Our expert team at BeautiLAB rigorously tested the Drybar Double Shot and Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus over several weeks across various hair textures. Our insights come from hands-on testing, measured data, and real-world styling results to help you choose the perfect hot air brush.

⭐ Summary Verdict

Drybar The Double Shot delivers a smoother, shinier, more polished blowout with gentler heat and better balance, making it the better choice for fine, color-treated, and frizz-prone hair. Revlon’s One-Step Volumizer PLUS packs more heat steps, stronger high-heat output, and a detachable design, giving it the edge for medium–thick hair and budget-minded users who want maximum volume fast.

Bottom line:

• Drybar wins on finish, gentleness, and long-session comfort.
• Revlon wins on price, heat range, and styling speed — but runs hotter, louder, and less refined.

👉 Want more options? See the Best Hot Air Brushes of 2025.

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📋 Side-by-Side Quick Comparison Table

Feature / Metric	Drybar The Double Shot	Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS
Barrel & Brush Design	2.4″ oval ceramic barrel, denser bristles, smoother glide	2.4″ oval ceramic-titanium-tourmaline barrel, slightly coarser bristles, stronger grip
Brush Section Length	3.9″ — good for long hair, even sectioning	3.75″ — slightly shorter, faster root-volume lift
Heat Settings	3 (high / low / cool), measured ~180–210 °F — gentle & safe	4 (high / med / low / cool), measured up to ~225 °F — powerful for thick hair
Airflow / Wattage	1170 W — balanced airflow	1100 W — slightly lower wattage but hotter output
Handle Temperature	~90 °F — cooler, more comfortable for long sessions	~95 °F — warmer handle
Styling Suitability	Smooth, frizz-free, polished results — ideal for fine/medium or colored hair	Quick volume & lift — ideal for medium to thick hair needing body
Weight & Balance	Lighter, well-balanced — less wrist fatigue	Slightly heavier, top-heavy — more arm strain
Noise Level	~91 dB — moderately quiet	~93 dB — a bit louder
Detachable Barrel / Travel-Friendly	❌ No detachable barrel	✅ Barrel is detachable (though reportedly hard to remove)
Warranty	2 years	4 years
Best Use Case	Smooth blowouts, sleek finish, gentle on delicate hair	Fast volume lift, bouncy blowouts, thicker hair

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Drybar The Double Shot 🌟

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Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus 💎

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🧩 Design & Build

Both brushes use an oval 2.4″ barrel, but their feel, control, and styling refinement are noticeably different. Drybar’s ceramic barrel is smoother and paired with denser bristles (1.1 cm / 1.7 cm) that give better tension and polishing control. This smoother glide aligns with what Dyson’s Hair Science notes about reduced cuticle friction: a slicker surface lowers snagging and helps maintain a healthier scalp–hair interface. Revlon’s barrel uses a Ceramic Titanium Tourmaline blend, which boosts shine but feels slightly rougher with its shorter bristles (1 cm / 1.5 cm) — producing big, bouncy volume but less smoothing finesse.

Drybar also has a longer 3.9″ brush section, helping distribute sections more evenly for shoulder-length or longer hair. Revlon’s 3.75″ section is compact, which speeds up root lifting but requires more passes on dense or long hair.

Both use the same oval shape, but the softer bristle tension on Drybar makes it better for fragile strands, while Revlon’s stronger grip benefits thicker textures. This difference reflects findings in PubMed’s thermal-damage research showing that gentler tension + lower friction coatings can significantly reduce cuticle stress during heat styling.

Winner — Design & Build:
➡️ Drybar The Double Shot (smoother glide, better bristle tension, more polished finish)

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💡 Performance & Technology

The biggest technical difference is the heat system.
Drybar runs on a gentler 180–210°F measured range, which is intentionally controlled to protect fine or color-treated hair. Revlon ramps higher with 185/200/225°F, giving more power and faster shaping for thick or resistant strands — but risking dryness for fragile hair types.

Revlon also offers four heat settings (high/med/low/cool) versus Drybar’s simpler three-step (high/low/cool) system. While Revlon gives more adjustability, Drybar’s narrower band offers more consistent, even heating with fewer hotspots.

Airflow performance is close:

• Drybar: 1170W
• Revlon: 1100W

…but in real use Revlon’s hotter high setting feels stronger even though wattage is slightly lower.

On safety, Drybar’s 90°F handle temp stays cooler than Revlon’s 95°F, making Drybar more comfortable during long blowouts. Barrel heat is also more stable on Drybar, giving smoother, more uniform styling.

Neither tool includes a built-in ion generator, but Revlon’s titanium-tournaline coating helps with shine — though not as evenly as Drybar’s ceramic layer.

Winner — Performance & Technology:
➡️ Tie (Different hair types get different benefits)

• Revlon for thick hair and faster volume
• Drybar for fine/damaged hair and smooth results

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🔌 Ergonomics & Convenience

Despite having identical 1.55″ handle widths and nearly identical lengths (13.75″ Drybar vs 15″ Revlon measured length), the tools feel different in hand. Drybar’s 0.9 lb build is notably better balanced front-to-back, reducing wrist fatigue. Revlon, at 1.0 lb, feels top-heavy, especially during overhead styling.

Both brushes use a dial switch, a full swivel cord, and a single 125V voltage setup. Revlon’s advantage is its detachable barrel, which (in theory) helps with storage and travel — but the mechanism is known to be difficult to detach in practice, limiting real convenience.

Noise is another major separator:

• Drybar: 91 dB
• Revlon: 93 dB (noticeably louder)

Drybar’s slightly quieter operation makes morning styling less disruptive.

Warranty favors Revlon dramatically with 4 years vs Drybar’s 2-year coverage, which matters for long-term use.

Winner — Ergonomics & Convenience:
➡️ Drybar The Double Shot (lighter feel, better balance, cooler handle, quieter)

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🎯 Which One Should You Buy?

Choose Drybar The Double Shot if you:

• Have fine, color-treated, or damaged hair
• Want the smoothest, shiniest finish
• Prefer gentler heat and cooler handle temps
• Want a quieter, more balanced tool
• Value consistent, salon-polished styling

Choose Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS if you:

• Have medium–thick hair that benefits from higher heat
• Want faster styling
• Prefer the lowest price
• Want big, bouncy volume
• Don’t mind higher noise or slightly hotter temperatures

At BeautiLAB, we buy and test every product independently — no sponsors, no freebies. See our full testing process.