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Telegraph
4 hours ago
- General
- Telegraph
The best hair dryers for 2025, tried and tested with expert advice from an A-list stylist
If you're keen to create the best hair style trends, you'll need the best hair dryer. The latest designs help you recreate salon-style hair at home, protect your colour and preserve any shine and moisture. To get the best results, you'll need to find the right design and attachments to suit your hair type. Hair dryer diffusers can tame frizzy hair or define curls you never knew you had, while the hair dryer brushes or concentrator nozzles can help you achieve super smooth results. In our round up we've included a range of premium and budget designs to suit all hair types. If you're pushed for time, here are the top five: The best hair dryers: At a glance JUMP TO REVIEWS How to choose the best hair dryer These days, the best hair dryers have variable heat and speed settings for quick yet gentle blow drying, and technology that helps to nourish hair and improve hair volume. Specific modes for scalp care and cool shot blasts for setting your style are also useful features to look out for. A fast-drying hair dryer that is lightweight and comfortable is the ideal. Nobody wants to feel like they're weightlifting while styling their hair in the morning. Hair dryer design has also improved dramatically in recent years. User-friendly designs have long cords, comfortable handles and magnetic nozzles that make it easier to attach and detach (particularly when hot) and make all the difference. 'There's some interesting new hair technology available,' says celebrity hair stylist Katie Allen. 'In scalp mode, the Dyson Nural uses infrared technology to measure the distance of the machine and the hair to adjust the heat automatically to protect and retain moisture. Companies are offering more useful attachments, too, with those for flyaway, blow-drying and diffusing all types of curls and waves as standard. Two-way diffusers mean one for gently drying without disturbing the natural shape and texture of your hair, and the other for defining curls and waves.' How we test hair dryers For each hair dryer, I rated them on performance and design. I tried the hair dryers at home on my own thick, wavy hair – alternating between settings and attachments for straightening and defining my natural waves. I measured how noisy each hair dryer is (using the Decibel Meter smartphone app on the highest setting) and tried them on my own kid's hair to see how versatile, gentle and effective the designs were for the whole family. I also asked for the help of celebrity hair stylist Timothy David, who has worked with the likes of Gillian Anderson, Grace Jones, and Saoirse Monica Jackson, and regularly styles hair for film and TV. David put the hair dryers to task in his London salon on a range of his private clients with Type 1 (straight), Type 2 (wavy), Type 3 (curly) and Type 4 (kinky or coily) hair types. I asked him to describe how useful the speed and heat settings were, the weight and handling of each design, and how effective he thought the attachments were for all hair types. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. All reviews are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. The best hair dryers of 2025 1. Best Buy Hair Dryer: Dyson Supersonic Nural A great feature of Dyson's Supersonic Nural design is the 'Scalp Protect' mode. It uses infrared technology to assess how far away the hair dryer is from your head and automatically adjusts the settings to protect your scalp and hair health. This is designed to enhance natural shine and improve scalp moisture retention so your hair doesn't dry out. Design-wise, this dryer is a head turner and taking it out of the box was quite an event. I tried the stylish Ceramica patina and Topaz edition with a clear cap end that allows you to see the tech inside. It has a satisfying weight, balanced handle and generously long cord, but no hanging hook or storage bag in the kit. There are five useful attachments for straight, flyaway, wavy, curly and coily hair. I enjoyed going out of my straight-hair comfort zone to use the diffuser and define my waves. At 85.4 decibels (dB) on its highest setting, it's not too noisy. It's clever, too. The pause feature that deactivates the heater and decreases airflow and noise when you place it on a flat surface, or stop moving it, is a nice extra. Each styling attachment is also set to an optimal heat and speed setting, and if you change it, the hair dryer will remember your preferred setting for the next time you use that attachment. David was impressed by the powerful and flexible performance of the Nural. 'The heat and power range is great and it isn't too heavy,' he says. 'I love recommending the scalp mode to my clients. When activated, the dryer automatically reduces heat as it moves closer to the scalp. You can see the colours change from cool blue, to yellow, orange and red the hotter it gets. 