We Found the 14 Best Hair Straighteners For Pin-Straight, Frizz-Free Strands

Best Hair Straightener Overall

Kristin Ess 3-in-One Flat Iron

View On Amazon $81 View On CVS $110 View On Asos $90

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Glide Performance
  4.5/5
• Value
  5/5
• Straightening Ability
  5/5

An excellent flat iron can straighten hair quickly, but this one goes a couple of steps further. Its use of negative ion technology to combat frizz, along with its non-slip dual-titanium plates to keep hair in place while styling and overall lightweight feel earned it our title of best hair straightener.

We partially credit our healthier-looking hair to the lack of pressure we needed to use while moving the iron through our strands. Each pass from root to end was smooth sailing, which led to zero crimping, and the wider plates meant that we could work in larger sections to straighten and curl our hair in just one pass, reducing the amount of time we used heat. Meanwhile, the smooth curved edges glided through our hair as we curled it.

Though the gorgeous white finish and gold accents give this tool an elevated, luxurious appearance,the design was uncomplicated — no learning curve needed; we could get right to it. The entire process was so straightforward, we could see this being a great tool for someone unfamiliar with curling their hair using a hair straightener.

Plus, one button controls all four heat settings, which may sound tricky, but the clear LED screen on the handle flashed the settings as we changed them until we landed on our desired heat. 

As a bonus, the device stayed true to its description and truly shut off automatically after 30 minutes of inactivity  — leaving us worry-free if we did forget to unplug it. 

Plate Width: 1.25-inch | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 4 | Temperature: 280—440 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best Budget

ion Magnesium Flat Iron

View On Amazon $80 View On Sallybeauty.com $82

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.9/5
• Glide Performance
  4.5/5
• Value
  5/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.4/5

When we wanted to exert the least amount of effort and see the highest payoff, the ion Magnesium Flat Iron gave us the best results. At an affordable price point, its design included everything we wanted from a hassle-free hot tool: It automatically turned off after 45 minutes, beeped when it reached our desired temperature, and thoughtful placement of the heat setting buttons, which are placed on the inside of the tool to avoid accidentally bumping the wrong one while we used it. 

For the most part, we were able to run it through our hair without tangling in our strands, though we did notice minimal shedding when we used it on fine hair. However, across hair types 1C to 4B, the ceramic tourmaline plate evenly distributed heat to prevent a fried, crunchy look.

These features, along with a swivel cord, that enabled us to easily reach all the way around our head, were especially beneficial when we used the narrow plates to work in small sections and create curls. A tighter clamp may have led us to see more defined curls on fine hair, but we were glad that it was loose enough to avoid clamp marks.

The tool also felt comfortable in our hands, courtesy of a slim design and silicone-textured handle, to give us a firm grip and it prevented our hands from burning on the hot iron. 

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic tourmaline | Heat Settings: 4 | Temperature: 210—450 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best Flat Iron for Thick Hair

Hot Tools Pro Signature SteamStyler

View On Amazon $49 View On Target $77 View On Walmart $58

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.3/5
• Glide Performance
  4.8/5
• Value
  5/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.7/5

Far be it from us to complain about having thick hair, but it can be a pain to style. Luckily, this Hot Tools flat iron gave us sleek, shiny tresses faster — and all while subjecting our hair to less heat than other hot tools. The steamer function styled our hair easily without leaving it with a fried, crunchy look. We were able to control the steam by placing it on a high or low setting, or turning it off when we just wanted to use one of the six heat settings without the addition of steam.

Though the slim rectangular water reservoir means this design is a bit bulky, because it's located in the handle of the flat iron, it didn’t interfere with our styling or give our arms too much of a workout. Notably, we only had to fill the reservoir one time throughout the testing period, and we can imagine it will be a while before we need to do it again. To refill it, we unsnapped the reservoir from the hair straightener by pushing on a lever toward the end of the handle. Next, we turned it over, peeled back the rubber cap covering a large hole, and used the small included bottle to squeeze water (note that the brand recommends using distilled or spring water to prevent build-up) into it. 

Its 1.5-inch plates provided ample space for us to place large sections of our hair between the clamps and move from root to tip quickly — we only needed to run the iron through one or two times to see smooth strands for an overall fast styling session. One thing we noted is that we spent a little more time styling finer hair as it was more likely to slip through the plates.

