Curling Iron Review

Not a lot of evidence to back latest technologies

Professional reviews of curling irons are few and far between. We found more articles about how to style hair than we did actual product reviews. InStyle, Allure and Good Housekeeping magazines provide the most thorough testing, but editors don't say much about their criteria or which products were compared. User reviews at Folica.com and Amazon.com, which are plentiful, offer the best look at curling iron performance, but most reviews are subjective and not comparative. ConsumerReports.org does not cover this topic.

Modern-day curling irons have evolved a great deal from their original form, which consisted of polished metal rods that were heated in an oven or fire. Today's curling irons use an electrical heating element and metal coils that transfer their heat to a curling barrel. They come in several sizes and have a variety of features.

The latest advancements to curling irons are ceramic, tourmaline and nano-silver barrels. Experts say that ceramic barrels heat more evenly and cause less damage to hair. Curling irons infused with tourmaline, a gemstone, are said to give off negative ions, which supposedly protect hair even further from heat damage and add shine. Manufacturers tout nano-silver barrels as having antibacterial properties to eliminate germs from hair and appliances. We didn't, however, find much scientific evidence to back these claims. And while many reviewers insist that ceramic curling irons are best -- especially for those who curl their hair often -- several reviewers prefer Hot Tools Professional curling irons, which have a barrel plated with 24-karat gold, saying that the curls look better and last longer. It's important to note, however, that overall appearance of hair (styled or otherwise) is affected by many factors, including individual skill and overall condition of the hair.

Some people prefer to use rollers to curl their hair because it leaves their hands free to do other things while hair is setting. Rollers come in many varieties, including heated and non-heated styles, but they are beyond the scope of this report.