Drybar The Double Shot blow-dryer brush is for home stylists who prioritize quality and efficiency
Drybar The Double Shot Oval Blow-Dryer Brush
Model Name/ Number: 900-2225-4 Price: $155 Heat Settings: Low: 127.1°F / High: 151.2 °F Best for: All hair types from thick to fragile, medium to long hair What we like: Durable material and gentle styling What we don’t like: Overpriced Rating: 4.7 / 5.0
Drybar The Double Shot hot air brush has been one of the favorites in the industry for a while, and for good reason. Its material has great quality, so you can rely on it to last you for years to come. It’s ergonomically designed to fit your hand well and provide a smooth and easy session. On top of that, it provides fast and sleek results, without damaging your hair.
We admit that it’s quite expensive, compared to its biggest competitor Revlon. And if your priority is budget rather than luxury, maybe it’s not the best option. Below we break down every detail of Drybar The Double Shot, including the other blow dryer brushes from The Shot Collection. If you’re curious about the competition, check out the article about the Best Hot Air Brushes of 2023.
With its 2.4-inch barrel, Drybar The Double Shot has quite a large size. This makes it a solid choice for those who have thinning hair or just want to create a look of bigger volume. It can create loose waves, rather than intricate curls. (Conair The Knot Dr. Large Oval Dryer Brush* has the largest barrel size of 3 inches among all the hot air brushes in our list.)
Its broad base covers a wide surface area at one go and smoothens long hair in a shorter amount of time compared to smaller barrel sizes.
It doesn’t have a great grip on the roots though, making it unpractical on short hair. But don’t you worry if you have short hair, as Drybar has thought of you as well. Drybar The Half Shot has a barrel size of 1.5 inches and it does wonders with short styles such as bob cuts. If you have very long hair you might want to consider a tool with a larger barrel such as Amika Hair Blow Dry Brush 2.0.
The Double Shot’s oval-shaped barrel with a larger surface area, compared to round-shaped barrels covers more hair at one brush stroke.
This is why oval-shaped barrels are usually preferred by home stylists who want to create effortless big waves and faster smoothing.
Oval-shaped brushes also create less tension than round brushes while pulling the hair, making it safe and gentle even for fine and fragile hair types.
While it’s superior at straightening and giving it a lot of volume, you can’t curl your hair with this shape. So if your priority is creating beautiful curls, Drybar The Single Shot is for the rescue with its round shape.
Bristles
Drybar The Shot Collection has the thickest and densest bristles on our list. The Double Shot has 0.44″ tufted and 0.65″ nylon pin bristles, to be precise. This quality makes it the best choice for thick and coarse hair as it can create enough tension and penetrate unruly hair easily.
If you have fine hair though, it’s worth considering a gentler option like Hot Tools 24K Gold One-Step as it has less dense and more flexible bristles compared to The Double Shot.
If your priority is to detangle while drying your hair, Conair The Knot Dr. Smoothing Dryer Brush will do the trick perfectly as it has the most sparsely placed and flexible bristles compared to the other hot air brushes we tested. The Double Shot, on the other hand, has denser bristles, which is optimal for styling.
Ionic Technology
These days most hot air brushes come with ionic technology and it’s important to make sure your tool has one, especially if you’re seeking to eliminate frizz. The Double Shot provides ionic technology and it does make a difference in the results.
First of all, it cuts back on styling time. The negatively charged ions accelerate the evaporation of the water molecules from the hair as you’re drying it. The result is less heat damage to the hair.
Secondly, ionic technology eliminates frizz and makes the hair much smoother by sealing strands.
Temperature
– Heat Settings
Drybar The Double Shot comes with 3 heat settings; High, low, and cool.
High setting is for thick and unruly hair and it has the capacity to get hot, 151.2 °F to be exact. While it does deliver efficient results on unruly hair, the heat is relatively low if we compare it with other hot air brushes in the market. This makes Drybar The Double Shot a quite gentle tool, even on high setting.
