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I found this compact model to be lightweight, comfortable to hold and easy to maneuver. Its combination of floating plates and rounded barrel helped serve two purposes: avoiding dreaded crimp marks when trying to style hair close to the root and doubling an adept straightener and curling iron alternative. It’s great for touching up second-day hair, especially face-framing pieces or flyways at the roots. It also comes with a heat-resistant travel pouch, and has a 360-degree swivel cord, universal voltage and auto shut-off after 30 minutes. Dyson Corrale: The lightning-fast heat-up of this iron and its flexible floating plates allow for serious maneuverability while styling. But the base, charging cord and tool itself take up a lot of real estate on the counter. I didn’t love that it required 70 minutes to charge for only 30 minutes of use. And the iron, while cordless, was about six ounces heavier than most others due to its lithium-ion battery, so it felt cumbersome. Straightening my hair used to be a two-day affair. I'd wash all the product out the night before, let it air-dry, then braid it before bed so that the next day, the curls were looser and easier to work through. Then, and only then, could I go in with a flat iron. With the RevAir, I can decide to straighten my hair at literally any time. It's a luxury I've never known before. To gauge maneuverability, I measured factors such as weight, cord length and swivel. These contribute to the overall ease of use of the tool. Another important criteria is temperature. I considered heat-up time, temperature control variability, accuracy and whether the iron has temperature memory and automatic shut-off. Bio Ionic One Pass Styling Iron: This ceramic iron was a close runner-up, but I preferred the wider plate on the overall winner for everyday use. This model has an extremely smooth glide and the silicone “speed strips” helped guide my hair into the tool and straighten it after just one pass, which saved time. Another plus was the temperature memory so I didn’t have to recall the last heat setting I’d used.
Remington Shine Therapy Argan Oil And Keratin 2-Inch Iron: The nine digital settings and smooth glide of this ceramic model made it a standout, but the wide paddles aren’t versatile for use on shorter hair. Plate material: Ceramic | Plate size: 1.5 inches x 4 inches | Temperature: 250-410 degrees Fahrenheit | Weight: 15.8 ounces | Cord length: 8 feet, 11 inches | Warranty: 1 year I tested 22 flat irons that—while they’re solid options—didn’t make the cut. Read more on my findings below. Consider nice-to-have features that will make styling your hair easier. Swivel cords and extra-long cords are a big perk to enhance ease of use as you work around your head. Extra Features Amika The Confidante Moisture Maintenance Styler: I loved the digital display and interior button size and placement, but this model snagged my hair and the hinge pinched my palm while using it.Some straighteners come with heat-resistant mats or gloves, which are helpful for keeping countertops or fingers from getting singed. A storage pouch is another plus. If you travel a lot, look for an iron with universal voltage to allow you to use it abroad. When I first put this straightener to work, it heated up in just 20 seconds. I sectioned my hair into one-inch pieces, glided the iron through my hair from root to tip, and it went from frizzy to smooth and polished. Despite having just one heat setting of 392 degrees, the temperature was enough to reshape my hair in just one pass, although I did have to do two passes on the layers around my face. This was refreshing because I get a little anxious about heat damage when I have to go over the same section several times. Plate material: Ceramic | Plate size: 1 inch x 3.5 inches | Temperature: 392 degrees Fahrenheit | Weight: 14.7 ounces | Cord length: 10 feet 11 inches | Warranty: 2 years In testing, it only took 20 seconds for the iron to beep and indicate it was ready. To use this tool, you press the button on the inside of the smart styler, and it heats to 365 degrees. “This standard setting is the ‘sweet spot’ where the heat can break down the hair just enough to mold it into shape and fight frizz without burning it or causing damage,” says Henry. “Maintaining this slightly lower temperature ensures your hair will be healthy, straight and tremendously shiny.” While straightening, predictive sensors in the plates monitor heat 250 times per second to make sure the iron doesn’t overheat and potentially singe your hair.
