flat iron reviews

My pick is BaByliss Pro – Porcelain Plate Ceramic Flat Iron – 1 Inch – model: BAB9557

I have long, thick and curly hair that I am constantly trying to get under control. I have been looking for a flat iron to help be manage my hair. The BaByliss Pro stood out to me as it is reasonably priced for an excellent brand, and it promised to be able to manage all types of hair.

This is one product that lived up its promise. It heated up fast, saving me time, and I only needed to go over my hair once, saving me more time. The result that I had was shiny hair that felt silky and was completely straight. My hair also remained straight for the entire day.

BaByliss Pro - 1 Inch - model: BABP9557

Our rating: (4.3 / 5)

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With experimentation over time, I have been able to add flowing waves to my hair as the swiveling chords make it easier for me to use this flat iron for curling as well. My hair remained straight the entire day, which for speaks volumes about the quality of this product. One ore think that I appreciated was the heat buffer, as my skin remained protected the entire time I used this flat iron.

Pros

• It is perfect for all hair types
• Proven to be high quality
• No hot spots on the flat iron helps to avoid burning

Cons

• There are some fake models being sold. One must be careful when purchasing and should double check authenticity. The fake models are of lower quality

Also See: Curling Your Hair With A Flat Iron

My hair constantly has annoying flyaway strands whenever I finish straightening it, which leaves me looking unpolished. I was looking for a flat iron that would help me control fly away hairs and manage frizz.

I am so glad I purchased this product.It has a digital control that lets you know how high the heat is, and this straightener can reach up to 410 degrees. This is as hot as I get in the Salon. In addition, the ceramic plates are long enabling me to cover a larger area in a shorter time. What typically takes me 20 minutes now takes me less than 15 minutes.

Remington S5500 Digital Anti Static Ceramic Hair Straightener

Our rating: (4.5 / 5)

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There are a range of extra features that make this straightener a great deal. It has a swivelling chord which enables me to try out a range of styles, and a secure hinge which locks the plates together. This is great as when I travel, I am sure that they will not get damaged, even if they are bumped around.

Pros

• Modern anti-static technology prevents frizz and fly-away hairs
• There Auto Shut-Off feature comes on after 60 minutes
• It features a turbo boost that heats up fast

Cons

• Sometimes smells like burning when it is on

Also See: Best Curling Iron for Fine Hair

Finding a flat iron for fine hair can be a challenge, as most flat irons are geared towards thick and curly hair. My hair is fine and frizzy, and this Solia flat iron tamed it to perfection. It is meant to be used on all hair types, and it promises that the heat will be evenly distributed and you will have a smooth and shiny result.

Solia Professional 1 ¼ “Ceramic Flat Iron

Our rating: (4.2 / 5)

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The temperatures of this flat iron are adjustable between 170 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which is what drew me to it.I chose to use a lower temperature, and in addition to having straight hair that stayed put for the entire day, my hair remained moist where other flat irons have left it dry and brittle.

Styling took me just a few minutes as I only needed one swipe to get my hair completely straight. Also, the floating ceramic plates were excellent, as they simply glided over my hair.

 Pros

• Leaves hair looking soft and shiny
• Hair stays straight for the entire day
• The swivel cord adds styling flexibility

Cons

• The outside sometimes gets very hot

My hair is coarse and very thick with tight curls from my scalp to my roots. I am of African American descent and a dream of mine to consistently manage smooth straight tresses. I bought this product because of the wet-to-dry hair feature which I was sure would save me time. This product promises to straighten your hair without causing any damage, and it does.

I was able to get my hair done faster as Iavoided two processes, the first being blow drying and the second being straightening. With my hair still damp, I was able to straighten it quickly, and the iron even enabled me to reach very close to my scalp and get at my roots. For my hair, this is the part I struggle with the most, but with this dryer, I have a beautiful and smooth result.

BaByliss Pro BABNT4073T

Our rating: (4.2 / 5)

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I was able to adjust the heat on this iron, as there are a range of settings to choose from. I did not worry about the iron burning my hair or causing any damage. It works like magic every time I use it.

Pros

• A range of heat settings makes it suitable for different hair types
• The wet-to-dry feature saves time
• Ensures a smooth result from root to tip for hair that is coarse

Cons

• Hold carefully as it can get very hot

My hair is determined to remain curly, so when I straighten it and expose myself to any moisture or humidity, it stubbornly springs back onto my scalp. I have been looking for a flat iron that will keep it straight and silky no matter what the weather may be and I have finally found one with IZUTECH. This flat iron is meant for all hair types and it promises to keep hair moist, supple and straight after use.

