CONAIRInstant Heat Curling Iron Brush, 1 1/4-Inch Barrel - For Use On Short to Medium Length Hair

I was tempted to get a more expensive hair styler (one of those 'as seen on tv' for $100), but decided to get this one after reading the raving reviews. I have hair a few inches past my shoulder that is fine, thick and slightly wavy. In just a few minutes, it makes my hair smooth and enhances the waves. I use it during the work week to look more professional and polished.This instant heat hot brush is great because it is easy and fast. I don't spent a lot of time on my hair and don't like to fuss with it.I have never had issues with tangling, but I don't wrap my hair around the rod the way I would with a curling iron. I don't think this brush was designed to give ringlets or curls the way a curling iron does. The purpose of this hot brush is to give body, enhance waves and curl the ends, which is does perfectly and with ease.I let my hair dry and then use it (this is not meant to be used on wet hair).I use it to curl my layers under, or flip them out, and/or frame my face. I section off the hair at the top of my crown and work on the bottom layers first. I drape a strip of hair on top of the brush and pull it up toward the ceiling so the ends of my hair naturally fall over it, which helps gravity keep it in place to give it a nice curl. To add body and volume near my scalp, I lay a chunk of hair over the brush and angle it upwards against my scalp.As the bristles also act a protective barrier from the heated rod, I have never burned my fingers nor my scalp.If my hair gets flattened from sleeping on it or wearing a hat, this hot brush quickly freshens up my look.Heats up in 60 seconds. Does not leave my hair too hot. I have not noticed damage despite regular use. I rarely blow dry my hair as it can damage my hair, and I no longer ever use a flat iron, which can damage my hair in one use.Hope this helps you make your decision and that you enjoy it as much as I do.

As a retired hairdresser I can say it is a great tool. It heats up as expected. It has a cord that is slim and flexible, not obstructive. It is the perfect size for short hair.

Edit review March 27, 2015 --- I had to retire this hot brush because the cord began to be loose where it joins the body of the device. I've just placed my order for the 3/4" brush once again because I like this specific brush so much.I originally bought the 1 1/4 inch Instant Heat Hot Brush because I had allowed myself to be convinced by watching a demonstration of a similar product on television that the size would work well for my hair. I was not all wrong, but after I used it a couple of times I wondered if I would have better results with a smaller brush. I have short hair (does not cover my ears) which is very fine, but also thick and straight. As it gets some length on it between haircuts it lays down completely flat on my head. I need height and volume, but don't want curls.I bought the 1 1/4 inch brush and liked the convenience of it, but the brush was simply too large to wrap my hair around. I had a lot of difficulty picking between the two sizes for my first purchase and quickly began to wonder if the smaller brush (closer to the size of my curling iron) might not be a better choice for me. I ordered the smaller size and it does exactly what I want. I get lots of volume, the cowlicks on the crown of my head are controlled, I don't have curls or waves, but the little tag ends of hair around my ears and nape of my neck now lay down flat. Oh, and did I mention that I don't like to spend a lot of time fussing with my hair? This small hot brush is perfect for me.Both brushes work and are designed exactly the same. Everything pertains to both hot brush sizes. There is an on/off button with red or green indicator light, turbo heat on/off button, a turbo heat indicator light, comfortable textured handle, chrome barrel, plastic bristles, and a cool tip. Begin with clean, dry hair. Damp hair works too, it just takes longer with more passes of the brush through the hair. Styling products can be used on the hair. Hair should only be wrapped around the brush twice so longer hair will require moving the brush along the length of the hair, beginning at the end. Trust me, you don't want those plastic bristles to get tangled in your hair. There is a temperature guide for the 25 possible heat settings, but you have to be prepared to experiment. For my short, straight, fine, thick hair I have settled on a heat setting of 17 which Conair's chart considers medium-high. I was surprised that it took that much heat.Turbo Heat is a feature which provides a constant amount of heat, no fluctuations caused because of power changes you have no control over. I turn on the brush and turn on the Turbo Heat at the same time and for the setting of #17 that means it takes the brush over 1.5 minutes before the indicator light stops blinking. That 30 second heat-up they talk about is for the lowest heat setting number with Turbo Heat not turned on. If you turn the brush on and allow it to come up to heat, then turn on the Turbo Heat it will go through the entire heat-up time all over again. Turn them both on at the same time if you are going to use Turbo Heat.I am really happy with this product. I do not shampoo my hair each day and the volume stays in my hair very well. If I want to refresh the style, I simply heat up the brush and run it through my hair as if I am simply brushing it. That actually brings the volume back. I tried today to change the style from the styling of yesterday and it actually did work. This product has dual voltage ability, but you must buy an adapter that configures to the plug you will be using. That information is easily available at various online sites. I don't know if I will keep the larger brush or pass it along to one of my daughters or granddaughters. Just remember to be careful when using the hot brush. That chrome barrel gets very hot and will burn your fingers if you touch it. Even the "cool tip" gets warm.

This curling-iron brush is great. I have had the 1-1/4" model for about one week. I use it to create curls, but I also sloooooowly brush some sections with it. It is awesome for that! I have shoulder-length, fine, wavy hair that is a bit frizzy. Slowly brushing with this iron removes the frizz and makes my hair look smooth, like I did something with it. And the process is so easy and fast. Today I curled about three sections and iron-brushed the rest. That took three minutes, if that.I also love that the heatsource is guarded by the bristles. I'm much less nervous about burning myself than when I used a regular iron.And I love how soft and blended and bouncy my hair looks.OK. There are a few downsides ... The first time I used it, I set the heat to the midpoint. That didn't seem to be hot enough, so I tried the turbo boost. Yikes! That burned my hair. Luckily, as soon as I smelled the burn, I was able to remove the iron quickly. There is no visible damage to my hair.So I plan to never use turbo boost again. And anyway, I don't need it, because I have found that 21, which is near the highest setting, works well enough on its own. I hold each curl for about 10-20 seconds, depending on how thick the section is.When creating curls, the brush can cause tangles, but I avoid most of them by brushing all my hair with my fingers before any styling begins. I also use the iron to brush through any section I am about to curl.Another thing that happens when creating curls is that my hair tends to slip through the brush. If I can catch a wider, but thinner section, it works well. I believe I will get better at that with practice. If not, I will buy a thermal glove and hold the end of the section to the iron as I start to roll the curl.These drawbacks are minor, though. I am so so so happy with my soft, smooth locks.