Abstract: A hand-held hair styling appliance incorporates an improved rotatable switch assembly which is mounted in the styler in axial alignment with the fan, thus eliminating the need for a handle in the appliance. The switch is constructed such that the heating elements are energized only when the motor is running, and the higher heat elements are energized only when the motor is operated in a high speed mode. The improved switch assembly is of an annular configuration having a central axial aperture through which a conventional electric cord is positioned. A switch housing includes a hollow annular work area in which a plurality of resilient electrical contacts are fixedly mounted. A commutator assembly includes a disc-shaped base which is rotatably mounted in a working portion of the housing. The base includes a plurality of evenly spaced detents positioned along the outer circumference thereof which engage the fixed contacts to provide discrete stopping positions during the rotation of same.