Best Hot Rollers Review

When I hear the phrase, “hot rollers,” I immediately think of my grandmother. She would roll her hair up every night before bed and sleep in her curlers. (How well she slept, I always wondered.) During her youth, hot rollers (also known as “curlers”) were the height of at-home hair styling technology. In the decade since their heyday, so many new, different, and exciting styling tools and fads have emerged onto the scene that it almost seemed like rollers had faded into the past. 

I should have known better. In the world of fashion, what was old always becomes new again. And in this case, Vogue – that inimitable harbinger of all things new and trendy in fashion – announced in 2015 that hot rollers had returned. Based on their ensuring popularity as both a hair styling tool and a fashion choice, it seems that these nifty little tubes are around to stay for the foreseeable future. 

For anyone under the age of 80 who is not a supermodel or reality TV star, though, it might seem counterintuitive to choose an “old” method over all of these fancy electric curling irons, wands, bubbles, and such. But here's the thing about all that newfangled hair machinery; they use extreme heat to bend those hair cuticles and set styles. And no matter how many heat protectant gels, creams, sprays, and treatments you might apply in an effort to prevent, protect, and repair your strands, the truth remains that using extreme heat on a regular basis will eventually degrade your hair to some degree. 

So let's go back to our grannies for a minute. While they might have continued to use their curlers after the advent of electric tools because it was what they were used to, they were also inadvertently choosing a styling method that offers more efficiency and is less destructive to their hair than the media darling electric curling tools largely preferred by their granddaughters until recently. But we'll get more into the details below the product reviews section of why granny knew what was up all along. 

What is important to point out now is that this “antiquated” method of curling has, in fact, continued to evolve alongside today's more mainstream hair styling options. It just has not garnered the same about of media and marketing attention as its sister stylers until recently. But not to worry; today's hot rollers offer a lot more than just comfort in the status quo for geriatric divas. 

So where should your average millennial lady who is looking for a healthy, easy head of curls turn? Here we will review 21 different hot rollers for all different types of occasions, styles, and hair types so that you know what is out there on the market. Then, in our Buying Guide below, we will get into the nitty-gritty of how to choose and use these funny little (or big!) tubes for maximum styling success. So read on to get the scoop on the newest “old” way to rock a head full of curls. 

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Best Hot Rollers - Buyers Guide

So let's just get it out there in the open – there are a lot of options for hot rollers these days. Who knew? The amount of choice can seem overwhelming, but we have laid out a road map to guide you. There are five main aspects of any hot roller product that you need to consider before investing emotionally and financially in a particular one: heat type, material, texture, size, and quantity.

We would also argue that the order of this list is important, too. The number of curlers in a set isn't going to matter that much to you if they get so hot that they burn your fingers or the material snags your hair. So ponder each of these qualities and what will work best for your hair and your styling needs to find the best option for you. 

Heat Type

Hot rollers offer three different types of heating mechanism: conduction, induction, and steam. Conduction rollers are the most common and need to be thoroughly heated before use. This heating usually takes anywhere between five and ten minutes before actual styling begins. They are easily identified because they come with a heated “docking bank” that has a slot for each roller. Induction heating is part of more recent developments in hot roller technology.

These rollers heat up rapidly and set style quickly to get you on the move faster. Both conduction and induction have the potential to offer multiple heat settings, depending on their particular design.

Lastly is steam. Steam heats rapidly and is a great option for hair that is difficult to style. This includes both very fine and very thick hair. One thing to consider with steam is that you will need to wait for your hair to dry again after setting the rollers. In other words, this type of heat is the one that takes the longest amount of time to set, but it also produces the longest-lasting curls of the three types. Also, steam rollers only offer single heat settings, due to their design. 

Material

There are also three main types of materials on the market: foam, wax, and metal. Foam is the classic form, made famous by a generation of housewives in the 1950s and 1960s. They are soft, pliable, and extremely gentle. They also retain moisture, which enables curls to last longer and offer styling versatility. The more pressure that is applied when wrapping a strand of hair, the tighter the curl will be.

 Wax material is excellent for thick, long, and unmanageable hair because it retains heat longer and thus is able to transmit more of that heat all the way through the thick layer of hair around each roller.

Metal rollers most closely approximate traditional curling irons. The most commonly used metals are ceramic and tourmaline. These offer the benefit of rapid heating and uniform heat distribution to prevent hot spots that could burn hair. They also generate infrared heat, which penetrates hair from inside the shaft and thus causes less damage to the cuticles. Both ceramic and tourmaline also release negative ions when heated that lock in moisture and keep hair shiny and soft.

