9 Best Round Brush Hair Dryers of 2019

What Are the Different Types of Round Brush Hair Dryers?

There are basically two types of round brush hair dryers – rotating and static. Rotating round brush hair dryers have barrels that rotate automatically while static round brush hair dryers don’t. This feature can be accessed with the press of a simple button.

You can also differentiate between various round brush hair dryers on the basis of their barrel widths. These range from 0.75 inches to 2 inches. Other barrel widths you’ll come across include 1 inch, 1.25 inches, and 1.5 inches.

Which Round Brush Hair Dryers Are Right for You?

Your hair type and how you plan to use the device will determine which round brush hair dryer is right for you.

Women with the thickest, curliest, longest, and coarsest hair will need to choose a brush that has a thick barrel and a high power rating. Barrels spanning 2 inches across and power ratings around 1000 watts should be good.

On the other hand, if you only have long hair and not hair that is extremely thick, curly, or heavy, then you can do away with power requirements. At the same time, if you don’t like drying your hair before getting to the styling tool, then you can’t choose a brush with low power output.

Further, depending upon the length of your hair, you can work down from 2 inches barrel width to 1.75 inches to 1.5 inches. Less than 1.5 inches is ideal for women with medium to short length hair.

You’ll also have to choose between rotating and static round brush hair dryers. Rotating brushes will obviously make your life easier in the long run but you’ll have to learn how to use them in the short term. If you don’t know how to use rotating brushes, you’ll end up getting your hair tangled and pulled. Static brushes are the easiest to use and pose no risks.

Top 9 Round Brush Hair Dryers Comparison Table

Top 3 Budget Round Brush Hair Dryers: Detailed Reviews

1. Conair Supreme 2-in-1 Hot Air Styling Brush

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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You won’t find many travel-friendly round brush hair dryers in the market. They just aren’t designed that way. For them to be travel-friendly, they need to not only be compact and light but also support the American and European power systems both.

If they’re also versatile, then that just adds to their allure. Conair Supreme 2-in-1 Hot Air Styling Brush is all of those things, even though it is one of the oldest Conair models still available.

It is compact and measures only 2.7 x 7 x 15.8 inches while its weight is a mere 1.1 pounds. This makes it very easy to pack and carry on your travels. You’ll even be able to use it in any country since it supports both 110V and 220V power systems. There will be no need for voltage converters.

Its versatility also makes it travel-friendly because it ensures that you don’t need to take more than a single device with you. It comes with two detachable brush heads – one measuring 1 inch and the other 1.5 inches. The varied thickness of the brush heads means that you can use this device for getting tight or loose curls.

It also means that this brush is ideal for women with short to medium length hair. At the same time, this device isn’t all that great for women with thick and long hair, unless they’re willing to spend some extra time drying and styling their hair.

However, the device is designed for convenience. It warms up very fast, saving you a lot of time. The brush hair dryer has a cool tip that will make it easier for you to manipulate it through your hair. Another feature that will make it easier for you to manage this device around your head is its swivel cord.

It comes with two temperature settings. The “high” and “low” settings are backed by a 500 watt power output rating. The best part, though, is that you can get all these qualities at a very competitive price.

Being an older model, this round brush hair dryer happens to be incredibly cheap. However, the downside of that fact is also that its barrel is made of aluminum. Aluminum isn’t recommended by experts because it tends to overheat and damage the hairs.

We should also mention that this device isn’t the most durable amongst its competitors. Usually, the first element to go on this device is the locking mechanism for its attachments. However, at the cost that you’ll get this device, you shouldn’t have to worry about its longevity.

Who’s it for: If you want awesome versatility in a travel-friendly device at an amazing price, get this device.

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2. Helen of Troy 1579 Tangle Free Hot Air Brush

Editor’s Rating: 3.5/5.0

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The design of this product is distinct from most other round brush hair dryers in the market. The foremost difference, of course, is the brush itself. This device doesn’t have bristles like the others. Its bristles are basically plastic protrusions instead of nylon or boar hairs.

This means that they’re stiffer and more spread out. Because they’re spread out, they don’t entangle and pull hairs. At the same time, they’re ball tipped which prevents them from being too hard on the scalp. Their spread out nature, unfortunately, makes this device unsuitable for women with thin or extra fine hair. The bristles will just fail to catch and hold fine hair.

The real draw of this device, however, is its weight. It is easily one of the lightest hot air brushes in the market right now. It measures only about 0.6 pounds which is an impressive feat since most round brush hair dryers tend to weigh more than one pound.

