When it comes to getting the best waves for your hair, look no further than the best hair wavers on the market. Whether you’re hitting the beach for a day or just heading out for lunch with friends, these curlers and wave stylers will help you create perfectly-textured locks every time.
Gone are the days when only people with naturally curly hair could rock beach waves or other wavy hairstyles. With a little heat, a little science, and a little bit of hard work, anyone can have beautiful waved hair thanks to hair wavers.
Before you jump online and buy one though, I’ll guide you through what I believe are the top 10 hair wavers available online.
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Best Hair Wavers Reviewed In This Guide
Best Hair Wavers List
HOT TOOLS Professional Black Gold Adjustable Multi-Hair Waver
Best for: Overall hair waving
Special Features
- Adjustable barrels with 4 tightness settings for loose, tight, tousled, or defined waves
- Multiple heat settings with a maximum temperature of 455˚F
- 2 hour automatic safety shut-off
Pros: Premium black gold styling both looks and feels amazing, instant even heat, 9 foot swivel cord, super easy to use even for beginners, adjustable barrels and heat settings mean this hair waver works for any kind of hair
Cons: Barrels may require some manual screw adjustments, handle is a bit big
The HOT TOOLS Professional Black Gold Adjustable Multi-Hair Waver is my pick for the best hair waver out of this entire list.
This wave hair iron comes with adjustable barrels with four tightness settings, meaning that you can get any wave style you want, be it loose or defined. The barrel plates are not only adjustable, but also heat evenly. This even heat distribution ensures that your hair is styled super fast without any overexposure to heat, which can cause damage.
The HOT TOOLS Professional Black Gold Adjustable Multi-Hair Waver also comes with multiple heat settings, with a maximum temperature of 455˚F. This makes this hair waver an excellent choice as heat can be switched to accommodate any hair type, be it thick and coarse or thin and sensitive.
While there’s not much to complain about, I will admit that the handle of this wave styler is a little big and needs some getting used to. Some customers have also complained that they had to manually adjust the barrels via screwdriver. However, these complaints are more of outliers than the norm – the HOT TOOLS Professional Black Gold Adjustable Multi-Hair Waver is still my number one pick for the best hair waver curling iron on the market.
Bottomline: If you have to get just one hair waver, get this one. The HOT TOOLS Professional Black Gold Adjustable Multi-Hair Waver is not only easy to use, but it’s also got all the options and settings that stylists and experimenters will no doubt appreciate. On top of that, this hair waver is affordable, too!
Mermade Hair Waver
Best for: Mermaid Waves
Special Features
- Works faster than other hair wavers
- High grade materials
- Offers the largest wave barrels on the market
Pros: It heats fast and its cord swivels 360 degrees making.
Cons: Barrels can be too large for other users and quite expensive.
The Mermade Hair PRO Waver is a versatile hair tool that can create a variety of different looks. From beachy waves to polished curls, this waver can do it all. I have one of these and was really impressed with how easy it was to use and how quickly it heated up.
Mermade Hair PRO Wavers use advanced ceramic barrels to give you beautiful, long-lasting waves while protecting your hair from unnecessary damage. Made with high-grade ionic ceramic, these barrels emit negative ions that help to seal in moisture and lock in your hair’s natural oils. This helps to minimize frizz and static, while giving your hair a soft, shiny finish.
In addition, Mermade Hair Pro’s large ceramic barrels heat up quickly and evenly, so you can achieve the perfect wave in less time. And you don’t have to worry about accidents as it comes with an auto-shut off feature. After one hour of use, the waver will automatically turn off, making it a great choice for those who want to avoid over-using their styling tools.
Bottomline: The waver comes in the most perfect shade of pink and it creates the largest mermaid waves. If you’re looking for a waver that will give you perfect beachy waves, look no further than the Mermade Hair Waver.
Alure Three Barrel Curling Hair Waver
Best for: Budget hair waving
Special Features
- Triple-barreled ceramic tourmaline hair waver
- LCD display to monitor temperature
- Ergonomic design and non-slip handle for safe use
Pros: Super affordable, ceramic heating elements help greatly with frizz, goes from 0 to 410˚F in just sixty seconds despite ceramic materials, handle is designed with safety in mind
Cons: User manual isn’t informative, no auto shut-off
The Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand is the best budget hair waver on this list.
This hair waver curling iron comes with a triple-barreled design that most wave hair irons come with. Each barrel is plated with a ceramic tourmaline composite for effective, safe heating. The added tourmaline in the plates is a nice touch, making the Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand a great way to fight frizzy hair.
The Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand comes with an LCD display to help monitor temperature. This same monitor will also help you find just the right amount of heat for your hair. An ergonomic design ensures that your hands won’t slip while using this wave styler, protecting you from accidents.
Customers – and I myself – have just one complaint about the Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand. It does have a lot of features, true, but its user manual neglects to mention what these functions are. For example, nowhere does it say that you need to hold the left or right buttons to lock the temperature at a certain heat.
Bottomline: While deciphering the Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand’s many functions is sure to take a while, what you get afterwards is a sturdy, reliable, and most importantly, affordable hair waver.
Bed Head Wave Affair Jumbo 3 Barrel Hair Waver
Best for: Medium to long hair
Special Features
- Ceramic tourmaline barrel plates for safe heating and frizz control
- 10 different heat settings up to a maximum temperature of 410˚F
- Tangle-free swivel cord, auto shut-off, and digital controls for a travel-ready waver
Pros: Large barrel are perfect for medium to long hair, fast heat up, tourmaline helps tame frizz
Cons: Doesn’t work as great on shorter hair, not effective on thick hair
This product is advertised as “jumbo”, and jumbo it is – these barrels are notably a lot bigger than other wavers, making the Bed Head Wave Affair Jumbo 3 Barrel Hair Waver the best hair waver for styling medium to long hair.
The three long barrels are equipped with a ceramic tourmaline composite that provides safe, even heating as well as additional negative ion generation for frizz control. Ten different heat settings allow you to fine-tune your wave styling, and a maximum temperature of 410˚F ensures that you will see results. Finally, the Bed Head Wave Affair Jumbo 3 Barrel Wave Styler is a great travel companion due to its tangle-free swivel cord, auto shut-off, and digital controls.
On the other hand, the large barrels are also this wave hair iron’s downfall. Sure, they’re great at medium to long hair – but they’re not good at short hair, and users with thick hair may want to look elsewhere.
Bottomline: The Bed Head Wave Affair Jumbo 3 Barrel Hair Waver curling iron really lives up to its “jumbo” name, making this a great choice for waving medium to long hair. However, it does fall short in the short and thick hair departments.
FoxyBae 1’’ Rose Gold Wavy Baby Triple Waver
Best for: Beach waves
Special Features
- Rose gold titanium composite barrel plates for quick, efficient heating
- Insulated barrel tips and no-slip ergonomic grip help prevent accidents
- LCD temperature display to help regulate heat
Pros: Lots of safety features, 360 degree cord is super flexible
Cons: Not travel size
The FoxyBae 1’’ Rose Gold Wavy Baby Triple Waver is a triple-barreled hair waver that’s perfect for getting beach waves, making this one of my picks for the best hair wavers around. Whether you’re going for the cool, casual, or sexy look, no one can deny the appeal that beach waves have – and this hair waver delivers that in spades.
Rose gold titanium composite barrels are optimized to heat up very quickly, which allows for fast beach wave styling. Due to the shorter length of these barrels, they come with insulated tips to shield your skin from the sizzling heat of this waver. An LCD temperature display helps you keep an eye on the wave hair iron’s current heat, and will also help you find the temperature that your hair responds to best.
While this hair waver has a lot of things going for it, one thing I do have to mention is its size. It’s pretty big, measuring 16.8 inches. If you’re looking for a portable beach hair waver, this isn’t it. If, however, you’re looking for a hair waver curling iron that’ll give you a flawless beach wave look, your quest is at an end.
Bottomline: This is the best hair waver, hands-down, for that perfect beach wave hairstyle.
Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver
Best for: Deep hair waves
Special Features
- Ceramic tourmaline design for even heating and frizz control
- Plate-locking switch for easy storage and transport
- Deep barrel design makes heating and styling even easier
Pros: Unique deep barrel creates superbly sculpted waves, auto shut-off for safety, boosts shine and tames frizz
Cons: Doesn’t work as well for shoulder length hair, bulky, needs a lot of force to close clamps, no outer shell for protection against burns
The best deep hair waver curling iron, the Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver, comes with a unique deep barrel design. It’s this design that allows this wave styler to sculpt well-defined, luscious waves that are to die for.
The Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver utilizes ceramic and tourmaline for its barrel plates. This causes the plates to heat evenly and allow it to fight frizz while giving your hair a shiny finish. The plates also come with a plate-locking switch for easy storage and transport.
One thing potential customers need to know about the Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver is that it’s bulky. This, combined with the lack of an outer shell to cushion against burns, makes this wave hair iron a better pick for experienced and careful users only.
