Best hair wavers to style your locks perfectly

Bondi Boost is an Australian brand best known for its range of vegan haircare products, but it also has several styling tools worth shouting about, including this jumbo wave wand. Measuring a huge 32mm each, the triple barrel design looks pretty intimidating at first glance but don’t be put off by its bulkiness as it’s surprisingly lightweight for its size. The tool’s magnitude is what makes it such a winner. And though we did singe ourselves a couple of times in the process, once we got the hang of it, we absolutely loved the finish that this tool delivered.

Owing to its extra-large size, it gave us big, loose and bouncy waves without an unwanted crinkle in sight and the ceramic-coated barrels helped to smooth out any frizz. Easy and quick, this tool makes mastering wavy hair a breeze even on busy mornings as it took us just 15 minutes to style our whole head. Plus, we can confidently say that the waves last for a good while after putting them to the test on a windy seaside walk. We also really liked the comprehensive temperature range which, unlike many tools, starts at just 80C, making it a great option for those with fine or over-processed tresses.

Mark Hill’s pick n mix tool is the ultimate multitasker as it features an interchangeable handle that works with almost 40 removable heads, all of which create a different look. For mermaid waves though, we recommend this bundle which includes a triple barrel head designed to deliver soft waves in seconds.

The head is extremely easy to attach to the handle – you simply push the two together and give the barrel a twist to lock it into place – and there’s just one switch that turns the styler on or off. While this makes it easy to use, it does mean that the temperature isn’t adjustable, heating to a standard 185C, which could be an issue if your hair sits at either end of the texture spectrum. The tool couldn’t be easier to use though and it works fast – you only need to hold it in place for five seconds before moving down. Plus, we really liked the finish, and found that we were left with beachy kinks that lasted well all day.

With make-up artist and all-round beauty guru Katie Jane Hughes publicly declaring her love for this gadget – she dubbed it her “favourite lazy girl wave tool” – we knew we had to give it a whirl and, we’re pleased to report, it didn’t disappoint. Despite its large size, the waver is extremely easy to use as it has lots of practical features including a cool tip so you can keep hold of it as you go and a kick stand, so there’s no chance of accidentally scorching your dressing table (or fingers) between sections.

The size of the barrels also makes it a great option for those with longer tresses and you can style an entire head of hair in around 15 minutes with minimal fuss. The Amika waver can create everything from tight, crimped waves to loose, beachy locks but we think it does the latter best. To create a more undone look, we moved the wand down the length of our hair, holding it for just five seconds as we went. The result? Effortlessly textured locks that created volume and held well all-day – even after a brisk walk.

If you need a tool that allows you to style your tresses wherever you are – be it the changing room after a sweaty gym session, the back of a taxi or a tent in the middle of nowhere, this is it. Free from pesky cables, the Babyliss waver is incredibly simple to use and we loved how easy it made reaching the back of our head without getting tangled in wires.

Featuring an interlocking design, the tool creates a uniform “S” shape wave and, as the barrels are on the smaller side – 21mm – we found it did a great job of transforming smaller sections into a textured, crimped style. It’s also worth noting that the waver has just three temperature settings – 160C, 170C and 180C – and, while this should be enough heat for most hair types, it would have been good to see a slightly higher option for those with particularly thick or textured hair.

Of course, the main selling point of this waver is that it’s cordless and we enjoyed around 45 minutes worth of styling time before it needed to recharge. However, there are a few things to consider, including that takes three hours to fully charge and can’t be used while plugged in, so you need to make sure there’s enough battery before getting started.

A firm favourite of Khloe Kardashian and Hailey Bieber, Mermade needs little introduction. While the brand shot to fame thanks to its OG styler (£51.75, Mermadehair.co.uk) – which measures a whopping 32mm – we think its pro mini waver deserves just as much attention.

Despite the name, this tool is anything but small and consists of three ceramic barrels measuring 25mm. We found this to be a good size for our long hair, as it took just three goes of clamping to complete each section and the wide barrels left us with effortlessly rippled waves that, while defined, avoided looking overly crimped. We were also surprised at how lightweight this tool felt and we found it easy to manoeuvre around the head, ensuring every section of hair was covered. Also, can we please take a second to appreciate the incredible pastel pink colour? Dreamy.

Ready to ditch limp locks? Then this is the tool for you. Designed with a triple barrel, it creates defined waves on hair of any length or thickness and can even safely style extensions. Used on our tester’s long hair, we were really impressed at how it created an even and consistent look all over the head, taking a matter of seconds to complete each section and just 15 minutes for the whole look.

Due to the waver’s size – each barrel measures 21mm – it was slightly difficult to reach the roots but we found that we actually preferred this look as it created a more laidback, natural finish. We also liked that you can use the tool to create either more defined or relaxed waves by clamping larger or smaller sections of hair respectively. Programmed with an adjustable temperature of 80C to 220C, depending on your hair type, we found it reached the desired heat (180 worked perfectly for us) in around 90 seconds. It has just three buttons – one for power and two to increase or decrease temperature – making it extremely user-friendly.

If you like to switch up your look, this is a great option as the tool is able to create four different types of wave. Using an adjustable dial, you can control the depth of your waves and switch up your style, whether you prefer them deep and defined or beachy and undone, without needing to switch out the tool’s head. It has a generous temperature range from 150C to 210C but, if you’re not sure which to use, there’s also a “pro+” option, which sits at 185C and is considered by Remington to be the optimal heat for most people.

While we personally preferred the finish of the deepest setting which gave us textured beachy waves, we really appreciated the level of customisation this tool gives. The style held well all-day, even without hairspray, and only needed a quick refresh at the back of our head the next morning.

If it’s defined waves with a touch of old Hollywood glamour that you’re after, this is the tool for you. The deep tourmaline plates heat up to 200C and are ready to use in around 45 seconds. There are a whopping 25 heat options, meaning you can choose the right one for your hair type, and it even has an auto off switch (ideal for those of us who are always in a hurry). We also liked that the waver comes with a locking switch, which is ideal if you’re worried about someone else picking up the tool while it cools down and also for storage.

After prepping with heat protection spray, we simply worked the barrel along the length of our hair from root to tip holding for around 10 seconds. The results were, for the most part, a deep, loose wave, but we did find that thinner sections of hair ran the risk of having a Nineties-style crimp effect, which some might want to avoid. The tool is also rather chunky and we found it a little difficult to manouevre around the back of the head.