I’ve had fine, flat hair all my life. It’s the kind that slips out of a braid because there’s just not enough density to hold it together, despite the best efforts of volumizing products. I used to hate it—and to be honest, I still do from time to time. But these days, I rely on a few volume-boosting formulas such as texturizing spray and dry shampoo for that extra oomph. When I really want ’90s-style volume, though, I’ll reach for my secret weapon—old-school hair rollers that give me Topanga Lawrence–level lift and bounce.
According to Tatum Neill, the creative director of Elevate Hair, hot rollers became popular in the 1960s, “as women desired salon-quality hairstyles they could do at home.” Neill explains that these little tools quickly turned into hot commodities, becoming “fixtures for most fashion-conscious women into the early ’90s.” However, these tools became a bit fancier, smarter, and more efficient in the decades that followed.
“A great hot roller should heat evenly, hold the hair securely, and come in different sizes so you can customize the shape of the style,” says Franck Izquierdo, co-founder of IGK Hair. “Larger rollers are perfect for volume, while smaller ones create more defined curls,” he adds. There are seemingly endless variations on the market, but I’ve sifted through the bunch (and the pros have weighed in with their personal recommendations) to give you a guidebook to your best hair yet.
Below, the five hot rollers making major hair moments in 2026.
The Best Hot Rollers, at A GlanceBest Overall: T3 Volumizing Hot Rollers Luxe
T3
Volumizing Hot Rollers Luxe
Pros: Even heat distribution, easy to use, varied sizes
Cons: Some reviewers note that the rollers can feel heavy
Pieces: 8 | Hair type: All
These are the ones I use and swear by (and so does celebrity hairstylist David Lopez—he says he even keeps them in his kit). I like them because they heat up quickly and evenly, and they don’t damage my hair, thanks to the velvet-flocked barrels. It wasn’t just the ends of my hair that looked bigger and fluffier—it was also the roots. As you can see here, my hair was slightly lifted off my scalp. This emphasized the height and movement of the whole style. It’s a small splurge, but wholly worth it for anyone trying to minimize their hot tool use without sacrificing volume.
Customer review: “Obsessed with these curlers—I’ve never used these before but now I like them so much better than using a wand/iron with a cord. They are super high quality and the carrying case they come in keeps everything organized for travel. Recommend!”
Beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock before and after using the T3 Volumizing Hot Rollers Luxe
Best Budget: Conair Hot Rollers
Conair
Hot Rollers for Long, Medium & Short Hair
Pros: Low-priced, supremely volumizing, great variety of rollers
Cons: Clips left some indentations, slight learning curve
Pieces: 12 | Hair type: All
Who What Wear senior fashion editor Anna LaPlaca once called these budget-friendly hot rollers from Conair the final destination on her quest for “Cindy Crawford–level volume,” and if that doesn’t make your ears perk up, I don’t know what will. LaPlaca credits this TikTok-viral set with the ’90s blowout of her dreams, and at less than $45, it’s almost too good to be true. The set includes 12 velvet-flocked rollers (for painless rolling) in a variety of 1.5-inch and 1.75-inch sizes for different lengths and levels of volume. Though the clips sent a few sections askew, LaPlaca was floored by the newfound volume and long-lasting curl that her hair now held.
Customer review: “I have trusted using the Conair hot rollers for many years. I have very long hair and chose this particular configuration of rollers as they give me great body and curl I didn’t not want. The smaller rollers that some of the other sets have. These are hot in a very short period of time so it makes these even more convenient than my last set very easy to use and does not require as much coordination as a hot iron does. I highly recommend these and have used Conair hot rollers for many years.”
LaPlaca before and after using the Conair Hot Rollers
Best Value: BabylissPro Compact 8-Piece Standing Hot Rollers
BaBylissPRO
Compact 8-Piece Standing Hot Rollers
Pros: Easy to use, great for small spaces, heats up quickly
Cons: On the pricey side
Pieces: 8 | Hair type: All
Hot rollers don’t have a reputation for being the easiest to store or travel with, but that all changed when this set from Babyliss stepped onto the scene. “I have used every hot roller set on the market, but out of the few that I love, my favorite is the Babyliss Pro Standing Hot Rollers,” says celebrity hairstylist and R+Co collective member Ashley Streicher. The stylist loves the design of the tool holder, specifically because it’s easy to hide under a sink or in a cabinet, and that it comes with several size options (1.75 and 1.25 inches). She also appreciates that they come with beginner-friendly butterfly clips and pins for application options.
Customer review: “Love these hot rollers! Perfect size to create volume throughout and height at the crown. I thought at $100. They were a little pricey but considering I had my last set of hot rollers over 20 years, I made the purchase! Glad I did too.”
Best for Thick Hair: Drybar The Roller Club Curling Hot Hair Rollers
Drybar
The Roller Club Curling Hot Hair Rollers
Pros: Heats quickly, comes with several rollers, offers long-lasting curl
Cons: A bit heavy
Pieces: 10 | Hair type: All
Every beauty lover knows Drybar is the destination for big, bouncy blowouts, but the brand’s hot rollers make it easy to achieve supermodel strands at home—no matter your hair’s density. People with thick hair types often struggle to get their hair to hold volume due to the sheer weight of it, but this set of varied rollers works hard to heat evenly, curl the hair effectively, and offer dreamy, frizz-free curls that last all day.
Customer review: “I LOVE THESE! My hair is so bouncy, it gives my fine hair SO MUCH VOLUME but still shiny! I washed my hair, only used Bumble and Bumble Pret Dry Shampoo (to cut down on future grease). With zero hairspray to set or any kind of product to keep the shape, the rollers made me look like I had 5x the amount of hair I actually have. It was almost too much and I had to run some oil through.”
