13 Best Hair Straighteners and Flatirons, According to Our Testers
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The term flatiron may bring back memories of a wide-plated clamp that would fry your hair into straight (but definitely not sleek) strands. Thankfully, today’s best hair straighteners are a far cry from the relics of the early ’00s. The newest ones work better than ever. Some operate on air alone so you can style wet-to-dry without damage and breakage, while others (including my personal favorite!) are highly versatile since they can double as a curling iron.
As Glamour’s beauty writer I'm constantly testing and searching for the next best thing, and the Silk’n SilkyStraight 2-in-1 Hair Straightener has been my go-to for shiny, frizz-free results. It can straighten and curl equally well, and its titanium plates glide effortlessly through my wavy, medium-length hair. Although we think it’s suitable for all different types of hair, we found there are other solid options out there, particularly if you’re looking for something that’s a little less expensive. We found an awesome drugstore buy, a cordless option, and one that operates at a lower temperature and won’t singe fine hair. Ahead, the very best flatirons we tested, approved by hair stylists.
The best hair straighteners, at a glance
- Best for Overall: Silk’n SilkyStraight 2-in-1 Hair Straightener, $164
- Best Value: CHI Original 1-Inch Ceramic Hairstyling Iron, $70
- Best for Less Heat Damage: T3 SinglePass StyleMax Flatiron, $150
- Best for Fine Hair: Dyson Airstrait, $499
- Best for Short Hair: Hot Tools Pro Signature Dual Plate Flatiron, $51
- Best for Curly Hair: Drybar The Tress Press Digital Styling Iron, $169
- Best for Thick Hair: GHD Chronos Styler 1-Inch Flatiron, $329
- Best for Textured Hair: Shark Beauty FlexFusion Air, $300
- Best for 4C Curls: T3 Lucea 1½-Inch Professional Straightening and Styling Iron, $150
- Best for Curling Hair: Amika The Confidante, $150
- Best Cordless Hair Straightener: Dyson Corrale, $499
1. Best Overall: Silk’n SilkyStraight 2-in-1 Hair Straightener and Curling Iron
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- What we love: Heats up quickly; smooth glide; 12 temperature settings; doubles as a curling iron
- What could improve: Outside of iron seems to get a bit hotter than others
Silk'n SilkStraight says the infrared red-light therapy allows you to style at a lower heat to reduce overall damage and helps retain moisture, thus effectively smoothing and minimizing any frizz. We like that it’s a straightener and curling iron in one and that it’s so quick to style hair.
I’ve been a fan of this straightener from the moment I turned it on. The iron quickly heats up—it took no more than 30 seconds—and glides easily through my strands. It didn’t get caught or snag at all. It maintained a consistent temperature that didn’t feel too hot to singe my hair, and gave me a velvety soft finish. My hair looks super sleek after using this, and I can tell I’ll definitely be reaching for it again and again.
2. Best Value: CHI Original 1-Inch Ceramic Hairstyling Iron
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- What we love: Fast-heating; long cord; customizable temperature
- What could improve: Doesn’t get as hot as some others
The CHI Original 1-Inch Ceramic Hairstyling Iron is an enduring classic and perennial bestseller because of its functionality. The powerful hot tool heats up in just one minute and has adjustable heat up to 392°F—hot enough for those with wavy or curly hair. It also has an 11-foot charging cord (longer than many of its competitors).
“While it did take approximately two solid passes per section to straighten my hair, the end result was nice and sleek while still maintaining some volume,” says Glamour contributor Brigitt Earley. Even testers with coarser hair said the hair tool worked well for them. “My hair is so frizzy that even after a blowout, it tends to be unruly by day two,” says Macaela MacKenzie, a Glamour contributor who also put this straightener to the test. “I used the CHI on second-day hair and was impressed—my hair was smoother without falling flat, and my ends felt silky and full.”
