Top 18 Best Hair Crimpers and Wavers

Eighties and nineties fashion has made a comeback, which means old hairstyles are popular again! With it brings crimped hair and today’s modern twist: beachy waves.

I can remember crimping my hair back in middle school and absolutely loving it so I, for one, am glad to see this trend is back! Even if you aren’t looking to have a full crimped style, crimpers can also help to add volume and texture to your hair.

While you may not want to relive your youth of styling your hair into tiny flat crimps, you can create several different hair styles with a hair crimper, none of which will make you feel like you should be wearing leg warmers! 

Want to know what the best hair crimper is? Look no further! I’m sharing all you need to know about the best hair crimpers for all budgets, hair types and more. 

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Top Hair Crimpers

No matter what crimp style you’re hoping to achieve in your hair, there’s a perfect hair crimper out there for you. I’ve rounded up my top picks for various styling, budget, and hair type options. I hope you’ll find your new favorite hair tool in this list!

1. Personal Favorite: Amika High Tide Deep Waver

This is the crimper that I personally use and love! Great for natural hair (or any hair type!), this high tide deep waver is a curl enhancer, volumizer, and cuts down on frizz. It won’t leave marks in your hair and is very easy to use.

Pros:

• Shuts off after 30 minutes
• Keeps hair looking smooth

Cons:

• Expensive

2. Best Drugstore: Revlon Salon Long Last Waves Deep Waver

This drugstore waver will fit right within your budget! It has a ¾ inch barrel that will help to create beautiful waves in your hair. It’s great for all hair types and heats up to 430 degrees.

Pros:

• 30 heat settings
• Ceramic coating to prevent heat damage

Cons:

• Takes a long time to heat up

3. Best for Fine Hair: Ion Automatic Crimping Hair Iron

Fine hair can be crimped, too! This ceramic iron is great because it automatically feeds hair between the barrels, which will significantly cut down on your styling time!

Pros:

• Auto shuts off in one hour
• Two temperature settings up to 420 degrees

Cons:

• Takes a long time to heat up

4. Best for Thick Hair: Gold ‘N Hot 2″ Ceramic Crimping Iron

What about those with thick hair? This wide 2″ iron is perfect for you because it can crimp more hair at once. It’s quick to heat up, making the whole styling process very quick!

Pros:

• Heats up in 60 seconds
• Works quickly

Cons:

• Gets very hot

5. Best for Curly Hair: DSHOW 4-in-1 Hair Ceramic Iron

This 4-in-1 ceramic crimper with interchangeable plates is perfect for all hair types, but is great for those with curly hair! One of the plates works as a straightener, while the others have different amounts of plates. Straighten your hair first, then make your crimping dreams come true!

Pros:

• Heats up in 30 seconds
• 5 temperature settings

Cons:

• The plates can be difficult to take off

6. Best for Short Hair: Bed Head Waveaholic 2″ for Tight Waves

Designed to make tight beachy waves, this crimper would work best if you have short hair. It has multiple heat settings to work well with all types of hair!

Pros:

• Dual voltage
• Heats up quickly

Cons:

• Waves hair more than it crimps it

7. Best for Long Hair: Trademark Beauty Babe Waves Limited Edition

This three-barrel beach waver will make you look like you’ve spent the whole day by the ocean! The three barrels definitely help to speed up the process, making it great for longer hair.

Pros:

• Heats up quickly
• Velvet handle and cool tips to prevent burnt fingers

Cons:

• Creates beachy waves, not so much crimps hair

8. Best for Any Length: BondiBoost Wave Wand

Get wider frizz-free waves no matter how long your hair is with the Bondi Boost Wave Wand. This wave hair crimper has three crystal powder tourmaline barrels, each extra large for fun mermaid or boho waves. The material creates shiny waves in just a few seconds.

Pros:

• Adjustable temperature
• Instant heat up

Cons:

• A bit heavy
• Easy to accidentally turn off while using, but has a lock button to keep it on

9. Best for Saving Time: Remington 2″ Wet2Waves Styler

Go from damp hair to waves in a matter of minutes! No more blow drying then styling. Use on either dry or wet hair; there’s a setting for both and it won’t damage your hair.

Pros:

• Heats in 30 seconds
• Auto shuts off after one hour

Cons:

• Some noticed it made their hair frizzy

10. Best Splurge: Drybar The Mixologist Interchangeable Styling Iron

With three different parts, you’ll be able to create defined waves, classic curls, or beachy waves. This wand is great for all hair types and textures. It’s truly worth the investment!

Pros:

• Ability to create a variety of styles
• Auto shuts off after an hour

Cons:

• Expensive

11. Best Overall: Hot Tools 1” Micro Crimper

If you’re looking for a classic crimped look, then this is the best hair crimping option for you! You’ll get texture and volume, or crimp all of your hair for an eighties style.

