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Best Flat Irons of 2024
We Tested and Reviewed the Top 3 Flat Irons for Healthy, Damage-Free Straightening
As a hairstylist with over 20 years of experience, I know how important it is to find a flat iron that doesn’t fry your hair. Having the right flat iron gives you healthy, smooth hair — and who doesn’t love the confidence boost that comes with that feeling?
Did you know that some of those expensive flat irons advertised as “high-quality” are actually made of cheap materials that can lead to frizz, split ends, and damage?
If there’s one thing you take from this page let it be this: you can straighten your hair without heat damage that leaves your hair dry and brittle. You just need to know what to look for in a flat iron and find a brand you can trust.
That said, I understand how frustrating it is to figure out which flat iron is the best for you. That’s why we tested the “most raved about” flat irons on the market and then compiled a list of those that truly stood out.
These are the champions of the bunch, ready to help you achieve silky, straight hair, gorgeous beach waves, or simply get you out the door faster on those hectic mornings.
Flat irons have come a long way since I started my stylist journey. Modern flat irons have new tech features that give your hair that strong, shiny, salon-chic look you’ve always dreamed of without costing you a fortune.
The name of the game is HEALTHY HAIR, and healthy hair starts with using products you can actually trust! So before committing to your next flat iron, check out the SEVEN FLAT IRON ESSENTIALS we uncovered in our testing and research process.
Here’s What to Look for in a High-Quality Flat Iron That Won’t Fry Your Hair
- Hard Anodized Titanium Plates – One of the most exciting recent developments in hair straightening technology is fast-heating Hard Anodized titanium plates that are virtually scratch-proof and the most durable on the market. This flat iron plate material heats quickly and helps you easily achieve that sleek, sexy style you want.
- Fast-Heating with Adjustable Heat Settings – A straightener shouldn’t take more than 45 seconds to heat up, and you should get silky smooth hair with just one pass. It’s also just as important to have a flat iron with a range of temperature options — from lower temperature settings for fine or damaged hair up to high heat for thick or curly hair.
- Floating Plates – Some flat irons pull, snag, and tug your hair while styling. If you’ve ever experienced this, you already know how annoying (and painful) this is! All of the quality flat irons we encountered have floating plates that adjust to your hair’s needs — solving for any uncomfortable styling mishaps!
- Lightweight and Easy to Use – A comfortable grip and lightweight design allow better control and precision, making it easier to reach every section of your hair. With less strain on your arms and wrists, you can style your hair quickly and easily.
- Curved Design – Most people overlook this feature, but it’s incredibly helpful because a curved design helps you create a range of styles like straight hair, curls, and waves.
- Value – Rather than dishing out a hefty chunk of cash on a flat iron with a cringe-worthy price tag, look for a straightener that uses current technological advancements to help do the same amazing job at a fraction of the price.
- Durability and Warranty – The last thing you want is to fall in love with an amazing straightener only to have it break in 3 months. When choosing a flat iron, make sure the company offers extensive warranties, uses sturdy materials with a durable design, AND offers a money back guarantee.
Here Are Our Top Choices for Best Flat Irons of 2024
The Infrarose Styler takes the top spot with fast-heating, hard anodized titanium with floating plate technology to help prevent snagging. We love this flat iron because you don’t need as many passes to get your hair straight — which means less damage.
Regular Price: $169
EXTENDED HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN SALE: $119
As soon as we got our eyes on the SRI Infrarose Styler “Titanium Edition,”, it stood out from the crowd. Not only is this straightener modern and luxurious with lots of thoughtful features (like a latch that locks the straightener closed for ease of travel) but the packaging is elegant and fun! The floating titanium plates work wonders on all hair textures and slide through your hair without pulling, tugging or snagging.
We also loved that the technology used in this flat iron is the latest on the market.The Infrarose Styler combines fast-heating titanium plates and custom temperature controls to help you get the best results in the least amount of time. Our tests proved you can effortlessly straighten your hair in just one pass to get the glossy salon finish you deserve without having to worry about breakage, frizz or damaging your hair.
Even better– Skin Research Institute, the company behind the Infrarose Styler, is renowned and trusted by professionals. It is also nice that there is no risk when buying this straightener because it comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee and 1 year warranty.
The other great thing about SRI is that they always have amazing sales! Order your Infrarose Styler today to take advantage of their EXTENDED HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN SALE so if you hurry, you can get their awesome discount!
PROS:
- Floating titanium plates glide through hair without snagging, pulling or tugging.
- Titanium plates support fast, easy, frizz-free straightening.
- Heats up in 30 seconds.
- Easy-to-grip rounded body helps you straighten or curl your hair with ease.
- Wide range of temperatures to customize to your exact hair type.
- SRI is BBB accredited, offers a 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee and 1-year warranty.
CONS:
- Only available online
- Sells out fast; frequently on backorder
Regular Price: $499.99
This high-end flat iron by Dyson will certainly make you feel fancy while styling! It’s great for all hair types, and we loved the cordless feature and flat plates. It was able to straighten and style in a decent amount of time, however sometimes it would take 3 or more passes to smooth out curly hair. Overall, it worked well, just snagged more than we would have liked for the price.
PROS:
- Fast heat up
- Sleek, gorgeous design
- Upscale packaging
- Great customer service
CONS:
- Expensive compared to similar hair dryers (with fewer features)
- Requires multiple passes to thoroughly straighten
- Can take all day to charge
Regular Price: $169.99
The T3 straightener is great for anyone who prefers everything to be automated! This flat iron has 9 unique settings and can be customized to your preference. To us, it seemed like a lot of heat settings for little variability, and sometimes became confusing. Overall, we got great results once we were able to understand the interface.
PROS:
- Digital interface
- Compact, cute design
- Personalized heat settings
- Smooth handling
CONS:
- Difficult to use without instructions
- Short lifespan
Conclusion
We set out to test and review the most popular flat irons so you can truly know which one works best for damage-free straightening. After testing and reviewing our top picks, we found that the Infrarose Styler offers the best straightening experience since the titanium plates require fewer passes to smooth and straight hair.
We also really loved that the Infrarose Styler has a curved design. We were able to create different curl and wave styles easily! While the Dyson Corale and the T3 Lucia are also great products, the Infrarose Styler has an unbeatable combination of functionality and performance that clearly sets it apart.
Testing Team
Consists of writers, scientists and subject matter experts. and We physically ordered and tested all the products listed. We always try to do both quantitative and qualitative testing. Quantitative involves measuring various categories of performance. Qualitative testing involves activities such as using the product, conducting focus group testing, and researching online reviews to derive benefits and drawbacks for diverse users.
Want a closer look at the testing and review process behind this article? Here’s a peek inside the Shoppers Advocate testing lab to show how we ensure the accuracy and reliability of our findings.