IZUTECH Flat Iron Ktx450

Our rating: (4.5 / 5)

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The two individual heat sensors helped control the temperature, and to adjust it to my requirements. Too much heat could burn or damage my hair, and even at average heat, I had a great result. The plates on this iron are wider and longer, which gave me more coverage with each stroke. After use, my hair which often appears to be dry when straightened, looked moist and shiny and cascaded beautifully.

While I was using this iron, I noticed that there was no friction between the plates, and that the iron does not lose heat through the stroke. This meant that I was saved from going over my hair several times.

Pros

• Delivers a smooth and shiny finish every time
• Helps hair resist humidity and moisture
• High quality and scratch resistant
• Has one-year warranty

Cons

• The warranty is not valid unless the product has been purchased from an authorized seller

The name of this iron is what attracted me, since I am a busy professional who is always pressed for time. The One Pass promise was exciting and made me want to give this a try. My hair is wavy and thin, and within ten minutes, I was able to straighten all my hair and it looked lustrous and shiny. It also remained straight for the entire day.

My daughter who has thick hair that can be coarse and frizzy tried out this iron too and had excellent results. The iron is able to grip the hair well, and it also glides through the hair when straightening. I think this is because of the silicone strips which make the entire straightening process more enjoyable.

Bio Ionic OnePass Iron, 1 Inch, 25.90 oz

Our rating: (4.4 / 5)

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There is also a long cord attached to the iron, which made it easier for me to straighten all my hair without having to make strange contortions with my body. When I was in a hurry, I saved a few precious minutes as this iron heats up to 400 degrees almost instantly. My favorite attribute of all is the 5-year warranty, which is better than any other flat iron I have come across.

Pros

• You only need one pass for smooth hair
• There is no snagging or burning of the hair
• The 5-year warranty
• Perfect for different hair types

Cons

• There are no cons I have identified

I love a good deal and value for money, and so when I saw what this iron has to offer, I was immediately determined to purchase it. This iron comes with a heat resistant glove to offer better protection when in use, a pouch which is brilliant for storage and transportation as well as a travel size Agranleave in hair treatment that retains the shine and health of my hair.

HSI Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron

Our rating: (4.6 / 5)

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As an African American with completely natural and untreated hair, it can be difficult to get a flat iron that will leave me with smooth and silky locks. This one gets rid of all the frizz and leaves me looking beautiful. Even though my hair is not thick, I can still make it use fabulous as this iron is multi-functional. I can use it to straighten my hair, as well as to curl it and flit the ends.

My hair straightens out evenly as the heat is well distributed and the iron is able to maintain its temperature. I can finish doing my hair in record time, and the ion plates help it look shinier and healthier once I am done.

Pros

• Comes with many extras which add value
• Increases safety with the heat resistant glove
• Has a light indicator to help determine readiness for use

Cons

• Does not have an auto shut off button

Following years of frustration with sub-standard hair irons, I have been searching to purchase the best iron that I can find, so that I do not have any more problems in the future. I am so excited because I have found it, I have bought it, and I cannot stop using it. ‘It’ is my Karmin G3 Salon professional iron.

Karmin G3 Salon Professional 1”

Our rating: (4.3 / 5)

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There were many modern attributes that drew me to choose this iron. To begin with, it is used by professionals who all seem to have something positive to say about their experience. For me, this means that it is durable and will continue operating even with heavy use. It has the latest ceramic technology and can be used for straightening, curling and flipping.

I was blown away by the stunning packaging and professional all black look of this iron. It heated up in an instant, and I was able to adjust the temperature with ease. My wavy hair was bone straight in minutes, and I picked up some tips from the free booklet that it came with too. Now I know all the different things that I can accomplish with my straightener.

Pros

• Has a range of temperatures including a very hit 460 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Has an auto shut off feature for safety
• Comes with a case and a free booklet on hair styling

Cons

• Feels like more of an investment that a typical purchase, though it is completely worth it

When I was planning to purchase my flat iron, I made sure to speak to a few stylists to determine which would be the best flat iron I could get. They all had positive things to say about the Rusk RSK732 and so I made the purchase. My hair is thick and wavy, which means that it often takes me a while to get it straight. If I use the wrong temperature, the moment I step out of the house, the straight tresses return to their wavy state in moments. This iron promised to control and manage this problem.

