Extra-large barrel and the highest heat capacity on the market, making it perfect for quickly and easily taming thick hair, backed by a lifetime warranty
BeautiLAB Overall: 4.4 out of 5
| RRP: $70 | Model name: HT1096BG / HT1091BG |
| Barrel width: 2.8″ | Weight: 16 oz |
| Barrel shape: oval | Cord length: 9 ft |
| Heat settings: 210°F / 260°F | Warranty: lifetime |
| Wattage: 1100 watts | Voltage: 125 volts (single voltage) |
- How it stands out: with a very large barrel and the highest heat capacity, this hot air brush is excellent for taming healthy, thick hair with ease
- Hair type/ texture: thick hair texture, medium to long hair length (unless you purchase the attachments)
- Pros: detachable compact design, versatile with many attachments available separately, lifetime guarantee, reaches high temperatures, and has a long cord
- Cons: lacks a gentle low heat setting for touch-ups, has a thick handle that’s hard to grasp, and operates noisily
We all know that thick and unruly hair needs high temperatures to style and straighten. While high amounts of heat can be damaging, it can also be very beneficial for the ones that have trouble taming their strands. If you fit in this category, Hot Tools Black Gold is to your rescue.
This tool has the capacity to heat up to 260°F, providing a professional quality blowout. Even the low heat setting is 210°F, which is hotter than the maximum heat of most hot air brushes.
This tool is recommended for medium to long hair since its barrel is 2.8” (one of the largest on our list). Its oval shape is great for creating volume and ionic technology and charcoal bristles do an incredible job eliminating frizz.
Below we share our experiences with Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step. If you’re curious about the competition, check out the article about best hair dryer brushes.
Design
– Barrel Size And Shape
Classified as a large-sized tool, the Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step features a 2.8” nano titanium ceramic barrel, one of the largest on our list. While the 3.75″ brush section is shorter than others, it compensates with its extra-large barrel, allowing it to grab large sections of hair at once.This makes it ideal for medium to long hair, as large barrels cover more area in one pass, making styling faster and more efficient. However, they are less effective for short hair since they can’t get close to the roots.
“Black Gold” also is oval shaped instead of round, which makes it perfect at boosting volume and creating loose waves, combined with its large size. But it’s not as good as round barrels at creating defined curls.
– Barrel Material
The Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step features a barrel made of nano titanium ceramic. This combination helps to distribute heat evenly, reduce frizz, and enhance shine. The titanium infusion boosts the barrel’s heat capacity, allowing it to reach higher temperatures quickly and maintain them throughout styling. This high heat helps style hair more efficiently, while the ceramic coating ensures gentle, even heat distribution. The result is smooth, shiny hair without excessive heat damage.
– Bristles
If you think that the bristles wouldn’t affect the quality of a blowout so much, you might want to think again. The longer and softer the bristles, the easier the detangling process will be. On the other hand, hard bristles are better at styling the strands than soft ones.
“Black Gold” features 1.8cm nylon bristles and 0.9cm tufted bristles. The 0.9cm tufted bristles provide a great grip without pulling too tightly, preventing discomfort or breakage of delicate strands. Meanwhile, the 1.8cm nylon bristles are long enough to detangle and penetrate dense hair with ease.
Performance
– Heat Settings
It’s important to pay attention to heat when it comes to hair tools. They have the power to damage your hair unless you make the wise choice suitable for your hair type. While high temperatures can be beneficial for thick and unruly hair, it can burn fine and fragile strands very quickly.
“Black Gold” is on our list as the best hot air brush for thick hair for good reason. This tool gets hot, up to 260°F on high setting. This number is the highest on our list and it’s not to take it lightly. It will cause damage to your strands if you have fine or fragile hair. It will work magic though, with thick and unruly hair, especially with afro hairstyles.
Like most hot air brushes on the market, it comes with 3 settings including high, low, and cool. The cool shot option is worth checking out since it seals your styling session and makes it long-lasting. Even though it comes with a low heat option, the low setting, with 210°F, is higher than most tools on our list.
