3 hours ago
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There’s nothing like a beautiful, bouncy blow-dry from your favourite hair salon to put a spring in your step. However, if you don’t want to spend your days – or your cash – at the salon, then a hot brush could be just the styling tool you need.
As the name suggests, a hot brush is a round or paddle-shaped hair-styling tool that either heats up like a straightening iron or uses warm airflow like a hairdryer to dry and style your hair. Depending on the shape and size of the brush, a hot brush can give you anything from a straight, sleek style to volume and lift, or even red-carpet curls.
A good hot brush is a thing of joy because it can provide close to salon-style results with minimum fuss. Brushes that style with warm air can be used for wet-to-dry styling straight from the shower, saving you time, while blow-dry brushes usually style at lower temperatures, reducing the risk of heat damage to your hair.
At a glance
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Best hot brush overall:
GHD Duet Blowdry
From £379 at GHD -
Best budget hot brush:
Revlon One-Step
£29.80 at Amazon -
Best premium multistyler brush and curler:
Dyson AirWrap id
From £429.99 at Dyson -
Best round brush for root lift:
Mark Hill Pick’n’ Mix round brush
£21.99 for handle at Boots
£19.99 for round brush head at Boots -
Best for wet and dry:
BaByliss Air Power Volume
£63.99 at John Lewis
Why you should trust me
I’ve embraced my natural curly hair for many years, but it’s hard to deny that a good professional blowout brings a polish and confidence that everyone else is quick to notice. During lockdown, when you couldn’t get a salon appointment, sales of hot brushes began to take off; as a home-styling tool, I became enamoured of their time-saving ease and effectiveness. As a beauty journalist, I’ve tested dozens, some of which are among my all-time favourite tools – and I always have my own hot brush on standby at home.
How I tested
I tested 11 of the most popular hot brushes on the market, including blow-dry brushes and ceramic hot brushes in various sizes and shapes. I used each of the brushes on my medium-length curly hair straight after washing, and again on the day after washing. I dried my hair fully before testing the ceramic hot brushes, and I gave my day-old hair a quick spritz of water when using the blow-dry brushes.
With each of the brushes, I timed how long the brush took to achieve a relaxed daytime look with a bit of polish, and a more styled look suitable for an evening out. I also took note of how each brush handled when styling, how comfortable it was to hold and how easy it was to get my desired results. I checked the condition of my hair immediately after styling, and wore the finished styles for a typical working day to see how well a style lasted.
After testing, the hot brushes sourced for this article were either returned to the manufacturer or donated to the homelessness charity Crisis for resale.
Here are the hot brushes that performed best in my tests.
The best hot brushes in 2025
Best hot brush overall:
GHD Duet Blowdry
From £379 at GHD
£379 at Amazon
GHD’s blow-dry brush looks slightly terrifying with its black ceramic barrel and spiky teeth, but it does a fantastic job of styling and taming the most unruly hair (including mine) to leave it with amazing shine.
Why we love it
When the Duet was launched last year, GHD’s lineup already included a small range of ceramic hot brushes for styling dry hair (see below). The Duet is a departure for GHD in that it combines the brand’s signature ceramic coating and intelligent heat sensing with warm-air styling at a low temperature of 120C to give great results with less heat damage.
The ceramic-coated plastic bristles look a little scary at first, but they passed through my hair effortlessly without any tugging or snagging. By directing heat evenly over all parts of the tool (bristles and all), the Duet worked quickly even on my Type-3 curly hair. Not only did the hot brush enable quicker styling, which meant less time getting ready in the mornings, but the reduced time that hair is in contact with heat resulted in less dehydration and a shiny, happy finish.
It’s the finish it achieves that sets the Duet Blowdry apart from its competitors – this brush created the healthiest, glossiest look out of all the brushes tested, especially at the drier ends of my hair. It’s also possible to use the Duet to create a range of styles: by simply changing the angle of the brush as I styled, directing and rotating the hair away from my face, I was able to get more of a bouncy, voluminous look; or a sleeker style by stroking the brush downwards. The Duet is a great all-rounder that could happily replace several of your existing styling tools.
