Hot air brushes are essential for when you want to be able to create a salon-worthy look from the comfort of your own bedroom. And the best of the best make the task sooo much simpler too, which is perfect since nobody wants to waste time twisting and twirling for nothing. Luckily, nowadays hot air brushes do the brunt of the work for you, without the need of a million hands and serious skill.
The best hot air brushes can only be described as a hybrid between a hair dryer and your hair straighteners/straightening brush, offering a smooth, blowout finish all in one product. The heat emitted from a hot air brush is great for drying your locks as you go, while the included bristles (or similar technology) grasp onto your hair to reduce frizz and style it.
Many hot air brushes also feature detangling nylon bristles that significantly speed up the hair-drying process (which is ideal for those with curly hair), while others boast heat-activated silicone bristles to add shine to your locks. Some hot air brushes also come with barrels infused with haircare ingredients such as coconut oil to help your hair stand out even more too.
Best hot air brushes at a glance – our top picks
- Best rated hot air brush: BaByLiss Hydro Fusion Hot Air Styler, WAS £60 NOW £45, LookFantastic
- Best multi-functional hot air brush: Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long in Vinca Blue And Rosé, £499.99, Boots
- Best hot air brush for thick hair: Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser, WAS £62.99 NOW £32, Amazon
- Best versatile hot air brush: Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Hair Drying System, £299.99, Boots
What is the best hot air brush UK?
For us, the BaByliss Hydro Fusion Air Styler is one of the best hot air brushes on the market right now. Forget hair being left damaged after using this blow dryer brush – instead, it's left silky, soft, shiny and conditioned. It's suitable for long hair, short hair, thick hair and thin hair, has varying heat settings/temperature settings. Consider your hot tools collection elevated.
Superior styling powers.
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To help you figure out what works for your hair, we've put together a full edit below, which includes more affordable options as well as cult favourites to suit every styling need. Here, you'll find options such as the Dyson Airwrap or the Shark FlexStyle as well as the Revlon Salon One-Step, all of which are widely considered to be among the best out there. Enjoy.
For more shoppable beauty content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Twitter @deniseprimbet and Instagram @deniseprimbet.
Here's our full pick of the best hot air brushes for every budget and hair type.
Why we love it: The most popular hot air brush in this edit, it boasts a large, 50mm rotating brush with a ceramic barrel (to offer a sleek, blow-dry finish) and soft bristles which tame the hair.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 50mm
- Wattage: 700W
- Bristle material: natural boar and nylon
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Advanced plasma technology aims to boost hair growth while a moisture-balancing ionic system works to hydrate the hair and reduce frizz. There are also three temperature settings.
Cons: Works best when hair is sectioned so can take a tad longer.
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Why we love it: Cult for a reason, the Dyson Airwrap styler serves as your hair dryer, hot air brush and curling iron all in one and, would you believe it, it'll create even bouncier locks that your hairdresser could with a blowdry.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 30/40mm
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Creates curls in both directions, monitors the product's airflow temperature to prevent damaging the hair and uses charged particles to minimise frizz.
Cons: Takes time to learn how to use it.
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Why we love it: John Lewis' hot air brush is a lightweight ceramic styler which comes with two Airflow/heat settings and a cool setting with Smoothing Iconic Flow to set the style and achieve glossy results.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 20/25mm
- Wattage: 800W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: A point of difference: it includes a plastic brush for taming and detangling as well as a bristle brush. All bases are covered. Oh, and there's a storage pouch for (future) travels.
Cons: No curl release, like some similar models on the market.
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Why we love it: Unlike other hot air brushes, BaByliss' 2993KSU hot air brush boasts a keratin-infused Ionic and ceramic system which releases ions into the hair to reduce frizz, smooth hair and enhance shine.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 50mm
- Wattage: 1000W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Includes three attachments including a specific volumizing brush for a bouncy finish, as well being a top pick for shorter or finer hair.
Cons: No rotator function or larger barrels available.
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Why we love it: The BaByliss Pro Ionic styler has a ceramic coating which offers a smooth and frizz-free finish, plus this hot air brush is great for creating bouncy curls.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 34/50mm
- Wattage: 800W
- Bristle material: nylon with epoxy tips
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: The powerful 800W motor on this hot air brush means it can style and dry the hair at the same time. Plus the Ionic Conditioning System volumises your locks while you dry.
Cons: Better for straight hair that doesn't struggle with frizz.
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Why we love it: This hot hair brush tames and smooths dry hair, making for quick and effortless styling - without needing to be handy with a hair dryer.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: N/A
- Bristle material: N/A
- Cool shot: no
Pros: A 185 ºC optimal styling temperature minimises hair damage and hair breakage, while dual length bristles and ionic tech leave hair extra glossy.
Cons: Takes longer than expected to heat up.
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Why we love it: Designed to create double the volume of your air dried hair, the ghd Rise uses the same ultra-zone technology (and consistent heat distribution) as the brand's curling irons for a salon quality finish.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 32mm
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Uses ‘smooth touch’ bristles to style hair right from the root.