For comparison, tourmaline is said to release up to six times more of these negative ions than ceramic. 

Texture

Hot rollers come in three textures: ribbed, flocked, and Velcro. The ribbed ones rather resemble miniature versions of exercise equipment and grab strands tightly to keep them wrapped around the roller. The general consensus regarding texture is that ribbed rollers are easier to set and remove from hair but that the flocked and Velcro types stay put more securely.

Flocked rollers, which have short fibers across their surfaces that help polish and shine hair, offer more grip but can be harder to remove. Velcro rollers use the brand’s patented plastic hooks to catch hair, but can be messy and difficult to unroll, often leading to snagging and tangling of the freshly styled locks. 

Roller Size

Roller size may not seem like that big of a deal, but the diameter of your rollers can have a major impact on what type of curls you create and how long they last. Whether or not the set you purchase includes a variety of sizes or all the same size will also inform how much styling versatility you have. Sets that are of a uniform size will give you uniform results. If you are looking for curls of different sizes or a combination of tight and loose waves, opt for a variety pack. 

Hair Length

Here’s another consideration. To ensure proper curling, you need to make sure that the part of your hair that you want to curl is able to wrap around the roller at least twice. In general, shorter hair benefits from smaller rollers, and vice versa for longer hair. If you have short hair and simply want extra volume at the roots, you can also choose a larger roller. The result will not be a traditional curl but will still produce a pleasant effect. 

• Diameters up to 1 inch - ideal for shoulder length hair or shorter. They can also produce tight curls and defined ringlets in longer hair. 
• Diameters 1 inch to 1.25 inches - the most popular size range that works on the widest variety of hair lengths to produce traditional curls.
• Diameters larger than 1.25 inches - ideal for hair that hits below the shoulder or for anyone who wants that salon-worthy blowout look.

Quantity

This is probably the most easily overlooked aspect, but it can make a big difference in your styling experience. It is crucial to understand how many rollers you will require to style your entire head of hair in order to maximize your time and minimize the amount of work you need to do.

For ladies with short hair or who are only looking to add some volume at their roots, as few as six rollers could be sufficient for your needs. But for those with longer hair, thick hair, or who desire tight, defined curls, upwards of 20 may be necessary. Ideally, you should opt for a brand that offers the option to purchase additional rollers if you are unsure how many you will need.

Unless you have the patience of a saint, it can get frustrating to have to roll part of your hair, wait for it set, undo it, and then repeat the process a second time.

Of course, on the other hand, if you travel a lot, are short on counter or storage space, or want a portable option for an upcoming vacation, fewer rollers may appeal to you. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to think about how, where, and how often you will use this product.

Conclusion

As the reviews and buying guide above demonstrate, hot rollers do not deserve the outdated, old-fashioned image that many of us mistakenly attribute to them. They are hip, they are functional, and they offer many benefits that curling irons and wands cannot. Arguably the three most important are hair health, ease of use, and price point.

It is undeniable that rollers are the healthiest heat styling option for your hair. It is basically impossible to leave hot rollers in long enough to cause damage, which certainly cannot be said for most curling irons. They are engineered to cool down once they leave their heating dock, so high temperatures only last long enough to bend hair cuticles into the desired style. Curling irons, on the other hand, get much hotter on average than rollers and can easily burn chunks of hair off if the user is not careful. And no one wants that!

Plus, they are super easy to place, and you can go about other tasks while waiting for them to set, essentially eliminating the need to set aside dedicated styling time. Just pop them in, wait for the appropriate amount of time, pop them out, fluff or brush out your hair a bit, and you’re ready to go.

Compare that to anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour spent dedicatedly curling strand after strand of hair individually, making sure that you twist it in the “correct’ direction for your desired style, and that you don’t leave dents in the ends and there really is no comparison. Add to this the fact that rollers are more comfortable to physically handle than irons and present less risk of finger burns and rollers are clearly the winners.

Lastly, there is the subject of cost. Sure, there are some expensively-priced hot roller sets on the market, but the vast majority fall in the range of $20-$60 and many are even cheaper than that. Even better, even the cheapest options generally garner reviews of three or more stars on that holy grail of consumer opinions, Amazon.com.

Speaking of Amazon.com, never underestimate the usefulness of reviews. Obviously, we believe in the quality of the products we have reviewed, but you should always read a variety of reviews to get a range of opinions and seek out details relevant to your particular situation and needs.

Given the large volume (haha, get it?) of hot roller offerings on the market today, you are sure to find something that will give you the fantastic head of hair you have always wanted with little effort and modest expense. Good luck and happy rolling!