– Ionic Technology
The Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step also features ionic technology, which helps reduce frizz and static by emitting negative ions. These ions smooth the hair cuticle, leaving your hair looking shinier, healthier, and more manageable, all while protecting it from excess heat damage.
– Wattage
The Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step has a wattage of 1100, providing powerful airflow for quick and efficient styling. This wattage helps you achieve smooth, voluminous hair faster, while maintaining a balance of heat and airflow to prevent damage and ensure consistent results.
Durability & Quality
The Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step is built to last with durable materials like the titanium ceramic barrel. It’s made for consistent, high-quality performance, and with its lifetime guarantee, you can trust it to work well for years to come.
While detachable hot air brushes often compromise on sturdiness, “Black Gold” is built to endure most conditions.
Ergonomics
– Tool Length:
With a length of 12.75″, this hot air brush is shorter than average, making it easy to maneuver and store.
– Weight
We know that heavy hair tools can be frustrating if used every day or for long periods of time. Hot Tools Black Gold has an average weight of 16 oz, so you don’t need to worry about arm fatigue.
– Handle Size
The handle of the Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step Volumizer has a 1.5-inch diameter, which is not too thick, making it comfortable to hold, especially for those with smaller hands. This design ensures a secure and ergonomic grip, offering better control and ease while styling.
– Noise Level:
Hot air brushes can be noisy, and for home stylists with sleeping family members nearby, the noise might be a concern. The Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step Volumizer operates at 94 dBA, making it slightly louder compared to other models. While it provides excellent styling results, its noise level may be too much for those with sensitive ears or in quiet environments.
– Cord Length:
It has a 9 ft (102″) cord which is one of the longest on our list. This can bring great comfort if you don’t have a plug right next to your mirror.
– Handle Temperature:
The handle of “Black Gold” has an average maximum temperature of 100°F in high setting. These numbers are comfortable to hold, even for longer periods of time.
Detachable Design
“Black Gold” is the new generation of its previous model, Hot Tools 24K One-Step, which didn’t come with a detachable design.
This improvement is definitely worth mentioning since it makes a huge difference in the quality of your session. Not only it make the tool much more compact and travel-friendly, but it also becomes much more versatile since it comes with different head options. These different heads include medium and small-sized barrels, which makes this tool suitable even for the shortest hair types.
Price And Guarantee
With an average price of $90 ($24 extra if you purchase an extra head) Hot Tools Black Gold is an affordable tool. It’s a great value-for-money product with its durable material and quality blowout.
On top of that it stands out with its lifetime limited guarantee. The Hot Tools Black Gold One-Step comes with a lifetime guarantee, offering peace of mind with your purchase. This guarantee reflects the brand’s confidence in the durability and quality of the product, ensuring it’s built to last for years of reliable use.
Most other hot air brushes come with a maximum 5-year guarantee but Hot Tools Black Gold takes the game to the next level with this offering.
Other Models From Hot Tools
“Hot Tools” hot air brushes have come a long way since they started producing the “One-Step” series. The Hot Tools Black Gold is a successful accomplishment that overshadows its previous versions, yet there’s one other version worth mentioning.
Hot Tools 24K Gold is a very useful alternative that works with fine and fragile hair instead of thick hair. While their barrel size and shape are exactly the same and they both have the high-quality material that Hot Tools offers, their heat levels make these two versions very different from each other. “24K” offers a super gentle yet effective blowout that is safe for even the most fragile strands. “Black Gold”, on the other hand, has the opposite quality, taming even the unruliest hair with its high levels of heat.
You can find the details in our Hot Tools Black Gold vs 24K Gold One-Step Blowout & Volumizer Comparison
Competition
Conair The Knot Dr. Oval Dryer Brush is the biggest competitor of Hot Tools Black Gold. They both have similar prices and barrels, but Conair has the capacity to detangle hair more effectively, while “Black Gold” focuses more on bringing the best style. “Black Gold” gets much hotter (215 °F), making it better for thick hair, but Conair The Knot Dr. has a more reasonable heat level of 180 °F, which makes it more versatile for different hair types. They both come with different head attachments but Conair The Knot Dr. offers more options such as a paddle brush head and diffuser.