It’s a shame that … the Duet Blowdry retails at nearly £380, a fairly hefty price even for this premium brand. Nevertheless, its ability to style at low heat means that if you have fine or damaged hair, or if you style often, your locks might just thank you for the investment.
Wet or dry styling: wet
Motor: 460W
Heat settings: one
Ionic technology: no
Cord length: 2.7m
Best budget hot brush:
Revlon One-Step
£30.99 at Currys
£29.80 at Amazon
Launched in 2016, Revlon’s One-Step is the hot brush that saw air styling go viral, with hundreds of thousands of online posts proclaiming the wonders of the all-in-one paddle brush and blow dryer.
Why we love it
There are good reasons the One-Step is part of many people’s home styling routines: it’s effective, and effortless to use. There are no complicated settings here – simply plug it in and switch it on, and you’re good to go. Warm air (there are two heat settings, plus a cold shot) dries the hair and heats the ceramic barrel to smooth and style the hair within minutes.
The One-Step brush has two kinds of bristles to smooth and shape the hair: nylon bristles that spread out and detangle the hair, and boar bristles that smooth over the outer cuticle for a sleek and shiny finish. Pass the hair over the wider, flatter side for a smooth, straight finish, or curl around the curved edges to lift the roots or slightly curl the ends. That’s all there is to it.
Revlon has introduced upgraded models to its One-Step range, but the original One-Step remains unsurpassed for its simplicity and effectiveness – I have actually received gasps of admiration after styling my hair with it. The ceramic barrel smooths hair with every stroke, and ionic technology leaves hair looking healthy, glossy and frizz-free. If you’re looking for a good wet-to-dry styler at a great price, this is the one I’d recommend.
It’s a shame that … the One-Step doesn’t pretend to be anything other than an all-in-one hair styling brush; it does a simple blowout extremely well, but (unlike some of the other stylers on our list) it doesn’t do anything else.
Wet or dry styling: wet
Motor: 800W
Heat settings: two, plus cold shot
Ionic technology: yes
Cord length: 2m
Best premium multistyler:
Dyson Airwrap id
From £429.99 at Dyson
£479.99 at John Lewis
Dyson’s original Airwrap and its 2022 update introduced the world to the Coandă effect – a method of styling that sees the hair wrap around the Airwrap’s curling barrels like magic, curling the hair without exposure to direct heat. This upgraded id model comes with new attachments and an optional Bluetooth-connected app to automate your styling routine.
Why we love it
The new Airwrap id comes in two versions with different attachments included in the box. The curly/coily hair version includes a round styling brush, a wide-toothed comb for detangling, and a diffuser attachment for softly drying the hair; the wavy/straight version arrives with a handy attachment for hiding flyaways. Both come with a new conical styling barrel, which allows you to choose how tight you’d like your curls – even allowing for a tighter wrap closer to the root for lifted volume and softer ringlets at the ends.
The biggest change from the first two Airwrap models is the smart app, which enables you to connect your Airwrap id to your phone and set up a hair profile with recommended settings for your chosen hair type, texture and style. The Airwrap id can then be fully controlled from the app, wrapping, drying and cooling the hair automatically.
I found the app quite intuitive, while using the recommended settings gave me confidence that I was doing the right thing. Heat and airspeed settings can be independently selected using either the buttons on the handle or through the app, plus a cool shot helps to set the finished look. The Airwrap’s soft curls – noticeably different from my natural pattern – lasted all day and into the next.
It’s a shame that … the Airwrap id costs almost £500 for a complete multistyler set; but it’s more than just a hot brush and will be best suited to those who will use all or most of the attachments. The two models include only the most useful attachments for their given hair type to reduce waste, but I’d like to be able to select (or add on) my preferred attachments.
Wet or dry styling: wet (although touch-ups to dry hair also possible)
Motor: 1,300W
Heat settings: two, plus cold shot
Ionic technology: yes
Cord length: 2.67m
Best round brush for root lift:
Mark Hill Pick ‘N’ Mix round brush
Handle
£21.99 at Boots
From £21.99 at Mark Hill
Round brush head
£19.99 at Boots
£19.99 at Mark Hill
If you like to switch up the way you style your hair, then the Mark Hill Pick ‘N’ Mix system is a neat concept whereby you can add whichever styling attachments you desire to a single heating unit – perfect for changing your hair to match your outfit or your mood.
