8 Best Heated Round Brushes, Tested & Reviewed for 2024

Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Get a bouncy blowout in minutes.

In a perfect world, I would be able to get a professional blowout every day (or at least every other day) and my hair would always look like I just shot a shampoo commercial. Unfortunately, in reality, I have no idea how to use a round brush in one hand and a hair dryer in the other. No matter how many TikTok tutorials I watch, my hair always ends up frizzy and disheveled.That’s where heated round brushes come into play. Even if I have no idea how to execute an at-home blowout, I fool quite a lot of people, because I do know how to use a heated round brush—they’re practically foolproof. To use a heated round brush, all you have to do is run it through your hair. “It is designed to style dry hair, featuring bristles for enhanced control during styling and a heated barrel to shape and lock in the finished styles,” says Syrenthia Quiñones, a licensed salon professional and the senior manager of sales and education at Mane Addicts, who adds that heated round brushes work wonders on a variety of hair textures and lengths. Heated round brushes also can be used in many different ways. You can use a heated round brush to smooth out hair, you can twist hair around the barrel to create bombshell curls, or you can use the tool to flip the ends of your hair or add a tiny bit of bend. No matter how you want to use it, we found the best heated round brushes on the market for all hair types and textures, according to an expert, ELLE editors, and rave reviews.

This heated round brush came on the scene just a few months ago, but it’s already gained a cult following. Because it’s so lightweight, your arms won’t feel fatigued while using it, and the tool is designed to evenly distribute heat for flawless styling—it’s basically foolproof. “It’s my go-to for quick, easy styling, with results that last from a long day at work right into happy hour,” says Quiñones.

Best for: All hair types

Power source: Corded

Sephora rating: 4.8/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I feel spoiled because the Mane It’s Giving Body Medium Hot Thermal Round Brush was the first heated round brush I ever tried, and it was a winner right off the bat. I’m usually terrified of round brushes because I’ve had one too many nightmarish experiences where my hair wound up tangled within them, so this format made me quite nervous. However, my hair glides through this tool’s bristles, and I end up with a voluminous, yet sleek and straightened look in minutes. I’m serious—I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than five or six minutes styling my hair when I use this brush.” —Carol Lee, ELLE.com associate beauty e-commerce writer

Blow dryer brushes have been all the rage in the past couple years, and now it looks like it’s time for heated round brushes to shine. But this handy device combines both tools into one; use the dryer function to dry and add volume, then twist the bottom to smooth and style as needed.

Best for: All hair types

Power source: Corded

Amazon rating: 4.1/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “What I like best about the Shark Smoothstyle is that you can use it as both a blowdry brush and a heated round brush—I feel like many tools are just one or the other. I have really thick hair, so I’m used to having to rough dry my hair 90 percent of the way before using a blowdry brush, but I find that the Shark is powerful enough to start with mostly wet hair. I really like using the heated comb setting when I’m styling my hair once it’s already dry. I can style my whole head really quickly, and it makes it look like I just got a blowout.” —Katie Berohn, ELLE beauty editor

Featuring a 1.5” barrel and an ergonomic handle, this heated round brush is a godsend for any hair type and texture. The nylon bristles grip the hair to provide just the right amount of tension, but they’re gentle enough to prevent unfortunate tangles. Another highlight? The tool’s nine-foot cord allows you to reach every inch of your hair with ease.

Best for: All hair types

Power source: Corded

Amazon rating: 3.6/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “My hair is naturally a little wavy and retains a lot of volume on the first day after a wash, but it can fall flat in the following days. A heated round brush is often the perfect antidote, and this one from Amika is especially great for that. A few passes with the brush, and my frizz is gone, roots are lifted, and my strands appear sleek and shiny.” —Carol Lee

Some of the brushes on this list feature only one heat setting, which is wonderful for hair newbies who don’t want to mess with temperature, but not-so-great for those who know what works best for their strands. However, the Conair Instant Heat Styling Brush possesses 25 different temperature options, along with technology that prevents hot spots, which can cause severe heat damage.

Best for: All hair types

Power source: Corded

Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “This curling-iron brush is great. I have had the 1-¼” model for about one week. I use it to create curls, but I also sloooooowly brush some sections with it. It is awesome for that! I have shoulder-length, fine, wavy hair that is a bit frizzy. Slowly brushing with this iron removes the frizz and makes my hair look smooth, like I did something with it. And the process is so easy and fast. Today I curled about three sections and iron-brushed the rest. That took three minutes, if that. I also love that the heatsource is guarded by the bristles. I’m much less nervous about burning myself than when I used a regular iron. And I love how soft and blended and bouncy my hair looks.”

