While fleeting trends like dip-dye and doughnut buns come and go, tousled beach waves remain an enduring classic. Favoured by everyone from Hailey Bieber to Margot Robbie, this effortless, S-bend “mermaid hair” delivers instant volume and texture, though nailing the look with standard straighteners often takes serious effort.
That is where hair wavers step in. Typically designed with three conjoined heated barrels, these clever hot tools crimp locks into uniform, undone bends in seconds, whether you prefer loose, relaxed ripples or tighter, defined curves. While mermaid waves are a hero come summer, as someone who struggles to style my hair, the best hair wavers are an effortless way to add an attractive look to my hair all year round.
To help you find the right tool for your routine, I put the market leaders to the test, evaluating models from GHD, Mark Hill, Remington, and more. From barrel size and ease of use to heat settings and longevity, here are the hair wavers that truly deliver salon-worthy results.
Read more: Best hair straighteners for every hair type, tried and tested
The best hair wavers for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Beauty Works jumbo waver: £83, Lookfantastic.com
- Best budget buy – Revlon wave master jumbo waver: £35.14, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for loose waves – GHD wave triple barrel hair waver: £159, Lookfantastic.com
- Best set – Hershesons the multi-tasker, long set: £195, Hershesons.com
- Best for precise waves – BaByliss deep waves hair waver: £55, Amazon.co.uk
Read more: Best volumising hair products for bouncy hair, tested by a beauty expert
Beauty Works jumbo waver
Best: hair waver overall
Why we love it
- Created gorgeous, glossy waves
- Lots of heat settings
- Quick and easy to get through my thick hair
Take note
- Be cautious near your skin as the tool gets very hot
True to its name, if you like big, looser waves, the Beauty Works jumbo waver is one to consider. I used it on my long hair, and I was really impressed with how the tool created an even and consistent look all over my head, taking a matter of seconds to complete each section and just 15 minutes for the whole look.
Due to the waver’s size – each barrel measures 25mm – it was slightly difficult to reach the roots but I found that I actually preferred the look created, as it was a more laidback, natural finish that had good shine. There’s lots of heat settings to pick from, between 80 to 220C and it reached the desired heat (180 worked perfectly for me) in about 90 seconds. It has just three buttons – one for power and two to increase or decrease temperature – making it extremely user-friendly, too. I’d warn, the outside gets really hot so be careful around your scalp and ears.
Key specifications
Buy now £83, Lookfantastic.com
GHD wave triple barrel hair waver
Best: hair waver for beachy waves
Why we love it
- Gave soft, beachy waves
- Easy to use
- Hair looked shiny
Take note
- No heat adjustability
- Pricey
I loved the GHD hair waver for giving soft, undone, beachy waves, where other wavers could only manage tighter ones. Its large size makes it really quick to use, running it down my hair without the worry of it creating kinks where my precision goes askew. There’s no variability when it comes to heat settings as it's set at 185C, but GHD says this is the optimum styling temperature and I found it worked well for my thicker hair.
Where its price feels justified is the shine the barrels gave my hair, with zero frizz in sight – after styling I was complimented on the effect. Be careful not to catch your skin on the styler as its large size can be clumsy to use.
Key specifications
Buy now £159, Lookfantastic.com
Revlon wave master jumbo waver
Best: budget hair waver
Why we love it
- Impressive budget device
- Once get the hang of it, it’s easy to use
- Lots of heat variability
Take note
- Waves are tighter
Known for their budget-friendly hair tools, Revlon’s wave master jumbo waver is an impressive, well-priced device that I enjoyed using on my hair to give medium-sized, voluminous waves that have a nice curve to them. You have to get used to the large clamp-down handle, but once you do, it’s really easy to use and a good size that can get to the roots and avoids singeing my skin.
Aside from the price and easy handling, what makes this waver stand out is the 30 heat options you can choose from, so there’s lots of variability depending on your hair type.
Key specifications
Buy now £35.14, Amazon.co.uk
Hershesons the multi-tasker, long set
Best: hair waver set
Why we love it
- Soft and defined waves at the same time
- Kink-free effect
- Quick to get through thick hair
Take note
- Expensive but you get three tools
Hershesons’s tools are known for their salon-level results – we highly rated the hair curler for example, so I was excited to give their waver a whirl. You can’t buy it outside of the multi-tasker set which limits you if you already have a round brush and curler you like, but if you don’t, I really recommend the set.
