Best hot brushes 2026, tried and tested on every hair type

The best hot brush can be used to style your hair easily into a voluminous, salon-style blow-dry.  

Many can be used on damp hair to finish drying while styling, and are multipurpose so can curl and straighten too.  

We’ve tested every generation of the Dyson Airwrap against rivals – including the GHD Rise, Shark FlexStyle, Shark Glam, Revlon Hair Dryer Brush and more – to see if there's a worthy Airwrap dupe. 

Our diverse panel of testers, with hair types ranging from 1 (straight) to 4C (tight afro curls), tried every hot brush. We found four Best Buys that blew away the competition, giving a flawless result from root to tip.

The hot brushes we tested

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All the hot brushes we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best hot brushes from our tests.

Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.

Babyliss Air Wand

Most recently tested July 2024

Accessories Straightening brush, curved blow-dry brush

Cable length 240cm

Temperature settings 4

Speed settings 3

Weight with round brush 560g

Beauty Works Aeris Multi-styler 

Most recently tested July 2024

Accessories Pre-styling hair dryer, 30mm airflow curler, 40mm airflow curler, smoothing paddle brush, oval volumising brush, XL round blowout brush, storage case

Cable length 235cm

Temperature settings 4 (60°C, 90°C and 120°C and cool mode) 

Speed settings 3

Weight with round brush 580g 

Dyson Airwrap Co-anda 2x Multi-styler and Dryer

Most recently tested October 2025

Straight/wavy set accessories 30mm Co-anda2x curling barrel, 40mm Co-anda2x curling barrel, fast dryer 2x, round volumising brush 2x, AirSmooth2x attachment, anti-snag loop brush 2x, filter cleaning brush, storage case 

Curly set accessories 40mm Co-anda2x curling barrel, fast dryer 2x, round volumising brush 2x, tension comb, anti-snag loop brush 2x, diffuser, filter cleaning brush, storage case 

Cable length 200cm 

Temperature settings 3

Speed settings 3

Weight with round brush 350g

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Dyson Airwrap i.d. Multi-styler and Dryer

Most recently tested October 2025

Straight/wavy set accessories Conical barrel, 40mm Airwrap long barrel, soft smoothing brush, large round volumising brush, dryer + flyaway smoother, fast dryer, filter cleaning brush, storage case 

Curly set accessories Conical barrel, diffuser, firm smoothing brush, large round volumising brush, wide-tooth comb, fast dryer, filter cleaning brush, storage case 

Cable length 267cm 

Temperature settings 3

Speed settings 3

Weight with round brush 450g

GHD Duet Blow Dry

Most recently tested July 2024

Accessories Storage bag 

Cable length 253cm

Temperature settings 1

Speed settings 1

Weight 540g 

GHD Rise

Most recently tested July 2024

Cable length 253cm

Temperature settings 1

Speed settings 1

Weight 250g 

We've put Dyson, Shark and other cheaper models to the test in our reviews of the best hair dryers and best hair straighteners

Mark Hill Hot Air Brush

Most recently tested July 2024

Cable length 300cm 

Temperature settings 3

Speed settings 2

Weight 500g 

Revamp Progloss Pro Define Perfect Blow Dry

Most recently tested July 2024

Cable length 298cm 

Temperature settings 3

Speed settings 2

Weight 470g 

Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser

Most recently tested July 2024

Cable length 251cm

Temperature settings 3

Speed settings 3

Weight 470g 

Shark FlexStyle 5-in-1 Air Styler and Hair Dryer

Most recently tested July 2024

Accessories Paddle brush, oval brush, 2 x curlers (left and right barrels), styling concentrator, diffuser, storage case

Cable length 257cm 

Temperature settings 3

Speed settings 3

Weight with round brush 600g 

Shark Glam Multi-Styler

Most recently tested October 2025

Straight/wavy set accessories Auto-wrap curlers, styling concentrator, Silki straightening tool, Glossi blow-dry tool, FrizzFighter tool

Curly set accessories Auto-wrap curlers, styling concentrator, Silki straightening tool, Glossi blow-dry tool, diffuser

Cable length 244cm 

Temperature settings 3

Speed settings 3

Weight with round brush 550g 

How we test hot brushes

We buy the bestselling hot brushes and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.

