We’ve all been there: it’s 8 am and you are supposed to be well on your way to work already. Instead, you are frantically rushing around, desperately trying to remember where on Earth you left the lunch you thoughtfully packed for yourself the night before…
If straightening your locks each morning seems more like a fantasy than reality, think again! Hair straightening needn’t take you long. All you need, to achieve the red-carpet-worthy, smooth hair look of your dreams, is a reliable hair straightener, and we have done the hard part for you: researching! We are going to help you find the best hair straightener for you, no matter what your hair type!
Why trust us? We spent over 60 hours researching, testing and reviewing the most popular flat irons on the market, with professional advice from our inhouse stylist, Paul. We considered performance, design, and overall user experience, and now I’m going to share with you the models that came out on top, which we consider to be the best flat irons around.
Table Of Contents
- 1 Best Hair Straighteners Comparison Table
- 2 Best Overall: CHI G2 Ceramic And Titanium Straightening Hairstyling Iron
- 3 Best For Daily Styling: LumaBella Keratin Touch Series Flat Iron
- 4 Best For Fine Hair: ISA Professional Titanium Flat Iron
- 5 Best For Long Hair: Kipozi Professional Titanium Flat Iron Hair Straightener
- 6 Best For Wavy Hair: GHD Classic Flat Iron Styler
- 7 Best For Thick Hair: Cloud Nine Original Iron Hair Straightener
- 8 Best For Frizzy Hair: HSI Professional Glider
- 9 Best For Curly Hair: Solano Sleekheat450 Professional Flat Iron
- 10 Best Budget Flat Iron: Remington S5500 1” Anti Static Flat Iron
- 11 Buyer’s Guide
- 12 Frequently Asked Questions
- 13 Conclusion
Best Hair Straighteners Comparison Table
#1 Editor’s Choice
#2 Editor’s Choice
LumaBella Keratin Touch
Read Full Review
- Keratin infused plates
- Turbo boost & heat sensor
- Heats in 30 seconds
Cloud Nine Original
Read Full Review
- One-touch controls
- Very fast heating
- Universal voltage & stylish travel case
HSI Professional Glider
Read Full Review
- Negative ions
- Dual voltage
- Heat Balance
Best Overall: CHI G2 Ceramic And Titanium Straightening Hairstyling Iron
Editor’s choice: CHI has, and always will be, a powerhouse brand in the hair straightener industry, and their G2 Flat Iron is no exception! Packed with features, this hair straightener was designed to give you silky smooth, shiny styles without snags. We also love its easy-to-read, color-coded heat settings, so you know the setting that you are using at any given time! We believe the CHI G2 is the best flat iron overall.
Upgrade Plate Design
This improved Chi ceramic flat iron is bursting with upgrades, to bring you instantly shiny, silky and frizz-free hair. The upgraded titanium-infused ceramic plate design gives you stronger, longer-lasting plates and smoother, faster straightening. The casing feels well-made and durable, staying cool when the plates are hot, and the controls are well-placed for easy access, without accidental presses.
We found it gave silky, straight hair from the first pass, and didn’t snag at all. However, there was some minor static just at the tips.
Visual Temperature Display
In addition to displaying the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, the G2 also color codes the display, giving you a visual representation of the hair type the setting is intended for. For example, it shows:
- Blue for fine or fragile hair (0-370°F/188°C)
- Green for medium or wavy hair (375-395°F/190-201°C)
- Red for course or resistant hair (400-425°F/204-218°C)
We particularly liked this clear display, and that it gives you the option of pre-set temperatures, whilst also letting you set your own.
Pros
- Smooth, durable plates
- 180-370°F
- Dual-voltage
- Good quality heat wrap
- Auto-shutoff
Cons
- None, we loved the Chi G2!
Best For Daily Styling: LumaBella Keratin Touch Series Flat Iron
Editor’s choice: With unique keratin-infused ceramic plates and a smart heat sensor design, the LumaBella Keratin Touch Hair Styler is our top choice for regular straightening. The iron is well-insulated, with the back casing remaining one of the coolest of all the devices we tested, and it feels well-balanced and durable, yet looks stylish. We believe it is the best flat iron for daily straightening.
