We compared the turquoise One-Step Volumizer against the mint Original 1.0 to find the better buy. Both are the same classic tool with identical performance. Color preference and price decide the winner.
Factor
Revlon One-Step Volumizer, Turquoise
Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer
Price point
Check price
Check price
Design
Original oval, fixed head
Original 1.0 oval, fixed head
Heat settings
3 plus cool
3 plus cool
Ionic tech
Yes, genuine ion generator
Yes
Bristles
Nylon pin, tufted
Nylon pin, tufted
Voltage
120V US only
120V US only
Safety
ETL certified
ETL certified
Best for
Turquoise fans
Original purists
Value tip
Buy the cheaper listing
Buy the cheaper listing
Our Verdict
Buy whichever color costs less when you shop. The turquoise and mint Volumizers are functionally identical tools.
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
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Barrel Size by Hair Length: What Goes Wrong
Hot-air brush barrels come in sizes, and the tables map barrel diameter to curl pattern but never explain what goes wrong at the wrong length. The Volumizer's large oval barrel is designed for medium to long hair; on short hair above the chin, the barrel is simply too big to wrap the hair, so you get volume at the roots but no shaping through the lengths, and the ends flip unpredictably. Short-haired buyers need a smaller-barrel hot-air brush or a round brush plus dryer combo instead.
On very long hair, the opposite problem appears: the barrel cannot hold the full length in one wrap, so the ends get multiple passes while the roots get one, which means the most damaged part of the hair gets the most heat. The fix is sectioning into smaller pieces and working from the roots down in overlapping passes, never wrapping the entire length at once. For curl-focused styling on various lengths, the curling iron guide maps barrel diameters to both curl type and workable hair length.
Dual-Voltage Travel: What the Volumizer Cannot Do
The Revlon Volumizer line is single-voltage, 110V, and this is the honest travel limitation nobody states clearly. Plugging a 110V hot-air brush into 230V mains with only a plug adapter will fry the motor, often with smoke; a voltage converter rated for the wattage is required, and high-wattage converters are heavy and expensive enough to defeat the purpose. Dual-voltage tools either auto-switch or have a manual switch, and the Volumizer has neither.
The practical travel options are buying a dual-voltage hot-air brush specifically for trips, relying on hotel dryers plus a round brush, or packing a compact dual-voltage dryer. Cordless tools have their own air-travel rules: most are fine in carry-on but banned from checked luggage because of the batteries. For a trip under a week, the hotel dryer plus a good brush gives perfectly acceptable results without risking your Volumizer. The flat iron guide includes dual-voltage picks for travelers who need heat styling abroad.
Burn Prevention and Tool Safety in Practice
Hot-air brushes cause a specific set of burns: the barrel sits against the scalp at the crown, and the hot bristle tips catch ears and the nape when you rotate the tool. The prevention routine is to keep the tool moving, never park the hot barrel against the scalp while you adjust your grip, and use the cool tip at the end of the barrel as your handling point. A heat-resistant mat on the counter gives you a safe place to set the tool down mid-session instead of balancing it on the sink edge.
The burning smell question: a new tool smells faintly for the first use or two as manufacturing residues burn off, which is normal. A persistent burning-hair smell during every session means you are holding the tool in one place too long or the heat is too high for your hair type; a burning-plastic or electrical smell means unplug it and stop using it. Auto shut-off is standard on most modern tools but varies in timing, so do not rely on it as your primary safety; unplug the tool when you are done, every time. This single habit prevents the vast majority of heat-tool accidents at home.
The Lifetime Value Math: Cheap vs Premium Hot-Air Brushes
The Volumizer replaced every two years versus a-plus premium tool lasting eight years is math worth doing. Four Volumizers over eight years cost roughly plus the hassle of rebuying, versus the alternative once for the premium tool, which makes the lifetime cost surprisingly close. The real differentiators are not price but bristle durability, motor consistency over time, and warranty: premium tools typically carry two to five year warranties versus one year or less on budget tools.
Cost per year is the honest comparison metric: at typical prices a year for the budget route versus the alternative to a year for premium, depending on lifespan. Where premium tools genuinely pull ahead is sustained performance; budget motors lose airflow gradually, so year-two drying takes longer than year-one drying, while premium motors hold spec. Buy the Volumizer if you want proven results at a low entry price and do not mind replacing it; buy premium if you style daily and want consistent performance for years. Either way, the weekly schedule in our companion content keeps any tool's heat exposure in check.
Beauty 
