Best Flat Irons

Top-performing flat irons in every price range

When it comes to choosing a flat iron, many are designed with generally the same features: plates that are 1 inch wide (though narrower and wider sizes are available if you have shorter or thicker hair); and plate coating that is usually ceramic or tourmaline, allowing plates to glide smoothly over hair strands and provide better heat transfer and more consistent temperatures.

The Farouk CHI Original Ceramic Hairstyling Iron (*Est. $115) has long been a favorite of consumers and garners the best reviews for a home hair straightener. Its 1-inch-wide ceramic-coated plates heat to 392 degrees Fahrenheit. Users at Folica.com and Amazon.com say it is easy to use and can curl and flip hair as well as straighten it. The major drawback to the Original Ceramic Hairstyling Iron is that it has a fixed temperature, which may not be best if you have damaged hair that requires a lower temperature or very coarse hair that requires more heat.

If you prefer the flexibility of adjustable temperature settings, the Farouk CHI Turbo Digital Ceramic flat iron (*Est. $130) may be a better fit. Heat varies from 176 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit and can be adjusted on the LCD display. The CHI Turbo Digital Ceramic flat iron is available in two widths (1 inch and 1 1/2 inches) and has an optional automatic shutoff button. Like all CHI flat irons, it has ceramic-coated plates, but users at Folica.com, Amazon.com and TotalBeauty.com claim the Turbo breaks too easily. Several complain of electrical shorts and say the Turbo stops heating up within a year of purchase. Experts at Folica.com warn that wrapping the cord around the iron while it is not in use can shorten the life of your flat iron.

The Sedu Professional Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron (*Est. $120) gets good customer reviews, but isn't included in any professional testing. It has ceramic and tourmaline plates which, according to Sedu, help to reduce static and eliminate frizz. Users at MakeupAlley.com and TotalBeauty.com say it cuts down their styling time; several say they love the lightweight feel. But others at Amazon.com and Folica.com complain that the handle isn't well insulated and can cause burns. The Sedu Professional Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron has adjustable heat settings that range from 240 to 410 degrees Fahrenheit and is available in both 1- and 1 1/2-inch sizes.

If you want the very best hair straightener regardless of price, reviewers say you should consider the FHI Heat Runway Iron (*Est. $450). Harper's Bazaar magazine calls it the Rolls-Royce of flat irons because it has solid ceramic plates as opposed to the more common ceramic coating. This means its ceramic will never chip or peel away, but it may also be more fragile than cheaper irons. The FHI Heat Runway Iron was designed originally for use at fashion shows, where fast and long-lasting results are needed. Reviewers say it heats up quickly and straightens hair in just one or two passes. According to FHI, the flat iron also has an integrated ceramic heating system that provides instant heat recovery, allowing the iron to maintain its temperature.

The FHI website claims the Heat Runway Iron has the widest temperature range in the industry, with adjustable temperatures from 140 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Although editors at InStyle and Harper's Bazaar magazines give it a high rating, we didn't find any reviews that compare the FHI Heat Runway Iron to less expensive flat irons. User reviews for this high-end iron are also minimal, but most of the nearly two dozen at Amazon.com are positive, resulting in an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Some say the iron is worth the enormous expense if you have thick, curly or coarse hair that is typically hard to straighten. On the downside, we also read some scattered complaints that the iron broke within the first year of use, while still others say that the iron has lasted for years.

As a general note, most expensive flat irons don't have an automatic shutoff feature, so you'll have to be sure to unplug them when you're finished.

Budget flat irons

Luckily you won't have to spend much if you don't plan to straighten your hair every day, or if you just want to experiment with something inexpensive before deciding on a better-quality model. The best reviewed of these is the Conair Instant Heat 2-inch Ceramic Straightener (*Est. $21).

Reviewers say the Conair's extra-wide plates are especially good for thick, long hair because they allow you to iron large amounts of hair, cutting down on styling time. But if your hair is short, this may not be the flat iron for you because these same wide plates make it difficult to get close to the scalp. Consumers at Amazon.com are impressed with this iron's fast heat-up time and affordable price tag. Several users say the flat iron does a good job of straightening hair in minimal time, but some note that it doesn't get rid of frizz entirely. Experts suggest using a heat protectant and shine serum for the best results. The Conair Instant Heat Straightener has 25 variable heat settings and a limited two-year warranty.

Remington has a flat iron that uses ceramic plates infused with conditioners and avocado oil -- supposedly to eliminate frizz for up to 15 hours. Good Housekeeping tested the iron against its claims, comparing it to a leading flat iron (editors don't say which one) both with and without an anti-frizz serum. The Remington Style Frizz Therapy (*Est. $50) lived up to its promises of preventing frizz for 15 hours even in a humid environment and outperformed the unidentified leading iron. Remington claims that the special coating on the plates is formulated to last for the lifetime of the flat iron. Dozens of reviewers at Amazon.com and Target.com give the flat iron an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The positive comments at both sites show that consumers are getting similar results as those found in professional testing. A few owners complain that the iron broke within a few months, however. The Frizz Therapy iron has a four-year warranty.