The Best Heat Tools For Hair: A Complete Guide to Dryers, Irons, & Thermal Brushes
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about heat tools—from the ideal temperature settings for your hair type to the best brands I personally recommend, as well as if the highest quality is actually worth it for you or not. Whether you’re a blow dryer newbie or a flat iron pro, I’ve got you covered!
Long ago before I went to cosmetology school, I had never heard of using a thermal protectant before. I also don’t think that the iron I was using even had a temperature setting on it.
I wound up with breakage traveling all the way up my hair. It became so frizzy that I couldn’t not flat iron it. But in reality, flat ironing was what was causing the damage! So please, let me help you avoid making the same mistakes that I did.
Choosing the best heat tools for your hair type
Since no head of hair is created equally, it’s important to understand that a heat tool that works best for your coworker, may not be the best tool for you.
We all have different hair types that will do better in different situations, with different products, and with different tools.
So throughout this post, I’m going to give you a break down of what heat tools (and tips) will work best for you based on your hair type.
If you aren’t sure what your hair type is, I’ve created a helpful email series that walks you through the 5 steps to learning your hair density, texture, wave pattern, and condition. You can find that below:
What brand of heat tools is best?
Now, let’s talk about what brands of heat tools you should look into. When it comes to heat tools there is a huge difference in buying a professional brand vs. a low quality brand.
For general at home use, I recommend buying a lower grade iron or dyer; but always from a professional and reputable brand. As an average consumer you don’t need to purchase the top of the line best hair styling tools on the market. Those are typically made for hairstylists.
You’re using them once a day if that, on yourself. Not for 10 hours a day 5 days a week on every different hair type imaginable.
What’s important for you is that your tools will not damage your hair, they’ll perform well, and will last a long time.
I also want to mention that just because I haven’t listed a brand here, doesn’t mean that there aren’t other professional lines that are just as good. I’ve narrowed this down to my personal favorite and that’s what I’m sharing with you today.
***Since I’m sharing the products that I love to use with you guys, this page includes affiliate links to these products. If you take action and purchase a product through clicking one of my links, I’ll make some commission money from it at no extra cost to you. This enables me to be able to continue giving you awesome hair tips, so thanks! ***
The Best Blow Dryers
When it comes to blow dryers, keep in mind that the cheaper the dryer; the longer it will take for you to dry your hair. Using a higher quality dryer will cut your dry time in half compared to a cheaper brand.
Higher quality dryers also have more negative ions that will reduce frizz and static, as well as be a lighter weight for your arms. The higher the wattage on the dryer, the more powerful and faster it will dry your hair.
It’s also important to note that a dryer that acts as an all-in-one tool, likely won’t dry your hair as quickly as a standalone dryer will.
Dyson Blow Dryers
Dyson now takes the cake when it comes to hair tools. Their technology is pretty unmatchable! They don’t have vents, so it’s impossible to get your hair stuck in the back.
That being said, it is expensive. But if your priorities fit what I mention below, it’s worth it in my opinion. When you get sick of replacing your blow dryer on a regular basis, you discover that paying the extra price is worth it. Dyson has a great warranty as well, and they’ll replace it if you have any issues with it.
This dryer is worth the price if:
- You have a TON of hair
- You need a dryer that dries your hair quickly
- You want to eliminate frizz
- You want it to last a long time
- You aren’t on a tight budget
- You dry your hair regularly
- You often get your hair stuck in the vents of other dryers
- You are looking for an all-in-one tool
Now, this dryer is not worth the price if:
- You have very thin hair
- Your hair already dries quickly
- Frizz isn’t an issue for you
- You’re on a tight budget
- You won’t be using it that often
If you hair is thin and already dries fast, you definitely don’t need to get this high tech of a blow dryer. Since your hair dries fast, a cheaper dryer will still last you because you aren’t using it for long sessions. If you fit into this category, keep reading because I’ll give you other alternatives.
If you are interested in a Dyson, you can choose between the regular blow dryer, the air wrap with curler attachments, or the air straight that dries and straightens the hair.