Why we love it
Dyson should take note: this versatile system lets you choose as many attachments as you like, all at a reasonable price of £22 for the main unit and £10-£20 for each additional attachment. I tried the 48mm round brush in the Pretty in Pink edition – a cute pastel shade that would look good in any millennial bedroom.
The Pick ‘N’ Mix handle/heating unit has one temperature setting of 180C and a simple on-off switch; it’s a hot tool rather than a blow-dry brush, so it’s suitable for use on dry hair only. The ceramic-coated round brush attachment clicks neatly into place and is simple to use: I wrapped sections of dry hair around the barrel and rotated the brush away from the root to create smooth lengths with a voluminous Hollywood lift. For more in the way of a curl, there are curling barrels and tongs in the Pick ‘N’ Mix range, or even a straightening attachment if you prefer a sleeker look. The brush is easy to use and gave my hair a nice soft finish, and I liked the idea of building a collection of mix-and-match tools.
It’s a shame that … the Pick ‘N’ Mix is suitable for styling dry hair only, so it won’t save you time in the morning in the way that a blow-dry brush does – not so much a drawback, more the way the product is designed. However, at this price, I don’t mind too much.
Wet or dry styling: dry
Motor: not applicable
Heat settings: one
Ionic technology: no
Cord length: 3m
after newsletter promotion
Best brush for wet and dry styling:
BaByliss Air Power Volume
£63.99 at John Lewis
£63.99 at Amazon
BaByliss isn’t quite the biggest name in heat styling, but it’s been a consistent player in the market for years – and I’ve been a big fan of the brand’s previous hot-brush offerings. The Air Power Volume, launched last summer, offers wet-to-dry air styling and a dry-styling mode to refresh your look between wash days.
Why we love it
In wet mode, the oval-shaped styling brush with flexible bristles smooths and lifts hair. One switch on the handle controls the combined heat and airflow settings, while a separate button toggles on an ionic anti-frizz mode for extra silky shine. The 1,000W motor made light work of drying my hair, taking me from towel-dry to a wearable everyday style in less than 10 minutes. In dry mode, I found the Air Power’s heated ceramic fins great for finishing or for touching up my style a day or two after.
Using the BaByliss Air Power to style from wet to dry left my hair smooth, soft and sleek all day; and dry mode worked really well for smoothing hair down again the following day. This is a well-designed wet-to-dry air styler for less than £100 that delivers results comparable to some of the more expensive brushes on our list.
It’s a shame that … dry mode on its own wasn’t quite powerful enough to fully style my Type-3 curly hair from a standing start. This may be less of an issue if you have wavy, rather than curly, hair.
Wet or dry styling: both
Motor: 1,000W
Heat settings: two, plus cold shot
Ionic technology: yes
Cord length: 2.5m
The best of the rest
GHD Glide
Best for: straightening long and thick hair
GHD’s Glide hot paddle brush is one of the best alternatives to classic straighteners. Designed to be used on dry hair, the Glide’s ceramic bristles smooth effortlessly, detangle and straighten even thick and curly hair, with ionic technology sealing in moisture and reducing frizz. The tool quickly straightens large sections of hair, so it’s a great replacement for your straighteners if you have long or thick hair and like to wear it straight.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I found the Glide effective on my mid-length hair, but preferred the voluminous look achieved using the Duet Blowdry (above). Nevertheless, this is a fantastic brush for creating sleek styles, especially for those with more hair than I have.
Wet or dry styling: dry; motor: not applicable; heat settings: 1; ionic technology: yes; cord length: 2.7m
Shark SmoothStyle
£66.50 at Shark
£66.50 at Amazon
Best for: fine and delicate hair
Shark’s SmoothStyle wet-or-dry styling brush can be used on damp hair as a blow-drying brush, drying and styling in one easy step; or in dry mode, it works more like a ceramic hot-styling brush, perfect for touching up your styled hair in the evening or following day.