The LumaBella straightening iron is part of a set that also includes curling irons and a hair dryer.
Integrated Heat Sensor
It may only have five heat settings, but the LumaBella Flat Iron boasts several elements to reduce your risk of heat damage from styling your hair. Firstly, it has an integrated strip in the top ceramic plate, which is designed to detect when your hair is overheating, and will then immediately adjust it to ensure optimum styling with less damage. Then, when it detects healthier hair, it will readjust to a suitable temperature.
For straightening more stubborn areas of your hair, you can also select the Turbo Boost setting, which immediately raises the heat to the highest setting.
Our only concern with this design is that knots or tangles are more likely to catch in the heat sensor strip, so make sure you brush your hair well first.
Keratin Micro-Conditioners
Your favorite styling products will likely already contain that important protein, keratin, but the LumaBella Flat Iron infuses your locks with even more! This innovative design transfers keratin micro-conditioners evenly to your hair as you style, giving you a soft, healthy shine, without leaving an oily residue.
Don’t forget though, just because this flat iron delivers extra keratin, you should still apply a thermal protectant every time you straighten your hair. We also recommend you regularly use a hair conditioner, such as argan oil, to strengthen your hair’s condition.
Pros
- Keratin infused plates
- Integrated sensor & automatic heat adjustment
- Turbo boost
- Heats in 30 seconds
- Automatic shutoff
Cons
- May catch more tangled hair
- Only 5 temperature settings
Best For Fine Hair: ISA Professional Titanium Flat Iron
If you are looking for a flat iron that doesn’t just perform well, but stands out and makes a statement on your dressing table, look no further than the ISA Professional Flat Iron, a high-performance iron. Its sleek, bright red design is stylish and intuitive, and gives you smooth straightening, without snags. We found it glided through the hair beautifully, causing no static.
Innovative Mirror Titanium Plates
The ISA Professional boasts extra-long 4.5 inch (11.5 cm) tapered plates, making it suitable for straightening both short hair and long hair. The innovative design means you can straighten wider sections of hair with every stroke, and get right up close to the roots of short hair like bangs or fringes, without worrying about burning your scalp. The smooth, mirror plates give you effortless movements, gliding cleanly through your hair without pulling or snagging, particularly when used horizontally, i.e. perpendicular to your hair.
Neon LCD Background Display
Unlike some of the hair straighteners we tested that only indicate a temperature range, the ISA Professional Flat Iron can be tweaked to the exact degree for your unique hair type. You can easily add and subtract degrees with the digital, backlit display as well, which is illuminated with an LCD light to an easy-to-read green shade. It heats to between 265 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit (129-232°C) fast, but the casing does warm up, too.
Pros
- Sleek, stylish design
- Tapered plates
- Heats fast
- Wide range of temperatures
Cons
- Controls are trickier for left handed people
- Back casing heated up during styling
Best For Long Hair: Kipozi Professional Titanium Flat Iron Hair Straightener
Without a doubt, this is the best hair straightener for particularly long hair because of the wide plate design. The 1.75-inch floating plates are designed to give you a larger surface area, tighter hold, consistent temperature and heat distribution, and are a great option for thick hair, curly hair and wavy hair. They give you a beautiful straightness, with no static.
Wide Scope Of Temperature
The Kipozi Professional gives you consistent heat between 170 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit (76-232°C), although we don’t agree with how they classify the purpose of the different ranges (fragile, damaged or healthy hair).
It is one of the widest ranges out of all the hair straighteners we tested, and the exact temperature is displayed clearly on the digital LCD. Thanks to its dual-voltage design, you can take this hair straightener all over the world, and you get a stylish drawstring travel pouch, too!
Pros
- Wide plates
- Wide temperature range
- LCD screen
- Dual-voltage
- Automatic shut-off
Cons
- Control is less easy to access if you are left handed
- Heavier than others we tested
Best For Wavy Hair: GHD Classic Flat Iron Styler
With GHD, every day is a good hair day; it’s their brand! Their 1-inch Classic Styler is a simple flat iron that is great for starting out if you have slightly thicker, wavy hair.
