Our take on Conair’s affordable round straightening brush that can curl mid-length strands quickly and easily
4.2 out of 5
Model name/ number: BC84GNR
RRP: $20.00
Temperature settings: N/A
Auto shut-off: 60 mins
Weight: 4.8oz
Cord length: 5ft
Universal voltage: yes
Warranty: 2 year
Added extras: dual voltage for international travel, extra-long cool tip for easy maneuvering
Best for: fine to medium hair texture, short to mid-length hair
Pros: lightweight, budget-friendly, makes beautiful curls quickly and easily
Cons: cannot reach high temperatures, lacks durability, no digital control display, tangles long hair
How it stands out: its thin barrel works well for mid-length or shorter hair, creating smooth styles with a slight bend at the tips
Straightening brushes are gentle tools that create a natural look rather than super sleek results. Conair chose to come up with a round straightening brush rather than paddle and they chose to make this tool extremely affordable, as low as 20$.
This straightening brush, with its 1.25 round barrel, can actually create curls and waves. Of course, it’s not the sturdiest material in the market but its low price makes up for it. Below we share our experiences with “Conair Instant Heat Hot Brush ”.
Shape And Size
With its slim and round shaped barrel, Conair Styling Brush introduces curls to the straightening session.
The heated plates are the smallest on our list with 0.7” width and 4.13” length. With its slim 1.25” barrel and non-paddle shape, this tool sacrifices some volume-boosting ability. However, it creates polished, put-together curls that will leave you satisfied, especially if you have straight hair.
While this tool is efficient for fine to medium hair, it can’t really tame thick or long hair with its slim size and it can take forever to reach any result.
So, if you have unruly or long hair you may want to consider a stronger and larger tool such as ghd Glide (has a large-sized paddle brush) for good volume or CHI Amplitude (reaches higher levels of heat) for a more effective and fast blow out.
While the 1.25 size is already quite slim, Conair offers an even slimmer size(0.75”) for those wants who desire very tight and intricate curls.
Bristles
Conair Instant Heat is not a great detangler and you will highly benefit from detangling your hair in advance if you want to use this tool. Its detangler bristles are quite slim with 0.06” and they’re as short as 0.25”.
Like most round-shaped straightening brushes, it doesn’t have strong detangling capacities and if a good detangler is your priority, you will be much better off with a paddle-shaped brush with specialized bristles such as GHD Glide.
Conair Instant Heat doesn’t have heated bristles, it heats up only with the heated plates. This provides a very gentle session, suitable for fine to medium hair that is easy to style or straight hair that doesn’t need straightening in advance.
Heat And Variable Settings
Nowhere on the packaging or the website does it state the exact maximum temperature of the tool. Reaching high temperatures is not Conair Instant Heat’s strong suit; in our tests, it reached only 280°F, the lowest by far on our list. The closest to this maximum temperature is Tymo Ring Plus with 350°F, which is much higher.
So, if you want to tame your thick hair, this tool is definitely not suitable for you. There are much more efficient options in the market such as Chi Amplitude (390°F) which is also round-shaped and Drybar The Brush Crush (420°F). While it has 25 Heat Levels to choose from, they all remain too gentle for unruly strands. But if you have fine hair, we really recommend it as it’s a very safe yet effective option.
While the handle’s temperature remains as low as 83°F (which is a very safe number for hands), the cool tip temperature goes up to 121°F. This number can be too hot for fragile hands or if you use it for long periods of time.
Like most straightening brushes, it comes with a 60-minute auto shut-off option that puts the mind at ease and provides a safer session.
Performance And Durability
Conair Instant Heat is a very affordable tool and like any budget product, it sacrifices on material quality. It provides a smooth session but the handle is not very sturdy and it may not last you for long years. If you’re looking for a more durable option, brands such as Chi or Drybar The Brush Crush will satisfy your needs with their outstanding quality.
Ergonomics
Conair, with a weight of only 4.8 oz, is as light as it can possibly get when it comes to straightening brushes. So light that the closest second on our list is almost double with 8.1 oz (Babylisspro Nano Titanium Ionic Thermal Paddle Brush).
While its lightweight comes with the cost of sturdiness, it also brings the advantage of being easy to carry. The handle’s diameter is 3”, which is also the smallest on our list. This tool is for you if you appreciate a compact product.
It also has dual voltage, which also makes it travel-friendly. It has a small cord with only 61” which is the smallest size in the market. This may be a problem for the ones who don’t have a plug next to their mirror.
That said, it comes with a small design issue; the hair gets tangled in the corners if it gets stuck. So, it’s important to make sure to keep the hair in the middle part throughout the session.
Price and Guarantee
Conair Instant Heat is our favorite budget straightening brush of 2023 and for good reason. It’s highly affordable at only $20 and for this price, it delivers very satisfying results. It does sacrifice on durability but it can create smooth waves and provide a highly efficient session. Another option that is less affordable but more durable is Chi, which also comes with a round-shaped barrel for a price of $58.
It has a limited 2-year guarantee which is the standard number among straightening brushes.
Competition
Conair Instant Heat stands out among the straightening brushes with its affordable price and round-shaped slim barrel that can create curls. CHI Amplitude Heated Round Brush shares most of these features but has a more luxurious feel. While being more expensive, it also differs by having better quality material and reaching higher levels of heat for thicker strands.
Tymo Ring Plus is another popular straightening brush that is loved by many for its high efficiency, and instead of curling the hair like Conair, it’s known for its straightening qualities. If you want a straightening brush with great straightening capacity, Tymo Ring Plus is a value-for-money alternative that provides smooth and shiny results.