Each panel member spends time using all the hot brushes on test to get their hair into their preferred style, whether that's blow-drying, curling or straightening. This enables them to fairly compare each model and put the results in proper context. 

We're careful to make sure our testers have a wide range of hair types, from 1 (straight) to 4C (tight afro curls). Our testers give each hot brush scores for styling and ease of use – and, after using them all, tell us which is their favourite.

We regularly revisit the hot brushes on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing. When we find them, we do so. 

We also conduct the following tests on each hot brush: 

• Weight The heavier the hot brush, the faster your arm will get tired when holding it above your head to dry your hair, so we weigh each one. For those with multiple attachments, we weigh them with the round brush attachment, as these were the most popular with our testers. The heaviest weighs 630g compared with the lightest at 250g.
• Cable length You'll want a long cord if you like to hold the hot brush up to a mirror as you style, so we measure the length of each cable. You can get a 3-metre reach with the longest cable we found, and just 182cm with the shortest. 
• Versatility We look for hot brushes with a range of useful attachments for different styles, such as brushes and curlers, plus a good range of speed and temperature settings.
• Noise With a decibel (dB) meter, we measure how noisy each hot brush is. As most dry and style the hair, they make a similar noise to a hair dryer. But we did find a few that were louder than most.
• Energy use We use an energy meter to see how much it would cost in electricity to use each hot brush for two hours every week for a year. We didn't discover huge differences – you'd save £32.33 a year by using the most efficient hot brush that dries compared with the least efficient. 

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent

How to clean Dyson Airwrap filter

To keep your Dyson Airwrap working at its best, clean the filter regularly – about once a month. When it’s time, you’ll see a white or red light flashing on the barrel. Cleaning helps to remove dust and debris, ensuring proper airflow so your Airwrap can dry and style your hair efficiently. Here's how to do it:

1. Gently rotate the filter cage anti-clockwise and pull it down and away from the barrel.
2. Wash the filter cage under a warm, running tap. For a deep clean, leave it to soak in warm, soapy water for 30 minutes.
3. Shake the filter cage to remove most of the excess water, then leave it to dry.
4. On the Airwrap itself, slide the filter cleaning brush (included with the attachments) onto the filter mesh.
5. Using an up-and-down motion, clean the filter with the cleaning brush until all the dust and debris has been removed.
6. Once the filter cage is completely dry, rotate it back into position on the Airwrap so it's ready to use again. 

Is the Dyson Airwrap worth it?

If you can't decide between bouncy curls or a sleek blow-dry, the Dyson Airwrap gives you the flexibility to choose your style thanks to its range of attachments. The latest models offer even more customisation, with sets designed to suit curly and straight hair. However, this doesn't come cheap – prices now go up to £580.

We’ve tested all the Dyson Airwraps. Join Which? to find out if they're worth the investment. 

Or, if you're considering a cheaper alternative, see how the Shark Glam compared to the Dyson Airwrap Co-anda 2x over a week. 

Keep your body hair trimmed with one of our best razors for women

How to use a Dyson Airwrap

All the Dyson Airwraps come with lots of attachments, whether you want to style your hair curly, straight or with a blow-dry.

• For curls We'd recommend using the Airwrap barrels on slightly damp hair. Brush and section your hair, then introduce the bottom of a small section of hair to the arrows on the barrel. The rest of your hair will wrap around the barrel by itself. Leave it for around 15 seconds to dry and style, set the curl with a cool shot for around five to 10 seconds, then switch it off to release the curl. 
• For volume Section your hair and use the round volumising brush from root to tip. Roll the hair around the brush for a bouncy blow-dry finish. 
• For a straight style Section the hair and use the firm smoothing brush from root to tip for a sleek style. 

Handy hair styling tutorials are available on the Dyson website and the MyDyson app.

Using the MyDyson app

You can use both the Dyson Airwrap Co-anda 2x and Airwrap i.d. with the MyDyson app. Using the i.d. curl feature, the app creates a personalised curling routine based on your hair type, skill level and desired style. Once paired via Bluetooth, the Airwrap automatically runs the sequence, timing the wrapping, styling and cool shot for you. There’s no need to switch buttons or adjust settings manually.