Most hair stylists would confirm that hair straighteners are one of the most versatile hair tools around. Whether you’re after poker-straight locks or you want to make curling hair and giving yourself an at-home blow-dry a total breeze, a pair of the best hair straighteners will help your master a range of frizz-free and long-lasting hairstyles with ease.
The best part is that the hair care market is absolutely bursting with new hair straightener models, and – as is the case with hair dryers and curling wands – they’ve only been getting smarter.
Take a look at the Dyson Corrale: it features flexing plates that swivel with your strands to ensure that all your hair is heated evenly. There’s also the the BaByliss 9000 cordless straightener, which gives you up to 30 minutes of styling time even when you don’t have a plug socket nearby. The Remington HYDRAluxe pro straightener lets out a Cool Moisture Mist for styling at a lower temperature to protect your har cuticles while preventing breakage and heat damage. Be sure to also check out the L’Oréal Professionnel Steampod Steam Straightening Tool, which causes up to 78% less damage than traditional flat irons.
The best hair straighteners at a glance – our top picks:
- Best Dyson hair straightener: Dyson Corrale Hair Straighteners, £399. 99, John Lewis
- Best hair straightener for thick hair: ghd Max Hair Straightener, £199, LookFantastic
- Best hair straightener for travel: BaByliss 9000 Cordless Hair Straightener, £180, John Lewis
- Best affordable hair straightener: Remington Ceramic 230 Straightener S3500, £27. 99, Boots
Dyson Corrale™ Cord-Free Hair Straightener
ghd Max Styler Straightener
BaByliss 9000 Cordless Hair Straighteners
Remington Ceramic Straight 230 Hair Straightener S3500
But as is often the case, with ample choice comes a difficult decision: how on Earth do you find out which hair straightener is right for you? Well, it mostly depends on your personal needs and hair type. Thankfully, we’ve tried and tested many of the best hair straighteners on the market from brands such as Dyson, ghd, BaByliss, Tresemme and more, so we have the know-how on ones that fit every budget and preference. Whether you’ve got long hair, thicker hair, afro hair or short tresses, there’s bound to be a straightening tool in this edit for you.
How to choose the best hair straighteners for your hair type
- If you’ve got fine hair: go for hair stylers with ceramic plates as they’ll be more gentle.
- If you’ve got frizzy hair: ionic technology is key for you, as it’ll protect your hair against humidity throughout the day.
- If you’ve got afro hair: ceramic-coated plates are the ones for you. Steam hair straighteners will also do a good job of styling your hair quickly but without too much damage.
- If you’ve got thick hair: wide plates like those on the ghd Max Styler will save you time.
How do I choose a hair straightener?
- The plates: consider what kind of plates your hair straighteners have. Ceramic plates take a longer time to heat up, but they distribute said heat more evenly and are gentler than metal plates, so they’re good for fine hair. Metal plates get hot very quickly and tend to be more expensive, but they can cause more heat damage. Ceramic-coated plates are made from a metal base topped with ceramic coating, which means you get the best of both worlds.
- Temperature settings: consider hair straighteners with variable temperature settings so you get the optimum experience for your hair type and desired look. Such a feature is also great if you plan on sharing your straighteners with others.
- Iconic technology: hair straighteners with ionic technology reduce frizz, snags and fly-aways because they neutralise the positive charge that’d usually cause hair strands to repel each other.
- Additional accessories: If you’re planning on taking your hair straighteners away, consider accessories like heat-proof mats, silicone plate guards and travel pouches, that’ll make styling on the go much easier.