'The position of the cool shot is good for blow dries too and the attachments work well for coily and curly hair. If I'm going to be picky, the thin concentrator doesn't produce as smooth results as some other hair dryers I've tried. And while this is an expensive hair dryer, the overall quality is excellent.' Key specifications 2. Best Value Hair Dryer: Remington One Dry & Style At just below £70, this hair dryer is excellent value for money. Featuring a 'Double Ionic' system which emits up to 80 million ions per drying session, its 2,000 watt motor is able to generate air speeds of up to 120km/h for fast drying results. It works with a 'Thermocare Sensor' that continuously regulates the air temperature, protecting your hair against extreme results. While I found this design a little top heavy and not the most comfortable to hold, it produced a quick blow dry. The results were surprisingly smooth and I managed to dry my long, thick, wavy hair in under six minutes. I appreciated just how much extra airflow this managed to provide while I was blow-drying my hair. This was due to its extra large concentrator nozzle that, at 9cm wide, is noticeably larger than your standard design. The design has eight speed and heat settings in total, including a cool shot with high and low speed setting. It took me a while to work out all of the options as the controls aren't the most self explanatory. While it was effective when I needed a fast and high heat, the head gets very hot after use, but the attachments connect smoothly. Noise wise, it's around average and I measured it at 86 dB on the highest setting (for context, the Dyson Nural was 85.4 dB). David was impressed by the value of this hair dryer, which comes with four attachments including a flyaway tamer, a slim styling concentrator, a gentle drying diffuser and a curl defining diffuser. 'It has a good choice of speed settings, but I found that the cool shot took a while to cool down from heat,' says David. 'I found it easy to use and compact and its shape is very of the moment. The diffuser is a very good size and works well for most hair types.' Key specifications 3. Best Lightweight Hair Dryer: Parlux Digitalyon Light Air Ionizer This very distinctive looking hair dryer is noticeably lightweight compared to the others we tried and comes with ionic and ceramic technology, which is ideal for creating a very smooth blow dry. It worked particularly well on wavy hair, leaving a frizz-free finish in a very short amount of time. At 2,400 watts, its new digital motor is powerful and has two speeds and four temperature settings you can use. As it can get hot quite quickly, you may need to take extra care when drying young heads. It has Parlux's patented Hair Free system, though, which reassuringly traps stray hairs before they enter the motor. It's also surprisingly quiet given the power, measuring around the 84 dB mark on its highest setting. 'Overall, I think this model is fantastic for all hair types as it is very light and easy to work,' says David. 'I really enjoyed using it in my salon on all my clients and I didn't get any hand ache, as it's so light to hold. It comes with two concentrator heads to suit different hair types and works particularly well for smoothing out curls.' The hairdryer is compatible with the Parlux Magic Sense diffusers, which each cost an additional £34.95. David enjoyed using these to dry Type 3 and Type 4 hair. 'I'm a big fan of this hairdryer brand, but the only thing I would point out is that you'll probably want to keep it on a medium heat, as it can get quite hot on a higher setting.' Key specifications 4. Best Hair Dryer for Easy Handling: Cloud Nine The Airshot Pro The Airshot Pro from Cloud Nine has three speeds, four heat settings, and a cool shot. It's finished in an attractive matt black and comes in a compact box with two magnetic attachments. I'm a big fan of Cloud Nine The Wide Iron hair straightener and this is a fitting accompaniment. The three metre long cord allowed me to move around freely while styling my hair. I really like the size of this hair dryer, which isn't that dissimilar to the Dyson Nural in shape. At 0.44kgm it has a nice weight to it and its compact size makes it a good option for travel. On the Cloud Nine website it notes it has got a quiet motor, and while it may be meek on the lowest settings, I measured it at a lofty 88.9 dB on the highest speed and heat mode. I found the controls a little annoying at first as it took me a while to find out how to get the cool shot blasting – the trick is to hold down the temperature sign and I found it cooled quickly. The filter of this hair dryer has a ceramic coating to allow a burst of infrared heat in to the airflow to provide softer, smoother hair drying. I enjoyed the simplicity of this design and how easy it was to attach the concentrator and diffuser attachment that both rotate 360 degrees. It left my hair smooth and frizz free after use. 'I think this hair dryer is great value for money,' says David. 'I like how powerful it is and the feel of its weight and shape in my hand. Its self-cleaning mode that blows air in reverse to get rid of dust build-up and keep the hair dryer in good condition is a nice touch. Although the diffuser isn't huge, it seemed to gather up hair nicely and did a good job at defining waves and curls.' Key specifications 5. The Helios feels nicely balanced and lightweight and, with its premium finish, we can see why GHD is a popular brand name. With an average 88 dB in noise, it's not the quietest model tested, but I was impressed by how quickly it dried my hair and how bouncy it felt afterwards. 'There are two speed settings and two heat settings as well as a cool shot, which all come in useful for blow drying,' says David. 