GHD Unplugged Styler: This cordless iron offers no-nonsense smoothing and straightening at a safer-for-hair temperature of 365 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s extremely lightweight, feels luxe and comes with a heat resistant storage case. My gripe with this straightener, though, is that it only provides up to 20 minutes of styling time and can’t be used while charging (unlike the Lunata model). This Chi flat iron doesn’t have multiple temperature options, but it does have an under 30-second heat-up time and extra-long (over 10 feet) swivel cord that gives you extra reach while styling. Most importantly, it has gloriously smooth ceramic plates with beveled edges that make it a nimble tool for creating everything from pin-straight styles to polished curves at the ends of hair. We have all walked out the door just to panic about whether or not we turned our hot tools off. Never worry about burning the house down again by opting for an iron that has an automatic shut-off button that cools the tool down when it’s not in use. Some, like the TK, take an hour, but others, like the Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener, shut off in just five minutes. Plate Size If you can look past its slightly odd shape, the Revlon Double Straight’s four-plate design makes a lot of sense. As you pass the Double Straight over your hair, the first two plates straighten, while the second two ‘reinforce’ the style. This effectively allows you to make two passes in one, which reduces both the time it takes to complete the style and the risk of heat damage. I found this to be largely true, although to get the full effect you need to pass it over your hair slightly slower than you would do normally, which cuts into the time-saving benefits a little.
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Not all hair needs to be fried between hot plates to straighten it. Some people can get soft, bouncy blowouts using a blow-dry brush rather than the old dryer and round brush combo. For coarser hair like mine, I recommend the RevAir below. And those are just the basics. You've also got the choice between auto shut-off features, wide or thin builds, and ceramic or titanium plates (fyi, ceramic = softer heat that’s better for finer, straighter hair; titanium = stronger heat that’s better for curlier, coarser hair). I know it sounds overwhelming, so to make the shopping experience easier for you, I researched, tested, and reviewed the top hair straighteners on the market right now. Here's a sneak peek at some of my favorites: After using the GHD Platinum Plus Styler consistently for over a year, I still appreciate the same features I raved about from day 1. The fast, even heat-up time still takes just 20 seconds, which is critical when I’m trying to go for a sleek, pulled-together look while running late. The flexible, coated ceramic plates never snag and always leave my hair looking shiny.
I find smoothing the hair first with a blow dryer allows me to use less heat with a flat iron,” says Henry. Patience and precision are also key. “It’s best to straighten in small, 1-inch sections,” she says. “Start by placing the iron as close to the scalp as possible and gliding it through to the ends. Do not stop on any one area of the section you are ironing because holding it on there too long can cause damage or breakage. Repeat the section if necessary, remembering to keep the iron moving continuously.” How Many Passes Can You Make On The Same Section While Straightening? Using a hair straightener can be a time-consuming extra step in your journey toward polished hair. The process requires patience, precision and even some additional upper arm and shoulder strength. You want the payoff—ideally silky, smooth, shiny hair that looks really, really good—to match the effort you’re putting in. The last thing you need is for frizz to start creeping in ten minutes after you walk out the door. There are several factors, like materials and plate width, to consider in a flat iron. We consulted professional hairstylists who have extensive experience with these hot tools. Here’s what to keep in mind when choosing the best one. Material If you’re still overwhelmed by the options, look for added features that you’ll actually use, like an auto shut-off if you're always forgetting to unplug it, ion technology for extra shine and silkiness, vibrating plates if your hair is coarse or curly, or floating plates for less tension and breakage. You might have to pay a little more for a tool that has more than just the basics, but hair pros argue that a nice design can really be worth it. While testing, I considered four principal criteria: maneuverability, temperature, performance and ... [+] extra features. Molly Calhoun For ForbesYou might think steam would be the enemy of straight hair, but it actually moisturizes it while the heat flattens it into shape. According to L’Oreal, this allows the Steampod to gently dry the outer shaft without drying the core. When you go outside, especially in humid conditions, the hair then doesn’t absorb any of the extra moisture and remains frizz-free. It’s better to start off using lower heat and fewer passes until you see what works best with your hair. “You should expect to pass over the hair one to four times depending on your hair type and texture,” says Bryant. “As straighteners are extremely hot, it’s best to use it on a lower setting at first to see how your hair handles it.” Should You Always Use A Heat Protectant With A Flat Iron? This gadget worked like a pro; it has a super smooth glide with zero snag, and the slightly longer plate allowed me to include a bit more hair in the iron per pass without compromising the effectiveness, which ultimately saved me time. The floating plates are more versatile than the standard, static plates on many other irons—they compress just the right amount of hair to create smooth and straight styles or a subtle curve at my ends. This model’s beveled edges also allowed me to masterfully create waves or curls. Never straighten your hair while it’s wet because that’s when your hair is at its most fragile state,” says Bryant. And before styling, always, always apply a heat protectant first.
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