We always want what we can’t have, am I right? That’s so true when it comes to what we’re born with. Straight-haired girls wish they had curls. Curly-haired girls give them the death stare as they whimper about their silky-straight strands. If only they knew!
You have blue eyes but want green eyes. You have green eyes but want blue eyes! We just can’t win! Or…can we?
See, we are lucky to live in a world where now it’s easier than ever to get the looks we’ve envied. We can use contacts to change eye color, and with hair, we can use heat styling tools to work a little magic.
When it comes to heat styling tools though, we’ve all got to be careful because hair wasn’t meant to be cooked to a crisp. The newer heat styling tools make it easier to have control over the heat, though please, please, PLEASE be sure you use a good heat protection spray before applying any heat to your hair!
Now, if you’re reading this, it’s likely you either 1) hate your curls with a passion or 2) wish you could switch things up a bit without turning into a frizz-blizzard every time you try to go for a sleek style. I get you.
This post is totally and hopelessly devoted to the best hair straightening irons that will help you make short work of sleek and smooth hair without incurring too much damage.
But it’s not just top quality you should be after. You should know what features to look out for depending on the type of hair you have.
So, here’s a list of the best hair straighteners That Make Hair Silky:
- Luma Bella for all hair types
- BaBylissPRO Nano Iron for short or medium thin hair
- CHI PRO G2 Iron for all hair types
- HSI Professional Glider for all hair types
- KIPOZI Flat Iron for thick hair
- ghd Platinum+ Ceramic smart styler that predicts your hair needs
- T3 – Singlepass X 1.5 Ceramic + Ionic Flat Iron for Long, Thick or Coarse Hair
- Solano flat iron for short or medium fine hair
- CHI Expert Classic for all hair types
- One ‘n Only Argan Heat iron
- Cloud Nine Original Iron for medium to long hair
So, follow me below as we take the plunge into learning more about the best hair straightening irons and how to choose the right one for your hair!
what are the best hair straighteners according to your hair type and needs
Aside from curly and straight hair types, some hair is thin, and some is thick. Some are wavy, some are fine, some are coarse…you get the idea. Take a look below and see which hair type you are and what straightening iron will work the best to meet your needs.
– For naturally curly hair
If you have naturally curly hair, sometimes you love to rock those curls. And other times, you want a polished, straight, and shiny look. Keeping your hair moisturized is the key to pulling off any style.
For you, you’ll want a hair straightener that can keep damage to a minimum while helping keep moisture locked in. So, look for tourmaline or keratin-infused plates, which help seal moisture into your strands. You also want the ability to control the heat setting, so you don’t fry your hair.
If you have really stubborn curls, you’ll want to get one that goes up to at least 400°F. Ceramic plates may also be helpful for you because they give you shine and add dimension, so your style never falls flat.
– For coarse or thick hair
Thick hair looks so healthy and lovely. But boy, is it a pain to style! Especially when you’re trying to straighten it! While it might sound counterproductive, your best choice is a flat iron that is 1.5 inches or less to help prevent snags that can snap your strands.
You’ll also want high heat capabilities that exceed 400°F so you can work through your whole head of hair quickly. Tourmaline or ceramic plates are ideal to keep hair looking shiny and healthy rather than quartered and drawn.
– For naturally straight hair
Even those with straight hair need a little help too. Sometimes you need to have a completely sleek look with a little curve for lift and volume. A versatile heat setting that allows you to roam between 375 and 400°F is ideal.
Keratin-infused plates will be helpful for straight-haired gals because they seal the moisture in and won’t leave you looking oily or greasy.
– For fine, thinning hair
You’ll have to be careful if your hair is naturally fine or has been thinning with age. Your hair is weaker and more prone to heat damage.
You should stick with a hair straightening iron that gives you versatility among lower settings, keeping it between 250 and 350°F.
Another modern benefit that will help you out is finding one with an auto shut-off feature. This keeps it from over-heating and frying your hair.