Bottomline: The deep barrel design is lovely, but the lack of safety features and protection against burns means that you’ll need to be extra careful when using this hair waver.
Insert Name Here Beach Hair Waver
Best for: Safe hair waver
Special Features
- Ceramic tourmaline barrel plates with added glaze for hair protection and moisture sealing
- Even heat distribution, insulated barrel tips, metal protective stand, non-slip handle
- Lightweight design and dual voltage (requires adaptors) for easy travel
Pros: Comes with heat-resistant gloves, works on any hair type and length, super light weight, great traveling hair waver
Cons: Takes a while to heat up, pricey
The Insert Name Hear Beach Waver Curling Iron has a ton of safety features, making it my pick for the best safe hair waver, and coincidentally, the best beginner hair waver.
This wave styler was the darling of social media for a while, and it’s not hard to see why. Its ceramic tourmaline barrel plates conduct heat safely and evenly. The barrels even have added glaze, which helps protect hair and seals moisture in. The tourmaline components also help greatly with managing frizz and revitalizing dull hair.
The Insert Name Hear Beach Waver Curling Iron is super lightweight too, and it’s really easy to handle. This makes it a fantastic pick in both the safety and beginner categories. The non-slip handle, insulated tips, metal protective stand, and included heat-resistant gloves come together to create a wave hair iron that’s not only great at creating wavy hair, but keeping you safe while you do it too.
Bottomline: The Insert Name Hear Beach Waver Curling Iron isn’t just for beginners – it boasts excellent performance that’s sure to satisfy even professional stylists. On the other hand, it does take a while to heat up, and it’s on the more expensive side of hair wavers.
Revlon 3 Barrel Jumbo Hair Waver
Best for: Long hair waver
Special Features
- Ceramic tourmaline coating for even heat distribution and frizz control
- Large barrel size allows fast styling
- Tangle-free swivel cord and locking ring for easy transport and storage
Pros: Long-lasting effects, great travel companion, large barrel size lets you style lots of hair quickly, very easy to use
Cons: Heavy, handle heats up
The Revlon 3 Barrel Jumbo Hair Waver is one of the best long hair wavers available. Thanks to its oversized barrels, this hair waver can style a lot of hair at once, freeing up your schedule for other things.
Its barrels are ceramic tourmaline coated, which gives the Revlon 3 Barrel Jumbo Hair Waver even heat distribution and helps fight frizz while keeping your hair shiny and smooth. A tangle-free swivel cord and a locking ring make this a wave styler a fantastic travel companion.
On the other hand, customers have noted that the Revlon 3 Barrel Jumbo Hair Waver curling iron is quite heavy and can be cumbersome to handle. Another complaint that commonly pops up is that the handle itself tends to absorb some heat from the barrels, causing it to heat up.
Bottomline: Bigger isn’t always better – but it is in this case. If you’ve got long hair and can’t spend too much time styling it, this jumbo hair waver is for you
Conair Double Ceramic Hair Waver
Best for: Sensitive hair
Special Features
- 5/8’’ outer barrels and 1/2’’ inner barrel for continuous waves
- 30 heat settings for every hair type
- Double ceramic barrels deliver consistent heat and boast steady performance
Pros: Heat settings are fantastic for people with fine or sensitive hair, affordable, good value for money
Cons: Hard to get a hold of, single voltage
People with fine, thin hair will be happy to know that there’s a wave styler just for them. Thanks to its 30 heat settings, the Conair Double Ceramic Triple Barrel Curl Styling Waver takes the prize for best sensitive hair waver curling iron. These heat settings can be turned up and down as you please, allowing you to switch between fast and safe styling in less than a second.
This wave hair iron’s double ceramic barrels ensure both fast heating and an even spread of heat, which ensure that your hair remains safe yet stylish. The barrels are of differing lengths, with the two exterior barrels measuring 5/8 inches and the inner barrel measuring half an inch.
This low price combined with good value for money is also the downfall of the Conair Double Ceramic Triple Barrel Curl Styling Waver, in that it’s out of stock a lot. If this item piques your interest, be sure to grab it next time you see it!
Wavytalk Beach Waves Curling Iron
Best for: Fast hair waving
Special Features
- Ceramic tourmaline barrel plates for even heat conduction and frizz control
- 15-30 second heat up time
- Dual voltage
Pros: Affordable, heat-insulated tips for protection,
Cons: Doesn’t seem to work on straight hair
The Wavytalk Beach Waves Curling Iron is a no-muss, no-fuss hair waver curling iron that’ll do one thing – wave your hair fast.
