Topic
Choosing a tool
A hair dryer does the drying, a hot air brush dries and shapes in one pass, and a multi-styler adds curl barrels and brushes on one handle. The right one depends on your hair type, its length and the look you want most days.
- Fastest drying
- a high-airflow dryer with a concentrator
- One-step blowout
- an oval or round hot air brush
A hair dryer moves the most air, so it is usually the quickest way to get hair dry. On its own it gives a rough dry; with a concentrator and a round brush it can give a smooth blowout, and with a diffuser it suits curls. It is also the tool most people already know how to use.
A hot air brush (also sold as a blow dryer brush) combines a brush head with a heater and fan. It dries and smooths in one pass, which many people find easier than holding a dryer and a brush at once. Most work best on hair that is already rough dried to about 80 percent.
A multi-styler such as the Dyson Airwrap or Shark FlexStyle uses one motor with swappable heads: curl barrels, round and paddle brushes and a smoothing dryer. The curl barrels need enough hair length to wrap one or two turns. The styler finder matches a tool type to your hair type, length and goal.
Common mistakes
- Buying curl barrels for hair that is too short to wrap around them.
- Expecting a hot air brush to dry soaking wet hair as fast as a dryer.
- Choosing a tool by the number of attachments rather than the two or three you will actually use.
Pages on this topic
- Is the Dyson Supersonic worth it?Is the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer worth the price? What you pay for, which Supersonic model fits whom, and lower-priced high-speed alternatives to compare.Explainer
- Is the Dyson Airwrap worth it?Is the Dyson Airwrap worth the money? What you pay for, why it costs so much, who gets the most from it, who should skip it, and cheaper tools that cover one job.Explainer
- How to choose a hair dryer: watts, weight, motor and attachmentsHow to choose a hair dryer: what wattage, motor type, weight, heat and speed settings, attachments, ions, noise and voltage mean, and which matter for your hair.How-to
- Dyson Airwrap vs AirstraitDyson Airwrap vs Airstrait: curls and volume from a multi-styler or wet-to-straight drying from an air straightener. Facts from Dyson listings and specs.Comparison
- Blow dryer brush vs blow dryer and round brushBlow dryer brush vs blow dryer and round brush: one-handed convenience against control and finish, with listed options like ghd Duet, Drybar and T3.Comparison
- Traveling with a hair dryer or Airwrap: voltage, carry-on and adaptersCan you bring a hair dryer or Dyson Airwrap on a plane, and will it work abroad? Carry-on rules, dual voltage, plug adapters and converters explained.How-to
- Hot air brush vs straightener: which is better for youHot air brush vs straightener: a wet-to-dry blowout with volume against flat ironing dry hair for a sleek finish. Compare results, time and heat for your hair.Comparison
- Dyson Airwrap vs Supersonic: which one do you needDyson Airwrap vs Supersonic: a multi-styler that curls and smooths against a fast hair dryer. Pick by hair type, routine and how much styling you want to do.Comparison
- Dyson Airwrap vs a curling ironDyson Airwrap vs a curling iron or wand: air curling on damp hair against hot barrels on dry hair. Compare time, curl hold, heat and learning curve.Comparison
- Air dry or blow dry: time, finish and when each worksShould you air dry or blow dry your hair? How the two compare on time, finish and frizz, how to do each well, and how to blow dry daily with care.Explainer