Plate Width: 1.5-inch  | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 6 | Temperature: 300—450 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best for Curly Hair

Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold Flat Iron

View On Ulta $130 View On Sallybeauty.com $130 View On Hottools.com

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.1/5
• Glide Performance
  4.1/5
• Value
  3.8/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.3/5

Since curly hair can be more prone to frizz and, let’s face it, generally requires some extra maintenance to keep it in top shape, we sought a flat iron that would be gentle on our delicate coils while still giving us the straight look we want. This Hot Tools iron gets the job done: The smooth plates and curved edges seemed like they were designed just for our hair as the rounded surfaces made for bouncy curls, rather than sharp crimps we sometimes see in more rectangular options, and they swiftly tamed those pesky baby flyways close to our faces.

And because our coils are so delicate, we appreciated the ability to adjust the temperature settings on each individual plate to mitigate how much heat we were applying. We found the most success by setting one plate at a lower degree than the other, so that we could prime the hair with just a little heat before the hotter second plate sealed in the style. Whether you have fine, medium, or thick hair, there’s a heat setting, 30, to be exact, to guide you toward your desired look.

This technique isn’t totally intuitive — occasionally the dual plates creased our hair when we left it on a strand for too long.

Plate Width: 0.5-inch | Plate Material: Gold plated | Heat Settings: 30 | Temperature: 300—450 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best Flat Iron for Natural Hair

Tymo Ring Plus

View On Amazon $56 View On Tymobeauty.com $70 View On Target $60

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.9/5
• Glide Performance
  4.1/5
• Value
  5/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.6/5

The TYMO Ring Plus has a lot going for it: With an ergonomic design and cord that swiveled with our movements, we could get every one of our strands pin straight, even when we started on very wavy, curly hair. At first, we questioned whether this would be possible, since the highest heat setting is 410 degrees (many irons go up to 450 degrees), but the tool quickly proved us wrong as we saw sleek styles without ever needing to crank it way up.

It’s powered with nine heat options that we could easily modify by hitting the plus or minus buttons.

We loved that the interior of the clamp had comb-like teeth to mimic the effect of a hot brush. This feature allowed us to easily straighten and untangle our hair without catching strands. Although this design feature wasn’t conducive for curling hair — at most we saw a soft wave — we were so pleased with its straightening ability and affordability that we didn’t give it much more thought. 

In addition to hairpins, a glove, a travel bag, and a detangling brush, the tool comes with a straightening comb if we ever wanted to use the chase method — a technique where you simultaneously brush and flat iron each section — while straightening our natural hair. 

Plate Width: 1.25-inch | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 9 | Temperature: 250—410 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best for Curling Hair

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dual Ionic Flat Iron

View On Amazon $160 View On Ulta $160 View On Babylisspro.com

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.8/5
• Glide Performance
  4.9/5
• Value
  4.9/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.9/5

A hair straightener usually isn’t our first choice for curling hair, but the lightweight BabylissPRO made creating everything from beachy waves to tighter ringlets so easy that we considered ditching our other hot tools. We barely had to move a muscle as we worked with the swivel cord from our bangs to the back of our heads. Plus, we didn’t notice any hair catching in the plates — an impressive feat since curling required us to wrap and pull each section through the tool. 

Regardless whether we fancied straightening or curling our hair that day, we were blown away by how we didn’t have to crank the iron up to the highest heat setting to see results that lasted all day. Additionally, we believe the ion technology truly did give us softer, shinier strands. 

With our hair woes solved, our one wish is an automatic shut off, but given all of its other great features we can let this con slide.

Plate Width: 1.25-inch | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 300—450 F | Automatic Shut Off: No

Best Luxury

Dyson Corrale

View On Nordstrom $500 View On Sephora View On Ulta $500

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.1/5
• Glide Performance
  4.4/5
• Value
  3.9/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.4/5

In true Dyson form, this straightener comes with all the bells and whistles that earned it luxury status. Whether we were curling, straightening, or creating waves, the patented flexing plates seemed to mold around our strands so we could create a variety of styles in record time. The plates work exactly like they sound: They’re made of flexible materials so that when our hair is placed within the plates, they gather around it to better hold the strands in place and give us more control so we only have to make one pass over the hair. 

We also feel that using this tool had a direct impact on the lack of static around our scalp — a good thing considering it helped us avoid frizzy hairs getting occasionally caught in the plates.

