Revlon The One-Step Collection provides fast and effective styling for a very affordable price. But which One-Step to choose?
Revlon introduced a new version called Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0, an intriguing upgrade from the original.
The Revlon Plus is a lighter, upgraded version of the Original, featuring a slimmer barrel, shorter bristles, and ionic technology for frizz-free, gentler, more precise styling. In contrast, the Original has a larger barrel and longer bristles, making it better suited for creating volume and handling thicker hair.
We thoroughly tested each product to evaluate their performance, ease of use, and overall results. In this review, we’ll compare the Plus vs. Original to help you decide which one is the best fit for your needs.
If you’re looking for more options, check out our best hot air brushes guide to explore top-rated models.
Which One Is Best for You?
Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus – Improved Design & Precision Styling
The Revlon Plus is an upgraded version of the Revlon Original, designed for better control and ease of use.
It is lighter, detachable, and features a slimmer barrel with shorter bristles, making it great for adding volume and precise styling, especially for shorter hair.
The shorter bristles also help with faster and gentler styling, reducing pulling and making the process smoother.
With four heat settings and ionic technology, the Plus helps minimize frizz while enhancing shine for a sleek, polished finish.
Read our full review of the Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus
Revlon One-Step Volumizer Original – Budget-Friendly & Classic Performance
The Revlon Original remains a solid choice for those who want an affordable and effective styling tool. While it lacks the ionic technology found in the Plus, it still delivers good volume and smooth styling.
It has a larger barrel and longer bristles, making it well-suited for thicker and longer hair but slightly less precise for shorter styles.
The Original is also louder and has fewer heat settings, but for those who don’t mind these trade-offs, it offers great value at a lower price.
We broke down the differences and measured everything you need to know about these two sisters. Here’s what we found out:
Quick Comparison
 |  |
|
| Model Name | RVDR5298N/ULT | RVDR5222 |
| Price | $70 | $40 |
| Product Length | 13.75″ | 12.75″ |
| Weight | 15oz | 16oz |
| Cord Length | 6ft | 6ft |
| Barrel Shape | Oval | Oval |
| Barrel Width | 2.4″ | 2.8″ |
| Heat Settings | Low: 185°F / Med: 200°F / High: 225°F | Low: 200°F / High: 240°F |
| Detachable Base | Yes | No |
| Ionic Technology | Yes | No |
| Noise Level | 93dBA | 96dBA |
| Barrel Material | Ceramic, Titanium and Tourmaline | Ceramic |
| Wattage | 1100 | 1100 |
| Voltage | 125volt (single) | 125volt (single) |
| Warranty | 4 year | 4 year |
Key Advantages & Differences
Advantages of the Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus 2.0:
- Smaller Barrel: 2.4″ Barrel offers more precise styling for defined curls or waves, especially for medium to long hair.
- 4 Heat Settings: More options for heat, allowing for better customization to suit different hair types and styling needs.
- Quieter: The Plus 2.0 is 3 dBA quieter, making it much more pleasant to use without the loud noise.
- Lightweight: The Plus 2.0 is 1 oz lighter, making it easier to handle during longer styling sessions, reducing strain on your wrist and arm.
- Ionic Technology: The Plus 2.0 features a Ceramic Titanium Tourmaline barrel with Ionic Technology to reduce frizz and lock in moisture for a smoother finish, while the Original 1.0 lacks this feature.
Advantages of the Revlon One-Step Volumizer 1.0 (Original):
- Higher Temperatures: The original can reach higher temperatures, which may be more beneficial for thicker or coarser hair.
- Shorter Tool Length: The original model is easier to maneuver, which is great for quick styling or reaching different angles.
- Lower Price: The original is half the price of the Plus, making it more budget-friendly.
- Larger 2.8″ Barrel: Ideal for creating volume, rather than defined curls, and better suited for looser styles.
- Longer Bristles: Helps to handle more hair at once, offering better control over larger sections for faster styling.
Design
– Barrel Size And Shape
As we all know, the barrel size and shape are the most important points of the decision-making process when choosing a hot air brush.
The “Original” has a large barrel size of 2.8″. This helps lift from the roots, adding volume and body to long hair. It is also ideal for creating a slight bend in the hair. While it can cover a lot of hair at one brush stroke and style long hair faster, it’s very inconvenient for shorter hairstyles, bangs, or short layers.
The new “Plus” is a slimmer hair brush at 2.4″, which makes it easier for most people to use compared to the “Original.” This makes it a great upgrade! This mid-size provides a better grip on the roots while still covering enough area to be convenient for very long hair. It adds volume and creates soft waves.
Both versions are oval-shaped, which is great for adding volume because hair wraps around the brush at the base. They can create loose waves, but keep in mind that they aren’t the best choice for tight curls due to their size and shape.
