8 best blow dry brushes in Australia in 2024
Say goodbye to the traditional blow drier with this easy-to-use alternative sparking a frenzy online.
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As a beauty writer, this seems an almost sacrilegious confession but much to the dismay of my millennial colleagues I actually don’t own a regular hair dryer. Turns out, the only other Gen Z in the team also doesn’t use one. To say, the office was shook would be a massive understatement.
Growing up, on the odd occasion I would attempt to use my mum’s to style my hair and the result was always disastrous. I have thick, wavy, and fairly curly hair and I never mastered the art of a bouncy blow dry. Instead my hair would just look like a giant puffy, frizzy mess. So when I eventually moved out of home, investing in my own hair dryer was never something I really considered.
Enter: the blow dry brush.
A blow dry brush is exactly as it sounds. Combining a round brush with a blow dryer, users can simply and easily style their hair with only one tool. Whether you’re looking to create a voluminous, bouncy blow out, a sleek straight haired look or a beachy wave, the blow-dry brush is the way to go.
After the very first time I trialled one of these miracle tools, I was a convert. It’s honestly the ultimate hair hack.
Here at news.com.au checkout, we’ve tested dozens of beauty and hair devices and the blow dry brush is consistently one of our favourites. It makes getting ready a breeze and takes the stress and arm work out that a traditional blow dry involves.
So, we’ve decided to put all of our knowledge to good use and create the ultimate best blow dry brush guide for you. Read on for everything you need to know about the best tools on the market including the Shark Smoothstyle I can’t get enough of.
OUR TOP PICKS
EDITOR’S PICK
Shark SmoothStyle, $119.99 (down from $149.99) at Myer
Tried and Tested by Philippa Tonkin, Shopping Writer
One of the hottest and most recent hair tools to come to market, the Shark SmoothStyle is my current go-to. It’s literally so easy to use, simply pass it through your hair and voila, you’re good to go.
In my opinion, what sets the SmoothStyle apart is that it is both a dryer and a straightener in one. AND it can be used on wet and dry hair.
With wet hair, you can use one of three drying settings and then for dry hair, simply turn the heated edges on and away you go.
The integrated heated comb smooths your hair but uses less heat than traditonial straighteners so you can be sure that your hair remains sleek and healthy.
For best results, I first section my wet hair before going through bit by bit with the blow dryer. For my hair, I find the highest setting works best to really smooth it down. Once my hair is fully dry, I then turn on the heated comb and once again section my hair to work it through with the now hot brush. Here is where I find it easiest to add a bit of volume and curl as well if that’s the look you’re after.
But don’t just trust me, it also has over a hundred five-star reviews on the Shark website.
“Easy to use and works well, even on very thick and dense hair. It’s well styled and smoother than if I were to use a hairdryer then straighten, and takes half the time. Between the two different modes (wet-hair and dry-hair) I’m left with lovely hair, going from wet to dry and styled in fifteen minutes or less,” wrote one happy customer.
Another said, “This product has been an absolute game changer for my hair routine, I normally struggle with frizzy hair when I have dried my hair but the hot brush makes my hair so soft and smooth and with the right amount of volume. The brush is easy to use as it isn’t overly heavy and you can glide it through your hair, it looks such a gorgeous bouncy look. I love how versatile the brush is and the fact that you can use it on wet hair as well as dry hair”.
BEST AFFORDABLE
BondiBoost Blowout Brush Pro Hair Dryer & Hair Brush, $56.65 at Amazon Australia
BondiBoost Blowout Brush Pro Hair Dryer & Hair Brush
Tried and Tested by Jessica Smith, Health and Wellness Writer
I never used to blow-dry my hair because trying to wrangle a hair dryer and round brush on my long, thick hair was time consuming, fiddly, and frankly, I didn’t ask for an arm workout while getting ready in the morning. But since getting my hands on the Bondi Boost Blowout Brush, I have been able to do a full salon-style blowout on my hair after every wash.
I start by sectioning off my hair two to three times, and going in heavy with GHD heat protectant spray. Then, I take a medium-sized handful of hair and use the high setting to dry close to my roots, before brushing out and twisting on the ends to create a bouncy wave. I like using the low setting on the top section of my hair as this tends to be a bit more fiddly, and the gentler setting allows more time with styling.
In about 20 minutes, I can take my hair from a towel-dried mop to bouncy, voluminous waves that make my hair feel softer and straighter for days. I find this is also a great-sized tool to pack on getaways for two-in-one drying and styling – no more relying on hit and miss Airbnb hair dryers!
Mermade Hair Blowdry Brush, $76.30 (down from $109) at THE ICONIC
Tried and Tested by Hannah Paine, news.com.au checkout Editor
This hair tool by Mermade Hair is one of the most affordable blow dry brushes on the market and has a cult following on Instagram.
The oval barrel brush has three heat settings, adding volume and shape while smoothing out hair. It also has flexible bristles for styling that’s gentler on the hair.
This brush is amazing value for money. It’s a good option if you only style your hair occasionally and want to do a fool proof classic blow-dry.
Revlon One-Step Volumiser, $99 (down from $109) at Amazon Australia
Tried and Tested by Philippa Tonkin, Shopping Writer
This was the first ever blow dry brush I used. A couple years ago when the Dyson Airwrap started to trend massively on TikTok, the Revlon One Step emerged as the much cheaper alternative. Even though I was still very much in my air-drying era, I jumped on the bandwagon and decided to give it a go.