Pros:

• Heat dial that goes up to 430 degrees
• 8 foot cord

Cons:

• Isn’t super durable

12. Best for Volume: Conair Infiniti Pro Ceramic Crimper

This micro-crimper will help you add some extra volume to your hair– especially if you have thin hair. Forget teasing your hair, this crimper will lift your roots without frizz or damage.

Pros:

• Five temperature settings
• Heats in 30 seconds

Cons:

• Can get very hot (up to 455 degrees)

13. Best for Reduced Frizz: Yitrust Crimper

Create beautiful, frizz-free, mermaid-style beach waves with this easy-to-use crimper! You can lock and unlock the barrel to make either wavy curls or big curls depending on your preference. This makes it great for all hair types and lengths!

Pros:

• Reduced frizz and dryness
• Shuts off after 60 minutes

Cons:

• On/off button located in an inconvenient spot

14. Best for Beachy Waves: TOP4EVER 3 Barrel Curling Iron Hair Crimper

Try out this triple barrel waver if you’re going for more of a beachy look! It’ll leave your hair with salon-quality waves in a matter of minutes and is very easy to use.

Pros:

• Heats up very quickly
• Reduces frizz and adds shine to your hair

Cons:

• Not great for shorter hair

15. Best for Beginners: Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand

At only $30 and very easy to use, this wand makes a great choice for beginners. It works quickly, is great for all hair types and lengths, and the ceramic helps to prevent frizz. Practice with this easy crimping wand to see if you like the look before investing in a more expensive version.

Pros:

• Heats in 60 seconds
• Works as both a crimper and waver

Cons:

• Some say it left their hair smelling bad

16. Best Budget: Bed Head Little Tease 1” Tourmaline Ceramic Crimper

At $26 on Amazon, this isn’t a bad price for a good crimper! This ceramic tool is a one inch size, which means it’ll create a small amount of texture. You can also use it on your roots for extra volume.

Pros:

• Heats to 400 degrees
• Heats within 30 seconds

Cons:

• Doesn’t reach the highest temperature

17. Best for All Hair Types: Hot Tools Professional Nano Ceramic Deep Waver

All hair types can enjoy beautfiul waves with this waver. The nano ceramic technology will help to prevent overheating and hair damage. Plus, your hair won’t be left looking frizzy after crimping!

Pros:

• Heats fast
• Cool tips for easy handling

Cons:

• Does not automatically shut off

How To: Top Tips for Hair Crimping

If you’re used to curling or straightening your hair, it shouldn’t take much time to get accustomed to using a hair crimper. Clean, dry hair works best for crimping, and if you have fine hair, you may consider blow-drying or using a texturizer to create texture to hold the crimp best.

It’s also smart to use a heat protectant to prevent as much heat damage as possible. If you have thin hair, try the lower heat settings on your hair crimper first to see if they create the style you want before trying a higher temperature. Thin hair is more easily damaged by high heat.

After your crimper has heated up, take small sections of hair and clamp it in the hair crimper for a few seconds at a time. Smaller sections will create deeper, more uniform crimps. If you want a looser look (or are short on time), you can do larger sections. 

Start with the bottom sections and work your way up. When you’re done, use a light hairspray to hold your crimps.

What Is the Difference Between Hair Crimping and Curling?

The main difference between crimping and curling is that hair crimpers and wavers style your hair in a back-and-forth manner, and a curling iron sets your hair in just one direction.

A crimping tool uses a ridged or wavy plate to give your hair small waves, looking like a zigzag type pattern (or bigger waves depending on the hair crimper size). Think of it like a flat iron with ridges. A waver may also look like 3 curling iron barrels all together.

A classic curling iron will just have one barrel and will leave your hair with cylinder ringlets or one big curl.

Both give your hair life, just in different shapes! You can use a curling iron to create waves, but it’ll take a lot longer than a waver or crimper tool. The best hair crimpers will take just a few seconds to create several waves in a section of hair.

Considerations for Your Best Hair Crimper

Before purchasing your crimper, there’s a a few things you’ll want to consider so that you get the best one for you!

First, you’ll want to consider the temperature settings. If you have longer or thicker hair, you’ll need a hair crimper that can reach a higher temperature.

You will also need to decide what kind of hair style you are going for. If you want texture or more tightly packed crimps, go with a mini crimper. A wider crimper will give you waves.

Also think about your hair length. A mini crimper will be better for short hair, while a wider crimper will work best for long and thick hair.

Additionally, look to see if your crimper has an auto shut off feature and multiple heat settings. Those are great bonuses to have with whatever crimper you go with! They’ll keep your hair crimper from becoming a fire hazard and give you options to prevent heat damage. 

FAQ:

Find out the best hairsprays to hold curls and my other tips to make curls last in fine hair. Or if you’re straightening your hair, check out the best hair straightening products and flat irons.