In wet mode, the SmoothStyle’s 900W motor blows air through the brush vents, and you can choose from three heat settings: 50C if your hair’s on the fine or delicate side; 70C for regular hair; and 100C if you have thicker hair that’s a bit tougher to dry and style. It’s easy to switch settings – just give the base of the brush a slight twist and you’re good to go. I loved the way my hair felt after styling with the SmoothStyle, and at its lowest temperature setting, it would be a great choice for fine, brittle or even artificial hair.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I found my style lasted just a little longer with the BaByliss (above) – but they’re both very good products at a similar price.
Wet or dry styling: both; motor: 900W; heat settings: three in blow-dry mode; one in dry mode; ionic technology: no; cord length: 2.4m
Hershesons The Multi-Tasker
Best for: budget multistyler
Not quite an Airwrap dupe, since it uses heated barrels rather than air to style, but the Hershesons Multi-Tasker is still a rival in the multistyling space as it comes with three attachments to smooth, lift and curl hair. It comes in two variants by hair length – I tried the Multi-Tasker for short hair, which comes with a 38mm round brush for a voluminous faux-blowout, a 30mm brush for voluminous waves, and a 25mm curling wand for more defined curls, all in an eye-catching shade of cobalt blue.
I found the two brush attachments worked well on my curly hair when I styled it from dry in its natural pattern. For best results with the curling wand, I found it was necessary to dry my hair straight-ish first before styling, which added an extra step. The finished results were good with all three attachments, however, and lasted a full day of wear.
It didn’t make the final cut because … as with the Mark Hill curler above, the Multi-Tasker is designed for use only on dry hair, which is a drawback if you’re hoping to save time on styling. The Airwrap has the edge for styling in multiple ways from wet to dry.
Wet or dry styling: dry; motor: not applicable; heat settings: four; ionic technology: no; cord length: 2.5m
What you need to know
Hot brushes aren’t an entirely new idea – I can still remember my mum’s round brush with aluminium heating plates from the 1980s. However, the hot brush market has expanded significantly over the past decade, with today’s models offering far more advanced features than my mum’s old brush. Today you’ll find they have multiple heat settings, intelligent heat control to reduce damage, ceramic coatings for gentler styling, and ionic technology to lock moisture into hair.
Types of hot brushes
Hot brushes generally fall into two categories. The first uses hot plates, similar to those found in straighteners or curling irons, to heat the hair and reshape it. The second type, the blow-dry brush, uses warm air to dry and style hair, often combined with a ceramic barrel. Blow-dry brushes are designed for use on damp hair and can dry and style at the same time, which is fantastic for saving you time on your morning routine. They usually deliver a voluminous finish, similar to a professional salon blowout. Ceramic hot brushes, like straighteners, are used on dry hair.
The shape of the brush you choose will affect the type of styles you can create. Flat, paddle-shaped brushes are great for straightening and smoothing, while round brushes add lift at the roots and curl at the ends (with smaller barrels creating tighter curls). Oval-shaped brushes allow for both, smoothing along the long edge and curling or lifting with the rounded corners. Most blow-dry brushes are either round or oval in shape, giving lift and slight curl to the hair; ceramic brushes are usually either round or paddle-shaped.
How to use a hot brush
To use a blow-dry brush, start with towel-dried hair. Section hair, working from the bottom to the top. Pull the brush through the hair from the root to the end, creating tension as you go (as you would when drying your hair with a separate brush and dryer), while also rotating the brush as you go if it’s round. If your brush has the setting, you can optionally finish with a cool shot of air to help reduce the temperature of your hair and fix the style.
With a ceramic hot brush, start with dry hair and section it. Slowly glide the brush down each section, pulling the hair taut. Let each section cool briefly before moving on. Finish with your favourite hairspray to fix the style in place.
Can you buy a refurbished hot brush?
Premium hot brushes command a hefty price tag. If you’d like to save some cash and consider sustainability, it’s worth looking for refurbished options on manufacturer websites. Manufacturer-refurbished models are tested for electrical safety and covered by a warranty, so you won’t be out of pocket if a problem arises. Some brands also offer trade-in programmes, where you can exchange an old tool for a discount on the latest model. If you’re looking for an even more budget-friendly hot brush, I’ve included some excellent options here for less than £50.
Lise Smith is a freelance writer with more than 15 years of experience covering beauty, lifestyle, parenting and the performing arts. She loves any beauty tool or product that can guarantee an extra 10 minutes in bed
