The Blow Dry Brush Comparison (and which one I loved the most!)

If this post triggers you because you bought the first edition of the Revlon blow dry brush and accidentally fried off your hair, forgive me. And I have good news: this blog post contains a couple recommendations for you that WILL NOT burn your hair off (if used correctly, of course).

You’ve probably heard about the Dyson Airwrap, right? It’s a multifunction blow dry brush system that comes with a few unique attachments to give you anything from a classic blowout look to beachy waves. I’ve used it a handful of times, and frankly, I just don’t love it. Not only does it cost an arm and a leg, but it’s also fussy and seems to complicate an otherwise simple process, in my opinion.

I know people adore it, and I’m happy they found a tool that they love. It’s just not for me.

The Blow Dry Brush Comparison (and which one I loved the most!) - The Small Things Blog (2)

Since blow-dry brushes hit the market a few years ago, they’ve gotten a lot of buzz and I get it! It’s hard to give yourself a blowout at home with a blowdryer and a round brush. Even as a hairstylist I find it hard to do when both hands are each holding a tool. Brands are developing high functioning and high performing blow-dry brushes in this category that create amazing results. I picked 4 brushes to use a few times and give my full review, so check it out in the video below!

Each brush has different features that set it apart. The right choice for you is really up to what you’re looking for. As I mentioned in the video, the T3 Airebrush is my favorite as it offers the greatest variety in heat and speeds. I also love that it comes with two brush heads.

The Blow Dry Brush Comparison (and which one I loved the most!) - The Small Things Blog (3)

The Revlon One-Step Volumizer 2.0 is a really nice option for a lower price point! TIP: I never use it on the highest setting, though!

The Blow Dry Brush Comparison (and which one I loved the most!) - The Small Things Blog (4)

And the Drybar Reserve 3-in-1 is a nice choice if you want to declutter and simply have 1 tool to do it all.

The Blow Dry Brush Comparison (and which one I loved the most!) - The Small Things Blog (5)

The amika Blow Dry Brush fell at the bottom of my list only because it didn’t offer the same options that the other brushes did, but that doesn’t make it a bad option! I love the size of the brush head on this tool! (And if this one is your choice, use my code SMALLTHINGS10 for 10% off)

The Blow Dry Brush Comparison (and which one I loved the most!) - The Small Things Blog (6)

I have to share that ever since I’ve been going through the process of testing these brushes, I’ve gotten so many compliments on my hair. It’s bouncy, smooth, and shiny — and I’ve used one of these 4 brushes in the past few weeks in order to prep for my review. You cannot really go wrong with a choice, and I hope you find the right tool for you!

Have you tried any of these brushes? Which is your favorite?

video by Big Dog Little Bed, Photography by Jordan Maunder.

comments

Alysha Wallace says · 03.10.22

The t3 by a mile!

Lydia D says · 03.10.22

I LOVE the T3!

Katelyn says · 03.10.22

I bought the T3 hairdryer from Costco but I’m not loving the results. I still need the tool but I’m delightfully surprised by the price point of the T3 blowdry brush too.

I’ve been waiting for this post! Thanks Kate!

Jennifer says · 03.10.22

OMG yayyyy!! Been waiting for this comparison. And I can’t believe Revlon made the list! My wallet is happy. ❤️😂

Melanie Deckard says · 03.10.22

I got the T3 after I first saw you use it and I absolutely love it! If Kate loves it you know it’s good is what I always say! 😊

Tricia says · 03.10.22

I recently cut about 6″ off my hair and have a “lob” that I love. the only issue was trying to blow dry and style it. (I was previously a messy bun all day every day girl). enter the Revlon 2.0. I love it. I only use on medium and I’m a 1 day a week washer so I feel like it’s not too damaging to my hair. glad to see it made your list!

Katie says · 03.10.22

Love the t3! Bought it around Christmas time. Would love a full tutorial on it and how you get that bounce!

