Hair Straighteners can be the best way to straighten or curl your hair. However, with so many options on the market, it can be hard to find the product that is right for you.
In this article we break down everything from safety to styling ability to help you find the hair straightener that best meets your specific needs.
1. GHD Original IV Styler Hair Straightener (Top Pick)
The first GHD straighteners revolutionised hair styling. The GHD Original IV styler is designed to continue the brand name in the market for being one of the best hair straighteners around.
With optimum 185 degree heat, floating ceramic plates and a round barrel, users with all hair types will love the ability to get poker straight locks in seconds. The GHD Original Styler features a 2.7 metre cable and 30 minute sleep mode that provide additional professionalism and salon kudos to this popular product.
What We Like:
- The IV Styler is designed to quickly and safely straighten a wide range of hair types
- 185 degree heat straightens without damaging hair
- 2.7 metre cable for easy maneuverability
- 30 minute sleep mode for safety
- GHD has a reputation for high-quality hair styling products
What We Don’t Like:
- Design may not be as robust as earlier models
- No choice of temperature adjustment
2. Cloud Nine The Original Hair Straightener
Cloud Nine is one of the most awarded and sought after hairstyling brands on the market. The Cloud Nine brand was created by professional hairdresser Robert Powls, who previously founded GHD. Powls created Cloud Nine with the vision of a hairstyling brand that would become the epitome of luxury and innovation.
The Original Hair Straightener is one of their most popular products. Hot in just 20 seconds, and with 7 different heat settings to choose from, it offers plenty of styling flexibility for customers. Users prone to snags during straightening will love the smooth ceramic plates that effortlessly glide an even amount of heat through the hair without pulling.
Held in a luxury carry case, the Cloud Nine Original Hair Straightener is premium in design, and has been made to compete with the leading brands in styling.
What We Like:
- 7 different heat settings
- Hot in just 20 seconds
- Smooth plates avoid snagging hair
- Comes in a luxury carry case
- Cloud Nine is known for high-quality, premium hair tools
What We Don’t Like:
- Longevity may not be as good as similar brands
- The lightweight design may be an issue for some users
3. Conair Infiniti Pro Hair Straightener
With gorgeous rose gold plates for added glamour, these straighteners heat up in just 15 seconds, providing quick and convenient styling. Customers will love the extra-long floating plates which make it extremely easy to curl and straighten hair without snagging.
The professional length cord isn’t as long as comparable straighteners which might restrict usability to some degree. However, the premium design and 455 degree heat means the capability of this straightening iron isn’t negatively affected by this at all. In fact, the latest lightweight design makes the Conair Infiniti Pro much easier to use compared to older models.
What We Like:
- Hot in just 15 seconds
- Extra-long and wide floating plates allow for easy styling
- Suitable for both straightening, waves and curls
- Attractive rose gold design
What We Don’t Like:
- Cord is not as long as other brands
- The heat in the plates might fluctuate
4. VS Sassoon Intelligent Sensor Hair Straightener
The VS Sassoon straighteners bring customers extra control and guidance with revolutionary technology: intelligent heat sensors. The attractive product has a ‘protect mode’ button which changes the heat to suit your hair condition on any given day, for highly intuitive styling. Lightweight and easy to use, the product allows for both straightening and curling of the hair, for maximum style freedom and flexibility.
Customers will also love the bag the hair styler comes in, which doubles as a heat protective mat so your hair and your flooring is always protected from heat damage.
What We Like:
- Heat-protect digital sensor
- Heat-proof carry bag
- Sol-gel ceramic plates for super-smooth straightening
- 12 digital heat settings for complete style control
What We Don’t Like:
- Quality of the product build may not compete with premium brands
5. Silver Bullet Slimline Straightener
With 25mm titanium floating plates, the Silver Bullet Slimline is designed to straighten or curl hair easily without snagging. Customers will love being able to adjust the temperature to 230 degrees for maximum heat-powered styling, or use at lower heat to protect hair on ‘dry days’.
For additional hair-care and protection, the high-grade floating plates are enriched with keratin which could help to maintain the natural shine of the hair, especially in conjunction with common beauty conditioning treatments like argan oil.
What We Like:
- Smooth floating plates for snag-free styling
- Flexible heat settings
- Keratin enriched plates for shiny hair
What We Don’t Like:
- External parts of the straighteners can get hot
- Overall quality may not compete with premium brands
6. Remington Nourish Straightener Keratin & Argan Oil
If you like the idea of nourishing your hair while your straighten, it may be worth checking out these popular hair straighteners from Remington.
The ceramic plates are infused with Keratin, which restores and repairs hair health, along with Argan oil, which is a nutrient-rich hair treatment product often used in conditioning products. This hair styler is designed for those wanting straight hair, less frizz, and more shine.
The Nourish Straightener features a range of heat settings so no matter what your hair type, you can get the results you’re after. It takes only 15 seconds to reach the pre-set temperature which can be set to anywhere between 150°C and 230°C. The temperature is displayed on an easy-to-read digital screen.