3. Best for Less Heat Damage: T3 SinglePass StyleMax Flatiron
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- What we love: Smart temperature selection; heats up quickly; can straighten and curl
- What could improve: Shorter power cord; doesn’t glide as smoothly over hair as we hoped
When you straighten your hair, you want the process to be as straightforward as possible and the result as sleek as possible. Of course, you also want to minimize any damage to your strands. T3’s Single Pass StyleMax delivers on all fronts, thanks to a unique technology that customizes the styling process for you—no fiddling with different temperatures. You simply select your hair texture and styling goals via buttons on the flatiron, then get to work—the iron will heat to one of nine temperatures selected for you.
“While there is a bit of a learning curve to figure out the smart heat settings, once I figured it out, things came to temperature exceptionally quickly. I appreciated that the rounded edges allow you to both straighten and curl, but I was disappointed with the feel of the plates. The iron didn’t swipe effortlessly but rather stuttered over my hair. It did, however, do a pretty solid job in a single pass,” says Earley.
4. Best for 4C Curls: T3 Lucea 1-Inch Professional Straightening and Styling Iron
- What we love: Nine adjustable settings that make it gentle on hair; ease of use
- What could improve: A bit pricey
If you have type 4 curls, Glamour contributor Tanisha Cherry swears by the T3 Lucea 1” Flat Iron. “I’ve been using this pick for my silk presses for five years now, and she delivers every single time. With natural type 4 hair, I’m super picky about my heat tools. I want that bone-straight finish without compromising my curls. Depending on how well my blow-dry turns out, I don’t always need high heat, and that’s where this flatiron shines. It heats up fast and has nine adjustable heat settings, which gives me total control. What really seals the deal is that I can do just one pass on blow-dried hair and still get a straight and smooth finish. And it gets super close to my roots without burning me, which is major. I only use it on freshly washed and blow-dried hair when I’m going for a silk press, so about two to three times a month, and it never disappoints,” she says.
5. Best for Thick Hair: GHD Chronos Styler 1-Inch Flatiron
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- What we love: Ultrasmooth glide; delivers a sleek and shiny look in just one or two passes; shuts off after just 10 minutes
- What could improve: Cannot control temperature manually; not as well-suited for curling
We’ve long been fans of GHD’s flatirons—one of the brand’s longer-standing models, the GHD Platinum, won a Glamour Beauty Award in 2020. And we’re pleased to say this one is even better. Yes, the price tag is steep (very steep), but there’s really no guesswork here. There’s no temperature to choose from; instead, it’s a smart iron that uses predictive technology to recognize the thickness of your hair and the speed at which you’re styling. It then adjusts its power accordingly, operating at an optimum temperature of 365°F.
“In tests we found that GHD’s Chronos Styler heated very quickly, plus it emits a satisfying ping to alert you that it’s ready to use. We also appreciate the 10-minute auto shutoff, which is much faster than all of the other products we evaluated—a nice safety feature. On the downside, I didn’t have as much success curling my hair with this flatiron, despite the rounded edges—and I’d consider myself pretty advanced in this department. I did, however, successfully execute a sleek, straight style with plenty of shine and the type of rounded ends you might get from a blowout,” says Earley.
6. Best for Fine Hair: Dyson Airstrait
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- What we love: Less direct and intense heat means less heat damage over time; 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
The Glamour commerce team put the buzzy Dyson Airstrait to the test and found it to be most suitable for those with fine, straight hair that’s not exceptionally prone to frizz. Think of it as a flatiron and a blow-dryer in one. Instead of pressing your hair between hot plates, it dries strands with hot air (using the same technology as our favorite Dyson Airwrap)—which is way less damaging than your standard straightening iron.
