The best heated rollers for your biggest, bounciest curls ever

If you thought heated rollers seemed a bit old school, like something you’d see in a '70s chick-flick, think again. These styling barrels are the fast track to creating salon-worthy curls from the comfort of your home.

While you can’t fault their seriously impressive results, anyone who uses traditional rollers will know that waiting for them to set is not so sexy. So, cue the next step up: heated rollers. They certainly aren’t a new trend, but they have stood the test of time, thanks to their bouncy, blow-dry effect.

We get that non-heated hair tricks are better for our locks in the long term – that dressing gown hair-wrap hack is indeed a revelation – but the just-stepped-out-of-the-salon bounce is a finish that only heated rollers can master. Plus, you can always rely on a really good heat protection spray to avoid damage.

Now, let's talk money. If you're looking for a high-tech option, it's likely it'll come with a high-end price tag too. But, you'll often find heated rollers on sale, so keep an eye out!

How should you use heated rollers?

If used correctly, heated rollers should deliver that middle ground between looking like you’ve just jumped out of bed or like you’ve spent hours creating the perfect curls. So, let’s start with how to create the best bounce:

Run a volumising mousse or spray into your dry lengths before going in with the rollers – this adds more va-va-voom to the finished look, especially if you have fine hair. As natural as it feels to start rolling from the ends, that’s a big no-no: it can cause wonkiness which isn’t the vibe.

Instead, take a chunk of your hair and, mid-way up, place the roller underneath (or on top and alternate) and wrap your hair around the barrel. Then, roll it up and pin so it’s sitting flush against your scalp.

How long should heated hair rollers be left in?

The biggest draw of heated rollers is that they take minutes to work. Exactly how long depends on the type of curl you want to create. Each set will come with instructions and guidance, but as a general rule, it’s a couple of minutes if you want looser curls and longer if you want a defined style.

Heated rollers are much cooler in temperature compared to curlers – which can reach 220 degrees – so you can keep them in your hair for longer. Overall, limit to 15 mins max, so you don’t end up frying your strands.

Are heated rollers better than hair straighteners?

Firstly, heated rollers usually come with lower temperature settings than your go-to hair straightener, which means they're still giving you all the style with less damage. The curls they create are pretty different, too. Hair straighteners are ace at creating beachy waves and defined curls, whereas rollers come into their own when you want full-glam Hollywood curls with a lot of added body. In our opinion, it doesn’t hurt to have both hair tools in your basket.

Our top picks of the best heated rollers

So, unless your hair styling skills are A-list-worthy (kudos to you if they are), we guarantee the best heated rollers will provide you with gold-standard curls like no other wand or waver has before. Check out the top-rated rollers we're shopping today.