– For damaged hair
If you color your hair or endure chemical treatments frequently, you want to avoid incurring more damage. Ceramic plates are a great choice because they leave hair looking shiny after coloring has taken its toll.
Swiveling cords seem like a non-feature, but these are another advantage for you because you can easily reach those places at the back of your head without having to go over and over them, which would add to the damage.
Best Hair Straighteners That Make Hair Silky
Now that you know what you’re looking for, I’m digging into the best hair straighteners out there. Each of these will give you luxuriously silky hair and make you feel like the movie star you are!
1. Luma Bella for all hair types
- Ceramic Plates Infused with Keratin
- Smart Heat Sensor
- Heats up to 450F
Another one for anyone is Luma Bella. It features ceramic plates that are bonded with keratin micro-conditioners. These are meant to adhere to your hair as you style it for a naturally gorgeous and healthy sheen.
While this is meant for all hair types, I think those of you with damage will love it because it helps protect from heat damage and helps your hair heal.
There’s an embedded heat sensor strip that detects the exposure of your hair to heat and adjusts it to a setting made for your personal needs.
As it emits the conditioners to your hair, it does so in a way that doesn’t leave it greasy. The plates are infused with these tiny particles and once they heat up, they activate for a smoother and shinier experience.
Plus, the floating plates make it easy for a flexible grip at any angle. You’ll find 5 heat settings that go from 300 to 450°F to help you score big on any style from wavy curls to super-sleek. A handy turbo boost button allows for max heat in seconds to seal the deal on certain styles.
Luma Bella is a newer brand that has been focused on keratin-infused technology. It really helps reduce breakage and splitting and gives you a professional finish for shiny hair.
If you love the way your hair looks after you see your stylist, Luma Bella might be the one for you. It’s not very expensive either, and truly ideal for those of you that can’t even stand it if your hair curls. I feel you.
One thing to note though is it doesn’t go below 300F, which means it might not be best if you have really thin or fine, delicate hair. Other than that, this is an awesome and affordable option to get gorgeously smooth hair.
2. BaBylissPRO Nano Iron for short or medium thin hair
- Protects Hair from Damage Nano Titanium Technology
- Extended 5" long plates
- Heats up to 450F
The BaBylissPRO Nano offers a 1-3/4-inch size with titanium plates, digital technology, ionic benefits, and temperature settings that max out at 450°F to leave you with soft, smooth, and super-shiny hair.
With far-infrared heat, it penetrates each hair shaft from within to straighten without putting a strain on your hair. The technology used is outstanding for conducting and maintaining stable heat, which is just what you need, especially if you have thin hair.
It allows you the chance to adjust from low to high heat to set it to your hair needs with a convenient LED display. And guess what… there are 50 heat settings to choose from! Yup, you read that right. One for every single one of your needs. How cool!
About that, though…you will need to play around with the heat settings because they’re not pre-set. So, on the downside, you do need to learn how to use it, but once you do, you will love it. It might not be for anyone that wants foolproof style right out of the box though.
If you’re new to heat styling, you might want something a little more intuitive that takes out the guesswork. If you have longer hair, you might not be thrilled with this version either.
This one is smaller and lighter, ideal for short or medium thin hair. While the heat settings could certainly tackle longer manes, you’ll likely find it a more aggravating experience with this one over some of the more industrial-style models.
For shorter hairstyles with thin hair though, this will be a great choice to eliminate frizz and leave you with the finessed look you’re dreaming of.
3. CHI PRO G2 Iron for all hair types
- For Fine, Medium and Coarse Hair
- 1.25" Titanium Infused Ceramic Plates
- Heats up to 450F
CHI has long been considered an industry leader in the world of straightening irons. If you asked your stylist which hair iron to buy, it’s likely the top suggestion you’d hear is CHI.
With the G2 model, it’s the next level up for the brand’s prestigious name at prices that aren’t outlandish either.
It features ceramic plates infused with titanium to give you smooth and protected hair. Plus, the plates stay protected too, assuring you years of sophisticated styling.
