The 6 best hair straighteners for every type of hair

Wavy and curly hair types are beautiful. But sometimes, you may want to tame your mane for a specific hairstyle. Frizzy, curly and unruly hair doesn’t always suit sleeker styles. So when it’s time to gussy yourself up for a special event, you’ll want to turn to a flat iron. 

Straightening irons use two hot plates to smooth out hair to give you a sleek, silky and shiny ‘do that works great for elevated hairstyles. 

But there are lots of flat irons out there, and the best option for you may vary depending on your hair type, your needs and more. Keep scrolling to select the best straightening iron for you.

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See the best hair straighteners here

Best overall hair straightener

Lucea 1.5-Inch Professional Straightening and Styling Iron

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$189.99 at Sephora

Best for thick hair

GHD Max Styler 2-Inch Wide Plate Flat Iron

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$249 at Nordstrom

Best for curly hair

Smooth ID 1-Inch Digital Ceramic Flat Iron with Smart Heat Setting Personalization

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$249 at Sephora

Best wet-to-dry straightener

Dyson Airstrait straightener

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$499.99 at Dyson

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Best overall hair straightener

Lucea 1.5-Inch Professional Straightening and Styling Iron

$189.99

$189.99 at Sephora

Pros & Cons

• High-quality ceramic heating plates

• Stylish and slim design

• Nine different settings

• Not ideal for short or fine hair

• Button placement is easy to touch accidentally

This straightener from Lucea is our pick for the best hair straightener overall. The price is right, and it packs plenty of features into a sleek and stylish package. You’ll get 1.5-inch ceramic plates with nine digital heat settings. This makes it a great all-around choice for most hair types, even if you have curly or wavy hair. It can even handle thick hair without too many issues.

This flat iron also features a simple one-button operation, which makes it easy to cycle through heat settings for any hairstyling job. The ceramic plates also heat up quickly and evenly, which saves you time in the morning.

Best for thick hair

GHD Max Styler 2-Inch Wide Plate Flat Iron

$249

$249 at Nordstrom

Pros & Cons

• Straightens most hair types in one stroke

• Ergonomic and comfortable despite larger size

• Comes with protective cover as a bonus

• Too big for bangs and some other detail work

• Only includes one heat setting

If you’re looking for one of the top hair straighteners for thick, coarse or wavy hair, this is the right product for you. It has extra wide two-inch ceramic plates that heat up to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. This is ideal for people with really thick hair — since you can straighten a wider section and get enough heat to penetrate deeply into each strand.

This flat iron also features a rounded design to help combat frizz and reduce pulling on your hair during use. The large ceramic plates also make it easier to incorporate gentle waves into your style, though their two-inch size means you can’t achieve tight curls.

Best for curly hair

Smooth ID 1-Inch Digital Ceramic Flat Iron with Smart Heat Setting Personalization

$249

$249 at Sephora

Pros & Cons

• High-quality ceramic plates heat evenly

• Includes nine heat settings

• Lightweight and easy to maneuver

• Touch-based operation is a bit finicky

• Pricier than other options

If you have really curly hair, this product from Smooth ID is the best flat iron for you. It has one-inch ceramic plates and features nine different temperature settings. That means you can turn up the heat to straighten thick and curly hair easily. The one-inch plates are versatile — and also allow you to easily add some waviness back to your hair if needed.

It’s really sleek and slim, too, with a white and rose-gold design that fits in perfectly on any bathroom counter. It uses touch-based buttons for operation, and this is the weakest point of the design. You’ll have to be a bit careful about your hand position during use to avoid accidentally turning it off or switching the temperature settings. Other than that, this is definitely the best hair straightener for anyone with curly hair.

Best wet-to-dry straightener

Dyson Airstrait straightener

$499.99

$499.99 at Dyson

Pros & Cons

• Iron-free design reduces heat damage

• Three different temperature settings

• Straightens and dries in one step

• Has a learning curve for new users

• Not a good option if you’re on a budget

This model from Dyson is one of the best straighteners for wet-to-dry hair straightening. When you straighten your locks, you usually have to start with dry hair. But with a wet-to-dry straightener, there’s no need to wait. You can dry and straighten your hair in one step, which saves you tons of time.

Unlike most other competing products, there are also no hot plates that make contact your hair directly, so you can avoid accidental heat damage and reduce the risk of burning your hair. Instead, it uses a jet of hot air to dry and smooth out your hair in just one stroke. 

With pre-set temperatures of 175 degrees Fahrenheit, 230 degrees Fahrenheit and 285 degrees Fahrenheit, you can choose the right setting for your hair type, thickness and styling needs.

