
- 363 g (13 oz)
#3TYMO Volumizer Hot Air Brush (HC300, gold)
$50–$75
The big-barrel blowout from another maker: a titanium-coated oval barrel the same 71 mm (2.8 in) as the Revlon’s, a vent that sends air out all the way around it, which TYMO says gives half as much drying area again, and a 1200W motor, the most powerful here. Three settings run from cool to hot, set by a ring at the base of the handle that’s hard to knock by accident.
What owners say: It tames frizz and takes the effort out of a blow-dry, owners find, and they’d happily point a friend to it. Its size is the one thing a few aren’t happy with.
A closer look: Start on the warm, low-speed setting for fine hair and keep the hot one for thick sections, finishing each with the cool setting to set the shape. It’s built for 120V outlets only, so it stays at home on trips abroad.
- 360° air vent
- Titanium-coated barrel
- Settings ring on the handle
- Overheat protection
- 120V only
Best for: Fast drying that tames frizz
- Brush or barrel
- 71 mm (2.8 in) oval
- Heat settings
- 3, incl. cool
- Bristles
- Nylon pins and tufted
- Detachable head
- No
- Power
- 1200W
- Cord
- 1.8 m (5.9 ft), swivel
- Weight
- 570 g (1.3 lb)
#4Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus Hair Dryer and Hot Air Brush (2.4 in, RVDR5298F)
$50–$75
The smaller Revlon: a 61 mm (2.4 in) oval barrel that gets closer to the roots for lift, flips and soft waves on chin-length to mid-length hair, with four settings instead of three and a brush head that pulls off for packing, which also leaves a plain dryer. Charcoal-infused pins help detangle as it goes.
What owners say: Far easier than a dryer and a separate brush, owners say, and it takes 10 to 15 minutes off drying and styling. How hot it gets and how big it is are where opinions part.
A closer look: Pop the brush head off and it packs flat in a suitcase, with the base left as a small dryer for a quick rough-dry. On a bob, work in small sections and twist the barrel under at the ends; the medium setting is the one for fine hair, saving high for thick sections.
- Doubles as a dryer
- Packs flat in a suitcase
- 3-year limited warranty
Best for: Bobs and mid-length cuts
- Brush or barrel
- 61 mm (2.4 in) oval
- Heat settings
- 3 + cool
- Bristles
- Charcoal-infused nylon pins
- Detachable head
- Yes
- Power
- 1100W
- Cord
- –
- Weight
- 690 g (1.5 lb)
How they compare
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| Feature | #1Revlon One-Step 2.8 in | #2slopehill Mini | #3TYMO Volumizer | #4Revlon One-Step Plus 2.4 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for travel | Best for shorter hair | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.2 |
| Price | $50–$75 | $30–$50 | $50–$75 | $50–$75 |
| Brush or barrel | 71 mm (2.8 in) oval | Mini oval | 71 mm (2.8 in) oval | 61 mm (2.4 in) oval |
| Heat settings | 2 + cool | 2 heat, 2 speeds | 3, incl. cool | 3 + cool |
| Bristles | Nylon pins and tufted | – | Nylon pins and tufted | Charcoal-infused nylon pins |
| Detachable head | No | – | No | Yes |
| Power | 1100W | 1000W | 1200W | 1100W |
| Cord | 1.8 m (6 ft), swivel | 360° swivel, length not given | 1.8 m (5.9 ft), swivel | – |
| Weight | 740 g (1.6 lb) | 363 g (13 oz) | 570 g (1.3 lb) | 690 g (1.5 lb) |
| Best for | Big blowouts on longer hair | Trips abroad and carry-ons | Fast drying that tames frizz | Bobs and mid-length cuts |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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