'I didn't find this powerful enough on very curly hair, but overall I think it's a good way to create volume.' It comes with one concentrator nozzle included in the box, and you can also team it with the GHD Helios Hair Dryer Comb Nozzle, (£23.75), which works particularly well on textured, curly and coily hair. Key specifications 6. Best Hair Dryer for Temperature Control: Gtech DryOnic Ionic Fast Drying With a 110,000 RPM brushless motor, this hairdryer is powerful, speedy, and great for using alongside the Gtech StyleOnic Straighteners. Like the Dyson Supersonic, the DryOnic comes with magnetic attachments that click into place as you hover over its head. It comes with both a diffuser and concentrator nozzle for straight and curly hair. The concentrator is a little shorter than average, but it's in proportion with the hair dryer design, which feels compact, comfortable and evenly balanced. Within three minutes on the highest setting (100C), my mid-length hair was nearly dry. The negative ions are designed to close the hair cuticles and my hair felt much straighter than usual after drying. It comes in both an Oyster and a Teal finish, with gold push-button controls. It took me a while to work out how to use the controls on the handle as the dryer's minimalist design is almost a victim of its own style. The handle is also quite short so you have to hold it in a way that doesn't knock the controls. But once I'd practised, I found it smooth sailing to use. Simply hold down the on/off button to turn it on and alternate between the four speed controls. I could then switch between the temperatures displayed on the head of the dryer, from 40C to 100C. With the cool shot on, the temperature control drops down to a chillier 23C that is good for setting styles. As it's so compact, this dryer is handy for travelling, but you may need to roll up the long cord tightly. A storage bag wouldn't have gone amiss as the hair dryer doesn't have a hanging hook, but it does have a compact presentation box for storing all the parts when not in use. Key specifications 7. This is a two-in-one hair dryer and brush, featuring a premium design specifically created to produce a bouncy blow dry from wet hair. There's one setting to choose from and one heated barrel plate and I found it comfortable to hold and easy to use. In the box you also get a small cleaning brush and a heat-resistant storage bag, which keeps things neat. The blow dryer has a controlled airflow and is designed to enhance shine and give you results that last up to 24 hours. It has one on/off switch but has two heat sensors that monitor the surface temperature 400 times per second so you have a consistent temperature across the barrel and bristles. I normally struggle with blow drying my hair using a brush, but this design made it surprisingly easy. I really enjoyed using it on my medium length hair. It takes a few seconds to start up and turn off and I thought it sounded like a small engine revving up when I first turned it on. That said, it's not too loud in use and I measured it at an average 83 dBon the app. 'This hair dryer works much like the Revlon One-Step Volumiser Plus, but it's rather more sophisticated and powerful in its design,' says David. 'You're meant to be able to use it from wet hair, and while I found it comfortable to use, I would prefer to use it to finish off a style rather than use it on wet hair. That said, it did well to quickly blow dry long, straight and wavy hair. I think anyone with short hair may find the barrel a little too big. But should you wish to invest in a tool that specifically blow dries, I think this is a great high-tech add-on for longer hair.' Key specifications 8. Best Hair Dryer for Versatile Attachments: Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 with Storage Bag (HD352UK) Score: 8/10 We like: The flexibility of the attachments making it suitable for all hair types This hair dryer is a five-in-one design with attachments that focus on achieving less frizz when drying. It features an ioniser that releases negative ions to achieve healthy looking hair. Compared to other premium designs on the market, this hair dryer has a lot to offer for the price. At first I was a little overwhelmed by just how many different attachments were included, but Shark makes it easy to understand how to get the best from them with a leaflet in the box. Each attachment clicks on smoothly and the overall design is slim and feels light. The hair dryer never gets too hot, but it is the loudest I tried, measuring 95.9 dB on the highest setting. What's interesting is that it shows you where to hold the attachments when removing them, so as to not burn your fingers, which is a thoughtful touch I haven't come across with other brands. After using the Turbo Concentrator attachment to dry my hair, I finished with the RapidGloss Finisher. This is designed to smooth frizz and flyaways, which it did on my wavy hair. I imagine the Express Touchup Brush would come in useful for adding volume to thin hair and taming fringes, too. While I enjoyed trying out the 'QuickSmooth' brush, which is there to dry, volumise and smooth all at once, I found it a little awkward to achieve the blow-dried results I wanted on my own hair. The 'DefrizzFast' diffuser is a good size for long hair too, and I managed to get a good section of my hair inside each time I wanted to create a more defined curl. 'The hair dryer is very powerful and good for all types of hair,' says David. 'For tight coil curls I felt I was able to smooth the hair out, but not fully, however. I love the options of airflow here. I also like how lightweight the hair dryer is, but the on/off is a little awkward and not the easiest to use when you're in a hurry. While I'm not sure you'd need all the attachments, I enjoyed how smoothly they clicked into place and I like how much variety you have here for curls, waves and straight hair.' Key specifications 9. Best Hair Dryer for Shine: Panasonic Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral (EH-NA0J-N895) Just like the Dyson, this Panasonic hair dryer has its own scalp setting to protect your head when in use. It comes with Panasonic's own 'Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral' technology that is designed to hydrate your hair by adding moisture, reducing static and frizz, and enhancing the appearance for sleek and smooth results. This hair dryer is quite an unusual design, but one