Hair dryer brushes: Price and specs compared

You'd be hard pressed to find anything that Kmart doesn't have its own version of, so it should come as no surprise that it does in fact have a round brush. The Anko Hot Air Styler is available from both Kmart and Target, and is a pretty bare-boned device.

Equipped with mixed, porcupine bristles the styler should do a good job detangling, and taming hair as it styles. The oval brush has two heat settings and a cool shot button, which is a little bit less than we would want in an ideal situation. However since it maxes out at 1000 watts, it won't get too hot and should be suitable for most hair types, although curly and course hair may need more power to hold a style properly.

Since this is an Anko product you own't get much in the way of after purchase support. Kmart has a 60-day return policy if it doesn't suit you, and a 12-month warranty in case it craps out on you. All around, it is a solid no-frills option for anyone looking to try out the viral styling technique without breaking the bank.

Remington has the largest range of affordable hair dryer brushes - some are one-sized devices, while others have extra attachments similar to the AirWrap. Although, you could buy every one of the devices we have here, and still have change left over compared to buying the Dyson.

Of all the choices, the Hydraluze Volumising Blow Dry Brush is the best option for most people. Although it only has the oval brush shape, the mixed bristles, three heat settings, and 1200 watts styling power make it suitable for a range of different hair types. Since it goes around 20% hotter than the Kmart version, hair types that need some more oomph will fair better, and the cooler settings mean finer hair doesn't have to be subject to extra heat. It also comes with a ceramic coating which helps to tame hair, and heat it more evenly.

For just $4 more, you can get the Sapphire Luxe Air Styler which comes with a round brush, an air curling wand, and a concentrator nozzle. This one only has two heat settings, and 1000 watts of power, and the bristle look a little few and far between. More bristles means better control over your hair, so while the value looks pretty solid on this one it will likely be harder to use than other options.

The Illusion Airstyler is the only Remington styler to only have soft bristles. While these will create better control while you style, they won't detangle hair. Couple this with the super low 800 watts power and this device will really only be for fine, straight hair types. Still, if thats you, you can benefit from an extra paddle brush attachment, and a concentrator nozzle.

They're also coated with tourmaline, black quartz and onyx. which is something I guess? If you're reading this and you understand crystals, @ me on Threads and explain this to me. K thanks.

After the Hydraluxe, the Pro Luxe stands out but only if you've got hair that doesn't require too much heat. The device comes with three attachments, an oval brush, a round brush, and a root boost comb. While styling, the brush automatically adjusts the air temperature based on your hair and how you're styling it. This should help to achieve more long-lasting styles, without damaging your hair. However, this air styler only hits 1000 watts, so once again courser haired people may not get the desired results. Both the round brushes have mixed bristles, and a ceramic ionic coating for smoother styling.

VS Sassoon has a couple of hair dryer brush options with some unique features from the rest.

First up the Frizz Defense Hot Air Styler auto-rotates, so you can save your wrist. It comes in either 38mm or 50mm round brushes, the former being great for creating curls, while the later is better for a big bouncy blowout. Regardless of which one you choose you'll get the same soft nylon bristles which won't be great for detangling, but should create well tamed movement. It caps out at 1000 watts, and only has two heat settings.

Alternatively there is the Digital Sensor Luxe Air Styler which has a range of brush heads, but not much power. While you'll get a drying nozzle, a paddle brush, two auto-rotating blowout brushes, and a hard bristle round brush, the wattage only goes up to 650. This is very low and may not have enough power to hold a style. Plus the sparse bristles may make it more difficult to control the hair while you style.

Silver Bullet has two hot hair brush options, either the Genesis which is your typical blowdry brush, or the Platinum Superstar Multistyler which is more like an AirWrap dupe.

The Genesis comes in three sizes, 19mm, 32mm or 38mm. All of these round brushes have a ceramic coating, two temperature settings, and use 1000 watts of power. They also have thin wirey metal bristles, which aren't the best option for most hair types. Metal bristles can strip the hair cuticle, and can be especially damaging to wet hair when the proteins are weakened.

On the other hand, the Platinum Superstar Multistyler has three attachments including a round brush with porcupine bristles. It also comes with two curling barrels and a drying head, all with ionic technology and three air speeds. With just 1000 watts of power, the Multistyler may struggle with sturdier hair, but it won't be as damaging to any hair type as your usual hair dryer or straightener.

Australian hair care brand Bondi Boost has one of the best value hair dryer brushes on the market. The Blowout Brush or the Blowout Brush Pro are both $100, with 1200 watts of power, and tightly spaces mixed bristles.

Each have ionic technology, and three heat settings, the only difference ebtween the two being hte shape of the brush. The Blowout Brush is a 51mm round brush, which is perfect for creating straight styles, with the iconic flicks at the ends. While the 75mm oval brush on the Pro is better for getting volume at the roots.

What really sets Bondi Boost products apart from the competition is the long 5 year warranty. If you use the device overseas however, it won't be covered. So maybe travel light with a travel hair dryer instead.

Ah the Revlon Volumiser - the hair dryer brush that has really done the rounds on social media. While significantly cheaper than Dyson, the Volumiser is one of the more expensive hair dryer brush options we analysed.

For the $100+ price point you get mixed bristles, and a wide 71mm oval brush. Equipped with ceramic tourmaline iconic technology, the Revlon should do a solid job at smoothing out as it dries. This device will only really suit longer hair however, as the size of the brush will be too big for most bob cuts.

It is a great option, especially if you can get a deal on it but if you're looking to save money then you'll likely get the same kind of resultys from the Bondi Boost, or the Remington Hydraluxe.

Shark is another hair care brand that has skyrocketed in popularity over the past couple of years. Although cheaper than competitor brands, the SmoothStyle Heated Brush and Comb is more expensive than most other options in this guide. In saying that, is a hair dryer brush but also has a dry hair mode which works like a thermal brush.

In Wet Mode the styler uses hot air, through its mixed bristle round brush, while in Dry Mode the barrel uses ceramic heat like a hair straightener. On the sides of the oval brush are two combs that guide the hair for a sleeker, more polished look.

Regardless as to whether you're using Wet or Dry mode, the device has a maximum wattage of 900. This may not be hot enough for some hair types.

With GHD's big name, comes a big pricetag. The Duet Blowdry brush doesn't have much more to it than other devices on this page, but it costs $595. The Duet utilises low heat of just 120˚C to dry and style the hair, making it cooler than the AirWrap. The oval brush and nylon bristles are heated with hot air, which is monitored 400 times per second to maintain that steady temperature.

The nylon bristles are short, and dense, which should do a good job at detangling and guiding thin sections of hair. You'll want to make sure you're not overloading these bristles though, because they're so short, any hair that doesn't get gripped within them won't style as efficiently.