When it comes to blow-drying my hair at home, the only way I can do it is by using a hot brush, and as a beauty editor with over a decade of experience, I have tried and tested a lot more than the average person.
A good hot brush can do everything from smoothing and straightening to adding volume, and it is the easiest way to cheat a salon blow-dry at home, saving you both time and money.
One thing I’ve learnt from testing so many of these is that the price tag doesn’t always reflect the finished result. I’ve tried hot brushes that are over £100 that didn’t make the list because they didn’t perform well enough compared to affordable versions like Sephora Collection's £69.99 blow dry brush.
But some are worth the investment, like Dyson’s new airsmooth styling brush, which, spoiler alert: I have been recommending to everyone and anyone. Plus, at £199, it’s a slightly more accessible price tag than their airwrap ID, which I have also reviewed here.
In this article, you’ll also find reviews for T3’s aire 360, ghd’s duet, Shark Beauty’s smoothstyle, MD London’s wave heated barrel brush multistyler, Mark Hill’s style addict hot air brush and Diva Pro’s styling ceramic hot brush.
I hope they help you make an informed decision on your hot brush purchase; it’s why the pros and cons are there. Just be sure to think of me when you’re hair flipping all over the place.
The best hot brushes for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Dyson airsmooth styling brush: £199, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Diva pro styling ceramic hot brush: £65.99, Sallybeauty.co.uk
- Best for a professional blow-dry – ghd duet blowdry hair dryer: Was £379, now £259, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for sleek volume – Shark beauty smoothstyle hot brush and smoothing comb: £92.50, Onbuy.com
Dyson airsmooth styling brush
Best: hot brush overall
Why we love it
- Easy to use
- Dries and styles hair
- Glossy smooth finish
Take note
- Barrel may be too wide for short hair
For £199.99, not only is this Dyson’s most affordable hair tool, but it’s also my new favourite. As someone who has tested a lot of hot brushes, as soon as I unboxed this, I could tell every detail had been thought through, even down to the bristle protector case.
The airsmooth not only styles your hair, but it dries it too. I found it to be super simple to use; you just turn it on and then select your heat and air setting.
What I found particularly great about the airsmooth, is the size of the barrel. I’m used to my hair slipping off the ends, but in this case, it was large enough to keep every strand in place. There’s also a really handy grip on the end, which made it so much easier to hold.
From drying to styling, the whole process felt super speedy and almost effortless. I also loved the teardrop shape of the barrel, because it meant I could use the smaller end to target more volume at my roots. The ‘teeth’ are also a harder plastic, as opposed to a bristle. I found this meant I didn’t experience any tangling, plus, they won’t get bent out of shape.
Overall, I cannot recommend this enough. My only caveat would be that if you have short hair, the barrel might be too wide.
Key specifications:
Buy now £199, Amazon.co.uk
Diva pro styling ceramic hot brush
Best: Budget hot brush
Why we love it
- Easy to use
Take note
- Not great for smoothing
This may be the cheapest option on the list, but it will still give you flicks to rival Sabrina Carpenter’s. The hair tool’s design is basic, and the heat level isn’t adjustable (it’s set at 180C, and I found it took a little while to heat up), but this hot brush works really well for adding curls, body and movement.
Designed to be used on dry hair, it’s very simple to operate – there’s just an on/off switch, which turns red when you push it. Push it once more and the light changes from red to green, indicating the ionizer setting has been activated, to make hair smoother and glossier.
This isn’t the brush I’d recommend for smoothing, though. Instead, I’d use it to add bounce and body. With hairspray, I found my bounce lasted all day. Overall, this hot brush offers good value for money, plus the 3m swivel cable is a small detail that made a big difference.
Key specifications
Buy now £49.99, Sallybeauty.co.uk
Sephora Collection blow dry brush
Best: affordable hot brush for drying and styling
Why we love it
- Easy to use
- Dries hair quickly
Take note
- The cable could be longer
I was so impressed with Sephora’s own hot brush, especially as it works as both a dryer and a styler. Not to mention, it has a pink plug, which, yes, for me, is a bonus.
Fun fact: I tested a styler that was over double the price of this, and the Sephora model way outperformed it, which is why this has made the edit of the best hot brushes and that other will remain unnamed.
Straightforward to use, no instructions necessary; you just slide up to turn on and select one of three heat settings.
I liked the different style bristles, I felt they grabbed onto my hair well and I didn’t notice any strands slipping out. The barrel is large and oval shaped, so I could get that nice flick on the ends, which I can’t recreate with a regular dryer.
