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Kat Merck Gear Team
Gear
Curls and waves are beautiful. But when you want to smooth them out, these hot tools work wonders.
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Best Overall
Paul Mitchell Express Ion Style+ Ceramic Flat Iron
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Best for Unruly Hair
Sutra IR2 Infrared Flat Iron
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Best for Easy-to-Straighten Hair
T3 Singlepass Smooth X
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Best Budget Straightener
Conair Infiniti Pro
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22
Some people are born with hair that stays naturally smooth in the face of moisture. For the rest of us, we're in need of the best hair straightener to flatten our wayward hair into submission. This could be the classic flat iron, a hot comb, or even a dryer/straightener combo. Given the overwhelming number of options on the market at all manner of price points, WIRED's Gear team has put more than 30 hair straighteners to the test over weeks, months, and in some cases, years on a range of hair types, from fine waves to thick, unruly ringlet curls, to bring you our favorite devices in each major category—because as the old adage goes, a good stylist is cheaper than a good therapist. (And even more so if that stylist is you.)
Do I Want Ceramic or Titanium Plates?
Most flat irons come with plates made of either ceramic or titanium, with little explanation on or within the packaging of the differences between the two. Luckily, we're here to help.
Ceramic plates heat up gently and evenly with fewer hot spots, usually maxing out at a lower temperature than titanium. This makes them less damaging to hair that’s thin, fine, breakable, or color-treated. However, they take longer to heat up than titanium, and because they don’t get as hot, they usually necessitate more passes to get hair perfectly flat. This isn’t a problem for hair that’s relatively easy to straighten, but those with especially stubborn curls or texture may find that using ceramic plates makes the whole process take too long, thereby exposing their hair to more heat. Some ceramic plates are also coated or infused with tourmaline, a mineral that emits negative ions to supposedly cancel out the positive ions that cause frizz; copper, which is known for even heating; or aluminum for higher resistance.
Titanium plates heat up much more quickly than ceramic (though typically not as evenly), and they usually can reach a higher temperature—typically 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This means an iron with titanium plates will necessitate fewer passes to get that perfectly straight look, but the higher heat can inflict more damage. Titanium plates are best used by those with thick, coarse, or stubborn hair, and while flat-iron users should always use a heat protectant before straightening, those using titanium plates should definitely use one. See below for some staff favorites.
How We Test Hair Straighteners
For each straightener, I start with freshly washed hair, blow-dried with the same heat protectant (see below for a list of favorites). I then straighten my hair from roots to tip in sections, keeping mindful of how long an iron takes to heat up, how much it weighs (I weigh just the body itself on a kitchen scale), what features are helpful, and how many passes it takes to turn my frizzy locks shiny and smooth. I then go about my daily activities, including walks in my humid Pacific Northwest neighborhood, to see whether my hair stays straight or puffs up again immediately. I then use the straightener for daily touch-ups until it's time to wash my hair again.
For even more style, check out some of our other hair-related guides, including the Best Hair Dryers, Best Curling Irons, Best Beard Trimmers, and Why a Silk Pillowcase Can't Fix Your Curly Hair Problems.
Updated September 2024: We've added the Sutra IR2 Infrared Flat Iron, T3 Singlepass Smooth X, Chi Vibes on the Edge Hairstyling Iron, and two new styling products, removed the Bio Ionic 3-in-1 and Andis Hot Comb, retested some of the top picks, added tables and a new intro, and updated links and prices throughout.
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Kat Merck is a senior commerce editor for WIRED, where she covers kitchen appliances, fans, and everything home-related. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Following stints as associate editor at New Times San Luis Obispo and copy chief at Willamette Week... Read more
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