Cons: You might need to style in relatively small sections.
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Why we love it: At just £15, can this Tresemme hot air brush really style your hair effectively? The answer is yes, according to an absolute tonne of 5-star Amazon reviews.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 19mm
- Cool shot: no
Pros: It's great for short hair and heats up really quickly.
Cons: The ¾ inch barrel is great for getting close to the root, but given the high temperature, can burn your scalp so use with caution!
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Why we love it: This Big Hair hot air brush is one of the kindest to your hair thanks to the Sensor Protect technology which precisely regulates the heat exerted.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 50mm
- Wattage: 650W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Has a rotating brush head which replicates the action of a hair stylists' blow-dry, without the effort.
Cons: No speed settings on the turning action.
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Why we love it: This powerful 1000W hot air brush comes with four interchangeable attachments, making it one of the most versatile hot air brushes in this edit.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 50mm
- Wattage: 1000W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: The attachments are easy to switch between mid-style with the simple and secure locking system, while the ionic technology boosts shine as you style.
Cons: The handle is quite broad in terms of ease of use.
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Why we love it: This BaByliss hot air brush is currently down from £50 to £44, so we'd recommend snapping it up if you like a discount.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 50mm
- Wattage: 700W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: The ceramic barrel has two different rotation speeds and it leaves hair shinier than ever.
Cons: Better for softer curls.
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Why we love it: A bit of an affordable alternative to the cult Amika blow drying brush, the Babyliss Flawless Volume styler is highly reviewed and our top pick for creating a ‘Rachel’-style blowout.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 38mm
- Wattage: 500W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Includes a three-year guarantee and different length bristles for a super smooth finish.
Cons: Large handle to get a good grip with.
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Why we love it: We're LOVING the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer. Using the same Iconic Technology as previous editions but with a titanium coating, the One-Step makes it so easy to achieve shiny locks.
Product specifications:
- Bristle material: nylon pin bristles with ball tips
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: It's ultra speedy - we spent approx. 10 minutes on a Zoom with one of Revlon's hair stylists, and managed to achieved an Insta-worthy blow dry before the time was up.
Cons: Can be quite loud.
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Why we love it: The Remington Flexibrush offer a really nice and loose curl and you can use it with the steam to achieve even longer lasting curls.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 22.6mm
- Bristle material: nylon bristles
- Cool shot: no
Pros: Heats up in 60-seconds, features a cool tip to prevent burning as well as two different length comb attachments to suit your needs.
Cons: Unsuitable for damp hair and can only be used on dry hair.
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Why we love it: This hair air styler is ideal for taming frizzy hair. Plus, it also gives your hair some extra shine, thanks to its barrel that comes infused with smooth oils such as keratin, argan oil and coconut oil.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 32mm
- Cool shot: no
Pros: Tames frizz easily, has retractable bristles that make it easier to release sections of hair after styling.
Cons: The barrel tends to get much hotter than the bristles.
Why we love it: Ideal for every hair type, this styler from T3 has 15 temperature settings and comes with a smoothing brush and one for wavy styling to suit your needs.
Product specifications:
- Barrel size: 64/76mm
- Wattage: 900W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Contains two interchangeable brushes for smooth and wavy styles.
Cons: A few customers note that the bristles became slightly bent and deformed with constant use.
Why we love it: Incredibly versatile and suitable for all hair types, the Shark FlexStyle has a variety of functions and even doubles as a hair dryer. It comes with a variety of attachments too, including auto-wrap curlers, a paddle brush, an oval shape brush as well as a diffusor and concentrator.
Product specifications:
- Wattage: 1400W
- Cool shot: yes
Pros: Ideal for straight, wavy and thick hair. Leaves hair feeling much smoother.
Cons: Relatively expensive.
Are hot air brushes bad for your hair?
Hot air brushes are widely considered to be better for your hair than hair straighteners. Why? The ceramic plates on hair straighteners reach extremely high temperatures which can dry out your hair pretty sharpish. Hot air stylers don't tend to reach temperatures quite so high, which results in less damage. Either way, you'll want to be using a heat protection spray with your straightener or styling brush to keep it in good condition.
Is a hot air brush better than straighteners?
There are a few benefits to hot air brushes over hair straighteners: the lower temperatures result in less hair damage, they make it easier to build volume and they add shine and they dry your hair at the same time as styling it.
Where to buy a hair dryer brush
In true Amazon fashion, you can find all of the best hot air brushes right there on-site, and you can get them on next day delivery with an Amazon Prime membership – just in time for your next hair wash day.You can also snap up some of the best hot air brushes at the likes of LookFantastic, Boots, ASOS and Cult Beauty.
After more hair tools? Head this way for the best hair dryers, over here for the best hair straighteners and in this direction for curling wands to create beautiful curls. We've also got travel hair dryers for your weekend away, sleep-in rollers, a guide to every GHD hair dryer, the best hair wrap towels and all GHD hair straighteners, and a round-up of the best hair brushes according to a Beauty Editor – including paddle brush and round brush recommendations.
