A good straightener glides once and moves on; a bad one snags, scorches and gets rationed to special occasions. Remington quietly owns the value end of this shelf in Australia, and the three below cover fine hair, thick hair and the brush hybrid.
1. Best Overall: Remington Super Glide S5501AU
The Super Glide is the straightener Australia actually buys: ceramic plates, digital heat up to 230 degrees, a 15-second heat-up, and 850 owners averaging 4.6 stars. For everyday smoothing it does what salon-badged irons do at a quarter of the price.
At around $32 it's the default first iron. The standard plate width suits most hair; the genuinely thick-haired do better one pick down.
What We Like:
- 15-second heat-up
- Digital temperature
- Around $32
What We Don't Like:
- Standard-width plates
2. Best for Thick Hair: Remington Pro-Ceramic Extra Wide
The extra-wide plates halve the pass count on thick or long hair, and 229 owners average 4.7 stars. Five heat settings up to 230 degrees cover fine fringe to heavy curtain in one tool.
Around $59, and wide plates are the wrong tool for short styles and detail work near the roots.
What We Like:
- Halves the passes
- 230-degree ceiling
- Five heat settings
What We Don't Like:
- Clumsy on short hair
3. Best Brush Style: TYMO Straightener Brush
The TYMO heats a brush instead of plates, so straightening becomes brushing: slower to mirror-flat than an iron, faster to smooth-natural, with 807 owners at 4.3. Morning-rush reviews are its natural habitat.
Around $80, and it smooths rather than presses, which is the finish difference to expect.
What We Like:
- Brush-through ease
- Natural smooth finish
- Anti-scald bristles
What We Don't Like:
- Smooths, not iron-flat
Other options worth a look
- ghd — the salon standard at hair retailers around $270-plus; one heat, done right, with the build to last a decade of daily use.
How to pick a straightener
Heat control is hair insurance. Fine hair wants 150-180 degrees, thick hair 200-plus, and fixed-heat irons force one answer on everyone. Both Remingtons dial it, which is most of what you're buying.
Plate material sorts snag from glide. True ceramic and titanium glide and spread heat evenly; cheap coated plates wear patchy and grab. Owner reviews mentioning glide at month six are the tell.
One pass at the right heat beats three cooler ones. Repeated passes are the damage, not the temperature. Sectioning and a single correct-heat pass is the technique every hairdresser repeats.
RELATED: The Best Hair Brushes and The Best Hair Clippers
FAQs
Can I use a straightener on wet hair?
Not unless it's a wet-to-dry model, and even then damp, not dripping. Steam-sizzling wet hair is the fastest damage in home styling.
Do straighteners work for curls too?
The plated models curl with the wrap-and-glide technique, which half their reviews demonstrate. The brush style stays a one-trick smoother.
