The 10 Best Hair Dryer Brushes in 2024

Is it a brush? Is it a blow dryer? It's both!

model with blown out hair after using a hair dryer brush
(Image credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Let it be known that I am no hair pro. Yes, I’ve invested in the best blow dryer for my hair. Yes, I’ve watched countless tutorials on how to blow dry hair to achieve a bouncy ‘90s-era blowout. And yet, somehow, I can't get the effect of a professional blow-dry with just a hair brush and a dryer. Hope is not lost for me, though—because I can just use a hair dryer brush for the same effect. Which brings me to: Marie Clarie's definitive list of the best hair dryer brushes that are going to make styling my (and your!) hair a little easier.

When to Use a Hair Dryer Brush

Allow me to make the case for adding this shiny new tool to your repertoire. Hair dryer brushes are great if you’re looking to add volume, cut both your drying and styling time in half, and achieve a shiny, finished look—or just trying to figure out how to blow dry your hair at home. Using a traditional round brush can take a long time (and can cause your arm to hurt in the process if you have a lot of hair), and hair dryer brushes are designed to make a blowout more achievable.

How to Use a Hair Dryer Brush

As with any hot tool, using a hair dryer bush requires some know-how. Just because I had to fumble around in the proverbial dark to master my own skills doesn’t mean you have to. Ahead, I turned to the experts to break down exactly what you should do once you bring a hair dryer brush home. 

How Wet Should Your Hair Be?

If you’ve been on TikTok at all over the last few years, you’ve no doubt seen videos of users advising you not to use your hair dryer brush on fresh-from-the-shower hair. They were right. “First make sure your hair is not soaking wet,” says celebrity stylist David Lopez, who has worked with Ashley Graham and Hailey Bieber. “It’s best to have it very towel dried, at least 50 percent air dried—meaning water is not dripping from it, but it’s still pretty wet.” 

Their best pro tip before you start out? “The frizzier your hair is, the more wet you want your hair to be when you begin,” they say. If volume is your ultimate goal, either rough dry your hair first or let your hair dry completely before you use the device. 

Proper Hair Dry Brush Technique

To get the most out of your hair dryer brush, follow Lopez’s lead. “Use it the same way a pro stylist would use a round brush and blow dryer,” they say. “Take nice, clean sections, and smooth each section out, wrap the hair once around the barrel and then slowly work the brush down the section with tension. Then when you get to the end, really roll the ends around the brush as you are heating it up to get a really smooth bouncy finish. If you want you can roll it back up to the base and let it sit there for a second to get a bit more bounce out of it."

How We Chose the Best Hair Dryer Brushes

There are a few key details that separate the best hair dryer brushes from other options on the market. (Trust me—I'm an E-Commerce Editor who shops for a living and is only here to recommend the best products.)

  • Weight: If a round brush and blow dryer are too heavy, you’re going to want to invest in a hair dryer brush that’s lightweight. Especially if you have longer hair or thicker hair, you’re going to be holding the tool for a few minutes at a time. (Most of the tools on this list are some of the lightest brushes on the market.)
  • Heat Settings: As with any hot tool, you’re going to want a hair dryer brush that doesn’t get too hot but still has a good variety of heat settings, plus a cool shot to set your style. The majority of the options on this list have the classic three settings, while some have more. This will allow you to customize your drying routine based on your hair type, curl pattern, hair texture, and more, without exposing it to too much heat. Let me use this time to remind you to invest in a great heat protectant product. 
  • Barrel Size and Shape: Hair dryer brush barrels (try saying that five times fast!) come in all shapes and sizes, and each one gives you a different look. Traditional round barrels are great for giving defined curls. The smaller the barrel, the tighter the finished curl will be. Oval-shaped barrels are great for providing bend to the hair and giving a boost of volume higher up on the hair shaft. 