For £69.99 and the fact this would also replace your hairdryer, this is a really strong contender in the hot brush category. My only complaint is that I would have liked a longer wire attached to that pink plug.
Key specifications:
Buy now £69.99, Sephora.co.uk
T3 aire 360
Best: hot brush for silky soft hair
Why we love it
- Made our hair feel incredible
Take note
- Bristles can get bent in the provided storage bag
Pretty much every hair tool brand has its version of Dyson’s airwrap, and T3’s aire 360 is theirs.
The aire 360 stood out to me, though, because it truly left me with the silkiest-feeling hair that I was desperate for someone to come and stroke. Sadly, the only person around to do that was me.
It comes with four attachments: 2 curling wands, 1 drying concentrator and 1 oval brush attachment.
I have to say, the presentation of the aire 360 is beautiful. It comes in a geometric box, and inside is a vegan leather storage bag, which I initially loved as it’s less bulky and felt quite elevated. However, when I pulled out the oval brush attachment, I noticed that some of the bristles had already been squashed, as they weren’t protected well enough.
Like the Dyson airsmooth, it had the tip on the end, which made it easier to hold during styling and it also remains cold, so you don’t burn your fingers.
Easy to use, with an on/off button and then your heat and air settings, however I did accidentally switch it off a couple of times mid use. If you want a hot brush that is gonna give you glossy hair you can’t stop touching. This would be my recommendation.
Key specifications
Buy now £249.99, Amazon.co.uk
Ghd duet blowdry hair dryer
Best: Hot brush for a professional blow-dry
Why we love it
- Smoothing
- Volumising
- Professional-looking results
- Auto switch-off
Take note
- Noisy
- Weighty
- Time-consuming
This hair tool arguably gave me the best results overall (I received the most compliments after using it), but as much as I loved how it made my hair look, the duet has its pros and cons.
While some other hot brushes can only be used on dry hair, ghd’s duet is designed to be used directly after towel drying. This seemed to help my blow-dry last longer (and look more professional), but the process took me a lengthy 40 minutes in total.
Functionality-wise, the duet is really intuitive with just an on and off button, as it auto-regulates the temperature. However, the sheer weight (1.2kg) of the device detracted from its ease of use. It’s also loud, to the point I was paranoid my downstairs neighbour would start complaining when I dried my hair late at night.
However, the result was the closest I’ve had to a salon blow-dry. My hair was left smooth, voluminous, and the barrel was the perfect size to add some flicks to my long hair. With an RRP of £379, it’s a serious investment, but if you have the money, time and some strong arm muscles, it will save you money on regular blow-dries, while keeping frizz at bay.
Key specifications
Buy now £259, Amazon.co.uk
Dyson airwrap id
Best: multi-use hot brush
Why we love it
- Results feel and look like a professional blow-dry
- Case included
- Good range of attachments
Take note
- Expensive
This hair tool had a lot to prove, considering its hefty price tag, but after using it, I loved the end result, and it’s become a real favourite. Not only did it deliver all the flick and bounce I crave (Pamela Anderson’s 1990s ’do being my inspiration), but I also felt like I’d had a professional blow-dry.
Helping to justify the price, the airwrap comes with five attachments, meaning you get a dryer, curling tong, smoothing brush, volumising brush, and a flyaway smoother all in one. I found all of the attachments easy to use and, thanks to the straightforward lock button, simple to swap out.
The dryer is surprisingly powerful and could even replace my existing hair dryer. The airwrap’s curling barrels take a bit of getting used to, as you need to push a switch to change the direction of air, depending on which side of your head you’re working on. However, this latest, updated design has made life easier – the older model had separate left and right barrels that needed to be swapped over.
I don’t have much use for the flyaway smoother attachment or the smoothing brush, due to my hair type, but the hot brush attachment itself was easy to use and works fast. I loved the result, which lasted all day, with a little help from some hairspray.
Key specifications
Buy now £399.99, Amazon.co.uk
Shark beauty smoothstyle hot brush and smoothing comb
Best: Hot brush for sleek volume
Why we love it
- Delivers great volume
Take note
- Short cord length
- Bulky design
Similar to the ghd duet, this Shark hot brush comes with both wet and dry modes. While I found the end result wasn’t as polished, the smoothstyle was noticeably quicker than the duet. I found Shark’s design super helpful, too – rather than buttons, you twist the bottom to change settings such as temperature. This meant I didn’t accidentally turn off the device or drastically increase the heat without realising. I also liked that the tip of the brush stays cool, so you don’t burn your fingers when styling.
