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What to Look for in a Good Hair Tool
Before You Buy
Best Overall
Paul Mitchell Express Ion Style+ Ceramic Flat Iron
Best Budget Straightener
Conair Infiniti Pro
A Stellar Upgrade
T3 Lucea ID Straightener
Straightening my hair is typically a two-day affair. I wash all the product out the night before and load my hair with hydrating protectants. I let it air-dry, then I braid it before bed so that the next day, the curls are looser and easier to work through. Then, and only then, can I go in with a flat iron.
WIRED’s Gear team has an array of curl types, needs, and hair-styling tricks, and we’ve all tried a lot of hair straighteners in our lifetimes. Some flat irons have left us with crispy ends and cramped hands, while others, like the ones listed here, gave us sleek hair. There’s a dizzying number of options around, but hopefully our favorite hair straighteners can help narrow down your search.
Updated June 2023: We’ve added the Dyson Airstrait as our favorite wet-to-straight flat iron and the DryBar Straight Shot Blow-Drying Flat Iron as an affordable alternative.
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Photograph: Carol Yepes/Getty Images
What to Look for in a Good Hair Tool
Before You Buy
It’s all a bit confusing. A straightener can be a flat iron, and a flat iron is a straightener, but not all straighteners are flat irons. And they come in other forms too, including brushes and combs. No matter which you go with, what you call it, or what your budget is, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
- It should be easy to hold and maneuver. If a flat iron needs all your might to keep the plates closed, you’re going to be in pain by the end of your straightening session.
- It should have a range of easy-to-read temperatures. Dials with no indication of what temperature you’re using are frustrating, and you can end up burning your hair or skin.
- It shouldn’t snag hair. This is a common problem among flat irons, as hair can get caught in cheap plates and pulled out. Look for beveled designs, which help prevent this.
- It should never be used on wet hair. No matter the type, if a product’s packaging suggests this, run.
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Photograph: Ulta
Best Overall
Paul Mitchell Express Ion Style+ Ceramic Flat Iron
I vividly remember the first flat iron my curly-haired family ever owned. It was thick and left our hair looking fried, with clamp marks at the root. Basically, I looked like Witch Hazel from Looney Tunes. It wasn’t until college that I discovered the Paul Mitchell flat iron, and I’ve been using different variations of it since. It proves that the right tool makes a difference, and I’ve seen it work its magic on several different hair textures and curl patterns. It’s worth every penny.
The plates on this Ion Style+ model are 1 inch, which is a pretty good size for straightening, as well as creating a natural-looking curl. I currently use the similar 1.25-inch Ion Smooth+ model ($131), which is also a good choice if you are used to maneuvering bigger tools. Go with the smaller Style+ if you’re inexperienced or have shorter hair. Both have been updated with a digital interface since I first tried them.
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Photograph: Conair
Best Budget Straightener
Conair Infiniti Pro
I love the Paul Mitchell irons, but this cheap Conair is incredible. I doubted it could work well on my unmanageable hair, but it straightened it quickly without it looking fried or frizzy. It has extra long, thin plates that make the whole process easier but they also makes nice curls too. You can probably find this Conair (or similar models) at your local CVS, too.
★ Another Cheap Alternative: I’ve also tested and fallen in love with Remington’s Shine Therapy flat iron ($25). It’s another affordable device that outperforms hair straighteners that cost three times as much. It straightened my hair quickly, and I didn’t have to go over a section more than once.
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Photograph: T3
A Stellar Upgrade
T3 Lucea ID Straightener
The T3 Lucea ID hair straightener would be in our top spot if it wasn’t so expensive. But it might be worthwhile if you’re concerned about hair damage. Most hot hair tools claim to cause less damage than the competition, but the T3 actually delivers with a unique temperature-finding feature the company calls HeatID Technology. To set the right temperature, select your hair features via the touch controls on the iron’s handle: texture (fine, medium, coarse), length (short, medium, long), and if your hair is color-treated. It will then suggest a heat level. I also love its Refresh Mode for touching up hair later at a lower temperature based on previous settings.
It can create gorgeous curls too. Once you perfect that flick of the wrist, your hair will look like you just came from the salon. If you’d rather have two dedicated hair tools, the company also has a curling iron ($249) with the same HeatID tech.
★ More From T3: I’ve become a huge fan of T3 products over the last few years. The Aireluxe hair dryer ($200) is fantastic and weighs almost nothing, and I’ve recently started using the Switch Kit Curl Trio ($300), a curling iron with interchangeable barrels. I use the tiniest barrel for fixing frizzy curls on day two or three hair.
