The slimmest barrel with the strongest root grip capacity, making it the perfect tool for styling short hair with precision and volume
BeautiLAB Overall: 4.8 out of 5
Who it’s for:
The Drybar The Half Shot is ideal for short hair, offering precision styling with its slim barrel and dense tufted bristles. The superior grip helps create defined styles with ease and control, making it perfect for intricate, detailed looks.
How it stands out:
The Drybar The Half Shot stands out as the highest-quality, smallest barrel hot air brush on the market. Its dense, long bristles grip hair tightly, creating tension at the roots for effective styling. It’s perfect for precision on bangs, bobs, or short hairstyles, providing controlled and defined looks.
Below, we share our experiences with “Drybar The Half Shot.” If you’re interested in comparing it with other options, check out our guide on the most popular hot air brushes available.
Drybar The Half Shot Specifications
| RRP: $155 | Barrel shape: round |
| Barrel width: 1.5″ | Barrel material: ceramic |
| Weight: 13 oz | Cord length: 9 ft |
| Heat settings: 180°F / 210°F | Noise level: 93 dBA |
| Wattage: 1100 watts | Voltage: 125 volts (single voltage) |
| Model name: 900-3425-4 | Warranty: 2 year |
Pros and Cons of Drybar The Half Shot
What We Like✅
- Small Round Barrel: Best for precise styling.
- Long, Dense Bristles: Provides excellent grip for effective styling.
- Lightweight: Easy to handle for extended use.
- Long Cord: Provides flexibility while styling.
- Slimmer Handle: Offers better control.
- High Wattage: Provides powerful performance.
- Ionic Technology: Reduces frizz and adds shine.
- Durable Materials: Built to last.
What We Don’t Like❌
- Overpriced: May not fit everyone’s budget.
- Not Detachable: Difficult to store or travel with.
- No Velcro Band: Lacks a way to organize the cord.
Drybar The Half Shot is the third one of The Shot Collection, and it’s specifically designed for short hair. It’s a truly unique tool since it has the slimmest barrel available in the market, providing perfect grip even with the shortest styles. With only 1.5″, this barrel is the perfect fit, especially for pixie to neck-length hair
It has high-quality material which is sturdy and durable and will last you for many years. It’s also very comfortable to hold with its slim design, and it’s one of the lightest tools on our list.
It’s a luxury tool with a luxury price, and what you pay doesn’t disappoint.
Design
– Barrel Size And Shape
With a 1.5″ barrel, The Half Shot is one of the slimmest hot air brush on the market. It’s a truly unique tool that is designed specifically for shorter hair types and intricate styling.
Combined with its round shape, this size makes it very easy to get closer to the roots to maximize volume or to stretch the hair for a smooth finish. The small and round shape also provides the capacity to create defined curls and waves if desired.
With a 4″ brush section length, The Half Shot features one of the widest on our list. This large size allows it to grab and style more hair at once, making it especially effective for coarse or thick hair. The Ionic Technology works to reduce frizz and seal in moisture, leaving your hair smooth and shiny. This combination makes styling quicker and easier, even for unruly hair.
The Half Shot is the third generation of The Shot Collection which offers different-sized and shaped models according to your hair type and styling needs.
– Barrel Material
The Drybar Half Shot features a ceramic barrel that evenly distributes heat, helping to reduce damage while styling. This ensures a smoother, shinier finish and leaves your hair looking polished and healthy without the risk of excessive heat.
– Bristles
Similar to other The Shot Collection dryer brushes, The Half Shot has the thickest and firmest bristles on our list.
This quality provides better grip and control at the roots, which fits perfectly with the needs of short hairstyles.
It has 1.1cm tufted bristles and 1.7cm nylon pin bristles, which is longer than most hot air brushes. The longer tufted bristles can contribute to detangling issues, as they may pull or break strands. However, since short hair typically doesn’t require much detangling, the durability and length of these bristles are more beneficial, offering superior styling control.
Performance
– Heat Settings
The Drybar Double Shot features a dial switch at the bottom of the handle to control three heat settings: high, low, and cool. While it doesn’t include a temperature lock, we didn’t find it needed during testing, as the buttons are difficult to accidentally press.
