Hot Rollers Are Low-Key the Best Way to Curl Your Hair (2025)

The amount of time you'll want to leave them varies (again, check your directions here), but usually experts recommend leaving them in for around 12 minutes. Unroll, hit your curls with some hairspray or texturizer before finger-raking them out, and you're good to go.

What are the best hot rollers?

Just like any other hair tool, there are a lot of options to sift through if you're looking to invest in hot rollers—which is why I pored through reviews and consulted with hairstylists to find what the best options are for a range of hair types, skill levels, and price points. Here's what pros and shoppers alike swear by.

Best for beginners: Conair Compact Hairsetter

If you want to dip your toes into hot curlers, this is a great place to start. It's only $20 and is super compact, and comes with small, medium, and large rollers so you can get a feel for what you like. These were the first rollers I tried, and there was basically no learning curve. Since my hair is short and fine, I like to stick to the small rollers, but when I want some volume, the medium are great.

Best for a bouncy blowout: T3 Volumizing Hot Rollers Luxe

Lately I've been coveting a vintage-y classic blowout over my usual beachy waves, but I have one small problem: I'm useless with a round brush. These rollers can give you big, bombshell curls on longer hair, but on my lob I get more of that chic curled-under bounce. They're somewhat expensive, but the higher price tag comes with a lot of perks—like grips that won't burn your fingers, two heat settings, auto turnoff, and a sleek, compact look.

Best pro option: BaBylissPro Nano Titanium 20 Roller Hairsetter

With a mix of small, medium, and large rollers, you can create pretty much any wave or curl size you're after. Velvet rollers keep your hands cool and hair smooth, and the gentle far-infrared heat doesn't damage your hair.

Best for thick hair: Conair Jumbo and Super Jumbo Hot Rollers

This recommendation comes straight from Glamour West Coast editor Jessica Radloff. She swears by them for her superthick hair, which she says usually takes an hour to curl with a traditional wand. Instead, she just pops these extra-large curlers in for 20 minutes while she's multitasking and is left with a “Kate Middleton bouncy blowout.” Sold.

Best for waves: John Frieda Body & Shine Smooth Waves Jumbo Rollers

If loose waves are more your thing than mega volume, hot rollers have you covered for that as well. The trick is to look for curlers that are jumbo in size, which will add more of a bend to your hair as opposed to tighter ringlets or spirals. This set includes five extra-large rollers to give you big, bouncy waves. Think classic Victoria's Secret waves.

Best for travel: Revlon Curls-to-Go Travel Hot Rollers

Yes, hot rollers made specifically for travel exist. This super-compact set includes five medium and five small rollers, so you have the best of both worlds. Plus, with a heat-resistant bag and clips, you can throw them straight into your suitcase after using them.

Best classic rollers: Calista Hot Wavers

Consider this a no-frills set of rollers that will give you a classic curl. They're a great option if you prefer clips over pins and don't want to spend too much money. The included travel case is a nice bonus for storage as well.

Best for damaged hair: Caruso Molecular Steam Hairsetter

This set uses steam to heat up foam rollers one by one. While all hot rollers are gentler on hair than an iron, these are particularly good for fragile hair since they're flexible and there's even less heat applied.

Best compact rollers: Remington Pro Hair Setter

This handy little kit is super compact since the clips are stored with the rollers, and there's the built-in cord wrap. It might be small, but the base holds 20 curlers of different sizes, and the thermal technology heats up in under five minutes.

Bella Cacciatore is the beauty associate at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_.