This hair waver’s claim to fame is its speed. With a heat up time of just 15 to 30 seconds, you’ll be styling your hair in a flash. Despite its ceramic heating elements, the Wavytalk Beach Waves Curling Iron provides swift and even heat conduction. Tourmaline components in the barrel’s plates ensure frizzy hair is put under firm control.
However, this wave styler doesn’t seem to do anything for people with naturally straight hair. Straight hair havers looking to make waves should have a look at the other hair wavers on this list.
Bottomline: If all you really need is speed, the Wavytalk Beach Waves Curling Iron has you covered.
CHI Multi-Wave Styler Hair Waver
Special Features
- Ceramic plates that use infrared heating while conditioning hair
- Fully adjustable barrel and plate height with 5 preset temperatures
- Dual voltage and auto shut-off
Pros: Adjustable barrel, adjustable plate height, auto shut-off feature
Cons: Hard to get a hold of, no tourmaline component so it doesn’t help with frizz
Last but not least on the list of the top 10 best hair wavers is the CHI Multi-Wave Styler. This hair waver has a fantastic fully adjustable barrel and plate height, meaning that it can be adjusted to match almost any kind of hair and lock in any kind of style.
The CHI Multi-Wave Styler uses fully ceramic plates, meaning that it uses gentle infrared heating to work its magic. At the same time, the lack of tourmaline components means that this hair waver will do absolutely nothing against frizz. This wave styler also comes with dual voltage and an auto shut-off feature, making the CHI Multi-Wave Styler a great traveling companion.
One thing I will say about this hair waver curling iron is that it’s hard to get a hold of, so if you decide you want to try it and see it in stock, snap it up immediately!
Bottomline: If you’re looking to tinker with your hair, give the CHI Multi-Wave Styler a try. Who knows, you might love the results!
Best Hair Waver Buying Guide
There’s a lot to dissect when it comes to hair wavers. There are lots of terms that get thrown around, from composition to heating elements and maximum heat. I’m here to help you decode and demystify these words so you can find
What Is a Hair Waver?
A hair waver is a hair styling tool that creates waves in the hair. It consists of two metal plates that are heated and then pressed together. The hair is wound around the waver and held in place until the hair cools and takes on the wavy shape. Hair wavers come in a variety of sizes, depending on the desired look. Smaller wavers create tighter waves, while larger wavers create looser waves. There are also hair wavers that have different patterns, such as spirals or zig-zags. whichever size or pattern you choose, a hair waver can give you the perfect wavy look.
Hair Wave History
The first ever hair waving technique was invented by Marcel Grateau, a French hairstylist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is credited with inventing the Marcel wave, a popular hair styling technique of the time.
Marcel’s father was a wigmaker, and he followed in his footsteps, apprenticing at his father’s workshop. He eventually opened his own salon, where he became known for his creative and innovative hairstyles.
The Marcel wave or Marcelling was created by winding the hair around rods and then heating the rods with a hot iron. This caused the hair to curl and gave it a distinctive wavy appearance. Marcel’s waves were so popular that they were soon being copied all over the world. Today, Marcel is remembered as one of the most influential hairstylists of his time.
How Does a Hair Waver Work?
To understand how a hair waver works, it’s important to understand how a regular curling iron does its magic.
Curling irons utilize high heat to create curly hair, one section at a time. The heat affects your hair’s chemistry, weakening and breaking hydrogen bonds and making your hair more pliable, one section at a time.
Hair wavers use the same heat method to create luxurious waves in your hair. The key difference here is the triple-barreled design of hair wavers. By strategically using multiple heating barrels, you can apply heat to certain parts of your hair. This, in turn, allows you to create waves and curls by selectively heating up certain sections of your hair.
What Is the Best Hair Waver?
The best hair waver on this list is the HOT TOOLS Professional Black Gold Adjustable Multi-Hair Waver. The HOT TOOLS hair waver offers great quality, customization, safety, and is reasonably-priced.
- Adjustable barrels with 4 settings give you the option to create loose, tight, tousled or defined wave perfection
Types of Hair Wavers
Hair wavers share many characteristics with flat irons and curling irons – all of them are portable handheld devices used to style hair via the application of heat. Thus, we can also classify wave stylers by the type of heating element they use to style hair. The three most common materials used for heating in hair wavers are titanium, tourmaline, and ceramics. Gold-Plated hair wavers also exist, but they’re not very common these days.