The cordless design was a total game changer as it meant we could speedily work around our heads without being tethered to a cord. And the iron automatically adjusted to the thickness and length of our hair, too, so we never worried about overheating our strands. 

While we love an innovative design, we applauded the less flashy features as well, like the clear dinging sound to let us know when it reached our set temperature and a five-minute automatic shut off. 

The straighter doesn’t travel solo either: It comes with a charging dock, a heat-resistant travel case, a beautiful storage box, and a magnetic charging cable. There’s even a safety lock so you can stow it away when it's still warm.

Plate Width: 1.6-inch | Plate Material: Copper alloy | Heat Settings: 3 | Temperature: 330—410 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best for Frizz

Drybar Reserve Styling Iron

View On Amazon $134 View On Nordstrom $190 View On Ulta $190

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.8/5
• Glide Performance
  4.4/5
• Value
  4.5/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.7/5

We blame frizz and flyaways on bad weather and high humidity, but sometimes it starts with what tool we’re using — and Drybar just came to the rescue with their new innovation. The titanium plates on its styling iron slid through our hair like butter and took no stragglers in the process. The results? Hair so soft and smooth we couldn’t stop touching it. 

We took advantage of its slightly curved edges to target the flyaways around our faces — a feat we weren’t able to accomplish with the bulky, rectangular designs of traditional flat irons. It also features Drybar's signature Ionic Technology, which releases negative ions to seal the cuticle to lock in the style and prevent frizz.

When we followed the brand’s suggested temperature settings for our hair type, we were able to style our hair quickly. We ran out of time, however, when we tried to rush the process and squish large sections of hair into the thin 0.5-inch plates. However, working in small sections prevented slippage and actually allowed us to create more defined curls and rewarded us with styles that lasted all day.

Plate Width: 0.5-inch |  Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 250—450 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best for Short Hair

L'ange Le Duo

View On Amazon $89 View On Ulta $89 View On Walmart $89

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.6/5
• Glide Performance
  3.5/5
• Value
  4.4/5
• Straightening Ability
  3.7/5

Weighing under a pound and designed with smoothing plates and an overall adorable look, there’s a lot we love about this mini pink tool. We were particularly over the moon about its compact, rounded tip design, ideal for styling short hair. Unlike traditional flat irons with an elongated shape, this one held our shoulder length strands in place, courtesy of the miniature size of the plates, and we never saw any dents from too much pressure.

The ceramic plates very rarely tugged at our strands. In fact, we really only noticed it when we clamped down too hard after we got greedy and tried to straighten too much hair at once with the 1-inch plate. 

Its uncomplicated design is a great introduction for beginners: It heated up fast, fit perfectly in our hands, and only had one button to cycle through the five heat settings. Plus, it has a cooling function that kicks on once the tool reaches the set temperature to set styles in place.

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 280—430 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best for Damaged Hair

L'Oreal Professionnel Steampod Flat Iron & Styler

View On Amazon $250 View On Sephora $250

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.8/5
• Glide Performance
  4/5
• Value
  4.8/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.6/5

It’s a daunting thought to consider applying more heat to already brittle, damaged hair, but the L’Oreal steam function on the Flair Iron & Styler straightened our strands just as efficiently as traditional high heat options. Although the practice isn’t a totally new concept, styling tools use  steam to boost moisture, condition hair, and cleanse scalps.

Frankly put, our hair looked incredible after using the tool’s steaming feature. Think: Shinier, glossier, and healthier hair, and it wasn’t even a painstaking process to see these results. As steam tools were new to some of us, we appreciated that there were downward facing arrows on the tool that we used to guide us through the straightening process and ensure we were holding it correctly. We also like that we only had to press one button to toggle between the three different temperatures as we straightened our hair. 

Plus, the flat iron came with a detachable comb that we used on days we craved big, beachy waves.It helped hold our hair in place as we styled, although, the comb prongs are a little close together, meaning we had to work through our hair slowly to avoid tugging. 