“Though it’s gentle on hair, the process is a bit lengthy, since you have to first use the tool to rough-dry your roots. This is an important step, because the shape and size of the Airstrait is a bit bulky and the air shoots down toward your ends, so you can’t clamp hair all the way at the top to smooth it during the straightening process. Once I was ready to work on individual sections of hair with passes closer to that of a traditional flatiron, I found there was a bit of a learning curve to keeping hair inside of the tool. But I figured out that it helped to hold my hair, guiding it through. Even though this whole process was a bit time-consuming—especially for someone who has wavy, medium-textured hair like mine—the effort paid off. My finished style was incredibly soft and shiny, plus had impressive staying power,” says Earley.
9. Best for Short Hair: Hot Tools Pro Signature Dual Plate Flatiron
- What we love: Affordable; suitable for all hair types; heats quickly
- What could improve: Requires a bit of a learning curve
A smaller plate size (between ½ inch and 1 inch) is best for shorter hair, and this Hot Tools flatiron can help you get an ultrasmooth finish. “The dual plate was very cool (which allows you to iron bigger sections of hair), though the ability to heat up each plate individually was a nice feature. I’d definitely use it again at a higher heat,” says Condé Nastcontent licensing associate Paton Hardy who has fine, curly hair cut at a short length.
7. Best for Curly Hair: Drybar The Tress Press Digital Styling Iron
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- What we love: Heats quickly; frizz-reducing ionic and infrared tech; digital temperature control
- What could improve: Outside of tool can get hot
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 flatiron makes it easy, since it has rounded edges that mimic a curling wand,” she says. “It’s also super lightweight, which makes it easier to wield.”
Glamour commerce director Brie Schwartz has owned this straightener for more than five years and is a fan of how straight it gets her 3C curls. “I’ve been using a flatiron for over 25 years, and I’ve tried at least 10. I used to be loyal to the popular GHD, but I find the Dry Bar option is even better for my fine, midlength curly hair since it has a narrow barrel and is super lightweight so my wrists don’t hurt after a styling sesh. (The GHD is a bit longer.) Despite being the daughter of a hairdresser and having been exposed to all the best hair tools out of the womb, I didn’t get her skills, and this has by far been the easiest to work with and gets as hot as the professional one she used. My wand has stayed in great shape, and despite my dropping it countless times, it hasn’t broken. The one thing to note is that, after about a year, the outside started getting hotter to the touch, so I’ve had to to be careful about how I grip it.” Schwartz also likes the digital temperature control that lets you know what temperature you’re operating at, up to 450°F.
- What we love: Can be used on wet hair; straightens quickly; heats up fast
- What could improve: Attachment makes the tool heavy
“Although I have textured 3C curly hair that reaches past my bra straps when straightened, my strands are fine, so straightening doesn’t usually take a long time. I like that the Shark Beauty FlexFusion Air and Ceramic System with Air Straightener is made to style wet hair and restyle dry hair without heat damage or rewashing. However, when I straightened my hair, I made sure it was 90% dry, because I knew I would get the best result for my hair type that way versus it being totally wet. The straightener attachment was simple to put on and take off. I worked in small sections, and it only took one pass to straighten my strands (although I did a second pass out of habit). The ceramic plates didn’t take long to heat up, and I liked my results. I routinely sleep on a silk pillowcase with my hair in a silk hair tie, and the style has held up for a few days now without me having to touch it up. The one thing I didn’t love was that the attachment made the styling tool feel a lot heavier than most straighteners would. It initially felt bulky and clumsy in my hands, but I eventually got the hang of it,” says Glamour contributor Jamie Wilson.
10. Best Cordless Hair Straightener: Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener
- What we love: Cordless; easy to maneuver
- What could improve: Very expensive
We’ve sung the praises of this Dyson hair straightener before, so it’s no surprise that it found itself on our list. This cordless straightener is easy to maneuver, and it also has flexible plates that make it suitable for all hair types, including short hair.
