There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when searching for the best curling irons. Take it from me, someone who’s been curling my hair for the better half of a decade now—typically with a flatiron—but I always have a wand on hand for those times when I want more defined curls. And let’s be real, there are a lot of curling devices out there, from the Glamour editor favorite Dyson Airwrap, to novel curling vacuums, classic gold curling irons and wavers.The truth is, everything from size, shape, temperature, and how you hold the tool makes a world of difference in achieving the type of curl you’re looking for—and so do factors like your hair type, its length, and the products you apply (don’t forget that heat protectant!). That’s exactly why I tapped both hair stylists and Glamour colleagues with varying hair lengths, types, and textures for their recommendations on the absolute best curling tools.
We evaluated close to two dozen of the most highly rated options for attributes like ease of use and customizable heat settings, and narrowed it down to the ones we felt really confident about. After a few months, we reevaluated each curling iron, assessing how well they held up throughout continued use. We also researched the market for any new and notable curling wands. Our top pick, the T3 Aire 360, holds up for its versatility and it’s quite intuitive to use. You can style everything from tight curls to beach waves with minimal heat damage, and it works great on many different hair types. Below, find all the curling irons worth buying.
The best curling irons, at a glance
How we chose the best curling irons
Material: The most common curling irons have ceramic barrels that tend to spread heat evenly to ensure smooth, shiny results. Those tend to be less damaging on hair so they’re ideal for fine hair. Professional stylists, however, tend to gravitate toward titanium irons, especially for thicker hair, since the material is more durable and able to style curls at higher temps for longer. Tourmaline ceramic is another material that’s a solid pick for people with frizzy or damaged hair; it emits negative ions that react with the positive ones in your hair to minimize dullness and frizz.
Heat: Thin or fine hair requires less heat than thick hair, says Joseph Maine, a celebrity hairstylist in Los Angeles. The ideal temperature for thin hair is no more than 300°F, while thicker or coarser curly textures can handle high heat, from 350°F to 450°F.
Size: Maine recommends a long barrel length for those with long hair. (More on that below.)
Attachments: Slimmer barrels (0.5- to 0.75-inch) mean tighter curls, while thicker ones (1.5- to 2-inch) lead to looser curls or waves. These days you’re not limited to one choice, though. There are plenty of curling tools with interchangeable barrels, so you can wear your curls in various sizes and hairstyles (think bouncy curls, tight ringlets, beachy waves).
We tapped some of our Glamour staffers and reviewers with various hair types to collectively test about two dozen curling irons. We looked for a variety of qualities such as temperature range, barrel size, whether they were ceramic or metal, and how easy they were to use. We also looked at how hot they got relative to our individual hair types, how durable they were over a span of testing them for at least a month, and how our hair looked after using them. Most importantly, all of these irons had to give us curls that lasted over the span of at least a day.
We also researched the market for any new and notable curling wands, and put four of the most promising to the test, ultimately selecting two standouts after three to four weeks of testing.
In this recent update we swapped out some of the thinner waves for a more classic barrel from Babylisspro. We took out the Chi Volcanic Lava Ceramic Pro Spin N Curl, which we felt wasn’t as intuitive as others and, frankly, was a bit gimmicky. We also removed the Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron ($14) because we found a better tool for newbies or those who don’t regularly reach for a curling iron.
1. Best Overall: T3 Aire 360 Ceramic Air Styler Blowout Kit
Original video by Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle using the T3 Aire 360 styling tool
Original image by Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle
Original image by Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle
- What we love: Less heat damage; lightweight and easy to use; comes in an easy-to-store thermal pouch; works quickly
- What could improve: Our testers’ fingers kept accidentally changing the heat setting
If you love the Dyson Airwrap but cringe at the price tag, T3 is the answer. Although it’s about half the price of the Dyson, we found that the Aire 360 works just as well—if not better. In fact, we picked it as our best hair styling tool, period. When you turn it on, the air-powered tool picks the hair up and wraps it around the wand to create blowout-style curls without the heat damage. In evaluations, curls were sleek and shiny, which the brand says is thanks to the CeraGloss ceramic surface of the curling wands.
Testers told Glamour that using this hair tool felt like a luxury experience from start to finish. “Everything from the unboxing to the end style is super sophisticated,” says Glamour contributor Brigitt Earley. It comes in a beautiful hexagonal box that opens to reveal a pouch to use for storage rather than in a bulky, hard-to-store box that other similar tools come in. The curling wand itself is lightweight and easy to use. “It was super intuitive—you simply use the wand head with the proper arrow, so you can curl both sides away from your face without struggle,” says Earley. “I couldn’t believe that I was able to get such a sleek style on my very long hair in less than 15 minutes.”
Glamour’s commerce editor Jenifer Calle is also a fan and says she likes to use it when she has to rush out the door. “I have thick, coarse hair, so curling it takes forever, which is why this tool is perfect for quick and easy styling. And the curls last. The next day I wake up with wavy strands.”
2. Best for Beginners: Beachwaver B 1.5
Original video by Glamour reviewer Brigitt Earley
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Original image by Glamour reviewer Brigitt Earley
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Original image by Glamour reviewer Brigitt Earley
- What we love: Easy to use; curls hair quickly; curls last a long time; brand’s largest barrel size for voluminous curls in long hair
- What could improve: Doesn’t feel as durable as some others we tested
We’ve previously reviewed a previous Beachwaver model from the S series, giving that rotating curling iron high marks all around. But the brand’s offerings keep getting better and better—especially for those who have long hair. The brand’s new B series comes in 1-, 1.25-, and 1.5-inch barrel sizes, the latter of which is a brand-new size for the brand and delivers voluminous waves that mimic those you get from the perfect blowout. The moving barrel also makes this curling iron a great pick for beginners, since you don’t need salon-level expertise to get started. Just clamp in a section of hair, push the button, and let the iron work its magic.