Now, if you’re looking to get styled without having to worry your pretty little head, this one is for you. It has a ‘Mode’ button that includes preset temperatures, all in a dazzling digital LCD display with multi-color cues. That means you can just choose what you want and let it do its thing.
With the ceramic heater, it heats up within 40 seconds to the max temperature of 425F. And if you’re a globe-trotting trendsetting gal, this one can go with you anywhere thanks to dual voltage.
As I said, CHI has been at this for some time, but this latest version has the most upgraded advancements in technology to give you the best performance, customization, and results.
Floating ceramic plates for longevity, snag-free style, smoother hair, and more intuitive operation are the reasons why everyone wants one of these.
And because of the unique pre-set features, it can literally be used for any hair type. So if you’re just not sure what to get, don’t know how to really style your hair, or you’re going from short to growing it out long (or vice versa), you will love the G2 by CHI.
Temperatures are color-coded to see at a glance what’s going on. That means you’ll know the temperature even if you still haven’t had your coffee yet. Blue is the lowest setting for fine, thinning, or delicate hair; green is great for medium textures or wavy tresses; and red is the highest setting, made for coarse, curly, or troublesome hair.
It’s one of the best hair straightening irons out there for a reason. I definitely recommend it if you have trouble finding your style, don’t want to fry your hair, and change lengths frequently so that you can always get a smooth look no matter how your hair is shaped.
4. HSI Professional Glider for all hair types
- For Curly Hair
- Ceramic & Tourmaline Plates
- Adjustable Temperature
Another budget-friendly buy with a little bit more is this hair straightener by HSI. If you have really frizzy and coarse hair, it is especially helpful for you, though it can work on all hair types with gorgeous results.
It features 8 micro-sensors to balance heat to prevent damage to your hair. These sensors regulate the temperature for even distribution. Basically, that means you need fewer passes to get your hair to fall in line.
The plates are made with ceramic and tourmaline crystal with ions that leave you looking sleek and shiny, even when you’ve had trouble achieving that look before. It’s a frizzy-haired girl’s dream come true!
What I like about this one is that it truly includes all hair types by having temperatures adjust from 140-450°F. You won’t fry out your hair with this model. It’s also dual voltage compatible, so you can use it anywhere in the world.
Plus, you get a free styling guide, a travel-sized leave-in treatment of Argan oil, and a 1-year warranty. I love extras!The 1-inch plate width is ideal for all lengths yet slender enough for layers and even bangs. It really gives you a lot for very little expense.
That Argan oil is made in the USA and is full of vitamins. It’s always nice to have something to add extra nourishment to your hair, and I love that they include this for you.
So, to recap, you get a bunch of stuff that comes with it, it is priced really low, it distributes heat effectively, floats plates so you can get any style, adjusts from really low to really high temperatures, and banishes frizz. It’s certainly a great contender for fabulous styles.
5. KIPOZI Flat Iron for thick hair
This one by KIPOZI touts a luxury feel at an extremely low price. For this price, you get a hair straightener that adjusts temperatures from 170 to 450F for your ideal heat settings. Keeping things evenly distributed, it gives you smooth styles you’ll love.
You’ll find it easy to use with the digital LCD display so you can get the right amount of heat without overexposing your hair. Each plate is melded with precision to let your hair smoothly glide through without snagging it. You can straighten, flip, and add volume all with this one tool.
The floating plates are 1.75-inch titanium for creating stunningly shiny hair with a style that lasts. With an intelligent safety feature built in to reduce temperature and shut down the tool after 60 minutes of non-use, you can feel free to style on your time without any fire hazard.
It also allows for dual voltage, which may need to be supplemented with a plug adapter depending on where you are. All in all, it’s a great hair straightener that delivers solid performance and reliability for your best and smoothest styles.
It’s designed for all hair types, including thick and curly types. There’s no tugging or drama like that. Efficient, gorgeous styling that’s frizz-free and smooth with a simple tool, at a perfect price. You also get a velvet drawstring bag to store it in, which will make your travels even sweeter.