Low setting, on the other hand, has a heat of 127.1 °F, which is ideal for very fragile hair types.
In our opinion, Drybar is a safer and more gentle tool and will not fry the hair easily like its biggest competitor REVLON One-Step Plus.
The last setting is the cool shot option. This setting can be very beneficial if you use it well. It’s meant to be used at the end of the process, to seal the smoothening.
– Handle Temperature
– Cool Tip Temperature
Performance And Durability
The Double Shot is a strong tool. Its wattage is 1170W, which is considerably higher than all other hot air brushes on our list. High wattage means high-quality blowout and strong airflow. This reduces hair damage with shorter heat exposure while providing a faster session.
Drybar is a pretty reliable hot air brush with high-quality material and you can feel it when you first hold it. It just feels sturdy and it endured a lot of testing without letting us down.
We know that it’s a pricy product but it pays off as you get to use it for years without issues.
Ergonomics
A couple of inches or pounds may not sound like a big deal in the beginning, but if you style your hair at home regularly, these numbers can make a big difference in the quality of your session.
The Double Shot is a luxury product and it’s designed very intelligently. It’s lightweight and easy to hold.
– Weight:
We measured every single detail for you to make sure you make the perfect decision. First of all, this tool weighs 15 oz, which is below average compared to the other hot air brushes on the market. We all know, less weight means less pain. So if you style your hair every day and you struggle with holding the tool for too long, this tool might be a good choice.
– Handle Size:
Its handle is 5″ wide. This number fits well even the smaller hands according to our tests.
– Length:
– Noise Level:
Last but not least, the noise level is 91dBA, which is also below average. Now, these tools can get very loud and if you have sensitive ears or you have a sleeping family member next door, it’s worth considering a quieter option.
– Cord:
Booklet: 9 ft (2.74 m), but we measured 8.6 ft.
– Detachable Head:
An important topic to mention is detachable head option, which The Double Shot doesn’t provide. Detachable head brings many benefits such as easy cleaning, compact design, and different attachment options.
We recommend you look into other models such as CHI Volumizer 4-in-1 which provide different attachments if you prioritize versatility. The Double Shot, on the other hand, is sturdier than detachable designs since they tend to be more fragile.
Price And Guarantee
As we can see from its price ($150), The Double Shot is a premium hot air brush that is not for the ones that prioritize budget over quality. It’s almost triple the price of its biggest competitor, Revlon. However, its material quality brings sturdiness and comfort while being much gentler on the hair. So, if you’re on a budget, Revlon will do the trick. But Drybar will not disappoint you if you want to pamper yourself with a bit of luxury in your hands.
Other Models From Drybar
Drybar took things to the next level by coming up with 2 more different hot air brushes called The Single Shot and The Half Shot. Their main difference is their shapes and sizes. While The Double Shot is oval-shaped, The Single and The Half Shot are round. The Double Shot is 2.4”, Single is 2.25” and Half is 1.5”. You can find the details in our The Double Shot Vs. The Single Shot Vs. The Half Shot Blow-Dryer Brushes Comparison.
But, long story short;
The Double Shot: Medium to long hair, volume, and loose waves, thick or fine hair
The Single Shot: Medium to long hair, bangs and curls, thick hair
The Half Shot: Short hair, intricate styling, thick or fine hair
Competition
Drybar The Double Shot is a unique addition to the hot air brush market. There’s nothing else that ticks this many boxes when it comes to satisfying one’s needs. That’s the reason why it’s our favorite high-end tool this season, not to mention that it’s our overall top pick. However, if you like the shape and features but can’t really afford to spend so much on a hair tool, Revlon has a great alternative called Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0. They both have similar barrel sizes and shapes and provide similar results. It’s not as sturdy and it‘s not a gentle product, but it offers a detachable design which makes it superior in some ways.