Optimum Styling Temperature
Unlike the other flat irons we tested, this GHD straightener only has one heat setting; 365°F (185°C), which is considered to be the optimal styling temperature. This removes the guesswork if you are new to straightening your hair, but while it is promoted as a good allrounder, it may not be suitable for all hair types.
Our stylist, Paul, recommends 356°F (180°C) for ‘normal hair’, increasing it for thick or naturally curly hair and decreasing it for fine hair. This means, therefore, that the Classic Styler may not be effective or may take more passes to straighten thick hair, and may risk damaging fine hair. So if you think you feel you fall into these categories, one of the other flat irons may be more suitable for you.
However, overall, this is a good hair straightener for normal, wavy hair. We found it was very effective on the first pass, but we don’t recommend it for delicate or fine hair. Its casing is curved, meaning you can also use this straightener for curling your hair, and it has universal voltage, so you can use it abroad.
Pros
- Heats up quickly
- Glides smoothly through hair
- Very effective at first pass
- Universal voltage
Cons
- One temperature setting
- Not suitable for delicate or fine hair
Best For Thick Hair: Cloud Nine Original Iron Hair Straightener
If you have particularly thick hair or frizzy hair, the Original Iron Hair Straightener by Cloud Nine is a great choice. It is a fantastic, comprehensive package that also comes with a stylish travel bag and a protective heat guard, in addition to the easy-to-use flat iron. If not for yourself, this flat iron makes a wonderful luxury gift for someone special.
Fast-Heating
This flat iron was the fastest of all the models to heat up, taking only 20 seconds to reach its temperature. It also has extremely easy controls. The silky black plates offer cutting-edge ceramic heating, and impart a secret ingredient to your hair to give it that extra shine.
Sleek Design
The ceramic plates glided beautifully through our hair and didn’t catch at all in our tests. It is light and easy to handle and we particularly liked that the swivel cord had a ball and socket design, giving even more freedom of movement as you are styling.
Pros
- One-touch controls
- Heats up quickly (20 seconds)
- 360° swivel cord
- Stylish travel case
- Universal voltage
Cons
- No digital readout, therefore less control over temperature
Best For Frizzy Hair: HSI Professional Glider
If you want a reliable flat iron for travelling, look no further than the HSI Professional Glider. It has dual-voltage and comes with a drawstring travel pouch, styling glove and travel-sized argan oil hair treatment.
Huge Range In Temperatures
It boasts the widest scope of heat settings out of all the flat irons we tested, (140-450°F/60-232°C) meaning it is a fantastic choice for any hair type. However, the temperature control was far less specific than other models, and it is easy to knock it while you are straightening your hair.
Tourmaline-Infused Ceramic Plates
This is another hair straightener that uses ion technology. The tourmaline-infused ceramic plates generate negative ions, and allow water molecules to penetrate your hairs’ shafts, reducing frizz and static. There are also eight micro-sensors using Heat Balance, which ensure the temperature is regulated and distributed evenly to reduce your chance of heat damage.
Pros
- Wide array of temperatures
- Negative ions reduce frizz
- Even heat distribution
- Dual-voltage
- Includes pouch and glove
Cons
- Less precise temperature control
- Ready light is on the bottom
Best For Curly Hair: Solano Sleekheat450 Professional Flat Iron
The Solano Sleekheat 450 Professional Flat Iron incorporates many different technologies into one straightening iron to help tame your curls. You can use this comprehensive styling tool for straightening, curling or creating waves in your hair with ease, and it contains many features to reduce hair damage.
High-Tech Plates
This tourmaline ceramic flat iron has 4-sided, bevelled plates for smooth gliding and to reduce hair breakage and damage. The tourmaline also reduces flyaways. If that’s not already enough, it also uses ions to give you sleek, smooth hair, while the far infrared technology is gentler on your hair and cuts down your styling time.