of my favourites as it's so light and its attachments click smoothly into place. It comes with a concentrator nozzle and a large and deep diffuser that can get quite a good chunk of hair in for drying in one go. It has two temperature settings and a comfortable to use hot or cold alternating mode, which ensures you never get that over-dry feel you can sometimes get after drying. I found this was a good setting for my kids, too. I was able to achieve sleek results using this hair dryer every time, and found I was left with less frizz compared to other hair dryers I used. Continued use of its 'Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral' technology is meant to reduce split ends and breakage, which is something I'm keen to pursue. It also has a skin mode and while I was sceptical about the real benefits of it, I did find that using it for a few minutes after drying my hair left my skin feeling soft and not overly-dry. 'I like how easy this hair dryer is to use – with Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral technology for keeping hair healthy,' says David. 'The body of the hair dryer is light and easy to use, and it feels balanced in hand. At 86.7 decibels on its highest setting, it's not too noisy either. It is, however, quite pricey, but I think its unique technology makes it stand out from the crowd.' Key specifications 10. Best Budget Hair Dryer: The Hair Lab by Mark Hill Professional At 2,300W, this is one of the most powerful hair dryers on our round-up. It comes with a good choice of heat and speed settings, yet is fairly compact in size. While it's small, it has a good 1.92kg weight to it that makes it feel premium. I also found it to be one of the quieter hair dryers in our test measuring 81 bD on its highest setting. The design is traditional in shape and reminded me of the larger GHD Helios. For its price, I think this Mark Hill Professional hair dryer is great value as it has a good choice of heat and speed settings and a useful number of attachments. It also comes in an attractive presentation box. I found that the speed and heat settings were easy to switch between and conveniently positioned on the handle. It's powerful and I managed to get my medium length hair dry within five minutes when using the strongest settings. Its attachments do, however, get quite hot and I needed to let them cool for a bit before interchanging between the concentrator nozzle, diffuser and comb. 'This is a very affordable hair dryer with a familiar shape and good spec,' says David. 'I think it would be very easy for most people to use and a great option for achieving smooth hair. While it doesn't have as many attachments as its competitors I think that for its price, you can't really go wrong.' Key specifications 11. Best Hot Brush: Revlon One-Step Volumiser Plus An upgrade on the popular Revlon One-Step Volumiser, the Plus model claims to give you 50 per cent less heat exposure and has the technology built in to create shinier results. It's aimed at those who want to easily create a bouncy blow dry at home and I found it fuss-free and easy to use. It measured around the 90 dD mark on its highest setting, so can get quite noisy. This hot brush smoothed out my wavy hair at home but only has one head, which may make it a little too large for some hair types as one size doesn't always fit all. On the plus side, it's light and compact enough to fit into hand luggage. 'Designed as an alternative to a hair dryer and brush, this combines the two and worked well when finishing a client's bob,' says David. 'As a professional, I wasn't able to get as much tension for smoothing out the roots as I'd like. For overall smoothness, I would prefer to use this in addition to a hair dryer and brush, to finish off the hair.' Key specifications 12. Best Hair Dryer for Small and Lightweight Design: Nicky Clarke Airstyle Pro The main body of this hair dryer weighs just 350g, which makes it light and easy to store. It comes in an attractive presentation box, which I think would make for a great gift. It has a very stylish control panel that comes with a useful lock button, so you can't accidentally knock the heat and speed settings while you're using it. I found it powerful and the air felt streamlined through the concentrator nozzle, which helped me produce smoother than normal results. It's quite loud in use and I measured it at 89.99 dB on its highest setting. 'This achieves great results for curly and straight hair,' says David. 'The diffuser is a good shape and works well and its Aircurl styler was fun to use on straight hair to achieve lovely light curls and waves. It did, however, get very hot, so I would use it on the lowest setting to avoid heat damage. At 2.8m, the cord length is generous, so I could walk around freely while styling and I think its self-cleaning function is useful for anyone who regularly forgets to clean the filter.' Key specifications 13. Best Hair Dryer under £50: Babyliss Rose Lustre 2400 Nicely packaged in a compact box that could make a good gift, the BaByliss Rose Lustre 2400 comes with ionic frizz-control and ceramic technology to smooth hair. While it felt quite slippery to hold, it was one of the lighter hair dryers I tested. Its noise level was average too, measuring 86 dB on its highest setting. With price, noise and variety of settings in mind, it makes a good option for family use and it didn't give me arm ache when trying it out at home. 'This is a great budget hair dryer that has a lot of good features you'd expect to find on a premium model,' says David. 