In terms of its barrel, you’ll have two variants to choose from. One measures 0.75 inches while the other spans 1.25 inches. The thinness of the barrels means that this device is more suited to women with short length hair as opposed to those with either medium or long. The slim barrels also make this device great for short hair.

This Helen of Troy Hot Air Brush is also very easy to use. It has an ergonomic handle sheathed in a soft grip. The cord at the end swivels with your movements which means that it doesn’t wrap around you while you use the device.

Further, it is eight feet long which is neither too short nor too long. There’s also an extra-long cool tip designed to make it easier for you to use both hands while styling your hair. Cleaning the device is also easy since the barrel is detachable.

Further, this product has a curl release button. Pressing this button makes the barrel spin free, allowing you to untangle your hair. This is not a rotating hot air brush. It maybe wrongly described as a rotating brush in some places but that is only because of its curl release button feature.

The one area where this hot air brush lacks is power. It has a rating of only 250 watts which is quite low by industry standards. Despite this, this brush has a tendency to overheat.

Its low power all but makes this device useless for women with long, thick, and curly hair. Even so, there are two heat settings for you to play around with. Another problem with this device is that it has no ionic technology. Combined with its low power, this means that it won’t do anything for frizzy and flyaway hair.

We should also mention that you can’t use this device in Europe or Asia since it doesn’t support their 220V power system.

Who’s it for: This hot air brush is for women with short to medium length hair looking for an ultra-light hairstyling solution.

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3. Conair 3-in-1 Tourmaline Ceramic Hot Air Brush Combo Kit (Best Budget)

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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Just because someone wants a round brush hair dryers doesn’t mean that they want to ditch the traditional hair dryer completely. Many women want these brush-based hair dryers but still plan to continue using their conventional hair dryer.

This kit from Conair is designed for such women. It comes with two detachable brush heads and a concentrator. With the concentrator, this device turns your traditional hair dryer and brush into a modern round brush hair dryer.

However, the brush head dimensions mean that this device isn’t all that great for women with long and thick hair. While you can still use it for your long and thick tresses, you’ll have to do it in two stages i.e. drying with the concentrator before using a brush head.

The concentrator will be effective too, owing to this device’s 1000 watts power rating. Still, you’ll be spending a lot of time styling with this device because its brush heads are thin. They measure 1.25 inches and 0.75 inches and there is only so much hair you can wrap around with such limited surface area.

Even so, this device gives you all those options without being too heavy. It weighs only 1.4 pounds. This is quite light if you compare it to some of its competitors. You may still need to develop strength, though, because changing attachments is a very difficult task on this device.

They’re just too tight. In fact, they’re tight enough for most women to bring their husbands into play. At the same time, if you change attachments too often, the device may not last too long.

The most common gripe women have with this device is that its attachment locking mechanism stops working. Therefore, you should try to minimize changing if you want your device to last longer.

Apart from that, the device is very easy to use. You’ll have no trouble moving it around with its swivel cord or using both hands with its cool tip. You’ll get two heat settings on this device as well.

This product is based on tourmaline ceramic technology which is great for your hair. This technology will prevent excessive heat from damaging your hair. You may still miss negative ions and the ability to be rid of frizzy and flyaway hair, however. There is no ionic technology on this product.

Who’s it for: This is the perfect round brush hair dryer for women wanting versatility, affordability, and usability.

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Top 3 Value Round Brush Hair Dryers: Detailed Reviews

4. INFINITIPRO BY CONAIR Hot Air Spin Brush

Editor’s Rating: 3.75/5.0

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Round brush hair dryer manufacturers usually don’t release multiple variants of the same model. We don’t really know why because we think it makes sense for them to do so. Take the INFINITIPRO by Conair Hot Air Spin Brush for example.

It is a device that comes in three different configurations. You get one with a 1.5 inches brush, another with a 2 inches brush, and a third one that has both! The 1.5 inches brush is ideal for women with medium length and medium thickness hair while the 2 inches brush is great for very long and thick hair.

The combination, the variant we’re reviewing here, is excellent for a woman looking for variety in her hairstyle. The thicker barrel will give such a woman loose curls while the thinner one will deliver tighter curls. Further, the slimmer brush can be used for bangs and shorter sections of the hair while the thicker brush can be used for longer tresses. This product really is versatile.

At the same time, if you have excessively thick or curly hair, then you may have to spend more time styling your hair with this product. It just doesn’t have enough power to deal with extremely thick hair. It is only rated for 500 watts, after all.

It also has rotating tourmaline ceramic barrels. The tourmaline ceramic construction prevents excessive heat from damaging your hair while the automatic, two-way rotating feature protects wrists and arm muscles from cramps and sprains.

