Reactive Hair Editorial Team
This post was most recently updated on May 6th, 2023
Creating a salon-worthy hairdo at home isn’t easy. But if you want your hair to look straight and sleek, you’re going to need a hot hair tool. Flat irons actually come with a variety of fascinating features. From straightening to curling your hair and creating waves, flat irons can work their magic to give you different hairdos. But make sure you pick the right one to prevent easily-damaged hair. Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Smooth + Ceramic Flat Iron is the best overall hair straightener according to consumers for 2023.
Tons of flat irons out there that may catch your eye. It can be difficult to know where to start and pick the one that’s best for your hair type and/or budget. The good news? To make shopping easier for you, we’ve collected consumer reports about recommendations for the best hair straighteners to shop for. Before we get into the nitty gritties, you need to know what to look for when buying a flat iron.
Things You Should Know Before Getting a Hair Straightener
Choosing hair straighteners isn’t as easy as purchasing them off an online shop or the racks in a beauty store. There are a couple of things you need to consider before buying the best one for you. Sometimes you may need to do some deep research. From the type of plate, you’ll need to more, to ensure it won’t completely damage your hair and more.
To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a helpful list of all the things you need to consider before purchasing a hair straightener. Follow the tips below to achieve all your hair straightening goals.
- Think about temperature
- Select the right materials
- Know the difference between price and quality
- Consider plate width
Let’s dig deeper into it!
Temperature
Sometimes we think that the higher the temperature of the flat iron, the better it will be. Actually, that’s a big problem. If you have fine hair and you use a 200℃ straightener, your hair might get fried. Make sure you know your hair type and the temperature suited for it. Check the temperature according to your hair type below.
Very fragile hair: 212°F – 284°F
Fine hair: 284°F – 320°F
Normal hair: 320°F – 356°F
Thick hair: 356°F – 464°F
Materials and Hair Type
After you know the temperature, the material of the plate is also a crucial factor. The material of the flat iron plate also influences several essential aspects like hair type and heat distribution. We’ve outlined a bit about the two common types of flat iron materials.
Ceramic
It is the most common flat iron plate. The ceramic technology heats up quickly and ensure even heat distribution, therefore, eliminating hot spots. Ceramic doesn’t heat up as fast as titanium. If, for example, you are in a hurry to attend a meeting or something else, and want to style your hair for it, this might be a little overwhelming for you. The good thing is that ceramic has a low chance of burning your hair, it may be perfect for thin, sensitive, and fine hair.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline radiates negative ions and infrared heat, which keep moisture and shine in your hair. This plate tames the look of frizziness and static whilst also reducing the visibility of damage to the hair. These straighteners are still effective even at lower temperatures. Use this if your hair is damaged already, will be damaged easily, or has fine/ thin hair.
Titanium
This plate is extremely durable, lighter, and achieves the highest temperatures. Titanium has an incredible smoothing capability that leaves your hair looking very straight, smooth, and glossy. The titanium technology allows it to heat up faster than a ceramic plate. It is the best for thick, curly, and coarse hair.
Price vs Quality
Cheap hair straighteners are usually equipped with metal plates that are not compatible with any hot tools. They may severely damage your hair, unevenly apply heat, snag your hair, and even overheat. The way to healthy hair is not always easy. A more expensive straightener will last for years and cause less damage to your hair.
Plate Width
Wider plates have a bigger ironing surface and are incredibly useful for individuals with long, thick hair. It is because they can gather more hair and heat it in fewer passes, and reduce damage for thicker hair types.
If you have fine, shorter hair and/ or want to create a wavy-hair look, a narrow-plate flat iron is the great one for that. Not only that, but a narrow plate is also suitable for styling your bangs. With its simpler design with less heat, it perfectly fits those with fine hair and who love to travel.
Now, let’s dive into the top 10 best hair straighteners.
10 Best Hair Straighteners By Consumer Reports
Best Overall Hair Straightener
This hair straightener is one of Paul Mitchell’s best sellers. It is packed with pro features to deliver the sleekest, salon-quality hairstyles. Its ceramic plates are engineered with far-infrared technology to lock in moisture and super-charged negative ions that control static frizz for silky-smooth results.
Features:
- There are two options for the plate sizes: 1.25 inches and 1.5 inches, made of ceramic with beveled edges. The large plate makes you straighten your hair more quickly.
- It heats up to 410°F in 60 seconds and cools with a 5-second recovery time. You can keep the heat below 410°F because it doesn’t need much heat to get the job done.
- There is a large digital display for temperature control, so you can turn it up or down depending on your hair’s needs.
- It has an automatic dual voltage (110-240V) so it is perfect for worldwide use.
