- What we love: Less heat and hair damage; wide range of styling settings and modes (wet, dry, rough-dry, smoothing boost); LCD screen; intelligent airflow temperature control
- What could improve: Slower process than traditional flatirons
- Plate material: N/A
- Size: 1.6 inches
- Temperature: Three preset settings in wet mode (175°F, 230°F, 285°F); two preset temperatures in dry mode (250°F or 285°F)
- Auto-shutoff: Auto-pause after three seconds of inactivity; standby mode after 5 minutes
- Cord: 9.6 feet
Best for Coarse Hair: Hot Tools Pro Artist Flat Iron
We like this moderately-priced Hot Tools iron for how quickly it heats up and its easy-to-read LED display with adjustable temps up to a whopping 455°F. It’s a great pick for anyone who has hair that’s trickier to style, whether it’s super coarse or curly.
Earley likes this straightener for how smoothly it glides across her hair. “I have thick, wavy hair, but these ceramic and titanium plates don’t miss a beat,” she says. “I also love the slightly rounded edges, since I use my straightener to give my hair a long, loose curl. This helps keep things nice and smooth even as I twist my wrist.”
- What we love: LED temperature display; travel lock; tone lets you know when device reaches desired temperature; high heat
- What could improve: May feel too hot for some
- Plate material: Ceramic and titanium
- Size: 1 inch; 1.25 inches
- Temperature: Adjustable up to 455°F
- Auto-shutoff: 60 minutes
- Cord: 9 feet
Best for Curling Hair: Drybar The Tress Press Digital Styling Iron
If it’s a two-in-one straightener and curling iron hybrid you’re looking for, consider the top-selling Drybar styler—a favorite of more than one Glamour editor. “I’m mostly inept at curling hair, let alone at using a flatiron to do anything other than run it over my already flat-as-a-board hair,” Glamour contributor Lindsay Schallon says. “But Drybar’s iron makes it easy, since it has rounded edges that mimics a curling wand,” she says. “It’s also super lightweight, which makes it easier to wield.”
We also like the digital temperature control that lets you know what temperature you’re operating the tool at, up to 450°F. It comes in two sizes, too (1 inch or 1.25 inches), depending on how much hair you have and what style you want to achieve (particularly if you’re using the tool to curl).
- What we love: Heats quickly; frizz-reducing ionic and infrared tech; digital temperature control; good for creating curls and waves
- What could improve: Some users say it’s not as durable as some others
- Plate material: Titanium
- Plate size: 1 inch or 1.25 inches
- Temperature: Adjustable up to 450°F
- Auto shut-off: 60 minutes
- Cord: 9 feet
Best Portable: BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Mini Flat Iron Hair Straightener
If you’re someone who’s always on the move or who’s hunting for a straightener to throw in your bag, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of this mini titanium flatiron, which is teensy enough to fit in a purse—maybe even a clutch. It’s just half an inch in width and six inches in length, which is roughly the size of a toothbrush. It gets hot quickly and is super handy for smoothing stray hairs and refreshing your look at the end of a long day.
“I originally got mine to keep at my desk in case of beauty ‘emergencies,’ but have come to love it so much that I now use it in place of my other straighteners at home,” says Danielle Sinay, Glamour’s associate beauty editor. “I mainly use it for my bangs and tiny touch-ups, but for how compact it is, it works remarkably well, especially if your hair is on the thinner side (which mine is).”
- What we love: Budget-friendly; great for touch-ups; very small and lightweight
- What could improve: Not suitable for allover styling, especially for long or coarse hair; no auto-shutoff
- Plate material: Titanium
- Size: .5 inches
- Temperature: Up to 430°F
- Auto-shutoff: None
- Cord: 6 feet
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