Shark Blow dryers
If you love the idea of purchasing a Dyson, but the price tag leaves you feeling defeated, I highly recommend looking into Shark. They are Dyson’s number one competitor and create high quality products at a fraction of the cost.
Shark is best for you if:
- You need the benefits of the Dyson (you have thick, frizzy hair & dry it often)
- The Dyson is just too much for you to spend
- You are looking for an all-in-one tool
Keep looking if:
- You’re on a tight budget
- You have extremely thin hair
- You won’t be using the dryer much
Just like Dyson, Shark also gives you the option between a traditional blow dryer, an air wrap combo, and a blow out straightener.
FHI Heat Blow Dryers
I have been using FHI heat tools since the beginning of my career in 2007 and still use some of their tools today.
FHI makes several blow dryers to choose from. But as I mentioned earlier, keep in mind that typically the less it costs means the longer it will take to dry your hair, and potentially the sooner you’ll need to replace it.
FHI dryers are for you if:
- You have thinner hair
- You are looking for a lightweight dryer
- You’re on a budget
Fhi dryers aren’t for you if:
- You’re looking for the best of the best
- You have extremely thick hair
- Your hair takes forever to dry
Below are two professional quality blow driers that at the time of writing this are both under $100.
The Best Hair Irons
There are numerous factors to consider when choosing what type of iron to purchase. Your hair type will determine what type of plates you should choose, as well as the temperature that the iron goes to.
We’ll first dive into learning about the plate types, then discuss the correct temperature for your hair, before discussing different curling and flat iron options.
Iron plate types
Irons come in a variety of materials. The three plate types I recommend are ceramic, ceramic tourmaline, and titanium. Below, I’ll discuss what plates are best for each hair type.
The best iron types for fine or fragile hair:
- Ceramic – Ceramic irons work well for smoothing the hair and distributing the heat evenly throughout the hair strand. They are more gentle on the hair than other metal plate types, and are generally very affordable.
- Tourmaline – Tourmaline plates are ceramic plates that have the gem tourmaline infused into the ceramic. These are a little higher grade than regular ceramic irons because the tourmaline gemstone neutralizes the ions a little better, which fights against frizz.
The best iron types for long, thick, and coarse hair:
- Titanium – Titanium is a light metal that will hold onto the heat better than ceramic will. Metallic plates will not lose heat as they make their way down to the ends of the hair, which means you are able to avoid making multiple passes on each section of hair. I’ve found that these irons can be a little too harsh for fine or fragile hair, so I only recommend them if you have stronger and healthy hair.
The Best Iron Temperature For Your Hair Type
When it comes to heat tools, the temperature used is THE most important factor. You’ll want to purchase an iron that has an actual temperature gauge on it instead of 1-10. No one really knows what temperature “5” is, and everyone should be using a different temperature based on their hair type.
Depending on how fine or coarse your hair is, the condition it’s in, the color, and how fast your passes are all make an impact on the temperature that you should be using.
- Fine, bleached, or heavily processed hair: 280-360o
- Medium textured and color treated hair: 300-390o
- Coarse and virgin hair: 360-410o
I NEVER use an iron all the way up on ANY client, and I can say that most clients I come across use their irons way too high and have damage from it. Turn it down, and ALWAYS USE PROTECTION!
Thermal Protection
When it comes to heat tools it is incredibly important to always use protection. An iron should never touch your hair without using some sort of thermal protection, ever!
This is the most common reason for breakage throughout the hair. And the terrible thing about heat damage is that it’s not only formed on the ends of your hair, but the flyaways and split ends travel all the way up your hair to the top by your root.
Using heat tools too heat can also pull the color right out. Don’t ruin your expensive color by being careless with your tools!
You should use a thermal protectant that doubles as a leave-in conditioner before you blow dry, and a second thermal spray before you iron the hair.
You can find my favorites below:
Watch this video from Guy Tang where he demonstrates an iron pulling the color out of hair right before your eyes!