This product also comes with a salon swivel cord and a 2 year warranty.
What We Like:
- Advanced Ceramic plates Infused with Keratin and Argan Oil
- Quick heating time
- 2 year warranty
What We Don’t Like:
- Highest heat settings may damage hair
Hair Straightener Buyer’s Guide
Buying hair straighteners can be a challenge when there are so many similar products on the market seemingly offering the same outcome: shiny, smooth hair. Of course, you will want to use the best possible styling product to ensure you look great without it taking too long, or damaging your hair in the process.
So, how do you find a product which offers the best features, value and user experience?
Take a look at these handy tips to help you get the best straighteners for your needs:
Plate Quality
Regardless of how beautiful the product is, it is the plates that are directly coming into contact with your hair, so they need to be exceptional in quality. Plates that are floating, long, rounded, enriched and made from high quality materials are all good news when it comes to straightening your hair without painful snagging and damage.
Here is a summary of the different types of plates:
- Ceramic – ceramic plated straighteners are considered the best as they are most efficient for creating smooth hair and reducing frizz. They are also generally not too expensive and offer very even heat distribution. Take note of whether the plates are fully ceramic or only ceramic-coated.
- Titanium – good for thick, very curly hair, titanium hair straighteners are good for high temperatures and short heat-up time. Titanium plates should also work well on normal or damaged hair.
- Ionic – ionic refers to the fact that the heat plates on these irons (also called Tourmaline plates) generate negative ions. This is seen as a positive because hair is usually positively charged (thanks to its water content). As the two interact, the positively charged hair is neutralised, meaning the hair is chemically balanced, rehydrated, smooth, and shiny.
- Aluminum – found on older hair styling products, aluminum is fairly ineffective for hair straightening and can easily damage hair as it does not maintain a true temperature well.
Cord Length
Most of us only realised we wanted professional length cords when we first got straighteners with plenty of cord length. The maneuverability is really useful for plug sockets a distance from your mirror, and for professional use. Anything under 3 metres is likely to be restrictive.
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Safety
According to statistics, 7% of fires in Australia start in the bedroom, the place you’re most likely to use heated appliances. Choosing the safest products means protecting yourself as much as possible from heated appliance related hazards.
Automatic sleep modes are a fantastic feature that mean you can relax knowing that even if you left them on by accident, they won’t be on for hours. In addition, stands or heat protection accessories for placement when not in use are a great safety feature.
Effectiveness
You’re buying straighteners to straighten or curl your hair, so you’re looking for a product that can work well for your hair type. If you have very thick, frizzy, curly or fine hair, you’ll want to pay particular attention to how effective the product is. You don’t want to fork out a premium price for a product that isn’t designed to style your hair effectively.
Convenience
Bells and whistles are fine, but realistically when you are in a rush and want to get your hair looking great, convenience is key. You want a product that heats up quickly, that is lightweight and comfortable to use. The ideal product is one that fits seamlessly into you hair and beauty regime.
Try to avoid getting drawn into features you might never even use or care about, and instead, focus on getting something that you can use quickly and easily for convenient daily styling.
If you use hair straighteners regularly to get your look on point, it makes sense to invest in an iron that works well for your needs but doesn’t encroach too much on your time. Look carefully at the key features of the product and take care to choose something that offers the highest quality features that matter the most. Fancy features and aesthetics might be exciting at first, but realistically, if the product isn’t high-quality with its core features, you may end up regretting your purchase.
Types of Straighteners
Navigating the world of hair styling products can be a bit of a headache. Hair irons fall broadly into the following categories:
- Hair Curling Tongs – also known as curling irons, these products are used to create wavey or curly hair.
- Hair Straighteners – also known as flat irons, used to straighten hair by clamping the hair between two heated plates.
- Straightening Brush – incorporate heat into a brush to straighten while brushing.
- Hair Crimpers – used to create small crimps in the hair.
Brand
There is an increasingly large number of brands in the hairstyling world, all competing for your attention and custom. Below are some of the most popular and respected brands. These brands are popular not only with users as part of their hair and beauty regime, but also in professional salons around the world.
- GHD
- BaBylissPRO
- Cloud Nine
- Karmin
- HSI
- Chi
- Bio Ionic
- T3
- Conair
- Remington
- Revlon
How to Use a Hair Straightener
If you’re new to hair straightening, the process can be a bit daunting at first. Follow the basic steps below to get underway.
What you’ll need:
- Hair Straighteners
- Comb
- Hair Brush
- Heat protectant serum
Prepare your hair by washing, drying and brushing. If possible, apply heat protectant serum, which will reduce the chance of your hair being damaged by the heat from the straightening iron.
Turn on your straightening iron and place it somewhere safe to heat up.
Clip most of your hair up above your head, leaving a manageable portion of you hair out. Work the straightener from the roots down to the tips, using the comb to assist and keep hair evenly spread. Repeat this process section by section. Once all sections are complete, apply the iron to the bottom sections of your hair to blend in the different sections.
Lock in the style using a spray or hair shine gloss.