I found that my hair stayed straighter for longer with this iron. In fact, I was able to go through the entire day without the waves making their normal comeback. All that it took was one pass over and I had the result I desired. As my hair is long, I appreciated the width of the ceramic plates, as they helped get it straighter much faster.

Rusk RSK732 Professional Str8

Our rating: (4.4 / 5)

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It also heats up quite fast. My hair is sensitive and can easily get damaged by too much heat, so I appreciate the digital temperature controls as they help me ensure that the heat is use is precise and just right for my hair. This flat iron has all the non-negotiable attributes that I was seeking.

Pros

• It is recommended by professionals
• Has a long swivel cord for better flexibility
• Easy to read digital temperature display

Cons

• There is no auto shut off feature
• It is a little heavier than other flat irons

Style is important to me as is functionality, so I was glad to try out this straightening iron that promised to deliver on both. It is available in a range of colors and each one of them looks stunning.

I am of mixed race, Asian, Hispanic and African American, and therefore, my hair has an interesting texture and sensitivity.

I was looking for an adaptable product that could give me a straight result without pulling or snagging my hair.

BaByliss Pro BABNT3072

Our rating: (4 / 5)

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I found that this ultra-thin straightening iron was perfect. It heats up within thirty seconds and I was able to choose from a range of temperatures. It even came with a handy little booklet that contained information on how to find the right heat adjustment for your hair. This proved invaluable to me.

I can use it to straighten and to curl, and my hair does not get dry. This should be due to the negative ions which promise to lock in moisture. I enjoy doing my hair so much now, and as this is so lightweight, I can carry it with me easily, anywhere I need it.

Pros

• The extra-long 5 inch plates are great for straightening wider sections
• Ideal for straightening and curling
• Ryton housing offers resistance to high heat

Cons

• This product was perfect for me. There are no cons

Did you know that there is a “scientific” name for split ends? Yep.. its called trichoptlosis.
It really doesn’t make a difference what you call them, splitting ends are a troublesome reality when you like to style your hair especially using heat. If your ends are split, your hair might look dull and scraggly. It doesn’t hold curl well, and you’ll see a lot of frizz and fly-aways when you flat iron your hair.

Split ends are caused when the protective cuticle is stripped from the ends of your hair fiber. It can happen with every hair type, but they happen most often when your hair is brittle or dry. The most common causes of split ends include the following:

Once the ends are split, there’s no repairing it. A split end is literally hair that is split in two or three strands. It begins to unravel the strand of hair, and it continues to unravel until it either goes all the way up the hair shaft or it is cut off.

There are several options for treating split ends, but you can’t actually repair or cure them. You just have to cut them off. When the protective cuticle is removed, it cannot be replaced. The result is hair that is not split in two, or sometimes, three strands. Depending on how bad the split end, it can be anywhere from one-eighth to one inch long. While there are several options for treating split ends, the best one is to cut the damaged fibers off.

So what do we do about these pesky split ends? Well, as with most things in life, prevention is the best cure. There are many many things you can do to prevent split ends and keep them off forever.

1. The effectiveness of a flat iron depends on your hair length

When people think of hair lengths, they think of long, short, and medium. Well, these are the only known lengths out there but the way we usually measure hair lengths is by looking at their ends. So, how short is short hair? Is hair until the shoulders short or medium? And finally, how long is long hair? The way we perceive the length of hair could vary depending on how we measure things. Since there is no fixed measurement that states a certain hair length falls under a certain category, we will have to follow the “rules” hairstylists adhere to when doing other people’s hair.

2. Your hair type and texture

If you are not familiar with the system used to identify the hair texture, the hair texture categorization system uses numbers 1-4 and letters from A, B and C. The numbers represent the hair type while the letters represent the texture.

3. Natural or treated?

Before buying a flat iron, you must not rely on advertisements or what your friend tells you to buy. If your hair is naturally straight, curly, or frizzy, it is advised to try flat irons that have plates measuring 1” and above and the device itself must have an adjustable dial. Natural hair responds differently to extreme heat exposure and you must be in control of the device at all times. Flat irons with fixed temperatures are difficult to manage and could burn your natural hair if you cannot manipulate it freely.

As for treated hair, you might want to try flat irons with fixed maximum temperatures of 400°F and above or set your adjustable dial to 400°F each time you use the device.