The Best Flat Irons
When choosing a flat iron, I usually go with a 1” because it’s the standard size and will work with just about any hair type.
A flat iron that is skinnier than 1” works well for short hair or when you need to get really close to the scalp like on extremely curly hair.
Any iron that is larger than 1” will be best for long hair because it will hold the heat better all the way to the ends.
Also, keep in mind that you can still curl or wave the hair no matter the size of the iron. Mini irons are also available and are easy to stick in your purse or gym bag.
Dyson Flat Irons
The technology on the Dyson irons are pretty unmatched just as they are on the blow dryers. The plates are made of a manganese copper alloy and are actually the width of a human hair.
The Dyson flat iron is best if you:
- Have long hair
- Want a cordless iron
- Plan on curling your hair with the iron
- Want an iron that will last a long time
- Don’t have a tight budget
This iron isn’t worth the money if:
- You have short hair
- You have fine and thin hair
- You don’t plan on curling with it
- You’re on a tight budget
- You don’t mind having a cord
Amika Flat Irons
Amika makes my absolute favorite iron and I’m thrilled to tell you about it.
This iron has titanium plates, as well as an infrared light beam that maintains moisture and removes frizz. Essentially the light helps to smooth the cuticle (outer layer of the hair) so that it lays smoother. This is the iron that I used on my clients behind the chair.
This iron is for you if:
- You have long hair
- You have frizzy hair
- The Dyson is just too much for you
This iron isn’t for you if:
- You have extremely fragile hair
- Frizz isn’t an issue for you
- You’re looking for the cheapest option
FHI Heat Flat Irons
As I mentioned, I’ve use FHI forever. I actually worked with them at a hair show once in 2009, demonstrating how to curl the hair with a flat iron.
The nice thing about these irons is that you have options. You can choose between 1/2″, 1′, 1 1/4″, or 1 3/4″ plates. As I mentioned earlier, smaller plates are best for short and extremely curly hair, and wider plates are best for long hair.
The plates on these irons are made of ceramic tourmaline.
At the time of writing this, their half inch plate iron is going for less than $100.
FHI irons are for you if:
- You have curly hair
- You have short hair
- You have fragile (fine or thin) hair
- You’re looking for a low cost option
FHI irons aren’t for you if:
- You’re looking for the best of the best
- You don’t have a budget
The Best Heat Tools for Curling
When it comes to curling with heat tools, these days you have a number of options. You can use your flat iron, a wand, a regular curling iron, a waver, or even a thermal curling brush.
Your choice all depends on the type of curl that you’re going for and what’s easiest for you to use. I would suggest trying all different shapes and sizes to see what works best for you before purchasing.
Keep in mind that the bigger the iron size, the larger and looser the curls will be.
My favorite way to curl is with my flat iron because you can really customize the look of the curl by angling the iron differently and how fast your passes are. But it takes a lot more practice to get the hang of and can be intimidating for some people. (To learn how to curl your hair with a flat iron, click here.)
Dyson Curler
We’ve already mentioned the Dyson air wrap, but I’ll go over it again here. These make it extremely easy to curl your own hair with, and they contain multiple attachments so you can actually avoid getting a separate blow dryer. They also contain a blowout brush attachment, which is a huge favorite.
The only downside is that as any all-in-one-tool, I personally don’t think that they perform each function as well. Personally I’m not a huge fan of the way the curls look from these.
This curler is for you if:
- You want an all-in-one-tool
- You struggle curling your hair with other methods
- You don’t have a budget
Keep looking at other options if:
- You don’t like the shape of the curl
- You are semi skilled at curling with an iron
- You’re on a budget
- You have really short hair
Shark Curler
As mentioned with the Dyson curler, these make it easy to curl your hair with and they’re an all-in-one tool. That being said, personally I don’t “love” the shape of the curl they produce.
