Discover the Drybar Mixologist: a versatile tool with snap-on curling iron, wand, and waver attachments for easy, varied styles
4.9 out of 5
Model name/ number: 900-2525-4
Price: $199
Shape: interchangeable heads including a spring iron, a wand, and a waver
Available sizes: 1.25″, 1″, 3 × 0.75″
Best for: all hair types and lengths
What we like: very versatile with different attachments, durable material
What we don’t like: not suitable for very short strands
How it stands out: appealing to every styling need with three different attachments
Drybar The Mixologist takes things to the next level to satisfy every styling need, bringing a tool with three different heads that fit on the same base. You can basically create tight locks with its traditional spring iron, loose beach waves with the wand, and even very pronounced s-shaped curls with its waver. If you want versatility in your product and have a hard time deciding on which shape to choose, this tool is perfect for you.
It has 25 different heat settings, starting from 200°F, and going up to 450°F, which also adds to this tool’s versatility as there will be a setting that suits you no matter what your hair type is. Its maximum temperature is one of the highest numbers on our list and can tame even the unruliest strands easily. Its material of choice is ceramic, which is not the fastest option but brings gentleness to your session.
It may be a bit too expensive for some, but you’re basically getting three different tools. So if you think that you’ll use all the attachments, we think it’s great value for money. Considering its great material quality, in our opinion, it’s a no-brainer for the ones that prioritize versatility.
Whether you’re seeking the best curling iron for thick hair or best curling iron for long hair, rest assured, Drybar The Mixologist has you covered.
Below we share our experiences with “DRYBAR The Mixologist”.
Shape
This tool’s shape is its specialty. It comes with three interchangeable heads which is quite rare to come across and even rarer to find with very good quality material. While the base stays the same, you can choose from a spring iron, a wand, or a waver for the different styles that you want to achieve. Let’s talk about each head individually;
It comes with a traditional spring iron which has a holding clamp. This attachment is for those who want to achieve more uniform and perfect-looking locks. The clamp holds the tips close to the strands in place to make sure that they get an equal amount of heat from the barrel while styling, which creates a finer finish. The clamp also makes things easier for beginners as you don’t need to use your hand while holding your hair in place, which can cause heat damage.
The second attachment is the wand. This shape leaves out the clamp on purpose to achieve more natural-looking results. The look is more like beach waves rather than spiraled curls.
The last one is a waver, which has three barrels attached to each other and is used to create s-shaped waves rather than locks. It may look complicated, but it’s actually pretty easy to use.
All of the attachments come in different sizes from each other to allow the creation of different-sized curls, but we will talk about this in the size section.
Size
As you know, this tool has three different attachments and they all come with different barrel widths, and this is not a coincidence. Drybar is really trying to make sure that you can achieve a very large variety of looks with this product and frankly, they’re doing a great job. All these attachments bring considerably different results from each other.
Its traditionally shaped spring iron has a barrel width of 1.25”, which creates medium-sized locks that are spirally shaped. The curls are larger than what the usual 1” spring irons create, and they’re aiming to achieve looser waves with this attachment.
The wand attachment has a 1” barrel, which is narrower than the spring iron, so the curls are tighter, but rather s-shaped and more natural looking.
The waver has 3 barrels of 0.75”, and it does a great job creating a more undone look. It’s to achieve more textured results and the curls are more zigzag shaped rather than spirals.
When we measure their barrel’s length, we find out that they’re all the same at 5.25”, which is close to average compared to the curling irons on our list. This size is the most versatile one and will provide efficient results on all hair lengths. Unless, if you have very short strands, a pixie cut let’s say, you may benefit from an even a narrower and shorter barrel. Conair Instant Heat Curling Iron has a 0.5” barrel width option and comes with a length of 4.9”; an option worth checking out.
Heat and Variable Settings
This tool is one of the tools with the largest range of heat settings, 25 to be exact. It starts at 200°F, which is a low enough number for very fine strands that need care, and reaches up to 450°F, the highest number on our list. This temperature has the capacity to tame even the most difficult hair types without issues. Its temperature rises in 10°F increments and you will find a setting that is perfect for you no matter which hair type.
Material and Performance
DRYBAR The Mixologist’s three different heads all come with a ceramic barrel. Ceramic is great for beginners as it heats up slowly and more evenly. It brings an extra touch of gentleness to your session as it’s very difficult to overheat and make a mistake with this material. We can’t say that it’s the fastest though. It will take longer time to style your hair than a titanium barrel, and if you’re one of those who don’t want to spend a long time in front of the mirror and speed is your priority, we recommend considering a tool with titanium material. Babyliss Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron is a great option for titanium lovers, especially professionals who generally adore Babyliss products.