6. ghd Platinum+ Ceramic smart styler that predicts your hair needs
- Ceramic Plates
- Provides More Color Protection
- 365ºF temperature
ghd presents a first – the one and only smart straightener. This is revolutionary because it tells you what your hair needs. Perhaps it could tell me what I need when I open the fridge for the 80th time in an hour!
Anyway, the revolution for straightening begins here as it constantly adapts to keep up that perfect temperature while reducing breakage and protecting color.
The swivel cord makes getting those tricky spots in the back a breeze too. Created by the brand that strived to give everyone good hair days, it was made with scientists and stylists that patented this unique technology.
One of the best things this ghd hair straightening does is fight frizz. The setup with this one keeps hair from getting snagged with loosened clamps that make smoothing each section go off without tugging or pulling your hair.
Interestingly, you’ll bring this baby home and start looking for the temperature adjustment. But you can stop looking. You’re not drunk. It’s not there. Because it predicts what your hair needs based on the thickness and your styling speed, it adjusts it automatically and sets to a perfect 365 degrees.
No waiting around for this thing to be ready. It heats to proper temperature in just seconds, monitoring it 250 times per second. I mean, wow.
I have to say I’m thoroughly impressed, especially at this price. I was expecting it to cost more. This could very well be the future of hair styling right at your fingertips.
7. T3 – Singlepass X 1.5 Ceramic + Ionic Flat Iron for Long, Thick or Coarse Hair
- For Thick or Coarse Hair
- Ceramic Plates
- Digital T3 SinglePass Technology
As the name suggests, the Singlepass X by T3 aims to give you a single pass over your hair for a powerful straightening experience targeted to longer, thicker, and coarser hair types.
It uses a special blend of tourmaline, ceramic plates, and ionic plates that make short work of straight styles and reveal glossy, smooth, and lustrous results.
It’s fitted with an internal microchip to keep tabs on those plates, making sure they stay at an even temperature to help seal your hair cuticles and leave that shiny finish.
The plates are 1.5-inch, allowing for a smoother, wider glide across hair sections to achieve uniform results fast. You get 5 different heat settings to adjust through ranging from 260°F – 410°F.
Let’s talk about those plates too for a hot minute. It uses tourmaline that can get unruly hair or difficult curls to behave, ceramic to create more shine, and ionic technology that reduces frizz and prevents static. So, you get an all-over smoother, more fabulous, fresh-from-the-salon look.
And if you like to travel, you’re in luck. It features an automatic world voltage that adjusts accordingly with a plug adapter wherever you go.
The swivel cord lets you get in at any angle, while the auto-off kicks in after an hour, so you’ll never have to turn back around to go home and check to make sure you turned it off. How thoughtful!
This hair straightener was specifically designed to help gals with difficult and long hair get their sleek styles on fleek. All in one pass too, so you’re not sitting there going over and over the same sections to get smooth results.
To help you maximize your straightening experience it also uses both audio and visual cues to clue you in on temperature settings, so you won’t overdo your ‘do.
As if it’s not already a stellar option, you get some cool extras that come with it, including 2 professional-style sectioning clips and a heat resistant mat. It also features a 2-year warranty.
Lightweight and ergonomic, it’s a great choice if you have long, thick, coarse, or super-difficult curls to work with. It’s not cheap, but it’s not the most expensive option I’ve seen either. With the warranty, it’s worth the investment.
8. Solano flat iron for short or medium fine hair
- Ceramic Plates
- Adds Shine to the Hair
- Heats up to 450°F in 60 Seconds
Solano’s flat iron is a great option if you have short or medium-length fine hair. It uses far infrared heating, which slashes your styling time while tourmaline and ceramic smooth and tame hair, even at the ends.
The ionic technology boasts all-day sleek hair through this straightening iron that heats to 450°F in 60 seconds. Of course, most of you won’t need it so hot.
The lowest temperature it presents is 170°F. It’s not self-adjusting, but you have many options for selecting your temperature and preventing damage.
With 1-inch plates that are beveled, you minimize damage easily. It also has an auto shut-off feature.