4. Hair volume (thickness or thinness of hair)

Your hair’s volume could affect the performance of your flat iron. The thinner the curls, the faster you will finish ironing or curling you hair. You should try plates that are thinner or less than an inch in width; however, if you have thick or slightly thick hair, you might want to use flat iron that have wide, heavy duty plates.

If you are doing research before you buy your flat iron, you are probably wondering, with all of the options out there, which is the best flat iron?

Well, this isn’t exactly easy to answer without considering criteria such as your hair type and length. For example, if you have long hair, past the shoulders, you might want an iron with 2″ plates. For short hair you definitely want 1″ or maybe even 3/4″ but we will get into that soon.

Get out a pen and paper as you go through this criteria, and by the end you will definitely have all of the information you need to select the best flat iron to meet your needs.

Flat Iron Technology

The first thing you need to know is about the materials used to make flat irons. Flat irons with plates that are made with ceramic or tourmaline help to spread out the heat. Furthermore you want an iron that uses infrared heat and negative ions.

This causes the hair to be heated from the inside out. This heats the hair faster while also causing the least amount of heat damage to the hair follical. This helps you to protect your hair and to avoid split ends.

These materials also help to avoid “hot spots” that often happen when you are using an iron with aluminum plates. I’d say avoid plain aluminum plates at all costs.

If you can’t afford a better flat iron, save up for an extra two weeks or month until you can. Its worth it for the health of your hair, and you will also get better results using a better quality iron.

Don’t be confused by technical jargon, just know that ceramic, tourmaline, negative ions, and infrared heat are the best materials to be found in a flat iron, and they have the greatest benefit to your hair. There is a difference between coated and made.. and you will find that the less expensive irons are ceramic coated, while the more expensive ones are made from ceramic materials. [/su_spoiler]

Power and Heat

You want a flat iron with enough power to straighten you hair and an adjustable heat setting so that you can easily find the right heat setting for your hair. You don’t necessarily want to crank it all the way up to the highest heat setting, but the thicker and coarser your hair is, the higher heat you want to have. **Note: this is where it is also important to remember to get a good heat protectant to help protect your hair.

In case you are unable to acquire a device with a temperature dial, you might want to choose a device with the right fixed temperature depending on your hair type.

• 200°F and less: Ideal for hair type 1 and type 2A, 2B, and 2C hair with fine texture or with slight curls and curves.
• 220°F and above: Ideal for styling hair and straightening types 3A, 3B, and 3C hair with fine and coarse textures.
• For extremely curly and treated hair: 400°F and above: Ideal for types 4A, 4B, and 4C hair with extremely coarse texture and insane frizz and kinks. You may also use this temperature for chemically-treated hair.

Plate size

The size of plate that you want depends on the length of your hair. In general, get smaller plates for short hair and wider plates for long hair. However, I’ve found that for the most professional looking results, or if you want the versatility of being able to also curl your hair with the flat iron, or to make waves, get a smaller width plate size. This depends on the length of your hair.

Weight and Ergonomics

It’s a good idea to consider weight when you are thinking about which flat iron to purchase. This is another reason why smaller plates are a good idea, they are much lighter than the 2″ plates, for example. Also, especially if you have thick hair, straightening it yourself can take a long time. You want an iron with a good handle, a handle that doesn’t get too hot to hold, and that isn’t too heavy. Don’t laugh if you see “ergonomic handle” in the description. This is actually a great feature to help save your hands and wrists while you are working, and to also help you achieve more professional looking results.

Price

As I mentioned earlier, it is best not to skimp on price when it comes to getting the best quality flat iron. Yes, you can get a flat iron for as little as $10, but before you go for the bargain deal, think about the possible damage to your hair. The best thing to do is check the materials and the other features, then get the most expensive flat iron that you can afford. Usually $75 – $100 is the expected range for the best flat irons.

Brand

A professional grade flat iron is obviously better than a drugstore brand, however you can do pretty well with a Remington or Con-Air or Hot Tools iron. The most popular professional brands are Chi, Solia, gHD and Sedu. Again, make your checklist and check the product features then get the best that you can afford. At this point, you can also start to take color and extra features into consideration. You might like the baby blue Babyliss because its cute.. or you might prefer the red in the FHI Heat. All these irons basically use the same materials, so its just a matter of preference and possibly what you read in reviews.