Most Popular Hair Straightener on Amazon
CHI Hairstyling Iron features its ionic ceramic technology with a digital temperature display, offering multiple settings for fine, medium, and coarse hair. It delivers salon-quality results without the damage of the high heat. Create a multitude of styles, whether you prefer to straighten, curl, or wave, and master your perfect hair every day easily.
Features:
- Ceramic heater with advanced technology and a 60-second heat-up for faster styling.
- Minimum temperature of 180°F and maximum temperature of 425°F for optimal styling.
- Dual voltage for convenient travel.
CHI Original Digital Ceramic Flat Iron is suitable for all hair types, including fine hair, curly hair, short hair, long hair, textured hair, and even damaged hair.
Best Affordable Hair Straightener
The 1″ Anti-Static Flat Iron is one of the best Remington and across all brand products. This hair straightener comes with amazing features that make it ideal for all hair types. It reduces the amount of negatively charged particles during the styling process to 50% less static and flyaways. Here are the other features:
- The digital controls with LCD screen to find the temperature easily.
- A range of eight heat settings from 310°F to 450°F.
- 30% longer floating ceramic plates for faster styling.
- The floating ceramic plates with titanium protection coating for fast heat-up to create a smooth glide.
You can style your hair in less time, making it a great option for people with thick and full hair.
Best Hair Straightener For Thick Hair
Whether you want gorgeous blowouts, big enviable waves, or striking straight locks, Revlon has the hot tools you desire. Their innovative Pro Collection line will provide you with the latest technology to help you achieve desired results quickly. The Revlon Salon Straight Copper Smooth Styler helps you achieve smooth, straight, shiny styles with a 10-second fast heat-up.
Features:
- Copper plates help to control frizz, deliver faster styling, and have fewer hot spots.
- Advanced copper 3X ceramic technology is gentle on hair providing 63% more shine*, and 81% less breakage*.
- 30 variable settings of up to 455°F providing ultimate freedom when it comes to styling your hair type.
*Based on testing by an independent 3rd party lab.
Best Travel Hair Straightener
The BaByliss PRO Mini Straightening Iron is a compact, 6-inch, travel-ready flat iron made to straighten and give your hair a nice shine. It is basically the baby version of the customer-fave BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Straightening Iron. Whether you’re traveling for summer vacation or you just need to keep it at your desk for touch-ups, this mini hair straightening is a product you’ll want to snag quickly.
Features:
- Dual voltage for worldwide use.
- Quick styling with 430°F heat.
- The 1/2″ titanium/ceramic plates make getting to the near-scalp hair easy to reach.
- Adjustable heat control to ensure that only the necessary heat is applied.
Surprisingly, BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Mini is particularly effective for thick, unruly, curly, coarse, and other hair types that are difficult to straighten.
Best Hair Straightener For Curly Hair
Whether you want curls or sleek straight for Christmas, Vanessa Pro Flat Iron will help you get the best hairstyle look. Especially, if you prefer titanium-plated flat irons over ceramic-plated ones, give this a try. Just like we mentioned above, a titanium plate is the best for thick and curly hair. This Vanessa Flat Iron offers great straightening results. It is ready for use in just 15 seconds. Here are the features:
- 2-in-1 flat iron. This hair straightener can be utilized as a curling iron.
- 11 heat settings with a temperature range of 265°F-450°F.
- 360° flexible swivel cord never gets tangled.
- Nanometer silver and titanium plates material.
Vanessa Pro Flat Iron Hair Straightener and Curler is a damage-free professional hair straightener that helps to retain moisture and enhances your hair. It also does a fabulous job of reducing frizz.
The Hair Dryer and Straightener in One
The Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer are specially designed with Hot Air Brushes to deliver magnificent volume and glow in a single step. The oval shape allows for two types of brushes to work simultaneously. The longer, flatter side acts as a hair-straightening paddle brush, while its rounded corners lift the hair from its roots and create volume.
Features:
- The ceramic coating feature that provides even heat distribution can lower the risk of damaged hair due to over-styling.
- The unit is designed for 120V.
- 1100-Watt power provides just the right heat.
- A maximum heat range of 160°F to 165°F.
Best Hair Straightener For Fine Hair
Crafted with 5 fine hair-friendly heat settings and ceramic plates, this innovative flat iron gives you salon results at home. Not only that but this is also infused with almond and aloe vera to minimize damage while maximizing glow. Here are other features:
- Single voltage
- Automatically shut off
- Rounded edges on the ceramic plates won’t pull or snag
- The highest heat setting is 375°F
Best Hair Straightener For African-American Hair
It is a 1.75-inch titanium-plated hair straightener that gives a tighter press with even heat distribution. KIPOZI Professional Titanium Flat Iron perfectly fits those who have thick, curly, or African-American hair types. The extra-wide plate design allows you to save more time as you can do more hair in one pass. Check the feature below:
- Reduces frizz and enhances shine with Ionic Technology.
