The 5 Best Hair Braiders

Have you always dreamt of having a flowing, Rapunzel-like braid, but you're not exactly the best when it comes to styling your own hair? Luckily, you don't have to be able to braid or style your mane; you just have to invest in a good hair braiding tool. These tools makes it easy-as-pie to braid your own hair, and the results are impressive: You can do a single French braid, braided pigtails, or even a fishtail braid. After you've used one of these handy tools a few times, you'll be able to create elegant, chic braids in mere seconds. And, they work on all different hair types, from stick-straight to frizzy and wavy to super-curly. Here are the five best hair braiders available, grouped by category:

Topsy Hair Tail Tool

Braiding made easy with this awesome tool

Get better braids than ever before with the Topsy Hair Tool Set.
Best Overall

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Ever stared at someone’s gorgeous, perfect French braid and wondered how she managed to pull it off? No, she probably didn’t go to a salon; she probably just had a Topsy Hair Tail Tool. Made from high-quality plastic resin, this French centipede-style braider is easy and convenient to use, offering a no-damage hold. The resin easily bends and conforms to the shape of your hair, so braiding is made near-effortless. And, this kit comes with quite a few tools: four Topsy Hair Tail Tools, four French centipede braiders, and 10 pieces of black hair ties.

All in all, this handy hair-styling tool will help you achieve the best-looking braid possible.

Pros:

  • Super easy to use.
  • Made from high-quality resin that easily conforms to your hair shape.
  • Comes with several different styling tools.

Cons:

  • Needs to come with instructions.

HANMEI Automatic Hair Braider

Get beautiful braids in mere minutes

Hair braiding has never been easier, thanks to the HANMEI Automatic Hair Braider.
Best Automatic

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If you want to get a salon-perfect braid in five minutes flat, look no further than the HANMEI Automatic Hair Braider. It’s battery-operated, and easy to use and easy to handle: All you have to do is clip your hair into place, then slide the switch to twist or twirl your hair, and from there you can create a multitude of styles and braids. Cool, creative, and innovative, this Automatic Hair Braider from HANMEI is especially great for beginner braiders or those who simply don’t know how to braid.

Pros:

  • Easy to use and easy to handle.
  • Creates a fast braid, since it’s battery-operated.
  • Works great on all hair lengths and types.

Cons:

  • Not the cheapest braider.

Winkeyes Hair Styling Set

Everything you need for the perfect braid, and then some

Why just get a hair braiding tool when you could get an entire kit's worth of style goodies?
Best Kit

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The Winkeyes Hair Styling Set contains everything you need to create a lovely, perfect braid, or virtually any other hairstyle you could ever dream up. You’ll find everything from clips and combs to pads and pins in this set; it’s 25 pieces in all. All of the pieces are made from durable, quality plastic and metal, so they won’t break or tarnish easily. Basically, if you want a full-on hair styling set so you can create every style imaginable, from a chunky French braid to a messy bun to a bouffant updo, this is the one to get.

Pros:

  • Comes with 25 pieces of hair styling tools.
  • You can create a braid or any number of other hairstyles.
  • The pieces are made from quality plastic and metal, so they won’t chip, break, or tarnish easily.

Cons:

  • More detailed, clearer instructions would be nice.

Adecco Hair Braid Accessories

Wear your mane one of several ways

This Adecco braiding tool is awesome at creating all kinds of braids.
Best Versatile Design

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The Adecco Hair Braid Accessories set comes with two different-sized braiders, for both thick and thin hair. Conveniently, you can easily bend and fold each tool, without worrying about it breaking off as you braid, which is key. And, regardless of which tool you use, you can opt to create a range of versatile hairdos and different braid styles. It may take a few minutes to get the hang of using the Adecco tools, but once you do, you’ll be on your way to gorgeous braids in seconds.

Pros:

  • Tools bend easily without breaking.
  • Can be used to create a wide range of hairstyles.

Cons:

  • Might not be the best choice for extra-thick, coarse hair.

Glam Twirl Original Hair Braiding Tool

Adorable and tween-approved

Younger gals will love using this braider tool from Glam Twirl.
Best for Tweens

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Chances are that you know a little lady who would absolutely love to use the Original Hair Braiding Tool from Glam Twirl, which is the perfect braiding tool for tweens and younger girls. There’s a lot included in this set: the Hampton Direct Glam Twirl Automatic Braider (which features two interchangeable styling tools), a braider head attachment, a threading tool, pre-threaded color rools, ten beads, no-snag rubber bands, and more. Tweens will have a field day with this sweet little set, which makes hair-braiding simple, but most importantly, fun.

Pros:

  • Comes with a feast of hair-styling tools that tweens especially will love: beads, threading tools, different braiding attachments, and more.
  • Great value buy when you consider everything that’s included.

Cons:

  • Tools work best on longer hair, so those with shorter hair might need to grow out their hair first.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I can’t braid at all, can I still use a hair braiding tool?

Yes. The beauty of a hair braider is that even those who have never braided their own hair can successfully use it.

Do I need to have long hair to be able to braid it?

As long as you have about three or four inches of hair, you should be able to do smaller braids. Longer is better if you want to do a thick, long French braid, for instance.

Can I use product in my hair if I’m using a hair braider?

You can and you should. Using a good straightening serum before braiding your hair can make your braids look shiny, pretty, and frizz-free.

About the Author

When she isn’t doing yoga, writing, or cooking, Justine adores shopping secondhand and frequently peruses popular vintage and thrift shop social media accounts for new looks and the latest trends. She firmly believes that everyone deserves to have well-fitting clothes that they love and feel great wearing, so she's here to help you find the perfect items for you.

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