“The Dyson Corrale boasts quite the first impression,” says Glamour tester Gabriella Cuzzone. “The box, the tissue paper, the velvet storage case, the weight of the straightener (so heavy!), and the straightener itself—all very luxe. One unexpected hiccup was the initial charge. I’ve never used a cordless straightener before and did not consider that it would have an initial charging period. I prepped to do my hair before an event and then had to wait for the Corrale to charge up—eek! My own fault, though. You can choose to charge it by plugging the cord directly into the straightener or use the beautiful rose gold stand. It took a little bit of playing around to set it up, and then my toddler ran into the room and knocked the stand over (luckily the straightener wasn’t on it). I don’t love that you have to charge it, but the payoff of being cord-free is amazing and totally worth it. It heats up wildly fast, and on the lowest heat setting, I had to run the straightener through my hair several times over, so the higher heat worked better for me personally. All in all, though, being cordless is such a game changer. You can walk around the house, you can stand back from the mirror, you can bring it to work. I’m not sure if I really need to do the first and last things, but I genuinely loved being able to stand far back from the mirror and not consider where the outlet or cord was,” she says.
11. Best for Travel: Mane The Three Way Multi-Use Flatiron
- What we love: Precise temperature settings; gentle on hair
- What could improve: A bit pricey
Flyaways are the bane of my existence, so I was really excited to give this flatiron a go. While it did clear up my flyaways and frizz, I wish the actual plate was a bit bigger for my long hair. If you have shorter strands, it might be easier to use this one, but I found that I had to take multiple passes to get my hair to be as straight as I wanted it. I’ll definitely reach for this again for touch-ups and traveling because it’s so compact. It’s a lot smaller than the other ones I have, so I can easily see myself packing it into my suitcase.
12. Best for Curling Hair: Amika The Confidante Flatiron
- What we love: Easy to use; high-temperature settings; curved edges allow for curling
- What could improve: Doesn’t stand up well on its own
This hair straightener has floating plates that adjust to tension, so hair—even the curliest types—glides exceptionally well through the styling tool.
“My long, wavy, medium-textured hair slips right through the plates like silk whether I’m styling it pin-straight, rounding out the edges, or using the tool to create long, loose waves reminiscent of those you might get from a large-barrel curling iron. Most times my hair goes pin-straight in a single pass. I’ve never experienced anything else like it—and I’ve tried at least a dozen hair straighteners over the years. I also like the easy-to-read digital display, which allows you to see the temperature you’re working with, up to an impressive 450°F. The fact that it’s dual-voltage is also a nice bonus, since I can tuck it in my suitcase and travel globally without any issue. This is a highly durable pick too. I’ve been using the same Confidante for at least four years, and it’s still going very, very strong,” says Earley.
13. Best Straightener Brush: Tymo Ring Plus Ionic Hair Straightener Brush
- What we love: Affordable; combines both straightening and brushing; cools down quickly
- What could improve: May cause hair breakage
Interested in getting a smooth blowout without the hassle of brushing out your hair throughout the process? The Tymo Ring Plus Ionic Hair Straightener has a comb-styled plate that does all of that for you.
“I’m always concerned about heat damage when I decide to straighten my hair, and I’m not quick to use tools popularized on social media. But I can’t lie. I was curious about the viral Tymo Ring Plus Ionic Hair Straightening Brush. After washing my hair, I applied heat protectant and blow-dried my strands before using the straightener. While this tool is high-tech it’s incredibly easy to use. One button is for on and off, while the remaining two buttons control the heat settings. I never go over 410 degrees, and it took 30 seconds to heat up. I worked in small sections and brushed the tool through my hair as if I were using a regular styling brush. Yes, it was that easy. Even as the comb touched my scalp at times, it didn’t burn since the hotter plates are on the interior. Within 15 minutes I was finished straightening my entire head, a record for me,” says Wilson.
All your hair straightener questions, answered
What type of hair straightener is best?
There are two main types of hair straighteners: those made with ceramic plates and those made with titanium plates. Less commonly, some flatirons feature a combination of the two materials. There are also outliers, like the Airstrait, which use air rather than hot plates.