Titanium Hair Wavers
Titanium hair wavers both heat up quickly and retain heat well. This metal is commonly found on professional hair wavers and other heating tools. Titanium can also work a bit too well with heat – it can actually damage your hair if you don’t know what you’re doing. Because of this, titanium works best on thick hair.
Tourmaline Hair Wavers
Tourmaline is a crystalline mineral that exhibits unique properties when used as a heating element.
When heated, tourmaline generates negative ions. These ions react with your hair by minimizing frizz and sealing your hair cuticles. This makes tourmaline hair wavers excellent at taming and invigorating dull, dry hair. The negative ions generated by tourmaline also works with positive ions in your hair. The result? Smooth, shiny, and beautiful hair.
Ceramic Hair Wavers
Most hair wavers use ceramic elements to heat and style hair. Ceramic hair wavers provide thorough heat that radiate outwards from your hair. Because of this, ceramic hair wavers can provide more thorough styling.
Ceramic hair wavers also spread heat very evenly. This makes ceramic wave stylers excellent at styling thin hair that can’t withstand a lot of heat.
Gold-Plated Hair Wavers
Gold-plated hair wavers (and flat irons and curling irons) are a rarity today. Gold conducts heat very well, but unlike titanium, it doesn’t offer even control over heat. If you’re still using a gold-plated hair waver, switch it out as soon as you can.
Features to Look for In a Hair Waver
There are a couple of features you need to look for when buying a hair waver, and these are some of those features that you should definitely look out for.
Plate Composition
The composition of a hair waver’s plates should always be your first consideration. I’ve discussed them above, but here’s a shorter version: titanium is fast but hard to control, ceramic is slower but safer, tourmaline helps with frizz, and gold is outdated. Beginners should stick with ceramic or ceramic tourmaline hair wavers, while more experienced customers can look into titanium.
Ergonomic or Non-Slip Grips
The best hair waver is one that you can easily handle. Better handling means better styling, and less accidents. At the same time, a good handle is one that doesn’t tire you out, no matter how heavy the hair waver.
Heat Control
The more control you have over your hair waver’s heat, the better. Some hair wavers come with preset temperatures which are fine, but the best ones usually have a dial or onboard digital settings to control heat. While we’re at it, a hair waver that goes up to 410˚F is fine. 455˚F is the maximum “safe” heat for styling tools, but you shouldn’t be going that far as it’s really easy to damage your hair at that temperature.
Auto Shut-off
Let’s face it: all of us are going to ask ourselves, “did I forget to turn an appliance off?” To alleviate those worries and to protect your home from electric fires, look for a wave styler that comes with an automatic shut-off. This feature will cause your hair waver to automatically turn off after a period of time. Don’t worry though; this period is long enough that your hair waver will not shut off while you’re using it.
Heat Protectant
While it’s not a feature that comes with a hair waver, you should always, always use a heat protectant when using any heat-based styling tool. Heat protectants will preserve your hair from heat exposure damage while allowing your styling tools to work their magic.
Common Questions About Hair Waver
What is the difference between a hair waver and a hair crimper?
Hair crimpers use larger, textured plates which allows them to create sawtooth or zigzag patterns in long, straight hair. Hair wavers, on the other hand,
Can hair wavers damage hair?
As with all heat-based styling tools, yes, hair wavers can damage your hair. Because of this, I highly recommend starting out with a ceramic hair waver, unless you’ve already had experience with titanium curling irons or flat irons.
How long should I use a hair waver?
Ideally, you should only hold the waver down on a section of hair for four to five seconds. Anything more is too much, and runs the risk of inflicting permanent heat damage.
Should I straighten my hair before using a hair waver?
Yes, your hair should be straightened out as much as possible before using a hair waver. This way, you’ll get better results and your hair will maintain your hard-earned waves for much longer. For those with a lot of natural curls and waves, be sure to only use a blow dryer. You don’t want any products on your head before applying heat, with the sole exception of some heat protectant.
Should I dry my hair before using a hair waver?
Yes, you should always dry your hair before using a hair waver.
Enjoy Your New Hair Waver
Your hair is a fashion statement, and one of the best ways to say something big is with a new hairstyle. With your new hair waver in hand, all you need now is time and practice to unlock a whole new world of glamor.
Mel is a licensed Chemist in New Jersey who has worked in several cosmetics companies and has years of experience formulating hair care and beauty products. She uses her knowledge in cosmetics to distinguish and find the best products to recommend to Union Of Barber’s readers. When Mel’s not writing, you can find her walking her dogs or cooking and baking at home!