What I like about this one, even though it’s a bit more basic than the others, is that it goes really low in temperature, which is ideal if you’re trying to recover from damage, you color your hair, or it’s just on the delicate side of things.
Compared to the others on this list though, it’s on the pricier side without many features. However, the performance it gives you is certainly worth the cost for getting gorgeously smooth hair every time.
9. CHI Expert Classic for all hair types
- Tourmaline & Ceramic Plates
- Quickly Heats up
- Ideal for All Hair Styles
As I mentioned before CHI is one of the biggest deals in hair straightening-land. This classic version delivers mega amounts of negative ions along with far-infrared heat to give you a smooth and static-free smooth style that lasts.
Long preferred by professional stylists, CHI uses a temperature dial on this model to help you switch up settings. That’s one of the key differences in this original version, something that was upgraded in the G2, but it’s still a good option.
Curved floating plates give you the best results and you won’t wait long for that heat to kick in with 30-second heat-up.
With a 1-1/2-inch plate made of tourmaline ceramic, you get even heat distribution. Plus, you can do it anywhere with dual voltage, so when you take your next trip abroad, be sure to take it along.
While the G2 has more bells and whistles, the classic CHI is still a huge contender, one that won’t break your bank account when you buy it. You’ll love the way your hair looks!
10. One ‘n Only Argan Heat iron
- Eliminate Frizz
- Instant Heat-Up
- Preserves Hair Color
This hair straightener is an excellent budget-buy. If you’re on a tight budget, you will get great results with One ‘n Only. It includes Argan oil to smooth your hair cuticles, eliminate frizz, and give you a luscious shine.
If you color your hair, it’s also ideal because the infusion of Argan helps keep your color preserved for longer.
The ceramic heater is quick to heat up and soothes hair for a silky feeling and shiny locks you’ll love. The plates are 1.5-inches and cover excellent ground.
There are no bells and whistles on this model. It has a temperature dial and includes Argan oil to give your hair the very best in health inside and out.
11. Cloud Nine Original Iron for medium to long hair
In 2014, it won a coveted Elle Beauty Award. In 2015 and 2016, it made Hall of Fame hair status. Today, that Cloud Nine is still making women everywhere soar to their own cloud nine with the ease of creating sleek and smooth styles.
Why is it so popular? It has versatility and ease of use behind it. The temperature control is one-touch, allowing you to quickly switch from low to medium to high in a flash to get just the right amount of heat you need.
Ceramic technology is embedded into those sleek black plates that help you create smooth styles, curls, or even flicks that look killer on medium to long hair.
The 1-inch plate design features a protective heat guard and the free movement of a swivel cord that gives you 360° of pivoting motion. It’s a great entry-level heat styling tool that takes a lot of guesswork out of the straightening process giving you little to think of while you style except maybe which shoes you’ll wear today.
It takes only 20 seconds to get heated up and ready to go, lightning-quick in the world of hair straightening irons.
The price might set you back a fair bit, especially considering it isn’t quite as advanced as the ghd model above, but it will last and has countless awards stacked behind it to make it warrant the expense.
Conclusion
We all have different textures, cuts, and thickness, so each of these hair straighteners has been singled out for being a leader in providing exceptional style to a variety of hair types. I’ve noted which ones are best for certain hair types, while others are great for all of them.
Some are more expensive than others, which doesn’t necessarily mean they’re better. It just means they have the latest technology built-in. If you’re not good with styling, a more intuitive hair straightener will be a better choice. Though if you can live without the bells and whistles, you’ll be fine with one of the more budget options.
As for me, I’d pick intuitive simply because there are times I just don’t want to think. That kind of technology is amazing for helping you get the right styles without doing more damage. But that’s my personal preference. I’ve used some of these cheaper models and had awesome results, though the ones that adjust the heat for you and create personalized settings truly make you feel like you’re with your own personal stylist who knows exactly everything you need.
That intuitive feature is also ideal if you’re doing more than straightening, like flips or volume. You really need some skills with the more basic versions to get those looks that make you appear as though you just stepped out of the salon!