It has a maximum heat of 210°F on the high setting and 180°F on the low setting. With 1100 watts of power, it’s effective for thick, unruly hair while being gentle on fine, damaged hair when used on the low heat setting. Rest assured, it won’t fry your hair—there’s no need to worry.
– Ionic Technology
The Half Shot features Ionic Technology, which helps reduce frizz and leaves your hair looking smoother and shinier. The negative ions in the tool break down water molecules faster, cutting down drying time and minimizing heat damage. This makes it easier to style while keeping your hair healthier and looking polished.
– Wattage
The Drybar Half Shot has a wattage of 1100W, which is above average and provides strong airflow for efficient styling. While it’s slightly lower than the wattage of the Double Shot and Single Shot, it still delivers impressive performance for quick and effective results.
Durability & Quality
Drybar is a luxury brand that has high-quality material and The Half Shot is no exception. The tool is very sturdy, as well as being non-detachable which also contributes to the sturdiness. It has a long-lasting and durable material. It endured all our tests without any damage and earned our trust again and again without failing.
Convenience
Here’s a simpler version:
A small difference in size or weight might not seem like much, but if you style your hair often, it can make a big difference in how easy and quick the process is.
The Half Shot is well-designed. It’s light, comfortable to hold, and makes styling simple.
– Tool Length:
We measured the tool and found it to be 13.75 inches long. The average length of the other hot air brushes on our list is 13 inches, so the Drybar isn’t too large. Its size makes it easy to handle for creating loose waves and a good option for people with shorter arms or anyone who prefers a more compact, easy-to-store tool.
– Weight:
The Half Shot is a very intelligently designed tool that fits your hand perfectly and it’s as ergonomic as it gets when it comes to hot air brushes. With only 13oz, it’s the lightest full size hot air brush on our list and it won’t cause any arm fatigue even in longer sessions.
– Handle Width:
The diameter of the handle is 1.5″, which is the average optimal size of most hot air brushes in the market. It will fit even the smallest hands without a struggle.
– Noise Level:
The sound of The Half Shot is 93 dBA on the high setting which is one of the lowest on our list. This tool truly proves itself to be the gentlest in every aspect, even for the ears.
– Cord Length:
It has a 9 ft swivel cord that is also contributing to the intelligence of the design. This is one of the longest available sizes in the market and helps a lot if you don’t have a plug next to your mirror.
– Handle Temperature
The handle of The Half Shot gets only up to 100°F and it has an acceptable temperature, even for fragile hands.
– Detachable Head:
The Drybar Single Shot isn’t detachable, which means it’s less convenient for storage or travel. But it’s still durable and delivers great results, making it a solid choice for everyday use, even if it’s not as portable.
Price And Guarantee
The Half Shot is not for every budget. We know that not everyone wants to spend $150 on a hot air brush. But if you’re looking to treat yourself, it’s well worth the investment. With its durable material, ergonomic design, and a 2-year warranty, it’s built to last and will meet your styling needs perfectly.
Other Models From Drybar
The Half Shot is not the only option that Drybar offers. There are two more hot air brushes in The Shot Collection and they all offer different experiences according to your hair type and length.
The difference is in their barrel size and shape. While The Double Shot is oval-shaped, The Single Shot is round like The Half Shot. The Double Shot is 2.4”, The Single Shot is 2.25” and The Half Shot is 1.5”. Double shot is best for longer hair and boosting volume, while The Single Shot is for all hair lengths that want to create loose waves. You can find the details in Double Shot Vs. Single Shot Vs. Half Shot Blow-Dryer Brushes comparison.
Competition
Drybar The Half Shot is one of the most popular hot air brushes on the market for its durable material and ergonomic design, bringing high-quality blowouts for short hair. However, it’s not the most budget-friendly option in the market and Infiniti Pro oval dryer brush is another, more budget-friendly option that also has a barrel option as slim as The Half Shot (1.5”), and for a much better price ($60+ $15 for the extra slim barrel). It also comes with a detachable design that provides different heads for versatility. It compromises on durability but it’s a great alternative for our low-budget readers.