Pros
- Ionic technology
- Far infrared technology
- Wide temperature range
- Suitable for hair curling
- Bevelled plates
Cons
- Dial control is easy to knock
Best Budget Flat Iron: Remington S5500 1” Anti Static Flat Iron
If the color wasn’t enough to tempt us in, the anti-static technology was. The Remington S5500 straightener has extra long, 1-inch wide ceramic plates for quick and easy styling. It heated up in our tests in under a minute and it gives you a clear temperature reading on the screen.
Remington are well-known for quality hair styling products, at a competitive price. This may not feel quite as luxurious or durable as other hair straighteners we tested, but it is nice to use and it creates a silky straightness. For straightening more stubborn hair, you can use the turbo boost button to quickly boost the flat iron to its highest heat.
Anti-Static Design
To cut down on static and reduce flyaways, the Remington S5500 uses what we understand to be ion technology, to reduce the amount of negatively charged particles. This results in 50% less static than other Remington straighteners.
Pros
- 50% less static
- Digital controls
- 6 heat settings
- Automatic shutoff
- Long plates
- Turbo boost
Cons
- Feels less durable than others
- Smaller range of heat settings
Buyer’s Guide
Features To Consider When Choosing The Best Hair Straighteners For You
To find the best hair straightener for you, take these features into consideration:
- Materials: the plate material is extremely important for even heat distribution and can affect the static and frizz created as you straighten your hair. Ceramic, tourmaline, titanium and nano titanium are among the best plate materials for hair straightening and should ensure your hair is silky smooth.
- Cord length: professional styling tools have longer cords because stylists need to have full freedom of movement in a salon, for optimum styling control so they can straighten hair perfectly.
- Temperature ranges: the wider the range, the better, because it is able to style more hair types and textures, and the setting you choose may vary depending on the condition and health of your hair. For example, curly hair may take more taming than wavy hair, but fine hair won’t stand as much heat.
- Technology: extra features to prevent breakage and other hair damage make your straightener safer. This is particularly important if you are going to straighten your hair everyday.
- Warranties: make sure you have a decent warranty for your new heat styling tool in case its performance is not perfect.
- Attachments: flat irons don’t generally have attachments as such, but they may come with accessories such as a glove, heat resistant mat, travel pouch or products to help keep your hair straight.
- Button placement: the location of the buttons can make it easy to inadvertently change the settings while you are styling, and some are more suited to right-handed users than left-handed users.
Have you read our other hair styling tool reviews yet? See curling wands, and irons here, and find out about straightening brushes, or read about the best hair dryers!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Are The Best Straighteners?
In our opinion, the best straightener is the Chi G2, closely followed by the LumaBella Keratin Touch Flat Iron, which has a smart heat sensor that detects when it is too hot and adjusts it to protect your hair from damage.
Which Is Better, A Titanium Or Ceramic Hair Straightener?
A titanium iron can get hotter, making it better for thicker, more difficult hair, while a ceramic iron ensures even heat distribution and is better for finer, more delicate hair.
What Flat Iron Do Most Salons Use?
Many salons use CHI or GHD straighteners. To see if a flat iron is designed for professional use, look for a longer cable length.
Is Chi A Good Flat Iron?
Yes, CHI flat irons are very good. The CHIs we tested reached their temperature quickly and created silky-smooth straight hair on the first pass, without frizz or snagging. We consider the CHI G2 the best flat iron overall!
What Is The Best Straightener For Thin Hair?
The best hair straighteners for thin hair, in our opinion, is the LumaBella Keratin Touch, which has five temperature settings and automatic heat adjustment to prevent extreme heat exposure and damage.
How Do I Choose A Straightener?
To choose a straightener, first identify your hair type and understand whether you need a high or lower temperature to style it. We recommend choosing a flat iron with plenty of heat settings, floating plates, an automatic shutoff and a long cable.
Conclusion
We hope you have enjoyed our reviews of the best flat irons on the market and that we have helped you to choose the best hair straightener for you. We enjoyed testing these flat irons and learning about the different technologies they utilise to help you achieve smooth, straight hair, safely. If you enjoyed reading this, don’t forget to check out our reviews of other hair tools, too!
