How to choose a hair dryer brush in Australia
A hair dryer brush - also called a hot air styling brush or a blow-dry brush - combines a hairdryer and a round brush in one tool, so you dry and style in a single pass for an at-home salon blow-dry without juggling a separate dryer and brush. The first thing to weigh is barrel shape and size, because it changes the result - oval brushes smooth and volumise, round barrels add curl and bounce, larger barrels suit long hair and smaller ones suit short hair. After that it comes down to wattage for drying power and heat-up, the attachments each tool ships with, ionic or ion care for less frizz and more shine, and the heat settings plus a cool-shot to set the style. One honest distinction matters before you buy - these are hot air brushes that dry damp hair as they style, which is different from heated thermal brushes meant only for already-dry hair. This guide covers five hair dryer brushes, each suited to a different kind of hair and look.
Barrel shape and size - oval versus round
The shape of the barrel is the single biggest decision, because it determines the look you get. Our guide to hot air brushes and thermal brushes compared covers both types. An oval brush like the Revlon One-Step Original has flatter sides that smooth the hair and rounded edges that lift it at the root, so it dries and volumises in a single pass for a sleek-but-full finish. A round barrel like the Revlon Salon One-Step wraps the hair right around the brush, giving you the curl, bounce and movement of a classic round-brush blow-dry rather than a flat finish. Size matters too - larger barrels suit longer hair and create soft waves, while smaller barrels get closer to the roots on shorter styles. Picture the finish you want first - smooth and voluminous points to an oval, bouncy and curled points to a round - and let that narrow the field.
Wattage - drying power and heat-up
Wattage tells you how much drying power a brush has, which affects how quickly it gets through your hair. The lower-wattage brushes in this guide have plenty of power for short to medium hair and everyday styling. Step up to the 1000W BaByliss Beliss Big Hair and you get noticeably more drying power, which is what you want for thick or long hair that takes a while to dry, and it heats up faster too. None of these are meant to replace a full hairdryer on soaking-wet hair - they are at their best on towel-dried damp hair, drying and shaping in the same pass. If your hair is fine or short, modest wattage is plenty; if it is thick or long, the extra power of a 1000W styler saves real time.
Attachments - one fixed brush, several heads, or a rotating barrel
How a brush handles attachments shapes how many looks it can give you. The simplest tools are a single fixed brush - the Revlon One-Step Original and Salon One-Step each commit to one barrel shape, which keeps them easy to use but locks in the finish. The Remington Hot Air Brush goes furthest with four interchangeable heads - a 38mm and 50mm round brush, a styling nozzle and a flat brush - so one tool covers curls, volume and smooth styles. A different approach again is the rotating barrel on the BaByliss Beliss Big Hair, which spins to wrap the hair for you. More heads mean more versatility but more swapping; a single fixed brush is simpler if you only ever want one look. Decide whether you value flexibility or simplicity before you choose.
Ionic care - frizz and shine
Ionic or ion care is a feature worth looking for if frizz and shine matter to you. The idea is that the tool releases ions as it dries, which helps the hair lie flat and smooth rather than frizzing up, leaving a glossier finish. For curls rather than a smooth blow dry, hair diffusers with ionic care for curly hair do the job a round brush cannot. The Remington Hot Air Brush includes ion care for exactly this reason, and it makes a real difference on hair that is prone to frizz or in humid conditions. It is not a magic fix - technique, heat and the condition of your hair all play a part - but on a like-for-like basis an ionic brush tends to leave a smoother, shinier result than one without. If your main frustration with drying is frizz, prioritise a brush that names ion or ionic care among its features. The Remington Flexibrush takes a different route to smoothness with a steam function that adds moisture as it styles.
Heat settings and the cool-shot
Control over heat is what separates a tool you can use on different hair days from a one-temperature blunt instrument. Most of these brushes offer more than one heat level, so you can turn it down for fine or fragile hair and up for thick hair that needs more, and a cool setting or cool-shot is the feature that makes a style hold. The Remington Hot Air Brush has a cool setting that does exactly this. Once you have shaped a section with heat, a blast of cool air sets it in place, the same trick a salon stylist uses to lock in a blow-dry. Heat shapes the hair; cool fixes it. If you want your style to last past lunchtime, a cool-shot is the setting that gets you there.