The downside is that if you don’t know how to use a rotating round brush hair dryer, you could end up having your hair pulled. The learning curve is steep but is well worth the climb.

It has antistatic boar and nylon bristles as well. These bristles are not only soft and gentle but also possess the ability to counter static. Still, they could’ve been stronger. They have a tendency to break or bend easily, which makes them unsuitable for coarse hair. Thankfully, the manufacturer has provided two protective brush covers to keep the bristles from bending while the brush is not in use.

The device boasts of two heat settings along with a cool setting for fixing the hair style. Unfortunately, the buttons aren’t placed well on the handle. They keep getting in the way, resulting in the settings being changed by mistake.

The device is also not very travel-friendly mainly because it is too heavy, in our opinion. It doesn’t support the European and Asian 220V power systems either. Another inconvenience is its short cord.

Who’s it for: If you’re looking for good adaptability in a rotating round brush hair dryer at a decent price, then this product is tailor-made for you.

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5. MHU Ceramic Hot Air Brush & Volumizer

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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MHU may not be as established a brand as Conair or Revlon when it comes to styling tools but it is still a reliable name. Further, even though doesn’t offer a wide variety of models, the ones it does tend to perform admirably well.

The best example of this is the MHU Ceramic Hot Air Brush & Volumizer. This is a simplistic product in the sense that its promises aren’t over the top. More crucially, what it promises, it delivers on.

This product is intended for women with short to medium length hair. This means that it isn’t exactly suitable for women with very long and thick hair. This is evident in the fact that its barrel spans 1.25 inches.

Still, it can be used easily by women who have short or medium length thick hair. It has enough power to handle the thickest hair with a rating of 1000 watts. You’ll be able to access this power through two heat settings while the cool shot setting will help you freeze the hairstyles you create.

The barrel is built with ceramic tourmaline technology and also boasts of ionic technology. The ceramic tourmaline barrel ensures that heat transfer to the hair remains steady, uniform, and stable. This nullifies any potential for heat damage to the hair. The ionic technology generates negative ions that counter static. The removal of static takes away flyaway and frizzy hair as well.

Using this round brush hair dryer is very easy. It has an ergonomic design and its handle grips well in the hand. Further, if you use both hands to style or dry your hair, you’ll really appreciate its extra-long cool touch tip. Another great usability feature is its cord. It is a 360 degree swivel cord that is nine feet long.

Even with so many qualities, this product from MHU isn’t flawless. Firstly, it is not a rotating brush, something that could’ve made this product nearly irresistible. Further, it has a tendency to break down too soon, especially if you’re not particularly careful in how you use it.

It is also not a dual voltage device which means that you can’t take it outside of North America without a good voltage converter.

Who’s it for: This round brush hair dryer from MHU will do wonders for you if you have short or medium length but extremely thick hair.

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6. John Frieda Hot Air Brush (Best Value)

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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John Frieda is a legend in the hairstyling world. He seems to have imparted that status to his round brush hair dryer too. This is one of the most popular, reliable, and versatile round brush hair dryers in the market right now.

It comes in two formats. The first has a barrel thickness of 1 inch and the other measures 1.5 inches across. The slimmer variant is great for short haired women while the thicker one is good for women with medium length hair.

You can also choose your variant on the basis of whether you want your curls to be loose or tight. While considering this product, you should also take into account the thickness of your hair. If your hair is too thick, then we suggest avoiding this product because it won’t have enough power to cope with it. It only has a power rating of 500 watts.

The barrel is made up of titanium and ceramic. This combination prevents the barrel from overheating and damaging your hair in the process. In fact, the brush is good for your hair since it possesses negative ionization technology. This technology counters static, which negates frizz and flyaway hair.

It comes with three temperature settings if you count the cool setting. The device is ergonomic too. It is quite light, its handle is easy to hold, and its cord swivels fully.

The price of this device straddles the divide between budget and premium. It appeals to so many women because it offers top end quality and features at a medium range price.

The device could’ve been 100% travel-friendly, if the manufacturers had added support for 220V power systems. Unfortunately, they didn’t, leaving a lot of globetrotting women in a lurch.

Who’s it for: Designed for short to medium length hair, this is the device you want if reliability is what you value the most.

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Top 3 Premium Round Brush Hair Dryers: Detailed Reviews

7. Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer (Top Pick)

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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In order to dry and style the thickest hair, a round brush hair dryer needs to have two things – a large surface area to reach the maximum amount of hair and a lot of power to generate enough heat for drying that amount of hair.

This product from Revlon has both, which is why it is such a hit with thick and curly haired women. The brush barrel on this product measures 2 inches across and is capable of handling even the thickest of tresses.

