RevAir started with a dad trying to do his daughters' hair. The brand's own story says he used vacuum suction to make their ponytails, and that became the idea. Cleveland.com described the dryer as the work of Scott Thomason, a mechanical engineer, with founding partners Kip Cooper and Debra Isaacson, and the company is based in Ohio. RevAir says it launched in 2018 after nearly four years of development, hundreds of prototypes and thousands of trials.

The idea is the reverse of a normal dryer. Instead of blowing hot air at your hair, it uses gentle suction to pull hair through a heated wand and draw the water out in the direction of growth. The brand lists seven tension settings and three heat settings. Wirecutter named it an upgrade pick for thick, curly and coily hair, while noting that it is bulky and loud. In other words, the RevAir is not quiet or small, but it is built to stretch and dry dense hair without a round brush and a lot of pulling.

There is a learning curve, though. Work in small sections, and start on a low tension setting until you know how your hair responds.

The first grid is RevAir, the dryer and its tools, plus three air stylers people compare it with. The second grid is heat protection and one silk pillowcase to keep the result. My tip: detangle fully before you start, because the suction works best on hair with no knots.

The RevAir Reverse-Air Hair Dryer is the one this edit is about, the suction dryer with a heated wand and Wirecutter's upgrade pick for thick and coily hair. It has only a few reviews on this listing, so read the tension guide before your first use. The RevAir Amplifying Hot Rollers are for volume and bounce after drying, without a round brush, and the Micro Edge Styler is a mini flat iron with needle-thin plates for roots and edges.

The Luxe Satin Bonnet and Luxe Satin Scrunchies are the small pieces that keep a stretch overnight. They are simple, but a satin bonnet does more for a blowout than any spray.

The other three are the air stylers people compare with RevAir. Dyson Airstrait is the most reviewed tool in this grid, and it dries and straightens from wet with air, no hot plates. Dyson Airwrap Co-anda2x is the brand's most powerful Airwrap, a full dryer and multi-styler in one, and it has the best rating here among tools with more than a handful of reviews. Shark FlexStyle twists between a dryer and a styler, though its rating is the lowest in this grid.

What I would skip: the RevAir on very fine, short hair. It is built for length and density, and a regular dryer is quicker there.

Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil is the most reviewed product in this grid, a weightless oil for shine and frizz that also protects from heat. I would use it on the ends after drying, not before. Before drying, reach for a spray, a milk or a cream.

Mizani has two here, and it is a brand built for textured hair. Heat Screen is a light leave-in spray with heat and UV protection, and Press Agent is a layerable blow dry cream with protection up to 450 degrees, though it has the lowest rating here. Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection Cream is silicone-free and also protects up to 450 degrees.

JVN Complete Blowout Styling Milk is a light, heat-activated cream that adds smoothness and style memory. Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Protectant Spray and Bumble and bumble Heat Shield Mist share the top rating in this grid, and both are fine sprays that will not weigh the hair down in the wand.

The Slip Silk Pillowcase is the last step. It is mulberry silk, and it helps a stretch or blowout last another day or two.

What I would skip: a heavy cream plus an oil before drying. Too much product can build up inside the wand, so pick one light layer and save the oil for the end.

I think the RevAir makes the most sense if you have long, thick, curly or coily hair and want a stretched, smooth result without a brush and a lot of pulling. There is a learning curve and it is big, so give it three or four washes before you judge it. Use a light heat protectant, work in small sections, and sleep on satin. If you want a dryer that also curls, compare the Airwrap. For straight, fine hair, a simple dryer is still enough.