'I wouldn't use it professionally, as I didn't feel enough difference on the heat controls, but it does have everything you need for a successful blow dry. I would stick to medium heat for the best results as the highest setting can feel quite hot.' Key specifications 14. Best Hair Dryer for Extra Volume: Revamp Progloss Pro Define Perfect Blow Dry Volume & Shine Air Styler With a ceramic barrel with four ionic jet emitters, the Revamp is designed to smooth, de-tangle and add shine and volume to hair, as you use it from root to tip. While it's just as compact as the similarly functional Revlon One Step Volumiser Plus, it's slightly heavier and at 95 dB on its highest setting, slightly louder in use. It comes with three combined heat and speed settings with High, Low, Cool and Off indicators on the handle. For hair that already has a bit of a wave in it, it smoothed it nicely and added volume at the roots. 'While I really liked using this brush for finishing off hair, I would use it after a hair dryer and brush,' says David. Key specifications 15. Best Light Hair Dryer: Hershesons The Great Hairdryer With their Great Hairdryer, Hershesons claims to have created the 'lightest, most powerful and efficient dryer on the market'. It comes in a blue tin box with a diffuser, two concentrator nozzles and a stand included and at 295g, it weighs less than a can of Coke. It's also very slim. This makes it a great travel hair dryer, as well as limiting arm-ache when you're using it. The hair dryer has 'Oxy Active Technology', which is designed to 'emit active oxygen with anti-bacterial effect for improved colour fixation and shine'. While it was hard to notice whether it did improve colour, I did notice how smooth the results were. The Hersheson gives you three temperatures, three speed levels and a cool shot. 'It's very quiet and the attachments are good,' David says. 'I particularly like the diffuser, which was great for curly and wavy hair. 'Sometimes I like to hold the hair dryer on its side, instead of by the handle when I'm drying. However, the Hersheson got quite hot, so this isn't something I could do. But overall, I'm impressed at how smoothly it dries hair – it's also nicely designed, compact and light in the hand.' Key specifications Hair dryer FAQs Which hair dryer is least damaging? Celebrity hairstylist Timothy David recommends choosing a hair dryer with a good range of heat controls that promises to be gentle on your hair. 'Think about how much you will use the hair dryer in relation to how much it costs, and whether it has the right tools for your hair type and what you'd use them for,' he says. 'Ionic hair dryers are good at drying your hair at a faster rate on a lower temperature. They release negatively charged ions that break up water particles, sealing the hair particles to help prevent frizz. Ceramic hair dryers are also good at heating up quickly and distributing heat evenly, protecting your hair from excess damage. Dyson uses infrared technology to measure the distance of the machine and the hair so it can adjusts the heat automatically to protect the scalp.' Is it good to use a hair dryer every day and can a hair dryer cause hair loss? David points out that using a hair dryer every day can be detrimental to your hair health. 'It's not good to use any heat tool too much,' he says. 'If possible, try to dry your hair naturally with a good leave-in conditioner at least once a week. If you do need to blow-dry your hair every day I recommend using the right protective products for heat and a good shampoo and conditioner without silicone. I've never heard of a hair dryer causing hair loss but pulling too much in a certain area may cause some.' What hair dryer do the professionals use? While brands such as Parlux, GHDs and Dyson do tend to be popular for professional hairdressing use, it's ultimately up to the individual hair stylist what they choose to work with and works for them. 'I tend to use a Parlux for everyday use as I like the way it blow dries hair smooth or into beautiful curls. For diffusing hair, I prefer a Dyson,' says David. What's the best hair dryer for my hair type? It's important to use the right heat setting and attachment to suit your hair type. 'Straight hair, particularly if it's fine, can be quickly damaged by high heat, so a hair dryer with ionic technology and low heat settings can work well,' says David. 'A wide tooth attachment is great for smoothing out thick hair too. For wavy, curly, coily and kinky hair types, a hair dryer with a diffuser and low heat and speed settings is a good option. This ensures that regardless of your ethnicity, the hair dryer will protect your hair texture from unnecessary heat damage.' What's the best hair dryer for my hair type? Professional hairdresser Michael Van Clarke shares his expert tips: 'Avoid excessive colouring. One of the biggest problems I see is unnecessary, excessive colour damage – either too much colour or repeated over and over on the same hair. This leaves it thin, fragile and dull. Find a colourist that cares about hair health and who wants your hair to look its best for as long as possible, rather than making you return ASAP to spend again.' 'Don't get too close for too long when drying hair. Resting the nozzle on your hair for an extended period will guarantee over-drying and damage. Try to keep a one-inch distance between your hair and the dryer and heat-style less often.' 'Steer clear of dehydrating silicone products that smooth the surface and varnish over the cracks in hair. Most silicones are hydrophobic so while they make hair look good today, they dry it out in the long run. It may not say silicone on the ingredients list, so look out for the scientific names like cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, trimethicone, or any '-conol' or '-cone' in the ingredients list. Breaking the cycle can be difficult, but you will notice the results.'
