The best hair brushes for every type of length, style and texture

This stylish brush can do it all. From easily detangling knotted wet hair to combing through dry strands, it worked quickly and efficiently. The handle is extra long and shaped to a rounded point, making it perfect for separating hair into sections when styling or finding your parting. The bristles bend with your hair so they don’t get caught or leave tresses looking frizzy when using a hair dryer. It’s an excellent all-rounder that works equally as well on dry or wet hair.

For the budget-conscious, this affordable plastic brush is ideal for combing through knotty hair just before you wash it. The curved handle also allows you to hang it on your shower rail for safekeeping. Our reviewer has used this before every hair wash for the past year, and it makes a transformative difference to brushing hair afterwards. If you get your hair wet once it’s brushed through, it’s a million times easier to comb it once clean and wet, meaning less tangles, painful clumps or time-consuming brushing. Cheap and cheerful, it’s well worth adding into your shower routine to make your life easier.

The chicest brush we tried, this oval-shaped one comes in a sleek black box, with silver detailing on the handle. It easily detangled our dishevelled morning mop and it’s made with anti-static nylon bristles, so it’s not the softest but it doesn’t cause any discomfort either.

Our tester also used it to brush through tonged hair to create a more natural-looking wave. It didn’t pull on tresses, nor feel scratchy on our scalp, and was an easy way to create smooth styles, especially if you have thicker, longer hair that can be harder to brush into a polished up-do.

If you like oodles of volume, especially if your natural hair tends to fall flat, this round brush works wonders, especially when used at the root to guide your hair dryer. It has a striking teal handle that’s sturdy and won’t slip, and there’s also an orange sectioning tip concealed inside the handle, which we found to be a little short for longer hair but helpful nonetheless.

We loved how it left our hair looking shinier than usual, had great grip and didn’t catch. It’s lightweight too, so if you have a lot of hair, your arm won’t be aching after 20 minutes of heated styling. Eye-catching and effective, it’s a fuss-free, easy tool to ensure good hair days.

The hair experts at Aveda have created this paddle brush that’s flat and wide with a typical air-filled cushion and plastic bristles that gently detangle knottiness in dry or wet hair without making your eyes water. When used with a hair dryer, it left our hair feeling super smooth.

Running it across our scalp, it felt like a mini massage, bending to the contours of our head and gliding through locks with ease, tackling even those nightmare knots that make you consider shaving it all off. If your hair constantly moults, it won’t get caught up in this brush either.

This budget-friendly nylon bristle brush is compact and handbag-friendly. The aforementioned bristles control static so you can smooth hair into a low bun or slick ponytail with ease. It can also be used to brush out tight curls to leave a soft, bouncy wave. Best suited to medium to long hair lengths, it feels soothing on the scalp and the natural bristles leave a subtle shine on slick up-dos.

If you like a perfectly sleek hairdo or often wear clip-in extensions, this detangling brush is for you. It’s part of Hair Rehab’s eco-friendly range and is made from biodegradable wheat straw. The bristle design is anti-static too and glides through even the knottiest strands. It’s a great all rounder brush that can be used on wet or dry hair and the ergonomic design is a comfortable addition. It’s extremely lightweight too, so perfect for travel.

Wetbrush’s range is catered to detangling knotted hair and its original design is our pick of the bunch. No matter how matted or untamable, this brush glides through strands to leave it knot-free. Super sturdy and durable, it requires such little effort to loosen knotted clumps without any of the pain and it prevents breakage too. Suitable for all hair types and textures, you can use it on wet or dry hair, and the soft, flexible bristles never snap strands or irritate your scalp.