One of the reasons why I so rarely blow out my own hair is because of the physical gymnastics it requires. I've yet to figure out the proper angle to hold my brush and blow dryer so that I can achieve the same gorgeous, bouncy locks with which my hairdresser always leaves me. Turns out that there's a solution: investing in one of the best blow-dry brushes. These clever hot tools combine the function of a brush with the heat of a blow dryer so that you can easily style your damp hair — sometimes even one-handed. While they all feature ionic technology and adjustable heat settings, which model you choose will depend on what kind of hair style you want to achieve.
Just like a regular hair brush, when shopping for a blow dryer brush, you'll notice that there are different shapes and sizes. The rounder the brush, the more volume you'll be able to create because the barrel gives you the ability to lift at the root and continue drying on the way down the shaft. These circular barrels are particularly great for people with curly or wavy hair because the shorter bristles provide the right amount of tension to stretch hair as it bends. You can also use a cylinder-shaped hot tool to give your hair loose waves as you would with a curling iron, just look for a more narrow barrel.
Hot tools with bristles on one side — like a flat paddle brush or one with comb attachments — are ideal for creating straighter styles. Finally, you'll note that most of these devices have a vented design with either soft nylon bristles, ball-tipped bristles, or a combination of the two. These are meant to gently detangle knots and enhance shine.
Your days of tired blowout arms are almost behind you. Ahead, find the best hair dryer brushes available on Amazon — and they're all under $60.
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It's impossible to talk about about hair dryer brushes without mentioning the Revlon One-Step. With a solid 4.4-star rating and over 18,000 positive reviews, this device has become an icon in its category. While it only has three heat and speed settings (and a cool function), this hot tool will still work its magic across multiple hair types and skill levels — especially beginners, because it's so easy to use. The large, oval-shaped brush is flanked by a combination of bristles (nylon and boar), which work together to lift and volumize from the root while smoothing everything down.
The One-Step also has an ionic generator and ceramic-coated vents that help reduce frizz as you dry and keep the heat evenly distributed. It's the priciest buy on this list, but it's well worth it for a tool that users call a "life changer" and a "serious time saver."
Rave review: "I'm a bit of a skeptic. I take that back, I'm a lot of a skeptic, so I ordered this expecting to have this wonderful hair tool full fail every expectation I had and every claim Revlon made. Well, now I'm a believer! I timed my hair the other day from fully wet (about 5 minutes after my shower and with my hair wrapped in a towel during that time) to dry and it was 5 minutes. 5 MINUTES!!!!! Now, I only did a few hair curls in the front because I was rushing to work, but it looked voluminous and shiny."
With a circumference of just 1.5 inches, the barrel on this John Frieda Hot Air Brush is more narrow and rounder than the Revlon One-Step, making it ideal for those with shoulder-length hair (or shorter) because it's easier to maneuver. This brush also boasts a titanium ceramic base to keep heat damage at bay. It's also built to nix frizz thanks to its mixed nylon and ball-tipped bristles and ionic technology — together, they work to smooth hair and enhance its shine. And it has two heat settings as well as a cool shot function, so you can seal in the silkiness once you're done styling.
Note: You can also pick up this John Frieda model in a 1-inch barrel size, too.
Rave review: "If I could give this 10 stars I would, just did my hair for the first time with this. I have a bob cut and my arm got so sore holding the blow dryer and my round brush. This makes it so easy now, I use my blow dryer to get my hair kind of dry and then I used this, wow! I love how this works."
For a straighter, sleeker look, reach for the paddle brush version of the Revlon One-Step. It has many of the same features as the oval model, but this one is better for those looking to smooth things out without adding as much volume. Its large paddle brush has plenty of surface area to dry your hair faster, and like its rounder sister, it features ionic technology to reduce frizz and add shine. With two heat settings and a cool shot function, you can style your hair quickly and lock in shine without causing too much damage.
Rave review: "Oh my oh my. This is every curly natural haired girls best friend! I have a good amount of hair and it blow dried my hair will minimal shed (which never happens!). It’s so easy to use, but remember to use a heat protectant spray and it will leave your hair so soft! I love this tool, I won’t use anything else ever."
The unique feature of this hot air brush is its automatic rotating head, which gives your hands and arms even more of a break because it does more of the work for you (though you can choose to turn the rotation off). You can also pick which direction it spins and which size barrel you want (both a 1.5- and 2-inch barrel are included), which makes it easy to achieve your own preferred curl pattern. With that said, don't expect it to create tight ringlets — several of its more than 2,000 Amazon reviews mention it's best for loose, natural waves.
The device features two heat settings and a cool shot function as well as vented, ceramic- and tourmaline-coated barrels for even heat distribution. Unlike the picks above, you won't find any ball-tipped bristles; iInstead, it boasts soft nylon bristles for gentle detangling.
Note: This pick has ionic technology, which will help dry your hair faster, but for the most optimal results, the brand recommends using it on hair that's not wet but is closer to 70 or 80% dry.
Rave review: "This dries my hair really well and does a great job of reducing frizz. It’s also great for someone who has trouble holding a hair dryer for too long or needs a light weight hair dryer. What I really love about it is that when the brush turns it holds my hair very well, but as soon as I release the button it releases my hair without tangling, unlike some of the other rotating brushes I’ve used."
If a round brush isn't your thing, consider this Conair 3-in-1 Ceramic Styler, which comes with three different attachments: A wide-tooth comb for detangling, a nylon bristle brush for volume, and a dual-row comb for straightening. It has ionic and tourmaline ceramic technology for smoothing and heat protection, as well as three heat and two speed settings, plus a cool shot function.
Rave review: "Works great, gets HOT, really straightens hair so you barely need a flat iron. The comb 'clip' is a little awkward at first, but it locks into place nicely. I have long, VERY curly hair, comb never slipped and I dried my hair within 30 mins! Cool!"