Vogue
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
The Best Hair Waver Picks, According to Celebrity Hairstylists and Vogue Editors
Waves have long reigned as the quintessential summer hairstyle, and the best hair waver tools are key to achieving the look—especially if your strands don't bend that way naturally. These stunning waves conjure images of sun-drenched days, breezes infused with the scent of sea salt, and a delightful mermaid aesthetic that harkens back to our nostalgic H20: Just Add Water loving days. Beachy waves embody the essence of effortless glamour, effortlessly merging chic with a touch of playful nonchalance. 'Hair wavers are a great heat styling tool option for creating volume, bounce, and movement with a slightly more relaxed feel than classic curls,' Pete Burkillh tells Vogue, the celebrity hair stylist whose star-studded clients include the Beckhams, Millie Bobbi Brown, and many more. Vogue's Favorite Hair Wavers In This Story Gone are the days of relying solely on 90s-era crimpers to achieve those sought-after waves (though let's be honest, that look is totally Brat-approved!). Unlike traditional straighteners and curling irons, hair wavers come in an array of shapes and sizes, each designed to create its own unique wave pattern. Whether you seek soft, loose waves or defined, tousled curls, there's a hair wave out there to help you express your summer spirit through fabulous, flowing locks—keep scrolling to find your new summer hair styling essential. Best for Soft Waves: Mermade Hair Pro Hair 1.25-Inch Waver Why We Love It : Even if you have naturally wavy hair, perhaps you're also terrible at styling your natural hair (much like Vogue's beauty commerce writer Conçetta Ciarlo). 'Even with a bob (I opt for the mini size), this hair waver easily grips my hair and creates perfect waves in seconds—the three-barrel design makes using the tool seamless. Plus, there's no crunchy feeling left behind,' says Ciarlo. Burkillh agrees, adding this pick is a solid go-to for creating soft, oversized waves. : Even if you have naturally wavy hair, perhaps you're also terrible at styling your natural hair (much like Vogue's beauty commerce writer Conçetta Ciarlo). 'Even with a bob (I opt for the mini size), this hair waver easily grips my hair and creates perfect waves in seconds—the three-barrel design makes using the tool seamless. Plus, there's no crunchy feeling left behind,' says Ciarlo. Burkillh agrees, adding this pick is a solid go-to for creating soft, oversized waves. Heat Settings : Multiple (280°F to 430°F) : Multiple (280°F to 430°F) Available Size : 1.25 in., 1 in. : 1.25 in., 1 in. Material : 1.25 inch (three-barrels) : 1.25 inch (three-barrels) Cord Length : 8.2 ft swivel cord : 8.2 ft swivel cord Voltage : Universal : Universal More To Know: Auto-off after one hour Best Adjustable: Bed Head A Wave We Go Bed Head A Wave We Go $45 AMAZON Why We Love It : With nearly 19k rave reviews on Amazon, needless to say, this hair waver from Bed Head is a beloved pick for many. What's unique about this tool is its adjustable center wave barrel—with the turn of a dial, you can adjust the barrel for the exact type of wave you want, from tight crimp to loose and tousled. Meanwhile, the tourmaline ceramic design reduces overall frizz to leave behind that coveted healthy sheen. : With nearly 19k rave reviews on Amazon, needless to say, this hair waver from Bed Head is a beloved pick for many. What's unique about this tool is its adjustable center wave barrel—with the turn of a dial, you can adjust the barrel for the exact type of wave you want, from tight crimp to loose and tousled. Meanwhile, the tourmaline ceramic design reduces overall frizz to leave behind that coveted healthy sheen. Heat Settings : Multiple (250°F to 400°F) : Multiple (250°F to 400°F) Available Size : : Material : Tourmaline : Tourmaline Cord Length : 6 ft swivel cord : 6 ft swivel cord Voltage : Dual Voltage : Dual Voltage More To Know: Auto-off; adjustable waver barrel Best for a Tousled Look: Tymo Rovy Beach Waves Curling Wand Tymo Rovy Beach Waves Curling Wand $70 AMAZON Why We Love It : Consider this Tymo tool a revamped version of your classic crimper—rather than more sharply angled waves, this creates perfectly rounded, bouncy S-shaped lengths. 