Best for Bouncy Curls: Conair Xtreme Big Curls Hot Rollers
Conair
Xtreme Big Curls Hot Rollers
Pros: Drugstore brand, heats up quickly, boosts shine
Cons: No size variation
Pieces: 12 | Hair type: All
This pick from Conair may be one of my least expensive recommendations, but it’s one of the most effective if your goal is big, bouncy curls. The set comes with 12 1.5-inch thick rollers for dreamy ‘90s waves, and each barrel is flocked in velvet to smooth each section and boost shine. It also comes with clips that hold your rolls in place without leaving unsightly crimps or creases. Because each roller utilizes ceramic, the rollers heat evenly and quite quickly—the brand cites 85 seconds for maximum heat.
Customer review: “I think this is one of the best Conair hot roller sets on the market. If, like me, you prefer larger rollers and often don’t use the medium and small rollers included in other sets, then this is the hairsetter for you! The rollers heat up fast and are gentle enough on my hair to use every day (something I avoid doing with my high-heat curling iron)… This set smoothes out my waves and give my hair body and shape. Love it and highly recommend!”
What to Look For in Hot RollersBarrel size: Different lengths of hair and desired styles will require different barrel sizes, with rollers often varying from one inch to 1.75 inches. “For someone new to rollers, I recommend starting with a mixed-size set and placing them at the crown and around the face,” says Izquierdo. “That’s where you get the most lift.”Material: “I always look for rollers that are made of high-quality materials like ceramics or ionic technology,” says celebrity hairstylist and brand founder Nick Stenson. “It’s also important to look for a set that comes with a soft grippy coating and clips that hold the hair without creasing it.”Hair length: While hot rollers work on all hair types, so long as they’ve been straightened first, Stenson urges shoppers to consider their length. Longer hair works well with thicker barrels, whereas shorter strands will require smaller widths for optimal curl.How do you use hot rollers?
It’s actually quite intuitive. Just section your hair and roll them up to the scalp, securing them in place with the included clips. “I like to use hot rollers on dry hair a few hours before an event so the hair has time to set in position while you are getting ready with makeup and wardrobe,” Neill says.
But Lopez emphasizes that prep is half the battle. “Before you even put a hot roller in your hair, when you dry your hair, use something like a mousse or a foam that’s going to give your hair a lot of style memory, and then rough dry your hair, smooth it out, and wrap the hot rollers around,” he guides. Lopez also suggests misting an aerosol heat protectant like Kenra’s Heat Block Spray across each section of hair before before wrapping for the most “style memory.”
Kenra Professional
Heat Block Spray 22
When it comes time to roll your hair, Lopez has a hack. “I would say a lot of people roll it from the end up, but I like to take very clean sections and place the roller in the middle of that section, wrap the ends around first, and then roll the rest of it up toward the scalp and secure. This makes sure you get even heat distribution, meaning the ends aren’t getting all of the heat and the mid-lengths aren’t getting any heat at all,” he says.
How long should you wear hot rollers for?
The short answer? Until they’ve cooled. “That’s what actually sets the curl,” Stenson explains. “For most people, that’s around 15 to 30 minutes depending on hair thickness and density. Taking them out too early is one of the biggest reasons curls might fall flat quickly,” he adds.
Are hot rollers better than a curling iron?
Neither tool trumps the other in the eyes of professional stylists; they just serve different purposes. “I use hot rollers when I am looking to incorporate volume into a look and will typically reach for a curling iron if I need structured, defined curls,” says Stenson. However, Streicher does point out that there is potential risk of heat damage, no matter which tool you’re using; it just may be harder to detect with hot rollers.
“The heat is left longer on your hair, which I think can be drying and a little aggressive if you’re using them a lot,” Streicher explains. “With a curling iron, you have a bit more control over the heat settings and how long you are applying heat to your hair.” However, both agree that it all comes down to your desired final look.
Can people with curly or coily hair use hot rollers?
Absolutely, just with a few vital steps beforehand. However, stylists like Izquierdo and Streicher recommend using frizz-smoothing products like IGK’s Good Behavior Blowout Balm and heat protection via R+Co Sun Catcher Styling Spray first before hitting it with the hair dryer.
“Work in smaller sections and use medium to large rollers to create soft volume rather than tight curls,” Stenson recommends. “The goal isn’t necessarily to create curl but to add polish and shape,” Izquierdo adds.
IGK
Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Anti-Frizz Smoothing Balm
R+Co
Sun Catcher Power C Nourish + Refresh Styling Spray
How can you preserve your style after removing hot rollers?
“After removing rollers, it’s important to let your hair settle before combing through it,” says Stenson. “Use your fingers or a wide toothed comb to shape and style and finish with a light hold hair spray or texture spray to help hold the curl,” he adds, suggesting the Nick Stenson Texture Spray for touchable shape. Streicher recommends R+Co Bleu’s Featherlight Hairspray for a bit of lightweight structure, which “locks in the memory of the volume and wave” while keeping things flexible.
Nick Stenson Beauty
Texture Spray
R+Co Bleu
Bleu Featherlight Hairspray
We found the best hot rollers on the market by testing a handful of oldies but goodies and continually trying new models from our favorite drugstore and high-end brands alike, both as they launch or blow up on TikTok. To get the bigger picture, we also interviewed celebrity hairstylists and hair experts to see get their personal recommendations, plus tips and tricks to get the most out of your set of choice.
At Who What Wear, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products—including skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails—while also working closely with trusted experts, like renowned dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, and other leading industry insiders. Together, this ensures every guide is well-researched, inclusive, and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favorites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how, and what we’d truly recommend to our closest friends and family members.