- KIPOZI 1.75-inch straightener uses the advanced PTC ceramic heater that can heat up fast in 30 seconds.
- With LCD digital screen and adjustable temperature setting (170°F-450°F).
- A dual voltage that can be used in worldwide voltage (100-240V).
Not only for African-American hair, but KIPOZI is also suitable for all hair types. You can choose the temperature which suits your hair directly.
Best Hair Straightener For Frizzy Hair
HSI Professional Flat Iron is a compact ceramic glider iron that comes with an argan oil hair treatment, heat-protecting glove, and pouch. It is suitable for all hair types and works for all different styles. It’s also safe for frizzy and color-treated hair. Check the features below:
- Tourmaline ceramic plates that use 8 micro-sensors with HeatBalance technology to evenly distribute heat.
- Temperature can be adjusted between 140°F-450°F.
- The tourmaline infusion reduces frizz by generating negative ions, and the ceramic is built for lasting results.
- The floating plates give the flexibility to flip, curl or straighten your hair.
These are the top ten hair straighteners we are recommend based on different consumers’ different needs. Read onto to learn more about the best practices to protect hair when using a straightening tool.
How to Protect Your Hair When Using Hair Straightener
We all know that hair straighteners may damage your hair, especially if it’s already dry and broken. But this doesn’t mean you have to stop using your hair straightener this very second. There are several ways to lessen their negative effects. Here are a few simple steps to keep you on the right track:
- Starting the process in the shower. Wash and condition your hair to save time later, allowing your hair to straighten easier.
- Ensure your hair is fully dry before using hair straighteners. If not, your hair won’t take to the heat as easily, which will force you to go over the same hair more times. This can lead to damage.
- After your hair is dry, ALWAYS apply a heat protectant. It is important to avert damage from high temperatures. Some heat protectants double as smoothing products, making your hair look lighter when finished.
- Last but not least, treat your hair wisely by adding hair care products, such as hair masks, serums, or oil regularly to nourish your hair and prevent further damage.
Please remember to find a proper temperature for straightening hair. If it’s just right, you won’t repeatedly run the same strands through the iron over and over again. When you follow these, you are sure to enjoy a long-lasting look.
The Verdict
These are the 10 best hair straighteners according to consumer reports. You can now comfortably choose the one that suits your needs. Kindly remember, to get the best deal, you should pick a hair straightener keeping these factors in mind:
- Your hair type
- Affordability
- The material of the plate
- Plate width
Each person has their ideal way of choosing the best hair straightener. You just need to adjust them according to your criteria, especially your hair type. Overall, all those 10 hair straighteners work on all types of hair. But, there’s also hair straighteners that are designed and work better for certain hair types.
- If you have colored hair, HSI Professional Original Glider Ceramic Flat Iron is the right one for you. It is also suitable for frizzy hair.
- For those who have curly hair or African-American hair, you can pick KIPOZI Professional Flat Iron Hair Straightener, CHI Original 1-Inch Ceramic Hairstyling Iron, or Vanessa Pro Flat Iron Hair Straightener.
- For thick and long hair, Remington 1 Inch Anti Static Flat Iron and Revlon Salon Straightener Copper Smooth Flat Iron can be your top option.
If you have your best flat iron or hair straightener that we haven’t mentioned, feel free to comment down below and let us know. We always appreciate any comments you have for us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is titanium or ceramic better for hair?
A: Again, it all depends on the type of your hair. If you have thin, sensitive, fine, and easy-to-straighten hair, pick a ceramic hair straightener. A titanium plate is the best choice for thick, curly, and coarse hair. Ceramic doesn’t heat up as fast as titanium. So if you are in a hurry, titanium is your pick then.
Q: What should I look for when buying a hair straightener?
A: The things to consider before buying a hair straightener are knowing your hair type, picking the temperature, selecting the right plate materials (ceramic, tourmaline, or titanium), considering the plate width, and thinking about the price and quality.
Q: What is the least damaging hair straightener?
A: Conair OhSoKind 1-Inch Almond and Aloe Vera Flat Iron is our top pick. Its ceramic-coated plates are infused with almond and aloe vera to minimize damage but maximize the shine of your hair. It is not only suitable for fine hair, but also damaged or easily damaged hair. CHI Original 1-Inch Ceramic Hairstyling Iron and Vanessa Pro Flat Iron Hair Straightener are also among the least damaging hair straighteners.
Q: What straighteners do celebrities use?
A: The Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener is used by Kim Kardashian to get her shiny, smooth hair look. From Victoria Beckham to Jodie Comer and Jessica Alba, they use the GHD Hair Straightener to create glamorous looks.
Q: How much should you spend on a hair straightener?
A: Some hair straighteners cost in the $40-$60 range. But, you may need to spend up to $100 or more to get a hair straightener that works well and lasts longer. But, there are also affordable hair straighteners out there with great quality.