As we can see, ceramic is not the fastest material, but other than that, this tool has a very strong engine which adds to its speed, not to mention its material quality. It will most likely last you for many years to come and is extremely sturdy to hold, an unusual quality amongst hair tools with interchangeable heads. It’s not an affordable tool but it has three different attachments and is a luxury product, so we think that its price vs performance is quite high.
Features
This tool’s most outstanding feature is probably its non-slip barrel. This is a rare quality that helps hold the hair in place while styling and creates a finer finish as the ends of the strands also receive higher amounts of heat.
Drybar Mixologist comes with ionic technology and you can really see the difference in the results. This feature basically eliminates frizz from strands by sealing the moisture and letting it dry quickly. If you have frizzy hair and would like to get rid of it, this technology is definitely something you should opt for in a hair tool.
It comes with a heat-resistant travel bag. This is a great idea for those who want to style their hair and don’t want to wait until the tool is cooled down before they carry it around.
It has the usual 60-minute auto shut-off, an essential feature making this tool fire-safe. It comes with an integrated counterrest, preventing your hot tool from touching surfaces.
It comes with sound and light indicators that let you know when you reach its desired temperature so you don’t need to check it every second, which are very handy to have. But some users complain about the blue light that doesn’t switch off as long as it’s plugged in, even if it’s switched off.
One drawback of this tool is the fact that it’s single voltage, in comparison to the dual voltage that most tools have, to make sure that you can use your tool anywhere in the world.
Ergonomics
As this tool has three different attachments, it also has different weights. While the spring iron and the wand are 8.61oz, the waver is 11.4oz These numbers are both above average and quite bulky. Wavers are always bulkier tools than other types of curling irons which is understandable. But the others are usually lighter and this tool can get a bit frustrating to hold for longer periods of time. If arm fatigue is something that you struggle with, we recommend considering a more light-weight tool, such as the Bioionic Goldpro Styling Wand which weighs only 6.1 oz and is very easy to handle. We always include the weights of every tool that we review and it’s worth checking them out before you make an informed decision.
Considering its lack of dual voltage and its weight, we can say that this tool is not very travel-friendly.
Its handle is also bulkier than usual with 1.26”, while the usual size is 1.08”. But this is only an issue if you have very small hands, in that case, narrower handles are always more beneficial for you. Infinitipro Rosegold Curling İron has a very elegantly slim handle with only 0.93”.
It has a digital display and temperature control so you can easily adjust it to the perfect temperature, which makes a big difference especially if you’re a beginner. It also has a very ergonomically designed cool tip which makes it very easy to handle and maneuver.
It has a swivel cord which is very long. 9ft is the longest cord size on our list and is very handy to have if your plug is somewhere inconvenient. But it doesn’t come with a Velcro tape so it can get a bit messy if you’re not careful.
Price & Warranty
We’ve never come across a very affordable Drybar tool before and it’s no surprise that Drybar The Mixologist has a price tag of $199. This is a proper luxury brand and when you grasp your tool you sense that level of quality that doesn’t disappoint. We do think most Drybar tools are slightly overpriced, but we have to say that The Mixologist actually is great value for money. It comes with three different attachments so it really makes up for what you’re paying, this is assuming that you will use all of these attachments. But we’re very aware that not everyone has the budget to spend this much on a hair tool, and there are many others on our list with a price much easier to handle. Revlon Smooth Stay Curling Iron with $25 in case you’re looking to create tight uniform curls or Infinitipro Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Wand with $26 for looser waves.
Drybar The Mixologist comes with a 2-year warranty which is the usual number in the market.
Competition
Since this tool comes with interchangeable brush heads, it really is an extremely versatile tool and it’s hard to come up with an alternative that has similar abilities. It may not be at the same level, but Hot Tools Pro Artist 2 in 1 Curling Wand has a similar quality in terms of versatility. This tool comes with two different-sized wands within the same tool which you can twist and adjust. This may be a great alternative for the ones who don’t want to spend $200 on a hair tool since Hot Tools only costs $45. It obviously doesn’t have the same material durability, and the heat range is not as large. But it still is an efficient tool worth checking out.
Drybar also has Drybar The Wrap Party Wand, which is also worth checking out.
