CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 offers versatile styling with attachments for voluminous curls, smooth detangling, boosted root volume, and fast drying
4.5 out of 5
Model name/ number: CA7557
Price: $102
Heat Settings: low: 150°F / high: 185°F
Attachments: oval brush, paddle brush, nozzle concentrator, compact diffuser
Best for: medium hair thickness
Hairstyle: creates various hairstyles with its attachments: voluminous curls, smooth and detangled hair, boosted root volume, and faster drying
Pros: the quietest hot air brush on the market, suitable for various styling needs, features a built-in ion generator to reduce frizz and has a long cord.
Cons: handle is not ergonomically designed, both the handle and cool tip tend to overheat
How it stands out: it’s the only hot air brush in this price range that comes with additional attachments for versatility
Hot air brushes tend to have similar qualities and it’s not very common to find one that stands out. But CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 came up with a very intriguing design that satisfies all sorts of styling needs in only 1 hot tool.
Contrary to most hot air brushes in the market, it comes with 4 different attachment options that you can pick and choose every time you’re in front of the mirror. The compact diffuser is great for creating root volume and natural-looking waves, while the nozzle concentrator helps focus the airflow for faster drying and styling. The paddle brush is perfect for smoothing out hair, and the oval brush is ideal for creating voluminous curls. The attachments are easy to change, and the brush is lightweight, making it comfortable to use.
Below we break down our experience with CHI Volumizer 4-in-1. If you’re curious about the competition, check out our article about the Best Hot Air Brush Reviews of 2024.
Barrel Size And Shape
We know the CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 is more than just an oval brush, but the oval barrel is still the most useful part of any hot air brush. With 2.3″ inches”, it fits its reputation of being the most versatile tool in the market. With its medium size, it’s suitable for different hairstyles. It’s large enough to cover a lot of hair at one go, which makes it great for long hair. Yet it’s still slim enough to come close to the roots and have a good grip, making it desirable for short hair as well.
The oval shape is gentler on the hair than round, creating less tension on the strands. This means it’s suitable for fragile and fine hair. The oval shape adds great volume rather than tight, defined curls.
Bristles
There are 2 different attachments to discuss in this section.
When we have a close look at the barrel attachment of the tool, it’s a combination of 0.53″ nylon tip and 0.34″ tufted bristles. The bristles are shorter compared to most hot air brushes on our list. Short bristles don’t work well on dense or thick hair as they can’t penetrate deeply, and the short tufted bristles struggle to keep hair tight on the barrel, affecting straightening and styling. So, the CHI is not the best choice for thick or dense hair, but it’s a versatile tool for medium to fine hair.
We can also see that the bristles are quite hard which makes it great for styling the hair and boosting volume. One needs softer bristles for easy detangling, if this is your priority, the paddle brush attachment is for the rescue. As we said, CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 satisfies the needs of many.
Here we can see that whether you’re looking to style or detangle and smoothen your hair, there’s an attachment option for you.
Attachments
As its name indicates, CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 comes with 4 different attachments. First of all, it clearly has a detachable design. We all know that this makes the tool compact and easy to travel with, not to mention versatile. CHI Volumizer, in essence, combines the functionality of a hot air brush, a blow dryer, a detangler, a curler, and a volumizer all in one.
The oval-shaped brush gives voluminous curls. The paddle brush smooths out and detangles the hair. The compact diffuser boosts the volume of the roots and also seals the defined curls with a gentle blow. And finally, the nozzle concentrator helps focus the airflow for faster drying and styling. The nozzle attachment basically serves as a blow dryer, saving you space and money. After testing the tool, we can assure you that the attachments are easy to change and use and the product is sturdy.
Temperature
– Heat Settings
Like every quality hot air brush in the market, CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 comes with different heat settings. These are 2 hot (low and high), and a cool option.
With a temperature as high as 180°F, the high heat setting is the preferred choice for thick and curly hair. It’s a standard high-heat temperature that’s effective but gentle enough not to burn your strands.
The low heat option, on the other hand, with 150°F, is beneficial for very fragile hair that doesn’t need much taming.
And finally, the cool shot option is a highly beneficial and, to be honest, underrated feature that seals the styling session and makes it long-lasting. It’s especially useful for home stylers that doesn’t want to spend too much time every day in front of the mirror.
– Handle Temperature
It’s also important to note that the handle can get as hot as 100°F, which is higher than most hot air brushes on our list. This is something to consider if you use the tool frequently or for long periods.
– Cool Tip Temperature
The cool tip of the CHI 4-in-1 reaches 115°F on the high heat setting, which is quite hot compared to other hot air brushes we’ve reviewed. This means you won’t be able to support the tool with the other hand while styling, as the tip is too hot.
Performance And Durability
CHI products are known for their quality and CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 is no less than its reputation. Considering most detachable hot air brushes sacrifice sturdiness, this one is extraordinarily well-built. We have tested, detaching, and reattaching all the heads more times than we can count and it remained in perfect condition. After months of consistent use, it’s still in great shape. We do know that it is an investment to spend over 100$ for a hot tool, but the durability seems to justify the cost.
CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 comes with all the usual features we’d expect from a hot air brush with this price and quality. It’s infused with Ceramic and it has a built-in ion generator that emits negative ions. These qualities are used to reduce frizz and increase shine, as well as to avoid heat damage.
Ergonomics
– Weight
Weight might not be the top consideration for most home stylers, but it matters more than one would think. The CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 stands out for being lighter than most hot air brushes on the market. With only 13 oz. (the average weight is around 15 oz.), It is a very comfortable tool that doesn’t cause arm fatigue when you use it for a long period.
– Handle Size
The tool is average-sized, (13 inches) and the handle’s diameter is 5.5 inches. As much as it’s a comfortable tool, there are some notable design issues regarding the handle. First of all, it’s thick at the bottom, making it difficult to grip especially for small hands. Plus, it narrows toward the top, which can cause your hand to slide and press the buttons accidentally.
– Length
It’s a relatively short brush at 13″ long, compared to the longest one on our list at 15″. This makes it easier to maneuver.
– Noise Level
It’s true that hot air brushes are noisy tools and it can make your life easier to choose a quieter one if you have sensitive ears or a sleeping family member next door. CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 is the quietest hot air brush on our list. With only 88 dBA, we can say that it is the gentlest option for your ears.
– Cord:
The CHI 3-in-1 hot air brush has a 7″ cord, which is longer than average, giving you more flexibility and ease while styling.
Competition
If a detachable design for easy storage and easy cleaning is all you need, and you don’t want to invest in the attachments, we recommend you consider Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0.
For our readers that love the versatility but would prefer a more budget-friendly product, Conair The Knot Dr. Smoothing Dryer Brush offers a reasonable solution. The tool itself is as cheap as 40$ with extra attachments that you can buy separately which are also fairly priced. It might not be as durable and sturdy as CHI but it comes with a very 3-inch barrel which is more desirable for long hair and has other sized barrel options.