Best for fine hair

T3 - SinglePass StyleMax Professional 1" Flat Iron

$149.99

$149.99 at Best Buy

Pros & Cons

• Nine different heat settings for different hair types

• Curl mode helps add gentle waves and curls

• 360-degree cord swivel improves maneuverability

• Doesn’t include a pouch or carrying case

• Thin plates mean more time is needed to style or straighten hair

The best flat irons for fine hair feature several heat settings, and this one from T3 is no exception. Generally, fine and thin hair requires less heat than thicker hair, so it’s important to keep the heat low. With nine temperature settings, this flat iron automatically selects the best heat settings based on your hair type.

It uses one-inch CeraGloss ceramic plates with CeraSync heaters and an intelligent microchip that helps keep the heat even and at the proper setting for fine hair. It saves your settings, too. So, you can just pick it up, turn it on and use it once you’ve got your preferred temperature dialed in. Combined, these features make it the best hair straightener for anyone with fine hair.

Best for travel

GHD Unplugged Styler

$299

$299 at Sephora

Pros & Cons

• Doesn't require plugging in

• Maneuverable cordless design

• Comes with a case, USB-C cord and charging plug

• Very short battery life

• Not a good choice for thick hair

Most of the good straighteners for travel are corded, but this product from GHD Unplugged is an exception. Rather than needing to plug it into a socket, this flat iron features a completely cordless design. That makes this much more travel-friendly compared to corded models.

There are drawbacks, of course. Since it’s battery-powered, it doesn’t have the same power as a corded model. The battery life also is pretty short, so it’s possible to run out of juice before you finish the job, in some cases. 

You do have the option to plug it right into the wall and use it with AC power, though, which helps make up for this.

Got questions about hair straighteners? Here’s what to know

Hair straighteners are great for some styles, but proper usage is essential for protecting your hair while achieving your desired look. Get answers to these common FAQs about hair straighteners below and boost your hairstyling IQ!

Should I use a high heat setting?

Most flat irons have a variety of different settings. In general, people with fine hair or chemically-colored hair should use a setting around 300° F. If you have medium-textured hair, you can go up to 380° F. Most people with thick, curly and coarse hair can use a setting between 350° F and 450° F.

Can I use a flat iron to curl my hair, too?

Yes. Most hot tools from top straightener brands will work to both straighten and curl hair. By wrapping your hair around the iron instead of pulling it straight through, you can add gentle waves and even curls to your style. It takes some practice, but learning how to curl your hair with a flat iron is a great skill to add to your hairstyling arsenal.

However, if you want very curly hair or you want to save time, you’re better off buying a purpose-built curling wand. Straighteners work in a pinch, but a separate curling wand will offer superior performance if you need to add some serious curliness to your ‘do.

What is a heat protectant & should I use one?

When you flat iron hair, you put a lot of stress on your locks. To help, you can use heat sprays, creams and treatments that you can apply to your hair before you straighten it. 

These products provide nutrition, moisture and protection to your hair. This helps your hair stay healthy, even if you straighten and style it frequently. 

We highly recommend using a heat protectant every time you straighten, curl or otherwise style your hair using hot tools.

Are straightening brushes the same as hair straighteners?

No. Straightening brushes use a traditional brush head that’s combined with a heating element. You just brush your hair normally, and the heating element helps smooth and straighten your locks. They can help smooth out your hair somewhat, but they will not fully straighten curly, kinky or coarse hair.

Hair straighteners use a flat iron design with two hot plates. This is a more effective design for thick, coarse hair — since the hot plates make direct contact with each strand of hair. 

If you can only choose one product, we’d recommend a straightener over a brush, since they’re more effective and versatile.

Our verdict: the best hair straighteners to shop now

So, what’s the best hair straightener of 2023? We like all of the products that we recommended above, but we’d pick the following flat irons if we had to narrow it down to just three:

• Lucea 1.5-Inch Professional Straightening and Styling Iron: This is our pick for the best hair straightener overall. With 1.5-inch ceramic plates, nine heat settings and T3 Rapid HeatIQ, it delivers reliable results for all hair types and thicknesses without overheating your hair.

• Dyson Airstrait straightener: This is the best straightener if you’ve got a bigger budget, or if you’d prefer to avoid direct contact with traditional hot plates. It’s definitely an upgraded option, but it’s gentler on hair. And since it goes from wet to dry, it makes your getting-ready routine a lot faster overall.

• GHD Unplugged Styler: This is a good hair straightener for travelers. While no cordless hair straightener will ever be quite as powerful as a corded model, the convenience of this model from GHD is hard to argue with. This is especially true if you have to style your hair where there isn’t easy access to electrical outlets.

Prices updated on 08/28/2023. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.