Hair rollers may feel a bit Frenchy from Grease, but they’re still among the best tools for creating salon-worthy hairstyles at home.
If you lack the time to spend hours curling your hair, consider investing in some of the best heated rollers to do it for you. Our enthusiastic team of testers have found the top sets for long-lasting, voluminous results that cause minimal damage. These are their winners but keep reading for their full reviews.
Best heated rollers for 2024
1
Joint best heated rollers
BaByliss Boutique Salon Ceramic Rollers
Read more
2
3
4
5
6
What are heated rollers?
Heated rollers are a type of hair tool used to create bouncy curls and waves. Some look like traditional velcro rollers while others, known as 'pods', are smaller and made of rubber.
These heat-conducting pods and rollers are stored in a case that warms up when turned on. They often come in different sizes, depending on the type of curl you want to achieve. The smaller the size, the tighter the curl.
Do you use heated rollers on wet or dry hair?
Heated rollers are suitable for use on dry or mostly dry hair. Wet hair is more fragile and prone to damage.
Can heated rollers be used on all hair lengths and types?
Yes, but the results will differ. Heated rollers will add volume to short hair but may struggle to produce a defined curl.
Hair stylists recommend using heated rollers on straight or slightly straight hair to produce a smoother, kink-free finish. If you have curly hair, rollers can help loosen your curls for a softer style.
How do you use heated rollers?
Section your hair into small pieces, before wrapping them around the barrels, once they've heated up. Wind each barrel up towards the head and secure it in place. Most rollers come with clips, while pods pop inwards to stay put.
How long do I keep heated rollers in for?
How long to keep hot rollers in for depends on the look you want to achieve. Unfurl them after 10 minutes for waves or keep them in for up to 30 minutes for tighter corkscrew curls. If in doubt, check the brand’s instructions.
Do heated rollers damage your hair?
Like all heated styling tools, heated rollers can damage your hair if not used correctly. To keep your hair looking and feeling soft and healthy, use a heat protection spray first.
Are heated rollers better than straighteners?
Hot rollers reach high temperatures, but they generally use less heat than straighteners and tongs, making them kinder to your hair.
Fine hair in particular will thank you for reaching for the rollers instead of your curling iron. Rollers can also be more convenient, as you can put on your makeup or paint your nails while they work their magic.
How we test
We asked 50 women to put five sets of heated rollers to the test. They rigorously assessed them, looking at the clarity of the instructions and the ease and speed of use. The design of the rollers was also considered, as was their overall performance and end results.
This 'best heated rollers' article was updated in August to reflect latest stock levels and discounts.
Score: 71/100
Our testers found these rollers joyfully simple to use — almost all said they didn’t need to look at the instructions before use. The results were equally pleasing – the rollers produced big curls that added volume to hair. This set heats up quickly — in approximately 60 to 90 seconds — and comes with 12 rollers.
Being picky, some testers with longer, thicker hair would have liked more rollers to cover their entire head.
Key specifications
Heat up time | 1-1.5 minutes |
---|---|
Number of rollers | 12 (large) |
Accessories | Clips |
Score: 71/100
Our top-scoring T3 set of eight rollers impressed us overall, with most testers finding them easy to use. Quick to heat up, many said they added volume and left a bouncy curl.
They gripped the hair well and proved simple to remove, thankfully without any snagging or tangling. The only downside is that the 'on' indicator isn’t clear enough.
Key specifications
Heat up time | 2-3 minutes |
---|---|
Number of rollers | 8 |
Accessories | Clips |
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Score: 70/100
This set has a mixture of 20 medium and large rollers, which testers felt was enough to cover even thicker hair. Heat-up time was quick (90 seconds) during testing, while hair looked well-styled after use, leaving our panel happy.
Some testers were unsure when to use the rollers, as there was no indication light, and some commented about how hot they got — so be careful!
Key specifications
Heat up time | 1.5 minutes |
---|---|
Number of rollers | 20 |
Accessories | Clips |
Editors' picks
These are the heated rollers that are hot on the market right now. We haven't tested them at the GHI yet, but our shopping editors have picked their favourites to give you more choice.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Nicky Clarke is known in the haircare space for his styling expertise, with an OBE to boot. His brand has developed hair straighteners, hairdryers, and hot brushes, many of which we've tested at the GHI.
The brand's rollers are travel-friendly and fit neatly in your bathroom cupboard. They have handy heat-tech, which allows them to change from red to white when they're ready to use, and they also feature the smoothing ionic technology that's so crucial for a non-frizzy finish.
This set of ceramic rollers not only has an attention-grabbing colour scheme, but it offers the most rollers and size varieties of all the other tools on our list.
This 30-piece set also contains smart colour-coded clips to make the whole experience easier, and a handy travel case and multiple temperature settings.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
These Babyliss beauties come with 20 soft-touch ceramic rollers, for those with a long, full and healthy mane that they'd like to tame.
The rollers come in three different sizes, and the set also boasts ionic frizz control and a three-year guarantee, so if it doesn't work like you want it to, you can always get your money back.
Florence Reeves-White
Senior Beauty Writer
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Tested byDenny Daily
Beauty and Grooming Tester
Denny is our Beauty and Grooming Tester and has an in-depth knowledge and background in beauty and PR. She has spoken on panels with Cosmetics Executive Women (CEW) and has worked with many beauty brands as a commercial model. Since joining in October 2022, she has worked on numerous testing categories including over 18 different brands for vitamin C serums, scalp scrubs, shampoos for dry hair and many more. She has over 20k followers on TikTok where she shares beauty and fashion tips otherwise better known as Denny Daily.