– Barrel Material
The Revlon Plus features a barrel made of Ceramic Titanium Tourmaline, combining Ceramic for even heat distribution, Titanium for superior heat retention and faster styling, and Tourmaline to reduce frizz and static for smoother results.
In contrast, the original Revlon uses a Ceramic barrel, which ensures even heat distribution but lacks the enhanced heat retention and quicker styling that Titanium provides, making it slightly slower and less effective at controlling frizz compared to the Plus version.
– Bristles
The Revlon Original has longer bristles, which can grab the hair more tightly, making it easier to style and giving you more control over your hair during styling. This can be especially helpful for thicker or longer hair.
The Revlon Plus has shorter bristles, which may not hold the hair as tightly but can still work well for lighter, quicker styling.
Performance
– Heat Settings
Hot air brushes typically have different heat settings, and the “Original” Revlon offers 3 options: high, low, and cool. This makes it a good choice for both thick and fine hair. However, some users have complained that the high setting gets too hot and the low setting isn’t effective enough.
Revlon one step “plus” seems to be solving this problem. It offers 4 heat settings instead of 3, adding a medium heat option.
Well, you know that we’re obsessed, we had to measure and decide; While “original” is getting relatively high on low setting (200°F), it gets really hot on high setting (240°F). The Original, on high heat setting, is hot enough to fry your hair if you use it on a daily basis.
When we went ahead and measured the “plus” version, the results were: low (185°F), medium (200°F), and high (225°F). Low hair temperature is still high for fine and delicate strands, but the high heat setting is gentle yet enough to tame thick hair.
You can see that it gets much less hot than the “original”, even the high option of “plus” is almost the same as the low option of the “original”. We have been informed that the “Plus” promises 50% less heat damage, and with these results, we can believe them.
– Ionic Technology
The Revlon Original hair dryer does not have ionic technology, so it may leave your hair feeling a bit frizzy and dry. The Revlon Plus, on the other hand, includes ionic technology, which helps reduce frizz, add shine, and speed up drying time by locking in moisture. If you want smoother, shinier hair with less frizz, the Revlon Plus is the better choice.
– Wattage
The Revlon Original and Revlon Plus hair dryers both have the same wattage of 1100 watts, so in terms of power, they are identical.
Durability & Quality
New Revlon One-Step Plus promises to have 40 percent more life than the “Original”. The need for this upgrade is understandable since the “Original” was reported by many users to be not very durable. Our tests indicate that the “Plus” version is a bit sturdier than the “Original” but still the difference is not great and durability is not the strongest suit of Revlon. But with this price, it’s still a great option.
Both Revlons released a burnt-like smell when they’re used for the first time, which burned our throats and eyes. The smell can be a sign of toxic chemicals in the smoke. We thought it’s worth mentioning in case you’re one of our sensitive users. You might want to stay a bit far and open the windows when you use these tools for the first time.
Convenience
– Tool Length:
The “Original” measures 13″ while the “plus” is 14″. This change includes both the handles and the brushes.
Both the handle and the brush of “Plus” is noticeably longer then the “original” version. Longer brush provides a larger area which really helps with long hair. While the thickness of the handle remains the same, the design is improved making it easier to hold, especially for smaller hands.
– Weight:
The Revlon One-Step Plus weighs 15 oz, making it slightly lighter than the Revlon Original, which weighs 16 oz. The difference in weight is minimal, but the Plus is still easier to handle, especially for extended styling sessions.
– Handle Size:
Both the Revlon One-Step Plus and the Revlon Original have a handle thickness of 1.5 inches, making them equally easy to grip and comfortable to hold during styling.
– Noise Level:
A 3 dBA increase doubles the amount of perceived noise and halves the recommended exposure time for hearing protection. So, the Revlon Original at 96 dBA is significantly louder than the Revlon One-Step Plus at 93 dBA, making the Plus more comfortable to use for longer periods without causing as much noise exposure.
– Cord Length:
Both the Revlon One-Step Plus and the Revlon Original come with a 6-foot cord, which might feel a bit short compared to other models that offer a 9-foot cord for more flexibility and ease of movement during styling.
– Handle Temperature:
The handles of both the Revlon One-Step Plus and the Revlon Original stay around 100°F, which is comfortable to hold during long styling sessions. The temperature is acceptable and does not get too hot, allowing for a more pleasant and safe grip throughout use.
Detachable Design
Revlon seems to have listened to their customers very well because there was quite a bit of requests for a more compact model, and here it is. While the head of the “original” doesn’t detach from the bottom, in the “plus” version you can separate the head. Detachable design has many benefits, starting with how easy it gets to clean.
The detached head allows us to reach to every little bit of the tool and clean it thoroughly. It also clearly makes it more compact, which is great quality if you’re traveling often. But even if you’re not, no one wants their hair tools to take up too much space. Not to mention the fact that you can detach the head and use the tool to blow dry your hair!