If you’ve seen a heated round brush on TikTok, chances are it was this one from Wavytalk. The brush made waves (pardon the pun) on the app this year, thanks to everyday users who demonstrated how easy it is to make your hair look incredible with the tool. You’ll find yourself sporting sleek strands and effortless waves on the daily.

Best for: All hair types

Power source: Corded

Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “The only thing I didn’t love about this is that you only get two temperature settings. I found the lowest temperature a little too hot for my hair. But other than that, this is the perfect tool. You’re literally ready in 10 to 15 minutes, heats up super fast, creates very decent tension to smooth the hair out, has worldwide voltage range (so you can travel with this anywhere), adds a ton of shine! I just love it. My favorite way to use it is during non wash days to refresh my blowout after some dry shampoo.”

With heat styling, there is always going to be damage. But certain products, techniques, and technology can reduce that damage. This heated round brush uses infrared technology to heat hair as delicately as possible and releases negative ions to maintain moisture in the hair. The bristles are also infused with aloe, which encourages shine and calms frizz.

Best for: All hair types

Power source: Corded

Ulta rating: 4.8/5 stars

An Ulta reviewer says: “I got this product a week ago and have used it three times already. I’m obsessed with it. It makes my hair feel so soft and gives such a good salon look blow out! And it’s safer than your average hot tool.”

Recreate your Drybar blowout at home with the brand’s heated round brush. The barrel heats up in seconds, which is great news for anyone who’s impatient with their hot tools like me. Additionally, the combination of nylon and silicone bristles are run through your hair without a hitch and evenly transfer the heat to your tresses as you style.

Best for: Straight and wavy hair types

Power source: Corded

Sephora rating: 4.4/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer says: “I like that the barrel is small so you can create tighter curls, and there are so many different heat settings to choose from. I also like that the bristles aren’t hot to the touch while using it, so essentially it’s burn-proof (never burned my scalp or fingers while using).”

GHD’s two-in-one blow dry brush promises a boost in both shine and volume. With snag-free bristles and a heated barrel plate, it’s incredibly easy to use. Plus, it doesn’t damage your hair in the same way other hot tools can—GHD ran a clinical study that found no detectable heat damage on towel-dried hair after 100 cycles of four passes.

Best for: All hair types

Power source: Corded

Sephora rating: 4/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “This brush was one of the winners for our 2024 Tools and Treatments awards, and for good reason. Our tester said that the airflow was quiet, and it was easy to use as a finishing tool to help make her hair sleek and shiny.”—Katie Berohn

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Syrenthia Quiñones is a licensed salon professional and the senior manager of sales and education at Mane Addicts.

While a blow dryer brush can be used on wet hair, you can only use a heated round brush on dry strands. “If you prefer greater control over the styling process, the heated round brush allows for more precise styling on dry hair,” says Quiñones. That’s because the heated barrel of a heated round brush is designed to style hair, while a blow dryer brush’s primary function is to wick away moisture. Some tools offer two-in-one benefits that combine the best parts of both a heated round brush and a blow dryer brush. You might find that the effect you get from a heated round brush lasts longer.

According to Quiñones:

As a leading publisher of fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content, ELLE.com is committed to highlighting the best products in various categories by personally testing the latest and most innovative products, interviewing countless experts, and vetting customer-loved items. For this piece, beauty writer Carol Lee spoke with a trusted hair expert about heated round brushes. She also tried a few herself, searched the internet for heated round brushes, perused reviews for dozens of popular options, and evaluated each on their features and customer reviews.

Carol Lee is the Associate Beauty E-Commerce Writer at ELLE.com, where she covers all things beauty and personal care. Before joining the team, she was an editor at Food Network Magazine and HGTV Magazine and ran the beauty section at The Pioneer Woman. Carol received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from New York University and was one of the first customers to visit Glossier’s flagship store in New York’s Soho neighborhood. Over the years, she’s tested countless makeup, hair, and skin care products, and written hundreds of articles covering the beauty space, from pieces about the trendiest launches to roundups of the best products on the market. As a Korean-American, she grew up in a sea of Korean makeup and skin care products and is a bona fide expert on the ever-expanding world of K-beauty, helping lead our coverage. Additionally, she’s also always on the hunt for the perfect lipstick and watches the same few comfort sitcoms (Frasier, Cheers, Seinfeld, New Girl, etc.) over and over again.

Katie Berohn is ELLE’s beauty editor. Previously, she held the same title at Who What Wear, where she was promoted from associate beauty editor. She’s written for publications like The Cut, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, and Mashable. Her interests include fragrance, vintage shopping, hot yoga, food, travel, music, books, and attempting to make every NYT Cooking recipe. She’s on the endless hunt to find the perfect shade of red lipstick.

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