Shop Deals on Hair Dryer Brushes

Dyson Special Edition Airwrap™ Multi-Styler Complete Long, $660 $600 at Nordstrom

Dyson Special Edition Airwrap™ Multi-Styler Complete Long, <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=kXQk6%2AivFEQ&mid=1237&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordstrom.com%2Fs%2Fairwrap-multi-styler-complete-long-660-value%2F7403375%3F" data-link-merchant="nordstrom.com"">$660 $600 at Nordstrom

Shop this Topaz-hued device from Dyson is on sale right now for the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. "It gives me next-level volume (at the root too) and creates such an effortless blowout,” says<a href="https://www.marieclaire.com/author/samantha-holender/" data-link-merchant="marieclaire.com"" data-link-merchant="nordstrom.com""> Beauty Editor Samantha Holender. 

Drybar Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush, $155 $103 at Nordstrom

Drybar Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush,<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=kXQk6%2AivFEQ&mid=1237&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordstrom.com%2Fs%2Fdrybar-double-shot-blow-dryer-brush%2F5467553" data-link-merchant="nordstrom.com""> $155 $103 at Nordstrom

This bright yellow device from Drybar is perfect for finishing volume to any style. <a href="https://www.marieclaire.com/author/julia-marzovilla/" data-link-merchant="marieclaire.com"" data-link-merchant="nordstrom.com"">E-Commerce Editor Julia Marzovilla loves it because she uses it to add 'volume at the roots and add a little flick at the ends." 

T3 AireBrush Duo Interchangeable Hot Air Blow Dry Brush, $190 $128 at Nordstrom

T3 AireBrush Duo Interchangeable Hot Air Blow Dry Brush, <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=kXQk6%2AivFEQ&mid=1237&u1=hawk-custom-tracking&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordstrom.com%2Fs%2Fairebrush-duo-blow-dry-brush%2F6449995%3F" data-link-merchant="nordstrom.com"">$190 $128 at Nordstrom

This hairstylist-approved brush is one of the best on the market. Celebrity Stylist David Lopez loves it because "it does have two attachments, a paddle brush for general smoothing and a round brush attachment if you want to create more of a blow-dry finish." 

Shop Deals on Hair Dryer Brushes

Drybar Double Shot Oval Blow-Dryer Brush, $154 $132 at Amazon

Drybar Double Shot Oval Blow-Dryer Brush, <a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=141596&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FDrybar-Double-Shot-Blow-Dryer-Brush%2Fdp%2FB083XFM9B7%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-20" data-link-merchant="Amazon US"">$154 $132 at Amazon

E-Commerce Editor Julia Marzovilla loves this blow dryer brush from Drybar because it has made every single haircut she's ever had—from a French bob to grown-out curtain bangs—look amazing. Shop it for $22 off right now at Amazon. 

The Best Hair Dryer Brushes

Meet The Expert

David Lopez
David Lopez

David Lopez is a top fashion & celebrity hairstylist and Beauty Expert based in New York City. Originally from the island of Puerto Rico, David's childhood was spent living in many different cities across the globe, inspiring an inclusive, open-minded approach to his future. Equally comfortable in front of the camera as they are behind the chair, David provides commentary on today’s trending styles for a variety of media outlets including PEOPLE Magazine, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Essence, Self, WWD, Vogue, and New York Times. David is also a creative consultant and product developer for various beauty brands which includes roles as Creative Director for Glam Seamless Hair Extensions, Artistic Ambassador for Kenra Professional and T3, and a part of the Ulta Beauty Pro Team. Recent projects include work with Chrissy Teigen, Ashley Graham, Nikkie de Jager, Kristin Stewart, Ava Max, and Hailey Bieber. As a content creator, David blends their expertise in hair with their mission of de-genderizing the beauty and self care space, using their Instagram platform to offer advice on how to keep all aspects of your life beautiful. From skin and hair to makeup and self-care, and everything in between- @davidlopezzz is a "feel good" space for inclusive beauty. When not on set or with a celebrity, David can be seen hosting on QVC, on professional hair trade show stages, and numerous other entertainment television segments dishing out his style secrets.


Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she covers everything from the latest beauty and fashion launches and sales to celebrity outfits and news. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and STYLECASTER. In her spare time, Julia can be found creating shopping guides for all of her friends, spending too much money on yet another pair of black boots, and cooking in her far-too-small kitchen.