For fine or relatively easy-to-straighten hair: Set your sights on a flatiron with ceramic plates, since this material takes longer to heat up and has more even heat distribution, says Raven Hurtado, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. Sometimes you’ll find ceramic tourmaline options; these offer added hair care benefits, since tourmaline is a mineral that helps smooth and boost shine while locking in moisture, helping to minimize both frizz and static.
For coarse or curly hair: A titanium flatiron may be preferable for these hair types, since this type of material heats up faster and can maintain a higher temperature that requires fewer passes on the hair, says Lacy Redway, Unilever stylist and celebrity hair artist.
What temperature setting should you use in a flatiron?
Fine to medium hair: Experts recommend lower temperature ranges of 250°F to 300°F.
Curly to coarse hair: Experts recommend staying within the 350°F to 450°F range. But you’ll want to use a protective spray or serum beforehand and smoothing oils afterward to balance out the extreme heat.
Colored or damaged hair: Experts recommend using heat sparingly, as bleaching and highlighting dries out and damages hair—and if you do use heat, stick to the lower ranges of 250°F to 300°F.
How to prevent hair damage when using a flatiron
The hotter your setting, the more likely it will damage your hair—no matter what type of straightener you’re using. After all, you’re applying direct, intense heat to your hair. Always apply a heat protectant before you begin and choose a safe temperature (as outlined above) for your type of hair, says Redway.
How we test hair straighteners
At Glamour we’re constantly researching, testing, and writing about the best hair tools on the market, including curling irons, hair dryers, blow-dry brushes, and more.
While spec sheets and reviews are a crucial component of our research, we believe it’s important to put hair tools like flatirons to the test for real-world feedback. That’s why we sent more than a dozen of the top-rated and most well-reviewed options to team members to assess both performance and long-term durability.
We tapped Glamour staffers and reviewers with various hair types to help test, including Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour’s commerce writer, and Brie Schwartz, director of commerce for Glamour and Teen Vogue. Together, they bring more than 22 years of industry experience to the table. Brigitt Earley is a writer with more than 15 years of industry experience evaluating and testing consumer products, including beauty products of all kinds (hair, cosmetics, skin care, gadgets, and more), for leading publications like Glamour, Oprah Daily, Good Housekeeping, and more. Early has long hair that’s wavy with a medium texture and has been using hair straighteners for more than 20 years.
During evaluations, we looked for a variety of qualities like material, temperature range, ease of use, overall performance, and convenience features like an auto shutoff. We also considered how durable the tools were over time. Most importantly, our top hair straighteners had to deliver sleek and shiny results that lasted throughout the day—and, ideally, beyond.
Six months later we asked our testers to reevaluate each straightener. How well did each product hold up throughout continued use? Did our testers still stand behind their picks—why or why not? We also researched the market for new and notable flatirons, and put four of the most promising to the test, ultimately selecting three standouts to replace two previously recommended models that we felt were either outdated or didn’t live up to the hype in the long run.
Other hair straighteners we’ve tested
- BaBylissPro Nano Titanium Mini Flatiron Hair Straightener: We like that this mini titanium flatiron, which is teensy enough to fit in a purse—maybe even a clutch. It’s just ½ inch in width and 6 inches in length, which is roughly the size of a toothbrush. It gets hot quickly and is super handy for smoothing stray hairs, styling bangs, and refreshing your look at the end of a long day. But we found it’s not suitable for allover styling, especially for long or coarse hair. It works better on fine hair, and it has no auto-shutoff.
- Conair Double Ceramic Flatiron: It heats up to 410°F, so it’s suitable for all hair types, from fine to coarse and curly. But the heat settings weren’t quite as numerous as some other more sophisticated models. We were impressed with the $25 value, but it did stutter just a bit towards our tester’s ends. And it would have been nice to have a longer cord and, more importantly, an auto-shutoff feature.
Meet the Experts
- Raven Hurtado, hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago
- Lacy Redway, Unilever stylist and celebrity hair artist