In terms of power, this device has a rating of 1100 watts. Its power rating makes this device one of the strongest round brush hair dryers in the market right now.

Thick barreled round brush hair dryers, unfortunately, don’t work for women with short length hair but women with medium length hair may be able to use it to create loose, wavy curls.

While this product gets very hot and blows air with a lot of power, it also has the subtlety of ionic technology. It generates negative ions which help eliminate frizzy and flyaway air by countering static in the hair.

It has two heat settings, not including the cool setting. If you decide to buy this device, you’ll be able to choose between two colors – mint and black. Before you make that decision, though, you should consider some of its flaws.

To handle heavy, thick, and long hair, this brush needs to be big. As a result, some women might say that it is too bulky. Similarly, some women don’t like how its buttons have been placed.

Further, others might find this product a bit too expensive but that is what you get with high profile brand names. In practice, the device could’ve been a little more durable. As it is, there are a lot of complaints that it stops working in a few months. Usually, failure is preceded by a burnt plastic smell.

Apart from its bulk, the fact that this device doesn’t support the 220V power systems makes it a non-starter as your travel companion.

Who’s it for: Women who have thick, long, and heavy hair will benefit from this super powerful round brush hair dryer backed by a reliable name.

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8. Vidal Sasson VS433C Tangle-Free Hot Air Brush Styler and Dryer

Editor’s Rating: 3.75/5.0

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Women with short hair don’t have many round brush hair dryer options. Manufacturers focus on 2 inch brushes because they think that the majority of women have longer hair. They’re partly correct but that leaves women with short hair shorn of options.

For such women, one of the best round brush hair dryers is this product from Vidal Sassoon. It has a 1 inch barrel that is very good not only for short length hair but also thin and fine hair. Further, the thin barrel is also useful because it can create smaller, tighter, and bouncier curls.

Where it lacks, however, is power. It has a power rating of only 250 watts, which is quite low by industry standards. At the same time, short haired women don’t really need their hair dryers to be extra hot so this may not be as big a problem as it seems.

In fact, even with its reduced power, it works for most users but they do say that it isn’t all that effective on hair that hasn’t been dried before. It does have two heat settings, though. So there is some flexibility.

The ceramic barrel is a good feature as it keeps the brush from overheating and damaging your hair. Your fingers are protected from heat too with its extra-long cool tip. Sadly, Vidal Sassoon missed a trick by not including ionic technology here. It would’ve been a great addition.

There is also a curl release button designed to help women who are still learning how to use such a brush. The curl release button frees up the barrel so the user can untangle their hair. In fact, this round brush hair dryer is very easy to use. It is lightweight and has a thin handle. This means that even petite women will be able to handle this brush like a muscled pro.

This is also a very reliable device as you would expect from a product positioned in the premium market. It is durable and lasts long but that isn’t all that surprising since this product costs quite a sum.

You should also note that this isn’t a dual voltage device. If you want to travel to Europe, Asia, or Africa with it, make sure you invest in a good voltage converter.

Who’s it for: Women with short, thin, and fine hair and an eye for premium quality will really appreciate this product.

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9. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Rotating Hot Air Brush

Editor’s Rating: 3.75/5.0

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It can be very difficult to rotate a round brush hair dryer manually, especially if you have long hair. However, if your brush rotated at the press of a button, your life would become significantly easier.

The BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Rotating Hot Air Brush will allow you to do that. Its barrel rotates both ways, which makes drying and styling hair at home very convenient.

This product is designed for women with long hair. Its barrel spans 2 inches and can handle even the longest sections of your hair. However, this brush isn’t really meant for very coarse and thick hair. It just doesn’t have the power to cope with that level of thickness. It has a rating of 500 watts only.

Its nano titanium technology is very useful as well. It keeps the barrel from overheating and ensures that there are no hot spots on it. It also has ionic technology which is extremely beneficial for women with a lot of frizzy or flyaway hair.

The ionic technology will add shine and volume to your hair too. Including the cool setting, this product has three heat settings. Its design is fairly attractive with its soothing powder blue color.

One aspect that you should be careful about is that it has the potential to pull hair. If you haven’t used a rotating round brush hair dryer before, you’ll take time to learn and in that period your hair will get stuck. Don’t worry, though. As you gain experience with this device, this problem will become less frequent until it disappears completely.

The biggest problem with this product is its cost to life relationship. It is incredibly expensive and its durability doesn’t justify its cost. It has a tendency to break down far too soon with the spinning mechanism especially suspect. This is also not a dual voltage device.

Who’s it for: If you have long hair, don’t want to become a hairstyling contortionist, and aren’t restricted by your budget, get this device.

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