The Shark curler is for you if:
- You like the Dyson airwrap but it’s too expensive
- You want an all-in-one tool
- You struggle curling your hair with an iron
Keep looking if:
- You don’t like the shape of the curl
- You are able to curl with an iron semi easily
- You want the cheapest option
- You have really short hair
Amika Hair Curlers
Amika has a few untraditional options when it comes to hair curlers. One of my favorites is the three rod hair waver, which creates beachy waves rather than curls.
They also have a wand with various size attachments, for different size and shaped curls.
Amika curling options are best if you:
- Are looking for beachy waves instead of curls
- Want a wand with a variety of curl sizes
Keep looking if:
- You’re looking for a traditional curling iron
- You want the cheapest option
FHI Hair Curlers
Now if you’re looking for a traditional curling iron, FHI is a good choice.
You can choose between 3/4″, 1″, 1 1/4″, and 1 1/2″. Remember, the larger the barrel, the larger the curl. The smaller the barrel, the smaller the curl. Small barrels are best for short hair.
And at the time of writing this, each of these sizes are all less than $100.
The FHI curler is for you if:
- You want a traditional curling iron
- You have short hair
- You’re on a budget
This curler isn’t for you if:
- You struggle with a traditional curling iron
- You want the top of the line curler
The Best Thermal brushes
Another category for straightening or adding volume and wave to hair with hair styling tools is with a thermal styling brush. This heat tool is much quicker and easier to use than sectioning out, drying, and ironing your hair.
These brushes come in a number of different varieties. You can use a flat brush that straightens the hair with ease, or a thermal curling brush to add wave and volume.
Dyson Blowout Brush
Again this is the same product listed above twice, but can you see all the uses? This can be used on wet hair to blow dry with the brush attachment, or on dry hair to add extra wave.
This blowout brush is for you if:
- The price isn’t an issue
- You want an all-in-one tool
- You want the top of the line
Keep looking if:
- You’re on a budget
- You don’t need an all-in-one
Shark Blowout Brush
Again, Shark’s version of Dyson products are a lot friendlier on the wallet.
This blowout brush is for you if:
- You want an all-in-one tool
- You like the Dyson air wrap but it’s too expensive
Keep looking if:
- You want the cheapest option
- You don’t need an all-in-one
FHI Thermal Bush
Although you can curl with it, this brush is designed to straighten and smooth the hair easily. You can use it to straighten your hair MUCH quicker than you can with an iron. You can use it to flip the hair under or out, or just make the hair more manageable.
Just keep in mind that it is to be used on dry hair only, it a heat brush, not a blow dryer brush.
This brush is for you if:
- You’re looking for a quick styler
- You struggle with using flat or curling irons
- You don’t need an all-in-one-tool
This brush isn’t for you if:
- You’re looking for a blow dry brush
Amika Blowout Brushes
Amika has three options when it comes to blow out brushes, one for straightening, one for volumizing, and one for curling.
The straightening brush also contains infrared light, just like their flat iron does!
My main recommendation here is to allow your hair to air dry most of the way before using these to save yourself some time.
These brushes are for you if:
- You want a cheaper alternative to Dyson and Shark
- You want a heat tool that styles and dries the hair
These aren’t for you if:
- You want the top of the line
- You want multiple attachments
Conclusion
Professional quality heat tools will save you time, maintain the integrity of your hair, and last you longer than a cheap styling tool will.
My most recommended brands for heat styling tools are Dyson, Shark, Amika, and FHI.
When it comes to irons, you should select an iron that has plates made from ceramic, ceramic tourmaline, or titanium based on your hair texture.
It is best to use your iron on the lowest setting possible for your hair type. Using your heat tools too high will damage your hair and pull out the hair color immediately.
You should use a leave-in conditioner thermal protectant before you blow dry, and a second heat protect spray before you iron. They are two different situations that require two different products.
If there is anything that I want you to take away from this post, it is to turn your irons down and to always use protection, no matter what type or brand of iron you are using. These tips are key to maintaining healthy and beautiful hair and hair color.
If you have any further questions for me on this topic, be sure to leave them for me in the comments. And subscribe below to Have A Good Hair Day!
share item
