These straighteners offer three heat settings – 160°C, 180°C and 200°C – and heat up in just seconds. The battery charges fully in three hours and lasts for 30 minutes, which will be sufficient to style most types and lengths of hair. The floating ceramic plates heat up evenly, and it’s easy to operate the tool using a single button that controls both power and heat selection. The cordless straighteners are perfect for styling on the go and come with a handy travel bag. The cord is 2.5 metres long and has a 360°C spin feature, meaning that the cord doesn’t get tangled up in the straightener as you go. This makes using it extremely easy and makes for a perfect hair curling tool. Accessory-wise, this straightener come with a transparent, square heating mat (great if you don’t have fluff on your floor) and a travel bag, so portability isn’t a question.

The ceramic floating plates have sensors which monitor heat 250 times a second – 2.5 faster than the Dysons – to help protect your hair and minimise damage. The 2.7 metre cord is long enough not to be irritating and the 360°C swivel feature, combined with the wishbone-shaped handle, make this tool a winner on ergonomics. Side note: the rounded tip is perfect for curling as well as straightening. On paper, it also doesn’t appear to offer much versatility in terms of temperature settings but this is the same across the entire GHD range because 185°C is, according to the brand, the optimum temperature to achieve maximum styling ability with minimal hair damage. It’s also a shame that GHD has relied on an older version of its dual-zone sensor technology, taken from the mid-range GHD Gold, instead of the ultra-zone technology seen on the hair brand’s flagship model, the Platinum Plus (below). In reality, this seemingly means very little to the performance of the Unplugged, and its ability to protect our hair while styling. Certainly not to a noticeable extent. Yet when paying a premium price, you expect premium technology. Beyond material, "some of the aspects that make a great flat iron include the heating element ... a good visual digital thermometer, the quality of the plates and the length of the cord," says Toye. "The best flat irons are ones that sit comfortably in your hands, have an even heat distribution and selection of temperatures so that you don't damage your hair," adds Porsche. Our professional range of multi-use hair straighteners are the perfect addition to your styling essentials, whether you’re after big, bouncy curls, loose, beachy waves or a sleek, poker-straight finish. Discover ghd’s range of hair straightening tools for ultimate, long-lasting results without compromising hair health. The ghd gold® hair straightener features dual-zone technology, which uses heat sensors on both plates, to maintain an optimum hair-straightening temperature of 185°C achieving a salon-smooth finish.If you’re in the market for a versatile straightening tool that can handle both straight and curly styles with ease, the Babyliss 9000 is our recommendation. With the straightener comes a heat resistant plate guard that fits over the top of the tool. White quite handy, the heat does seep through leaving the guard hot to the touch, and a mat might be preferable while styling. The styling head itself is longer than most at 100mm, with rounded edges that allow easy curling and waving as well as straightening if you like to switch up your style. The Smoothstay is light in the hand and in your handbag at 410g, making it perfect to carry with you for styling touch-ups between work and play. For the price, Revlon’s Smoothstay delivers very good results and leaves hair shiny and frizz-free. A cordless straightening tool with floating ceramic plates that glide over the hair, the BaByliss 9000 makes light work of straightening all hair types and textures. At the same time, the slim, curved body of the tool is perfect for creating “straightener curls”. Since the tool is cordless, it’s super-easy to wrap the hair around at any angle around the head, without getting into a tangle.

This top-performing iron was a standout in Lab tests: It maintained a consistent, steady temperature of 365º to protect hair from excessive heat damage and its technology ensures even heat across the entire plate, which means easier styling and more consistent results. Straight hair will never go out of fashion, so neither will the best hair straighteners you can use to achieve it. Research by consumer-trends analyst Mintel suggests that over one-third of women and one-fifth of men own a set of hair straighteners, and that number is growing. GHD and Cloud Nine are the dominant names in this market, but an ever-growing number of brands promise super-sleek, frizz-free straightening and more besides. Plate width and length:"1-inch plates are ideal," says Hughes, since these narrower plates can make it easier to do detailed styling (like curling, bending or waving) and they’re also better for getting closer to the root of the hair. One exception: If hair is super long and you're just looking to press hair straight, a 1.5-inch or 2-inch width can make faster work of the task. Launched by one of the founders of GHD, Cloud Nine’s Original hair straighteners glide easily through the hair without any pull or drag. They leave hair feeling silky, looking shiny, and – most importantly – poker straight. Hair health is a key drive of this product’s design: the ceramic plates are mineral-infused to reduce snagging, leaving hair with extra shine, and there are six heat settings, from 100ºC to 200ºC. The plates perform well at lower temperatures, which means less risk of damage to hair. Cord length: If you’re planning on styling hair in a bathroom or close to an outlet, cord length might not be an issue, but if you don’t have an outlet by your mirror, you may want to opt for a longer (or “professional”) length. Cord length in our study varied from 5.6 to 10.8 feet, with an average of 8.1 feet — the longer the cord, the more convenience and range you’ll have. “Also, if the cord swivels, that is a great feature so you can move easier,” says Hughes.