Katie says · 03.10.22

Bought the T3 around Christmas time and love it. Would love a full tutorial on how you get that bounce!

Chelsey says · 03.10.22

I’ve used the revlon and T3 (after your rec a few months ago) and T3 is just fantastic.

Eleonore says · 12.23.22

Would you say the T3 makes your hair noticeably better? Or is it just better from the heat point of view?

Julie Simon says · 03.10.22

You said that you wished the T3 had an oval attachment. What is the difference between the round brushes and the oval ones? I’m guessing the round ones give more curl to your ends. Could you show us a video/pictures of how your hair looks different with the oval vs. round? Thanks so much for your recommendations and tutorials!

Evelina says · 03.10.22

I second this!!

Trish says · 03.10.22

I have full bangs and tried the Revlon version but the brush is too large to style bangs. Can you tell me which one of these would work best for styling bangs and the rest of my hair? Also, I live in Highlands, NC. Does your family ever travel to the mountains for a getaway?

Mandy Henry says · 03.10.22

In November I bought one similar to the Revlon one. I’m just starting to experiment. What products do you use in your hair before? (I have similar texture to yours)
Thanks!!

Nancy says · 03.10.22

I have been anxiously awaiting this post! Seriously. I may have been tapping my foot.
So thorough and helpful!
Just ordered the T3.

Thanks Kate!

Mandi says · 03.10.22

I love the sleek look that these blow dry brushes give! I am curious as to what products you use in your hair before you blow dry?

Emily says · 03.10.22

I love my T3 as well–how would you suggest cleaning the round brush attachment?

Faith Jones says · 03.10.22

This is a really helpful breakdown! Thanks for including several different price points. 🙂

Heather says · 03.10.22

Total PTSD from that Revlon brush for sure. 😂 Glad there’s been improvements made.

Jillian says · 03.10.22

I love the airbrush concept and was thrilled when T3 came out with theirs since my Revlon fried my hair (as you mentioned😂). Unfortunately, I didn’t love the T3 airebrush as much as I love their other products that I have, so I ended up returning it. Thank you so much for doing this review, I’m looking forward to trying one of the others!

Kristen Biloki says · 03.10.22

Thanks for a great review. I bought the amika on sale and I do love it. I’d love a tutorial on drying your hair with a blow dry brush !

Stephanie says · 03.10.22

Thank you so much for this video! I’ve been anxiously waiting. I loved it, the only thing I really wanted to see was a comparison of finished hair looks with each brush. If you have some stills to put side by side I would love to see the differences the brushes offer. Always great content. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been a follower for a long time (before kids!). Always impressed.

Kasie says · 03.10.22

I bought the Amika one when you posted it on a sale a few weeks ago to replace the original Revlon round brush dryer that you cannot adjust the heat settings on. While I loved the end result, the Revlon brush was burning the mess out my hair and the Amika has been a great replacement at a good price point! Even at its highest heat setting, it’s nowhere near as hot as the original Revlon one. It also came with their primer spray and dry shampoo and I’ve really enjoyed those products as well. Thanks for the recommendation!

Emily P says · 03.10.22

I ordered the T3 the very first time I saw you use it! I really do like it. I have naturally curly gray hair (but colored to hide the gray). I love that I can just be one & done with this hair dryer. And I turned my sister onto it as well.

Calli says · 03.10.22

Love this. Would you have “loudness” ranking? Noise is a big factor when I purchase.

Clare says · 03.10.22

This was super helpful! Thank you! I have been waiting for this blog post to help me decide which brush to buy.

Jessica says · 03.10.22

I used to use the Revlon – switched to the Hot Tools brush because it offers a smaller sized barrel. I love it – works about the same as the Revlon one – so I only use it on the lower heat setting, but for people with shorter hair or just want a smaller barrel, this one is great.

Courtney says · 03.10.22

Thank you so much for this comparison! I’ve been wanting to buy a blow dry brush so this really helps.