Plate Width: 1.25-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 3 | Temperature: 350—410 F | Automatic Shut Off: No

Best Ceramic

Chi Lava 4D Hairstyling Iron

View On Ulta $230 View On Chi.com View On Walmart $226

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.6/5
• Glide Performance
  4.8/5
• Value
  4.4/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.8/5

Chi has long been a leader in styling hot tools (and no stranger to TikTok fame) for a good reason. Case in point: The Lava 4D Hairstyling Iron, which offers ceramic plates infused with a thick mineral lava coating that tamed our pesky flyaways and frizz with just one pass. Not to mention, it glided through our super coarse hair like it was nothing. Designed with long, curved arms, and 1-inch plates, the flat iron is a versatile option, and we were able to master all the styles we could dream of, flipping small sections into spiral waves or smoothly running the iron through our hair for a blown-out look. Plus, it heated up faster than any of the other irons we tested in about 15 seconds, 

However, we should note that we were initially concerned that this hot tool would be, ironically, too hot for us (especially on fine or damaged hair), as 370 degrees is the lowest heat setting available, which is far higher than your average straightener. Fortunately, we didn’t have to clamp down on our hair for more than a few seconds, so the heat isn’t applied for very long, and Chi also happens to make a top-notch heat protectant.

It took about an hour before the iron automatically shut off, and as added security, we liked that there was a locking mechanism to prevent the hot plates from touching other items while it cooled off. 

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 370—450 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best Flat Iron for Fine Hair

T3 Smooth ID

View On Amazon $208 View On Nordstrom $249 View On Dermstore $249

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Glide Performance
  4.8/5
• Value
  3.9/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.5/5

Styling fine, thin hair can feel frustrating. Applying too much heat weakens already delicate strands. Not to mention, it’s disheartening when our hard-earned curls fall flat in an instant. Enter: The beautifully designed T3 Smooth ID Flat Iron, our pick for the best flat iron for fine hair. It gave our fine hair body, left us with long-lasting styles, and helped us maintain healthy hair.

It does a couple of things to achieve this. First, it harnesses an ion generator and patented CeraGloss-coated ceramic plates to boost shine and reduce frizz. (And unlike with other designs, we rarely saw our fine hair slip from the tool as we twisted and twirled it between the plates.) Next, the arms’ edges were slightly longer than the hot plates themselves, meaning our fingers had a place to safely rest (versus burning our fingertips, like other options) while we straightened our hair. However, they did cause a few pain points when we tried to curl our hair — the arms were so long that sometimes our hair wasn’t sitting on the hot part of the iron.

Overall, the pièce de résistance of this smart tool was the technology — after evaluating our specific hair type and texture (including whether we colored our hair or not), it selected and heated to the perfect temperature to style our strands for a totally custom experience. From there, we never needed to re-enter our information — the iron remembered our unique settings and automatically heated up to that temperature with every use. 

However when we did find ourselves wanting to adjust the temperature ourselves, it was simple to unlock the screen and go back to the manual mode, where we could choose one of the nine temperature settings.

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 9 | Temperature: 260—410 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes

Best Hybrid Hair Straightener

Dyson Airstrait Straightener

View On Amazon $499 View On Nordstrom $500 View On Ulta $500

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.3/5
• Glide Performance
  5/5
• Value
  2.8/5
• Straightening Ability
  4.4/5

One of the newest innovations in hair styling technology comes courtesy of Dyson (naturally). The Air Strait isn’t a traditional hair straightener, per se, but it takes your hair from wet to dry by skipping the hot plates and using directed hair flow to dry and straighten simultaneously.

The Air Strait has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a luxury Dyson flat iron-style tool: a bright LED screen, pre-set temperatures for wet and dry styling, and zero wait time for the tool to heat up. One of the highlights for us was noticing the pre-set wet styling temperatures (175 degrees, 230 degrees, and 285 degrees) were significantly lower than the temps for dry styling (250 degrees, 285 degrees, and Boost —  which goes up to 320 degrees and is recommended only for touch-ups). We appreciated the preemptive defense against heat damage, and the settings were easy to adjust.

We loved how easily the Air Strait slid over our hair; without any hot plates, there was virtually no tugging or pulling, further reducing the risk of hair damage. Even when we used the clamps to press down on our hair, there was no chance of our hair getting stuck in the hair straightener. Thanks to that fluidity, we found it incredibly easy to successfully straighten hair (although thicker hair needed a few more passes).

Like many Dyson products, we were less than impressed with the bulky cord that ultimately weighed down the Air Strait. It was heavy, and our editor with Type 3B/3C hair had to take a break to give her arms a rest mid-way through using. We also imagine the thicker cord will make it hard to store this in space-constrained areas.

Plate Width: 1.6-inch | Plate Material: Copper alloy | Heat Settings: 3 | Temperature: Up to 320 F | Automatic Shut Off: Yes