'This pick is perfect for a slightly more tousled, undone look. Plus, it's great for layering texture throughout the hair,' says Burkillh. Simply clamp down with the single barrel, using the tool itself to space each wave. Best of all, with negative ion technology at play, this waver boasts less heat damage overall. : Consider this Tymo tool a revamped version of your classic crimper—rather than more sharply angled waves, this creates perfectly rounded, bouncy S-shaped lengths. 'This pick is perfect for a slightly more tousled, undone look. Plus, it's great for layering texture throughout the hair,' says Burkillh. Simply clamp down with the single barrel, using the tool itself to space each wave. Best of all, with negative ion technology at play, this waver boasts less heat damage overall. Heat Settings : Nine (Up to 430°F) : Nine (Up to 430°F) Available Size : 1.25 in., 1 in. : 1.25 in., 1 in. Material : Tourmaline ceramic : Tourmaline ceramic Cord Length : 6 ft swivel cord : 6 ft swivel cord Voltage : Dual : Dual More to Know: Single-barrel crimper for beginner-friendly use Best for Fine Hair: Conair Double Ceramic 3 Barrel Curling Iron Conair Double Ceramic 3 Barrel Curling Iron $37 AMAZON Why We Love It : Those with finer hair textures may fear singeing their hair when clamping down in pursuit of waves—in that case, you'll need a tool with a delicate touch. 'Conair's waver is gentle and consistent, making it ideal for finer hair types,' says Burkillh. The triple barrel features two unique sizes within one tool—the outer barrels are a quarter of an inch larger than the inner barrel, creating a seamless wave pattern. : Those with finer hair textures may fear singeing their hair when clamping down in pursuit of waves—in that case, you'll need a tool with a delicate touch. 'Conair's waver is gentle and consistent, making it ideal for finer hair types,' says Burkillh. The triple barrel features two unique sizes within one tool—the outer barrels are a quarter of an inch larger than the inner barrel, creating a seamless wave pattern. Heat Settings : Multiple (up to 400°F) : Multiple (up to 400°F) Available Size : One size (.75 in. outer barrels, .25 in. inner barrel) : One size (.75 in. outer barrels, .25 in. inner barrel) Material : Double ceramic : Double ceramic Cord Length : 5 ft : 5 ft Voltage : Dual : Dual More to Know: Auto-off Best Affordable: Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand Hair Waver Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand Hair Waver $23 AMAZON Why We Love It : For an affordable yet high-performing pick, Alure's three-barrel waver is another Amazon-favorite pick with over 28k glowing reviews. 'This pick heats up in just 60 seconds and works well across most hair types. It consistently delivers solid results at a good price point,' says Burkillh. : For an affordable yet high-performing pick, Alure's three-barrel waver is another Amazon-favorite pick with over 28k glowing reviews. 'This pick heats up in just 60 seconds and works well across most hair types. It consistently delivers solid results at a good price point,' says Burkillh. Heat Settings : Multiple (Up to 410°F) : Multiple (Up to 410°F) Available Size : 1 inch : 1 inch Material : Ceramic tourmaline : Ceramic tourmaline Cord Length : 6.5 ft : 6.5 ft Voltage : Dual : Dual More to Know: LED heat display Best for Frizz: Drybar The Beach Bender Triple Barrel Waver Drybar The Beach Bender Triple Barrel Waver $139 NORDSTROM Why We Love It : 'Drybar's waver delivers a really polished wave with great shine. It's ideal for event styling or camera-ready looks,' says Burkillh, noting the added shine reflects back beautifully in photography. That added glossy look is thanks to the ceramic barrels with ionic technology—the combination smooths the hair's cuticle, which has a host of highly sought-after benefits. The result? Less frizz, added shine, and better moisture retention. : 'Drybar's waver delivers a really polished wave with great shine. It's ideal for event styling or camera-ready looks,' says Burkillh, noting the added shine reflects back beautifully in photography. That added glossy look is thanks to the ceramic