The Best Hair Wavers of 2023

The Hot Tools Pro Artist 24K Gold 3 Barrel Hair Waver earned perfect scores in every category—build and durability, usability, and performance. From start to finish (and beyond), my experience with this hair waver was overwhelmingly positive.

For starters, the hair waver has a digital screen that allows you to see the exact temperature setting, so you can choose the right setting for your hair type between 200°F and 450°F and see when the iron reaches the temperature and is ready to use. The instructions provide clear guidance on the most suitable temperature ranges for different hair types. I chose to wave my medium-textured hair that falls about two inches past my shoulders on 350°F—a temp that was at the lower end of the recommended range for this hair type.

Like the vast majority of hair wavers, the tool is bulky and tricky to maneuver on my non-dominant side, but the button placement—the side on this particular model—makes things as intuitive as possible. It even has a lock—a dial you simply press down—so that you don’t accidentally adjust the settings while you’re using it.

When it comes to results—arguably the most important aspect of a quality hair waver—this one outperforms the rest. A single clamp of a 3- to 4-inch section of hair held for less than 5 seconds delivered instant S-shaped waves that held steady all day long, even after a lengthy and brisk walk around the neighborhood—no hairspray needed! I repeated that action two to three times down each section of hair and all over my head, which took about 15 minutes.

If there’s any downside, it’s that this hair waver doesn’t have a traditional kickstand, which means it sits relatively low to the counter when not in use—a potential concern if you have a vanity made of wood or another heat-sensitive material.

If you want to try the wavy hair trend without splurging on a waver, the Bed Head Wave Affair 3 Barrel Digital Jumbo Hair Waver is a great budget-friendly alternative.

Despite being less than half the price of our Best Overall pick, this hair waver scored impressively in the vast majority of tests. Like the more expensive pick, it has an easy-to-read digital screen that allows you to adjust the temperature to suit your needs up to 410°F. What it doesn’t have: a guide to help you settle on the right number for your hair type. This was the first hair waver I tested, so I chose 410°F because I find that higher temperatures usually provide the sleekest look for my hair.

This waver also takes longer than a few of the other picks on the list, particularly the Best Overall pick, to heat up, but once it reaches temperature, it delivers effortless beach waves in a flash. The resulting look is very attractive and holds up well, but I needed to use a bit of a softer hand, as the clamp creased hair more than I would have liked when I let the clamp fully close down on my strands. This could be attributed to the fact that this hair waver feels heavier all around.

This model has some nice safety features our overall winner lacked—most notably a kickstand and the inclusion of a glove to protect your fingers if you desire.

The sleek, black Amika High Tide Deep Wave Hair Crimper has a very easy-to-read digital display that shows you exactly what temperature you’re working with up to 390°F—a lower maximum temperature than most of the other devices I tested. That said, I tested my hair with that temperature because this was one of the first hair wavers I tested and there wasn’t any guidance available. At this temperature, the hair waver gave me a substantial wavy look that remained in place throughout my entire 9-hour-long day. The iron alerts you when it’s fully heated, and you won’t be waiting long, as this waver heats up fast—ideal for anyone who is often in a time crunch.

The waver also has some enviable safety features other devices didn’t—most notably an auto-shutoff feature, a high metal stand, and an included glove to protect your fingers from the heat. It also comes with a one-year warranty, so you can feel good about your purchase, even if it was the most expensive product we tested.

Though the Bondi Boost Waver Wand is a wildly popular product, it earned a spot in the middle of the pack because of its equal pros and drawbacks.

I won’t deny that it’s a highly effective hair waver that delivered the smoothest waves of any of the tools that lasted me through the rigors of my standard day—including light exercise. Its barrels are also very large, which allowed me to capture more hair at a time, decreasing styling time. The problem: The barrels make the styling tool much heavier and more difficult to maneuver than other models I tested.

Like our winning hair wavers, the Bondi Boost has intuitive buttons and a digital screen that’s legible. The problem: The temperature is displayed in Celsius. After reading the instructions, there doesn’t appear to be any way to convert it to Fahrenheit, which can lead to some confusion.

If you can get past those minor negatives, you’ll appreciate the overall performance and some of the added features, like the fact that you can lock the tool to a certain temperature and you can count on it putting itself to sleep after one hour—a great safety feature. For me, the amazing results this gave my hair weren’t worth the styling struggles that weren’t present with other models that also provided great results.

Though the aesthetic of a hair waver certainly isn’t the most important attribute, there’s no denying that the look of the Insert Name Here hair waver will lure you in. It’s slimmer and longer than other wavers and comes in the cutest pink and white color palette.

More importantly, this hair waver will give you the beach waves you’re looking for—even if you have straight hair that resists curls. That’s because this waver heats up to 450 degrees. And even on the highest setting, which I chose because my personal preference is to use a hotter temperature and the instructions didn’t provide guidance, I didn't feel like it was singeing my hair. I attribute that last part to the ceramic-glazed plates feeling smooth against my strands.

Where this device loses out is in the usability and durability categories. Though it has a great, easy-to-read digital screen and intuitive buttons, said buttons don’t lock and are placed directly at the base of the clamp, so it’s easy to accidentally press them during the styling process.

Also, the first Insert Waves Here waver I received was a lemon—it wouldn’t turn on, even after following the instructions to a T and trying multiple outlets. Though the replacement I got worked just fine, this gives me pause in regards to overall quality and longevity.