Laurie says · 03.10.22

Is there a Revlon brush in between the original and this 2.0? I’m asking because I have one that I got about two years ago that has TWO heat settings—high and low—not just one setting like you said the original has. I was wondering how that would rank. (I will say that i was using it frequently on the low setting on my fine, thin hair and I feel like I noticed significant dryness on my ends.

Lisa Loomis says · 03.10.22

I love the T3 but I find that I can’t use it on day 2 hair because there’s too much static while restyling with the brush. I don’t get the static on freshly dried and washed hair. I would love to use it more when refreshing my hair instead of using the hairdryer. Any suggestions for static?

Lisa says · 03.10.22

I love the T3 but hate the static when I use it on day 2 hair. I don’t get static when I use it on freshly washed and dried hair. Any suggestions?
Thanks!!

See Also

The 8 Very Best Blow-dryer Brushes

Lindsay says · 03.10.22

Add me to the list of those with PTSD from the Revlon brush! I also had a John Frida brush that was smaller that I loved until it fried itself. 🙁 My hair is shorter now-any option on the market with a smaller barrel? These are all too big for my short hair. Would love to cut down my getting ready time. Love all your recs!! 🙂

Tonya says · 03.10.22

You can still find the John Freida brush which is slightly smaller and doesn’t get as warm. I bought one of Amazon not too long ago.

Wendy Dandridge says · 03.10.22

I was just looking into these yesterday!! I have short hair and I have seen some that just have a huge barrel. Would the Revlon option work for shorter (chin-length to mid-neck) hair?

Tracy says · 03.10.22

Really like this content with the comparison of 4 options and the price range from low to investment. Thanks!

Cami Gunn says · 03.10.22

would you upload a video of the process of how you use a round brush dryer ? I don’t get the volume with my longer hair that I’d like

Lisa says · 03.10.22

I got the amika blow dryer brush as a gift for Christmas and I love it. I tend to use it over my dyson hair dryer. 😊

Danielle Chesnut says · 03.10.22

I had already purchased the T3 and was really hoping I wasn’t going to have buyers remorse after watching/reading this. And I don’t! Thanks for doing the review

Bailey says · 03.10.22

I recently got the Drybar Single Shot blow dry brush as a gift, and I just can’t seem to figure out how to shape my hair with it! Have you tried this brush, and any tips to achieve a nice bouncy blowout?!

Maryanne says · 03.10.22

I’ve never tried any of the above. I’ve been using the BaByLissPRO Nano Titanium for a few years and love it because the brush spins. And it’s never fried my hair.

Brenda says · 03.10.22

I have stick straight (soooo straight) fine hair. I got one of these, and honestly still think just blow drying with my head upside down is the only thing that gives any root volume. What am I doing wrong? Or are they just not right for all hair types?

Tammy Knoll says · 03.10.22

I have owned 2 of the Amika dryer brushes. They both randomly stopped working after a very short period of time (less than 3 months). I gave up after that. I now have a L’ange and it works just as well and doesn’t break.

Lynne Hoffman says · 03.10.22

I have the T3 as well and love it. Just wish it came with a carrying case.

Lisa Hays says · 03.11.22

Did I see somewhere that Revlon is coming out with a smaller brush dryer? I have the original and I love it but I have a short bob and can’t quite get the results in the back that I would like. I use it side-to-side but would like to brush under but the brush head a little to big for my length. Talk about 1st world problems! If it croaks I will invest in the T3 but I do love my Revlon!

Danielle says · 03.11.22

I am going to have to try one of these out soon!

Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk

Michelle says · 03.11.22

Have you tried the new Shark blow dryer with attachments? It is supposed to be similar to Dyson but not as much money.

Assunta says · 03.11.22

I have been waiting for this review! I have the original Revlon, but it damaged my hair. T3 here I come!