I was honestly shook at the results. While I wouldn’t say I managed to create that picture-perfect blow dry the first go, it was an insane improvement to my previous attempts with a proper blow drier. And as I got the hang of it more and more, I even managed to create some curls and waves too. I’d recommend the Revlon as a great, easy-to-use beginner option.
BEST PREMIUM
Mermade Interchangeable Blow Dry Brush, $127.20 (down from $159) at Myer
Tried and Tested by Philippa Tonkin, Shopping Writer
I previously trialled this one for a comparison to the Shark FlexStyle and must say I was fairly impressed.
Like I do with any hair tool, I found the bottom layer super easy to do and, just quietly, was fairly impressed with how well my curls were turning out when using the volume head oval attachment.
However, when I went to do the next layer I did encounter a few more challenges. Full disclosure this was my first time using the brush and like with anything, you do get better over time, but I simply couldn’t manage to wrap my hair around the barrel without disrupting the curls I had already done. I ended up ditching my plan to create a bouncy blow dry and instead worked the brush through my hair like I would a straightener brush. This was a lot easier.
It was also super quick and I was done within thirty minutes. That, in itself, is a miracle. Never before have I been able to style my hair that quickly.
Hot Tools Black Gold Volumiser Set, $151.20 (down from $189) at Adore Beauty
What You Need To Know
“I find that the brush is a little like using velvet coated hot rollers in the way that the end effect is that gorgeous 70s soft, voluminous wave,” hairdresser Anthony Nader told news.com.au.
The blow dry brush has two detachable oval barrels, one big and one small, so you can style your hair to perfection.
Featuring a titanium plate surface for even heat distribution, the Hot Tools brush comes with a three heat and two speed settings with a cool air shot for finishing styles off.
BEST MULTISTYLER
Dyson Airwrap multi-styler and dryer, $849 at Myer
Dyson Airwrap multi-styler and dryer
Tried and Tested by Hannah Paine, news.com.au checkout Editor
OK we know this isn’t a blow dryer brush but I couldn’t resist putting this holy grail hair tool on the list.
If you still don’t know what a Dyson Airwrap is then you must have been living under a rock for the last several years.
With six different styling attachments the Airwrap can smooth and straighten your hair without using extreme heat as well as an array of other hairstyles.
The mere fact that the Airwrap can replace a blow dryer, straightening iron and curling tongs makes it worth purchasing, especially if you’re someone who styles their hair frequently.
What sells the next generation Airwrap for me is the Coanda smoothing dryer attachment, which hides flyaways and smooths out hair for a shiny finish.
Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System, $499 at Myer
Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System
Tried and Tested by Philippa Tonkin, Shopping Writer
Very similar in design to the viral Dyson Airwrap, in my opinion the Shark is a much better option. It does everything the Airwrap does (plus more) and is almost $400 cheaper.
In my previous review, I said that I was genuinely shocked at how powerful the tool was. And I still am. The dryer attachment dries my hair so in literally five minutes.
The paddlebrush attachment is my go-to for straightening my hair. The final result definitely has a bit more of a pouf than it would compare to a regular straightener, but this is 100 per cent way easier.
But I must say, the curl attachment is my favourite. I’ve never been able to work a proper curl iron before but with the Shark FlexStyle your hair easily wraps around the barrel and creates the perfect curl effortlessly.
Initially, the curls are super bouncy and quite high but I like to brush them out a little bit for that classic blow-dry wave.
Plus, if you have curly hair like me, the Shark FlexStyle also comes with a diffuser attachment, unlike the Dyson.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A BLOW DRY BRUSH
When choosing blow dry brushes to include in our list, we evaluated several factors:
Strength of airflow: We’re all in a rush these days, so finding a blow dry brush that can dry our hair in no time at all is a big factor to consider.
Number of settings: While of course, we sometimes think the highest heat is the best to quickly straighten our hair, sometimes this isn’t the best in terms of hair health. A tool with a number of settings ensures you can choose the best one for your hair type.
Price: We can’t all afford to drop almost $1000 on the Dyson Airwrap (and as we’ve found out, you actually don’t need to either) so we made sure to include a wide variety of prices in this list.
Attachments: Is there just one head on the blow dry brush or multiple attachments to create a variety of hair styles?
Suitablilty for all hair types: It’s all well and good for a hair tool to work on straight, thin hair but the real test is how well it can manage thick, curly hair.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
With hundreds of models available, it’s impossible to test every model out there. To help you find the best blow dry brush we tested multiple well-known brands at different price points. In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best blow dry brush from premium to budget to help you find the right one for you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HOT BRUSH AND A BLOW-DRY BRUSH?
A hot brush or a straightening brush can only be used on dry hair and usually contains hotplates of some kind. Whereas a blow-dry brush uses hot hair, like a regular blow dryer, to dry and style the hair at the same time.
CAN I USE A BLOW DRY BRUSH ON BOTH WET AND DRY HAIR?
Yes, unlike a hot brush that can only be used on dry hair, a blow dry brush can be used on both wet and dry. This is because it doesn’t contain hotplates like a straightener brush and therefore won’t cause any damage to wet hair.
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