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Works as advertised, but it's expensive.
- Curls, straightens hair well
- Three heat settings
- Loud
- Low introductory price isn't so low
- Requires good eye-hand coordination
The pitch: "Straightens, curls and styles faster than you ever dreamed possible"
As one reviewer puts it, the InStyler is basically an "extreme curling iron." Simply clip a lock of hair between a bristle-lined clasp and a rotating, heated barrel to either curl or straighten your hair.
Based on the reviews we've read, the InStyler works almost as well in real life as it does in the infomercial. Users say this device does a good job of curling or straightening hair, though there's a bit of a learning curve involved. A couple of TV news reporters get largely positive results in their tests -- with a couple of dissenting opinions from some subjects -- and there's a convincing demonstration of its straightening prowess in several YouTube video clips. As for its curling abilities, a blogger on Shoot-Me-Now.com raves that it works very well. Other than a handful of women who say the InStyler isn't any faster than other hairstyling devices, the only complaints we could find about the unit itself is that it's very noisy (as you can hear on those YouTube segments) and can be difficult to learn to use.
However, there's a bigger problem, and one unrelated to the InStyler's instrinsic quality. The InStyler infomercial, which advertises a 30-day trial for only $14.99, conceals the fact that you have to buy two Instylers at a time for $140 once the trial expires. Some users complain about being billed the full amount before the 30-day trial has ended, and then having to deal with customer service to get their money back.
Our Sources
Reporter Kim Setty asks three women to try out the InStyler with a local hairstylist. The stylist approves, saying it does "a great job of not only straightening, but also working like a curling iron." One of the women, who has fairly straight hair, is also very happy with the results, saying it works quickly. However, the curly-haired test subjects say it isn't any faster than other straightening devices they've used in the past.
Review: InStyler, Kim Setty
Anchor Lauren Keith asks test subject Missy O'Kelly to describe her experience with the InStyler. The product works as advertised, she says, and Missy is impressed by the volume it creates. Both Missy and Keith take issue with the $14.99 free trial (which can easily balloon to more than $140 if you don't send back your two InStylers promptly). Missy also expresses frustration at the fact that she was obligated to purchase two InStylers instead of one.
Review: InStyler Rotating Iron: Does it Work?, Lauren Keith, May 13, 2009
3. YouTube.com
In this six-minute video, a reviewer named Joi uses the InStyler to straighten her long, frizzy hair. She admires the rotating barrel and the brush and likes the fact that the unit doesn't get too hot. Joi says she's "really happy with the results," noting that her hair feels soft and smells great.
Review: InStyler Video Review, "Joi", Oct. 23, 2008
4. Suite 101
Reporter Kerrie Troseth discusses the pros and cons of the InStyler, which she calls an "extreme curling iron." She likes the three heat settings and range of styles it can produce, but also says it's noisy, expensive and tricky to use if you don't have good hand-eye coordination. In her opinion, the InStyler works best on fine hair, but she says those with extremely curly hair will have a hard time getting perfectly straight hair. She concludes that "the InStyler infomercial is mostly accurate in its information."
Review: Product Review of the InStyler, Kerrie Troseth, Jan. 3, 2009
In this post, a blogger named Katherine recounts the time she borrowed her hairstylist's InStyler. Although Katherine finds the InStyler to be heavy and difficult to position at first, she is completely thrilled with the product after using it. "Ladies and Gentlemen, what I had before me was the most glossy, perfect and smooth curl you have ever seen. It was EXACTLY like the infomercial. EXACTLY," she writes. Regardless of how much Katherine loves the InStyler, she has yet to purchase one for herself -- she says the price is way too steep.
Review: "Non-Review" Review: The InStyler, "Katherine", June 23, 2009