With a 32mm size barrel, expect large, beachy waves that were soft and kink-free on my hair. I found the size a little clumsy to use at first, but once I was used to it, it was quick to use through my thick hair, and I liked that it balanced definition with smoothness so my hair wasn’t too voluminous off my face – my favourite look out of the ones I tested. There’s four heat settings, ranging from 150 to 210C.
Key specifications
Buy now £195, Hershesons.com
BaByliss deep waves hair waver
Best: hair waver for precise waves
Why we love it
- Easy handling
- Cool areas to hold when using
- Got to temperature quickly
Take note
- Gives tighter waves
- A little kinky
The BaByliss hair waver looks similar to the Remington and Revlon and, like those models, the styler’s smaller size made handling easier than larger models, but naturally created tighter waves. You have to be a little more precise in your placement, as the indents are more obvious than with the GHD hair waver for example, and I found the effect a little kinky in places.
That said, it got to temperature really quickly, and was speedy to work with, producing consistently structured waves. There’s three temperatures to choose from, between 160 to 200C, and I appreciated the cool areas to hold while you work.
Key specifications
Buy now £55, Amazon.co.uk
Mark Hill mermaid waver and handle
Best: for defined big waves
Why we love it
- Cute design
- More defined big waves
- Can add other heads onto the base
Take note
- Took a while to heat up
- Only one heat setting
Mark Hill’s pick n mix tool makes a versatile investment as you can swap almost 40 removable heads, on to the handle all of which create a different look. For mermaid waves, I recommend this bundle, which includes a triple barrel head designed to deliver soft waves in seconds.
The head is extremely easy to attach to the handle – you simply push the two together and give the barrel a twist to lock it into place – and there’s just one switch that turns the styler on or off. While this makes it easy to use, it does mean that the temperature isn’t adjustable, heating to a standard 185C, which could be an issue if your hair sits at either end of the texture spectrum. I found it took a while to heat up but when it did, I was impressed by the consistent medium sized waves it produced. Plus, the finish lasted well all day.
Key specifications
Buy now £47.98, Markhillhair.com
Remington PROluxe 4-in-1 waver
Best: adjustable hair waver
Why we love it
- Adjustable dial lets you control the depth of your waves
- Generous temperature range
Take note
- Result is narrower waves which went slightly frizzy for me
In a world where you’re pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to hair wavers, Remington’s proluxe waver sets itself apart with its adjustable barrel. You can turn the middle barrel up or down to make the waves deeper and more pronounced or subtler kinks. I preferred the effect of the deeper waves, but the smaller ones might work well for those with thinner hair.
There’s a range of heat settings, plus the pro+ setting that harnesses the brand’s optiheat technology which targets more heat to where your hair needs it most like thicker strands, rather than using a uniform heat. It quickly produced consistent, tighter waves, giving my hair plenty of volume – though a little frizzy. One of the biggest take homes after giving it a whirl was how easy the handling was due to its small size.
Key specifications
Buy now £63, Argos.co.uk
Your questions on hair wavers answered
What is the best hair waver?
Taking the top spot is Beauty Works jumbo waver. It gives big flowing waves but with enough definition to last more than a day even without hair spray. It’s a little cumbersome so use caution near your face but the end look was glossy and fun. I also loved the beachy loose waves the Ghd’s triple barrel waver gave, while the Revlon wave master jumbo waver also a great budget-friendly option.
How I tested the best hair wavers
During the testing period, I used each hair waver for the same amount of time, looking to see if they delivered on the following criteria:
How do hair wavers work?
Hair wavers work in a similar way to old-school crimpers, in that you work your way down sections of hair. To begin, simply decide how far up you’d like the wave to start (I’d recommend avoiding the root), open the clamp and feed a section into the tool, holding it in place for up to 10 seconds before moving further down and repeating. The longer the hair is clamped, the more defined the texture will look.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Alice Reynolds is a writer at IndyBest who covers a range of shopping topics and reviews including hair treatments and shampoos. When it comes to hair wavers, Alice put them through real-world testing for weeks, so is able to give an honest verdict on which ones are worth your money.
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