How much should you spend
You can get a genuine at-home blow-dry at any price in this guide. The Remington Flexibrush proves you do not need to spend much for a capable hot air styler with a steam smoothing function. The Revlon One-Step Original is where most people should land, it is the most reviewed brush here and the default safe choice. The Revlon Salon One-Step buys round brush bounce, and the Remington Hot Air Brush buys four interchangeable heads for maximum versatility. Spending up to the BaByliss Beliss Big Hair buys a 1000W rotating styler that does the wrapping for you, the easiest path to big volume, and worth it if you style often or have thick hair. Decide on the finish you want first, then pick the cheapest model that nails it - for most people that is the Revlon One-Step Original.
Our verdict
For most people the Revlon One-Step Volumiser Original is the smart buy, it is by far the most reviewed brush here with more than 27,600 ratings, its oval barrel dries and volumises in a single pass, and it ships with a genuine AU plug, which is why it is our pick. If you only want to spend a little, the Remington Flexibrush Steam adds a steam smoothing function and doubles as a brush and curler. Want bounce instead of smoothness? The Revlon Salon One-Step swaps in a round barrel. The Remington Hot Air Brush is the most versatile with four interchangeable heads, and if you want the easiest route to big salon volume, the rotating 1000W BaByliss Beliss Big Hair is the premium pick.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hair dryer brush and how is it different from a normal hairdryer?
A hair dryer brush combines a hairdryer and a round brush in one tool, so you dry and style your hair in a single pass for an at-home salon blow-dry without juggling a separate dryer and brush. A normal hairdryer just blows hot air - you still need a separate round brush and a free hand to shape the hair. The brushes in this guide, like the Revlon One-Step Original, do both jobs at once, which is faster and easier for most people styling their own hair at home.
Are hair dryer brushes the same as heated styling brushes?
No, and this is an important distinction. The tools in this guide are hot air brushes - they blow warm air and are designed to dry towel-dried damp hair as they style it. A heated thermal or styling brush has a heated barrel and no airflow, and it is meant only for hair that is already dry. If you want to dry and style in one go, you want a hot air brush like the ones here; if you only ever touch up already-dry hair, a heated styling brush is a different tool. Check which type you are buying before you order.
Should I use a hair dryer brush on wet or dry hair?
On towel-dried damp hair, not soaking-wet hair. Hot air brushes dry and style at the same time, but they work best when you have already removed the excess water with a towel - using one on dripping-wet hair takes much longer and gives a poorer result. They are also not for fully dry hair, which is what a heated styling brush is for. So the sweet spot is damp - rough-dry or towel-dry your hair first, then work through it in sections with the brush. It takes a little practice to get the wrap-and-pull motion right, but the damp starting point is the key to a good finish.
What barrel shape should I choose - oval or round?
It depends on the finish you want. An oval barrel like the one on the Revlon One-Step Original has flatter sides that smooth the hair and rounded edges that add volume at the root, giving a sleek but full result. A round barrel like the Revlon Salon One-Step wraps the hair around the brush for curl, bounce and movement, a classic round brush blow dry look rather than a flat one. Choose oval for smooth and voluminous, round for bouncy and curled. Barrel size matters too - larger suits long hair, smaller suits short.
How much wattage do I need in a hair dryer brush?
For short to medium hair, modest wattage is plenty - a lower-wattage brush has enough power for everyday styling. For thick or long hair that takes a while to dry, a higher wattage tool like the 1000W BaByliss Beliss Big Hair gets through it faster and heats up sooner. None of these replace a full hairdryer on soaking-wet hair - they are at their best on towel-dried damp hair. Match the wattage to your hair type rather than chasing the highest number, and remember a cool-shot setting matters as much as raw power for making a style hold.
Does ionic care actually reduce frizz?
It helps. An ionic brush like the Remington Hot Air Brush releases ions as it dries, which encourages the hair to lie flat and smooth rather than frizz up, leaving a glossier finish. It is not a magic fix - your technique, the heat you use and the condition of your hair all play a part - but on a like-for-like basis an ionic brush tends to leave a smoother, shinier result than one without. If frizz is your main frustration, prioritise a brush that names ion or ionic care. The Remington Flexibrush takes a different route with a steam function that adds moisture as it smooths.
Which hair dryer brush is best for beginners?
The Revlon One-Step Volumiser Original is the best starting point for most beginners, it is by far the most reviewed brush here with more than 27,600 ratings, its single oval barrel keeps it simple to use, and it ships with a genuine AU plug so it is ready out of the box. If you find the wrap and pull motion tricky, the rotating BaByliss Beliss Big Hair spins the barrel to wrap the hair for you, which takes the technique out of it, though it costs more. Either way, start on towel-dried damp hair and work in small sections.
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