What’s the best hair straightener to buy in 2021?

The Contouring Iron also comes equipped with an impressive temperature range, with 11 temperature settings between 100°C and 200°C. There’s also a “Revive” mode, which fixes the temperature at 150°C, but uses micro-vibrations in the plates during styling to help create longer-lasting styles, despite the low heat. This is a step up from the Cloud Nine Original Iron, featured above, and worked remarkably well in our testing. There’s no getting around the fact that this is an expensive curling iron, but it’s the perfect all-in-one styler for those willing to splash out. Ultra glossy hair is all over the catwalks at the moment, so to achieve hair that positively shimmers and shines definitely recommend the Shine Therapy Straightener. With its whole host of sheen educing ingredients that Remington has infused in the plates, customers agree that it makes hair 94% smoother* and sleeker

The Advanced Ceramic coated plates on these super smart straighteners are infused with Moroccan Argan Oil, a natural ingredient renowned for its shine enhancing properties, as well as Vitamin E, conditioners and moisturisers. When heated, these wonder Micro Conditioners evenly emit through the plates and on to your hair. Your tresses will be left looking intensely glossy and in 88%* better condition, softer and straighter.Remington’s 'OPTIheat' technology targets heat where your hair most needs it, which delivers genuine long-lasting results and the PRO+ setting keeps the temperature at a responsible 185°C to protect your hair.

Beauty heavyweight Revlon offers a simple but good-value option in these straightening irons. The ceramic coating on the floating heating plates is infused with moisturising coconut oil, paired with ionic technology to maintain hydration in the hair shaft and discourage frizz and flyaways. The iron eliminates the guesswork by selecting a temperature based on your hair type, with options for fine, medium and coarse. It also has a "curl mode" which lowers the temperature for creating curls. "Far too many times, people use a hotter setting than they actually need," our Lab pros say, but with nine temperature settings, this iron has the perfect fit for everyone, meaning you won't scorch even super fine hair. Design-wise, the wireless Corrale straighteners are heavier in the hand than some other brands, due to the added weight of their rechargeable battery. Their portable nature helps them stand out against rival models. With a 30-minute battery life, these hair straighteners have enough juice in the tank for the majority of people to get their hair straight and sleek. Size-wise, it’s just 22cm long and weighs 300g, which is substantially lighter than the Dyson Corrale at 561g. This makes it much easier to toss into a tote bag and carry around with you out and about. As a result of its compact size, the heated plates here are slightly narrower than average, but the “floating” spring mounts adjust to the contours of your hair, allowing the straighteners to effortlessly glide over sections of hair without any tugging or snagging. This will reduce the time it takes to style your hair, and means that the Unplugged’s 20-minute battery life will go further than you think. While not as techy as other straighteners, the PROLuxe is glamorously good and delivers perfect results instantly – one swipe of each section and you’re finished. It comes with a heat resistant guard similar to the GHDs which, again, might be better as a heat mat. Still, despite only doing the basics, these are definitely the best value for money straighteners you can buy right now.The best hair straighteners you can buy 2023 1. GHD Platinum Plus Styler: The best hair straighteners for straightening curly hair With universal voltage, you can be as fierce as you want anywhere in the world and with the automatic sleep mode after 30 minutes of non-use, worrying about if your straighteners are switched off is a thing of the past. Featuring ultra-zone™ with predictive technology, this advanced ghd hair straightener is guaranteed to deliver consistent results while you style. The ghd platinum+ hair straightener responds to each section of your hair and styling speed to deliver the optimum temperature of 185ºC more effectively, ensuring 70% stronger hair*, 75% more shine** and 2x more colour protection. For that perfect partnership pair the ghd platinum+ styler with ghd bodyguard - heat protect spray for ultimate professional end results. Heat is monitored over 250 times per second thanks to infinity sensors throughout the plates, ensuring a precise reading to adjust the power accordingly. So, no matter what your hair type or styling technique, ghd platinum+ will ensure you always receive the perfect amount of heat for your hair needs, personalised to you. Heat settings: A flat iron with multiple heat settings allows for more customization and flexibility when styling since you’re able to select a temperature that works for your hair type/needs. Our expert testers preferred having an option of a temperature range for their flat irons, and Hughes agrees: “It is a must for all hair types. Most irons go up to 430-450ºF,” but that doesn't mean you should crank up the heat all the way!