This tool gave my hair plenty of volume, but I’d say Shark’s hot brush works best for those who want sleekness, as opposed to curls, flicks or waves. I have long hair, but, even so, the size of the brush made the tool feel quite bulky and therefore less easy to use, compared with some other options. The cord also felt quite short, so I was restricted in my movements.
Key specifications
Buy now £92.5, Onbuy.com
Mark Hill style addict hot air brush
Best: Hot brush for smoothing
Why we love it
- Speedy
- Easy to use
Take note
- Not the best for adding curls and flicks
If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to the ghd duet, this tool would be my recommendation. Like the duet, this model doubles as a hair dryer and, while its smoothing abilities didn’t quite rival those of the ghd tool, the results had me gaining compliments throughout the day.
As someone who hates reading instructions, I loved how straightforward this device was to use, with a simple dial that changes the temperature. At 600g, it’s also much lighter than the ghd device. The only downside is the barrel size, which is rather chunky. While that means styling could take less time, I think you’d struggle if you have shorter hair or layers. I wasn’t able to achieve the level of bounce I crave, but if you favour smoothness over body, this relatively affordable tool could be a great option.
Key specifications
Buy now £25, Markhillhair.com
MDLondon wave heated barrel brush multi-styler
Best: Hot brush for innovation
Why we love it
- Multi-use
- Gives lifeless hair a boost
Take note
- Not the best at smoothing all over
Michael Douglas is the hairstylist behind MDLondon, and this was my first time testing one of his tools, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. My initial impression was that this is a tool that feels truly innovative and unlike anything I’ve ever used before. The barrel has plastic bristles, which do a really good job of grabbing the hair and holding on to it when you’re using it like a traditional hot brush. On one side, however, there are two rows of bristles that are much closer together, acting more like a comb, and I found these worked well for smoothing flyaways.
If that wasn’t enough, with the push of a button, all the bristles retract, and you’re left with a regular curling wand. Effectively, you’re getting two tools in one. All the buttons are straightforward and the light-up panel makes it easy to see what temperature it’s set to. At first, I had to keep checking if I was using the bristles I wanted to, but after a bit of practice, I could tell instinctively. I found the end result was a bit more ‘cool girl’ than big blowout, but I loved it nonetheless and am seriously impressed by the design.
Key specifications
Buy now £99, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions about hot brushes answered
What is the best hot brush?
After testing, I have continued to reach for the Dyson airsmooth and I cannot rave about it enough. I truly think that for most people, it’s not only more affordable than an airwrap, but that they would get much more use out of it. I love how it makes my hair look and feel. T3’s aire 360 and ghd’s duet styler also gave me salon-worthy results, but they do come with a higher price tag; however, there are additional features which might be worth it for your hair type.
In terms of more affordable options, I was very impressed with Sephora Collection’s own blow dry brush, especially as it dries hair as well as styles. The Diva Pro styling ceramic hot brush was another favourite, but it does lack the drying option.
If you’re after a hot brush that gives more of a sleek finish than volume, I’d check out the Shark Beauty smoothstyle hot brush and smoothing comb, and if you want one for beach waves, try MDLondon’s wave heated barrel brush multi styler.
How I tested
For fairness and consistency, each hot brush was used with the exact same styling products (a mixture of Arkive and R+Co), and I photographed the result of each one. I considered several things during my reviews:
Focusing on these key testing factors enabled me to bring you a list of my favourite options, all thoroughly tested. Some brands offered me a demo of the brushes beforehand, but I turned these down, as I wanted to test every tool the same way you would use them at home.
For reference, I have straight-to-slightly-wavy hair. I have some highlights throughout, so the ends can get a bit ‘puffy’. However, while my hair type is quite malleable, the problem comes with getting styles to last, so I was keen to find out which hot brushes would be up to the job.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Laura Capon is a beauty editor. She has more than a decade of experience in the industry, critiquing products that land on her desk – and she’s come to understand what works and what doesn’t. She understands the needs of different hair types and styles, and puts every tool through its paces. Her expertise ensures only effective, high-performing hot brushes make the cut. As well as her professional experience, she loves getting a bouncy blow-dry in a salon, so finding something that’ll allow her to recreate that finish at home is a personal mission, making her the perfect tester to separate the hot brushes worth buying from those to avoid.
How to use a hot brush
Using a hot brush at home gets easier and easier as you learn your rhythm, but it can be tricky to begin with. Towel-dry your hair as much as possible, and always remember to add heat protection spray. Separate your hair into sections and, based on what style you’re going for, you’ll either want to lift at the roots (for that great, volume look) or, for waves, you’ll twist the brush as you go.
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