Michelle says · 03.12.22

Thank you for the detailed reviews. However, if you also tested the Dyson Airwrap, I’m curious as to why you didn’t include it in the comparison. It would have been very helpful to us readers to understand how it compares, particularly to the T3 and Drybar models shown here as the Dyson’s round and flat attachments are used for the same purpose (and half the attachments are round and flat!). What about these attachments are fussy and complicated compared to the T3 and Drybar attachments? If you could provide some more details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks again!

Kristine says · 03.13.22

Thank you so much for putting this together!

I do have a blow dry brush-it is a game changer for styling my curly hair straight! My hair stylist uses a brush and regular blow dryer but that is so hard for me. I have the hot tools one and it does have different heat settings which I am thankful for. However, I am going to keep an eye on the T3 for an oval brush head to come out and then I think I will upgrade.

Sarah says · 03.13.22

I got the T3 a few months after you suggested it over the Revlon 1st edition. I love it so much!

Julie Azua says · 03.14.22

I have a Revlon brush and use the low setting 95% of the time, but every time I use it my hair looks frizzy later. Today I tried using an Amika styling aid and it didn’t seem to fix the problem. Does anyone else seem to have this issue or is it just my fine hair?

Kelly M. says · 03.14.22

I have and used the Amika brush. I don’t like it. It makes my hair too straight and feels flat. I have naturally curly hair that is thin and has a fine texture. I felt like this makes my hair too dried out and I get too many fly-a-ways. I rough dry my hair 50% and then use the Amika blow dry brush to finish. I’m a former hairdresser. I haven’t tried any others.

Katie says · 03.26.22

How do you clean them?!

Kella says · 05.19.22

My mom bought me the original Revlon for Christmas and it definitely fries your hair! As a professional stylist I find it hard to blow dry my own hair with a brush and dryer so I was excited to try that option but the high setting is too much! I’ll be saving up to try the first one you listed! Thanks for all the great info!

Kate says · 05.19.22

Thank you!!

Kerrie says · 06.25.22

I am interested on your thoughts about hair damage using these brushes. I was so happy and excited to limit the time of styling my hair in the morning so I used the Revlon brush for almost a year. My hair was looking damaged as ever and thinner. Now I know my age and hormone changes impact my hair, but now that I have stopped using the brush I’m waiting to see if my hair health also improves. Wet hair breakage while using the brush has me wondering if it wasn’t the right tool for my hair.

Meg says · 07.15.22

Thank you so much for doing this comparison, Kate. I am 38 (today!) and have decided it’s time for me to learn how to do my hair. My hair is fine and wavy and vends to frizz really easily. My everyday is a french twist, but I really need to be able to a fancier look. I bought the airwrap and the frizz is as bad as if I let it airdry. Should have read this post first. Just ordered the T3 and the Revlon and will cross my fingers one of those works for me.

Stephanie Donnelly says · 01.10.23

I use the Hot Tools blow dry brush and have had a lot of luck with it! I do a rough blow dry with my regular dryer and then finish with the Hot Tools blow dry brush.

Denise says · 09.22.23

Would love to see a new comparison that includes the Shark Smooth Styler!

CANDY says · 12.14.23

Have you tried the T3 ONE STEP dryer brush? I just recently bought it and I’m blown away by it. Multiple heat and speed settings, no damage just smooth frizz free results. I also have the T3 Duo but for me it doesn’t come close to the ONE STEP.

Laurel says · 02.26.24

I was hoping the Shark one would make the list. I ordered it the other day after seeing your story that it was on sale.

Kate says · 02.27.24

take note of the date of this post- I didn’t own the Shark tool yet!

Grace says · 02.26.24

I was wondering if you recommend Dyson air strait for curly hair?

Kate says · 02.27.24

Yep! If you’re looking for stick straight, that’ll do it!

Britney says · 03.16.24

The biggest thank you for this review! I’ve been wanting to invest in a blow dry brush but with so many options and negative reviews it was hard for me to decide and ultimately I never chose to purchase one. Running to find the T3. Thanks again!

The Blow Dry Brush Comparison (and which one I loved the most!) - The Small Things Blog (2024)

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