I Tested 8 of the Most Talked-About Detangling Brushes for Curly Hair—Here’s My Honest Opinion

Hey there! I'm Liz, and I’m passionate about natural hair and sharing my experiences. This year, I’m focusing on improving my hair’s health and keeping it long, and today we’re talking all about detangling.

A little about my hair: I have type 4 hair, with a blend of 3c and 4a curls. It's low-porosity, which means it tangles easily and is prone to split ends.

One of my main goals throughout my hair journey has been to minimize breakage. If you have curly or coily hair, you know that knots and tangles can easily cause damage. Learning to detangle my hair gently has truly transformed my routine, and the brushes and combs I use are essential to that process.

I realized it had been a long time since I upgraded my detangling tools. So, I dove into research to find the newest brushes and combs that everyone has been buzzing about online.

Today, I’m testing out eight of the most talked-about brushes to determine which ones are truly worth the hype. By the end, we’ll have an ultimate winner.

Here are eight detangling brushes that have been favorites in the natural hair community. Prices range from $4.99 to $15.99 right now:

Is all the buzz justified? Does the price tag really affect the quality? Here’s how I set out to answer those questions...

When choosing a good detangling brush, I look for one that: 1) simplifies detangling without causing unnecessary breakage (a little shedding is expected, but I aim to avoid excessive hair loss), and 2) defines my curls well enough for styling.

For my test, I rated the brushes on a scale from 1 to 5 in three categories, then averaged the scores to determine an overall rating. Below are the categories I used:

1) DETANGLING: Does the brush glide through my hair smoothly and effectively, or is it a challenge?

2) CURL DEFINITION: How do my curls look after using the brush? Does it clump and define them nicely?

3) PREVENTING BREAKAGE: Is the brush gentle on my hair, or does it cause excessive shedding?

I began by following my usual wash-day routine. For shampoo, I used Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Threat Invigorating Shampoo and gently finger-detangled my curls as I cleansed.

After shampooing, I typically detangle with a brush while the deep conditioner sits in my hair. I leave it in for 20 minutes before rinsing it out. For deep conditioning, I used Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque.

For the test, I divided my freshly shampooed, damp hair into eight sections (so I could test each brush individually). Then, I applied the deep conditioner to each section and used the brushes to work the product through and detangle my curls. Here's how they performed:

The EZ Detangler Brush (Dupe) — It's my trusted go-to for a reason.

✅ THE PROS: What I love about this brush is its flexible bristles, which make detangling so easy. Its wide design allows me to use it on both larger and smaller sections of hair, and it defines my curls fairly well. Having had this brush for the longest, I know it's durable — even though it's a dupe and the most affordable option, I’ve never had issues with it falling apart.

❌ THE CONS: The brush has numerous crevices where hair products (like creams, gels, etc.) tend to get stuck, making it prone to getting messy. Cleaning it thoroughly, especially between the bristles, requires some effort. Additionally, compared to the other brushes I tried, I noticed more hair shedding, so it could lead to breakage if you're not gentle.

Overall, I still really like this brush. It gets the job done, but I was curious to see if there were better alternatives. I gave it a final rating of /5, with the breakdown below:

Denman D3 Original Styler 7 Row — I was skeptical at first, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised.

✅ THE PROS: To my surprise, the Denman didn’t rip through my hair this time. In fact, I experienced minimal breakage. (Ensuring my hair was wet and well-coated with product helped!) The firm bristles tackled tangles efficiently and left my curls bouncy and well-defined. By the end, I had smooth, elongated curls that were fully detangled — I was honestly impressed.

❌ THE CONS: When detangling with the Denman, it’s best to take it slow and be patient. If you rush, you might experience some breakage. For my hair type, it took several passes through the ends to fully detangle before I could work through the rest of my hair. Also, cleaning the brush takes a bit longer due to the hairs that get caught between the bristles.

The Denman brush has become one of my favorites so far, though I tend to prefer it more for styling than for detangling during wash days. I rated it a solid 4/5!

Tangle Teezer “The Ultimate Detangler” Brush — It slides through hair like a dream!

✅ THE PROS: The Tangle Teezer glided effortlessly through my hair. Its flexible teeth worked wonders, leaving no snags, even on sections with different curl patterns, from tight to loose curls. The multiple rows of teeth helped distribute my deep conditioner evenly, and I experienced minimal breakage during use.

❌ THE CONS: While this brush excels at detangling, it didn't provide the curl definition I was hoping for. It separates and untangles the curls wonderfully, but for my hair texture, it didn’t give me the clumped curls I typically look for when styling. Additionally, with so many teeth, it took longer to clean the brush thoroughly, as there was more hair and product left behind. Neither of these were dealbreakers, but they're worth considering.

The Tangle Teezer definitely gets the job done, and I could see myself reaching for it time and time again on wash day. I was really impressed! I gave it an overall rating of 4.1/5.

Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush — Minimal breakage!

✅ THE PROS: Here's the spoiler: This brush caused the least breakage of all the ones I tested. It's sturdy, with non-flexible bristles, but I found this worked exceptionally well to detangle my curls without causing any snags. After using it on wet hair for wash day, I also tried it on dry, blow-dried hair, and it worked beautifully to gently detangle. I also love that the back rows of the brush are flexible, which makes cleaning so much easier.

❌ THE CONS: While the curl definition wasn't as strong as with the Denman, if your primary need is a reliable detangler, this brush gets the job done effectively.

There are almost no complaints here! I was impressed with the minimal breakage while using the Felicia Leatherwood brush. I rated it a 4.2/5.

PATTERN Shower Brush — It wasn't the experience I anticipated, but there might still be potential?

✅ THE PROS: This brush oozes quality with its sturdy build, sleek design, and satisfying weight. The stiff bristles were perfect for adding definition to my curls. After detangling, I was left with bouncy, defined curls that I absolutely adored. Honestly, this was probably the best curl definition I had ever achieved.

❌ THE CONS: I have to be honest — detangling my hair with this brush was a bit of a struggle. Compared to other brushes that work better with my tighter curls, this one didn't slide through as easily. It took a lot more time to properly detangle my hair, especially because the bristles are quite firm. At first, I couldn’t even get the brush through my curls, and I had to break my hair down into smaller sections just to make it work. Although I loved the defined curls I had after brushing, I realize this shower brush is probably best used in the shower when your hair is soaked and easier to work with.

I really wanted to love the PATTERN brush more. It could be a case of user error, or perhaps it’s not the best match for my hair texture. Either way, I’ll give it another try down the line. For my first impression, I rated it a 3.2/5.

KAZMALEJE KurlsPlus Paddle Hair Comb — Honestly, I'm totally hooked on this one.

✅ THE PROS: This comb is made with firm, plastic teeth that actually define my curls beautifully. It gave me big, clumped curls that I absolutely adored! Plus, the teeth are spaced apart just right, making detangling a super quick process, and cleaning the comb is a breeze. I also didn’t encounter any snags while combing my hair. If you're short on time, it’s a lifesaver for detangling large sections in a flash.

❌ THE CONS: Honestly, it was hard to come up with any downsides for this comb. However, I did notice that since the teeth are large and spaced out, they might not detangle your hair as effectively as brushes with finer bristles, which means you could potentially miss a few tangles. Although my hair still felt decently detangled, it's something to consider!

After using this paddle comb for the first time, I couldn’t wait to grab it again. I can totally see myself reaching for it to quickly brush through my hair, whether it's wet or dry, curly, blow-dried, or straightened. It’s all about versatility, for sure. That’s why I gave it a 4.6/5.

Wet Brush Original Detangler — It’s a classic, gets the job done, and is easy on the wallet.

✅ THE PROS: I was shocked by how smoothly the brush moved through my hair! The bristles are incredibly flexible, and there were no tangles while using it. As for defining curls, it didn't really clump them together like some brushes do, but I could tell my hair was properly detangled.

❌ THE CONS: I'm not the biggest fan of the design. The brush has ball-tipped bristles that make it harder to clean as hair strands and hair products can get stuck under them, and I did experience some breakage. Also, the brush has a cushion that water can get trapped under very easily, and it's hard to get it out.

The original Wet Brush could be improved, and there are better options out there, but it's not a bad option if you're looking for something under $10. I'd give it a 3/5.

Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangler BIGGIE — The last brush on the list, and it let me down (not in a positive way).

✅ THE PROS: The curved handle provided a really comfortable grip while detangling, and it moved through my hair effortlessly. I also appreciated the longer outer bristles, which I imagine would be especially beneficial for those with thicker hair.

❌ THE CONS: I wouldn’t recommend using this brush for styling, as it left my hair looking somewhat frizzy. Additionally, with so many bristles, it took the longest to clean (I suggest using a comb to remove any stray hairs!). As for breakage, I did notice quite a few strands shedding.

I really liked the distinctive (and adorable) design of the Crave brush — but I’ll be honest, I was hoping for better curl definition! If I was pressed for time, it wouldn't be my go-to due to the potential for breakage. But if I had a bit more time to carefully detangle, I’d definitely use it again. I rated it 3.3/5.

What a marathon of a wash day! But the results are in, and we have a winner — the KAZMALEJE KurlsPlus Paddle Hair Comb! I love the design of this brush and how effortlessly it detangled my hair type. While there are other brushes that might give more definition, I was definitely pleased with the outcome. Plus, minimal breakage, which is a huge plus.

In the end, any of these brushes could work great for you, depending on your hair type and preferences. But here are my final rankings in order below!

Want to see me put these brushes to the test? Head over to my TikTok video below. Don't forget to visit my page for more natural hair tips and tricks!