I tend to struggle with the traditional curling irons because I always forget which way I should be curling my hair. This one has two arrow buttons that entirely eliminate any guesswork. Simply clamp a section of dry hair at the end, press the arrow button facing away from the face, and allow your hair to wrap as it revolves. Et voilà: Your hair is perfectly curled—a style that stays put for days.
3. Best to Prevent Heat Damage: Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long
Original video by Glamour contributor Danielle Sinay using the Dyson Airwrap
Original image by Glamour contributor Danielle Sinay
Original image by Glamour contributor Danielle Sinay
- What we love: Six attachments; two-year warranty; dries and styles at the same time; ideal for damaged hair
- What could improve: Expensive; works best on long hair
Like the Supersonic—Dyson’s best-selling hair dryer—the Dyson Airwrap is expensive. But if you’re looking to invest in something that won’t cause hair damage and truly lives up to the hype, it’s a worthy pick, and also one of the best for curly hair. The first-of-its-kind tool dries and styles simultaneously without burning your hair to a crisp. To curl, you simply attach one of two included curling wands and dangle your hair over it. The Airwrap sucks it close to the barrel, then expertly wraps your hair around the wand—no need to move your hand. If you want a smoother, sleeker style, opt for the smoothing dryer or one of the three other included brush attachments.
Yes, it has an eye-popping price tag, but our editors have been big fans of the product since its launch in 2018 and say it’s worth the splurge. “Not to be dramatic, but my life changed when I tried the first-generation Dyson Airwrap,” says Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour’s senior beauty editor. “At the time I had just gotten curtain bangs, and the interchangeable attachments made it so easy to switch according to my styling needs, delivering salon-level smoothness and blowouts in less than half the time.”
In her Airwrap review, Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs, who has coarse, wavy hair, notes that while there’s a steep learning curve, she appreciated how effective it was at taming frizz, while Glamour contributor Andrea Navarro adds that it cut down time on drying her thick 3C curls by 30 minutes.
One thing to consider? While it does work on all hair types, if you have short- to medium-length hair, you won’t likely see those same salon-quality results. It’s better on longer, and especially thicker, hair. “I have fine, shoulder-length, naturally curly thin hair, and it was hard to get a good curl from the Airwrap since the wand is so long,” says Glamour commerce director Brie Schwartz.
4. Best for Thick Hair: GHD Classic Wave Oval Curling Wand
Original video by Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle using GHD curling wand
Original image by Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle
Original image by Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle
- What we love: Heats quickly; automatic shut-off after 30 minutes; two ways to style
- What could improve: Only one heat setting
While an oval barrel takes a bit of getting used to, it’s a great option for natural, undone waves, adding volume without sacrificing length. We love that GHD’s curling iron has an optional spring clamp and a shut-off feature that kicks in after half an hour of nonuse—no more worrying that you left your curling iron plugged in. Just note that it’s preset to 365°F, which might be a touch hot for finer hair.
“This iron, which comes at the recommendation of dozens of celebrity stylists, was a 10-out-of-10 experience for me,” says Glamour contributor Meg Adams. “It’s straightforward to use, delivers even heat, and has a cool and touchable tip so you’re less likely to burn your fingers.” In evaluations, the results were some of the more impressive. “After I styled with the spring clamp, my hair was so shiny and so perfect that a girl stopped me on the subway to ask about my style,” says Adams. “When I used the iron as a wand without the clamp the results were—unbelievably—even greater. I loved the unfinished quality about the voluminous curls.”
5. Best for Long Hair: Bio Ionic Long-Barrel Styler
Original video by Glamour reviewer Alanna Martine Kilkeary using Bio Ionic Long Barrel Styler
- What we love: Creates actually long-lasting curls
- What could improve: Temperature dial could use improvement and a little more range
If you have longer hair, short barrels can make it difficult to wrap your entire strands around and curl your ends without tirelessly giving up (been there). This Bio Ionic curling iron might just solve this problem with its extra-long barrel (8 inches!) that will actually allow you to curl your hair from root to tip, even if it hangs well below your shoulders.
Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary loves this curling iron in particular because it makes it easy to curl longer strands quickly and efficiently. “I forgot to bring hairspray to a wedding weekend we were attending, so it was all up to this long-barrel styler and a travel-size dry shampoo to get me through the five-plus-hour event,” she says. Despite her misgivings, the duo worked, and Kilkeary attributes it to this magic curler. “It truly gave me long-lasting curls for hours, without the need for a drop of hairspray, which was incredibly impressive.”
6. Best for Hard-to-Curl Hair: Hot Tools Pro Artist 24k-Gold Long Curling Iron
Original video by Glamour contributor Brigitt Early
Original image by Glamour contributor Brigitt Early
Original image by Glamour contributor Brigitt Early
- What we love: Long barrel; five temperature settings; long power cord
- What could improve: Heavier than some others we tested
Hot Tools just launched an update to its award-winning Pro Artist 24K Gold Curling Iron Collection, and it’s so good that it’s worth swapping yours out if you already own one. The new iteration has a longer barrel, so it’s suitable for a wider range of hair lengths—including those who have nearly waist-length hair. It also heats up faster to more precise temperatures so you can better customize your styling session to suit your hair type, whether fine or coarse.
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