barrels with ionic technology—the combination smooths the hair's cuticle, which has a host of highly sought-after benefits. The result? Less frizz, added shine, and better moisture retention. Heat Settings : Multiple (up to 450°F) : Multiple (up to 450°F) Available Size : .75 inches : .75 inches Material : Ceramic : Ceramic Cord Length : 9 ft : 9 ft Voltage : Standard (US and Canada compatible only) : Standard (US and Canada compatible only) More to Know: Ergonomic handle; auto-off. Best Single Barrel: T3 BodyWaver 1.75-Inch Why We Love It : If the triple barrel and crimper styles are a bit too much for you, then look no further than T3's waver. That's right—you can, in fact, create waves with a single barrel styling tool. This was Ciarlo's intro to hot tool styling for waves (just a big ol' curling wand). The trick is in the width of the barrel itself—wider barrels (aka, bigger than your average curling iron) create a loose tousle rather than a tight ringlet. Additionally, the ergonomic handle ensures easy and comfortable styling, even for novice wave stylists. : If the triple barrel and crimper styles are a bit too much for you, then look no further than T3's waver. That's right—you can, in fact, create waves with a single barrel styling tool. This was Ciarlo's intro to hot tool styling for waves (just a big ol' curling wand). The trick is in the width of the barrel itself—wider barrels (aka, bigger than your average curling iron) create a loose tousle rather than a tight ringlet. Additionally, the ergonomic handle ensures easy and comfortable styling, even for novice wave stylists. Heat Settings : Five (up to 410°F) : Five (up to 410°F) Available Size : 1.75 in. : 1.75 in. Material : Tourmaline ceramic : Tourmaline ceramic Cord Length : 9 ft swivel cord : 9 ft swivel cord Voltage : Standard (US and Canada compatible only) : Standard (US and Canada compatible only) More to Know: One-hour auto-off; hollow barrel for even heat dispense. Best Classic: GHD Wave Why We Love It : When in doubt, Burkillh says GHD's Wave Wand is a classic. 'This is always great for super smooth and long-lasting, sculpted waves,' he says. This tool uses self-regulating heat tech to ensure temperature remains even across all three barrels—plus, they're oval-shaped rather than round to create a more natural wave pattern. Plus, the ceramic-coated material ensures added shine and reduced damage. : When in doubt, Burkillh says GHD's Wave Wand is a classic. 'This is always great for super smooth and long-lasting, sculpted waves,' he says. This tool uses self-regulating heat tech to ensure temperature remains even across all three barrels—plus, they're oval-shaped rather than round to create a more natural wave pattern. Plus, the ceramic-coated material ensures added shine and reduced damage. Heat Settings : Multiple (up to 365°F) : Multiple (up to 365°F) Available Size : 1.25 in. : 1.25 in. Material : Ceramic coated : Ceramic coated Cord Length : 9 ft swivel cord : 9 ft swivel cord Voltage : Universal : Universal More to Know: Heats up in 50 seconds; cool tips for burn-free styling; auto-off. Best for a Naughties Crimp: Hot Tools Pro Artist Nano Ceramic Deep Waver Hot Tools Pro Artist Nano Ceramic Deep Waver $63 AMAZON Why We Love It : Zillenials and Millenials alike will remember how oh-so-cool crimpers were during the naughties. Featuring a super deep, angular design, this is the closest thing you'll get to a nostalgic crimper—of course, with a tech upgrade suitable for the 2020s. The ceramic material of this waver ensures reduced heat damage, safe for even finer hair types (goodbye, crunchy crimpers!). : Zillenials and Millenials alike will remember how oh-so-cool crimpers were during the naughties. Featuring a super deep, angular design, this is the closest thing you'll get to a nostalgic crimper—of course, with a tech upgrade suitable for the 2020s. The ceramic material of this waver ensures reduced heat damage, safe for even finer hair types (goodbye, crunchy crimpers!). Heat Settings : Multiple (up to 430°F) : Multiple (up to 430°F) Available Size : 1 in. : 1 in. Material : Ceramic : Ceramic Cord Length : 8 ft : 8 ft Voltage : Dual : Dual More to Know: Cool tips; lock closure Everything You Need To Know
