Straighteners vs hot air brush

How each tool styles hair

Straighteners heat two plates, usually to between about 150 °C and 230 °C depending on the model, and you draw them slowly down sections of dry hair. Heat and pressure flatten the hair's natural bend and smooth the cuticle, which gives shine. Because the plates are hot, one or two passes are usually enough. Our explainer on how hair straighteners work goes into more detail.

A hot air brush blows warm air through a brush head. You brush damp hair section by section as it dries, using the bristles for tension. Air temperatures are lower than plate temperatures, and you get lift at the root and a soft, rounded bend at the ends. Some tools, such as the Shark FlexStyle and the Dyson Airwrap, combine a hair dryer with interchangeable brush and curler attachments.

Two examples from the listings

The ghd Gold is a classic premium straightener. The Shark FlexStyle is a hair dryer that twists into an air styler with a paddle brush, an oval brush and auto-wrap curlers. The table uses Amazon UK listing facts.

The finish: sleek or bouncy

Straighteners win for sleek, glass-like hair, especially on curly, coily or very frizzy hair where you want the texture fully flattened. They are also fast for second-day touch-ups because you do not need to wet hair first. With rounded plates, they can curl and wave as well, as our guide on how to curl hair with straighteners shows.

Hot air brushes win for volume and movement. The result is smooth but softer, with lift at the root, which many people with fine or flat hair prefer. On tight curls, a hot air brush gives a stretched, smoothed blow-dry rather than a flat finish, and you may still reach for straighteners afterwards.

• Flat, glossy, poker straight: straighteners.
• Volume and bounce with smooth lengths: hot air brush.
• Quick fix on dry hair: straighteners.
• Fewer tools from wet to styled: hot air brush or a wet-to-dry straightener.

Heat, speed and routine

A hot air brush routine starts from damp hair, so it takes longer than a quick pass with straighteners on dry hair, but it replaces drying, which you would do anyway. Straighteners add a step after drying. If you want a straight finish from wet in one tool, look at wet-to-dry straighteners such as the Dyson Airstrait or ghd Duet Style in our best wet-to-dry straighteners guide.

Plates reach higher surface temperatures than air, so they demand more care with heat protection and passes. Air styling is generally gentler at any single moment, but long drying sessions on hot settings also dry hair out. Use the lowest setting that works.

Note:Both tools are mains powered and get hot. Keep them away from water, rest straighteners on a heat proof surface and clean any air filter as the manual describes.

Who should choose which

Choose straighteners if you want a sleek finish, have curly or frizzy hair you want flat, style mostly on dry hair, or want one tool that can also curl. See the best hair straighteners for premium plates and the best straighteners for fine hair if your hair is delicate.

Choose a hot air brush if you mostly wash and blow-dry, want volume and a salon-like bounce, and dislike pressing hair between hot plates. Many people end up with both: a brush for wash days and straighteners for quick touch-ups.

See the best hair straighteners →

Frequently asked questions

Is a hot air brush better than straighteners for damaged hair? Air styling is usually gentler than hot plates, but any heat adds up. Use a low setting and heat protection with either.

Can a hot air brush straighten curly hair? It smooths and stretches curls into a blow-dry. For a fully flat finish on tight curls, straighteners or a wet-to-dry straightener are more direct.

Can you use a hot air brush on dry hair? Most work best on damp hair. On dry hair they can refresh shape, but results are softer.

Do I need both tools? Not necessarily. Pick the finish you wear most often, then add the other only if you change styles often.