13 Best Curling Irons and Wands, Tested and Reviewed on Different Hair Types

The best curling irons and wands can turn “kind of waved” hair into actual, bouncy curls that last through a full night out. And as a beauty editor who’s tested countless tools over the years, I can confirm that not all of them deliver. The right barrel size, material, and heat settings can make all the difference, especially if you have long, hard-to-curl, or damage-prone hair. With holiday parties and festive events on the horizon, now’s the time to find a reliable curler that gives you shiny, long-wear curls without frying your ends.

At Glamour, we regularly put the most buzzed-about hot tools—including hair straighteners, blow-dry brushes, and curlers— to the test on different hair types and lengths, evaluating important attributes like ease of use, heat range, and durability. Below are the best curling irons we’ve tried. ur top pick, the Bio Ionic Long-Barrel Styler stands out because it creates genuinely long-lasting curls without getting overly hot, meaning it won’t singe fine or thin hair types. You’ll also find an unexpectedly affordable top performer from Hot Tools, a genius air styler from T3, and more standout picks that make styling almost effortless, no matter what look you’re after.

The best curling irons, at a glance

Best for Hard to Curl Hair:

Hot Tools Professional Gold Curling Iron

Jump to review

T3 Aire 360 Ceramic Air Styler Blowout Kit

Best Overall: Bio Ionic Long-Barrel Styler

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
Best for styling: Long hair that needs to hold curls for an extended period of time

If you have longer hair, short barrels can make it difficult to wrap your entire strands around and curl your ends without giving up (been there). This Bio Ionic curling iron might just solve this problem with its extra-long barrel (8 inches!), which will actually allow you to curl your hair from root to tip, even if it hangs well below your shoulders. Our beauty writer loves this curling iron in particular because it makes it easy to curl longer strands quickly and efficiently.

Tester hair type: Fine, thin, and straight
Barrel size: 1″
Material: Ceramic
Temperature range: Up to 430°F

“I forgot to bring hairspray to a wedding weekend, 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 all night, even through hours of dancing, and without the need for a drop of hairspray, which was incredibly impressive.”