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Smooth out curls, frizz, and waves. hair dryers
If you have naturally curly hair (lucky you!), you know that finding the best hair straightener for curly hair is key to smoothing out those full, bouncy strands. Having one specifically designed for your hair pattern makes all the difference. Features like temperature control and unique plate material are especially important when minimizing heat damage and breakage. Hair stylist Ne’Kea Thomas, who specializes in curly hair, highly recommends looking for a straightener with titanium plates. However, most importantly, she reminds us, “Heat protectant and leave-in conditioner should never be skipped.”
To help you find the perfect straightener for your locks, we researched the top hot tools for curly hair and asked editors to share their favorites. We tested 25 hair straighteners in our NYC-based Lab before sending them home with our team to use in the real world for two weeks. They evaluated the tools’ features, ease of use, and effectiveness at ironing out super curly strands. Read on to discover the best straighteners for curly locks.
Why We Love It: Consider this straightener proof that sometimes more is better. It has four (yes, four!) plates with advanced heat control to minimize how many passes you have to make on your hair. With 30 different heat settings, we especially appreciate that you can customize the temperature on each dual plate. Each pass through the hair is smooth, so you don’t get that annoying crimping effect. Even InStyle tester Kimberly noted that thanks to the straightener’s curved edges, the iron could move seamlessly from root to tip. As someone with thick 3A hair, she found that setting one plate to 410 degrees and the other to 250 degrees gave her the sleekest results in under 25 minutes.
Who It’s For: If you’re looking for a sleek hairstyle with minimal damage, look no further. While this straightener is more chunky than some of the other options, the unique four-plate design helps cut styling time in half with 30 different heat settings to choose from.
Plate Width: 4.5 inches | Plate Material: Ceramic titanium | Max Temperature: 455 degrees | Cord Length: 9 feet
Kimberly, tester with 3A hair: “I loved how my hair looked after straightening! It's sleek, and, somehow, the flat iron tamed my post-partum baby hairs without making it look too ironed or creased.”
Why We Love It: Say hello to one of the most lightweight (and adorable) flat irons we’ve ever used. Weighing less than a pound, this heat tool may be small, but it’s mighty. Its titanium plates are beneficial when working with coarse and curly hair. With five heat settings ranging from 280 degrees to 430 degrees, the straightener heats quickly. Plus, it has a cooling function that kicks on once the tool reaches your desired temperature to help lock in your style. Ideal for getting frizz-free results on curly hair, this super lightweight option is effective without breaking the bank. Also, its long, swivel cord makes it easy to maneuver around vanities and other surfaces.
Who It’s For: This budget-friendly tool is a great option for beginners looking for an intuitive design. It has an option for short and shoulder-length shoulder-length hair and a Grande version that’s ideal for mid-length and longer hair lengths. Additional features, like a swivel cord and shut-off mode, make this flat iron a great hot tool for traveling.
Plate Width: 3.5 inches | Plate Material: Titanium | Max Temperature: 430 degrees | Cord Length: 8.2 feet
Stephanie, tester with type 4A hair: “This hair straightener is one of the lightest, smoothest, flat irons I've ever used.”
Why We Love It: This BabylissPRO flat iron is a tried and true option for a reason. It uses titanium plates to ensure even heat distribution, protecting hair from excessive heat damage. There’s no learning curve for this straightener thanks to its intuitive controls. Equipped with five digital temperature settings, the flat iron’s floating titanium plates help curly hair glide effortlessly through without much tension or tugging. We also think it’s important to note that BabylissPro flat iron is incredibly lightweight. Let’s be real—straightening your curly locks shouldn’t have to feel like an advanced Pilates class.
Who It’s For: If you’re trying to minimize heat damage on your curly hair, a titanium straightener like this one is perfect for you. Just make sure you’re ready to practice a little patience, as you’ll likely have to work with smaller sections of hair, but the results are definitely worth it.
Plate Width: 1.25 inches | Plate Material: Titanium | Max Temperature: 450 degrees | Cord Length: 9 feet
Toni, tester with type 4A hair: “I've read that titanium flat irons are good for your hair, and I've been using ceramic for so long. I was worried my hair would be fried, but it looked great! I've never had such a silky press using my old flat iron, and this was achieved using 375 degrees and not the highest heat setting.”
Why We Love It: The TYMO Ring Plus isn’t just your typical flat iron. Rather than two plates, this heat tool is equipped with a patented teeth design. No, not like those pearly whites, but more like a combination of a comb and flat iron. From root to tip, our tester found that the ceramic comb moves easily through her hair (although a few strands did get caught between the teeth of the iron). The hot tool has nine heat settings, with the maximum temperature being 410 degrees. While InStyle tester Danielle was skeptical if this would get the job done on curly hair since most irons go higher than 410 degrees, she could still get the sleek, straight finish she desired.
Who It’s For: While this option isn’t conducive for curling your hair, our tester loved the silky pressed style it ultimately gives. It mimics the effect of a hot air brush, which makes it super easy to straighten and untangle your hair without tugging.
Plate Width: 1.25 inches | Plate Material: Ceramic titanium | Max Temperature: 410 degrees | Cord Length: 5.9 feet
Danielle, tester with type 3B/3C hair: “The Tymo Ring Plus pretty much straightened my hair in one and two passes for the kinkier/unstretched parts of my hair. I consider that a major success considering my experience with other flat irons that took multiple passes on the highest heat setting or didn't get my hair as straight as the TYMO Ring Plus.”
Why We Love It: Ever since Dyson introduced Airstrait, there’s been a lot of talk about whether or not it works as well as traditional flat irons. We’re here to set the record straight: Our team and tester absolutely adore this product. Instead of hot plates, this Airstrait uses targeted airflow to stretch and smooth curly hair for a natural straight finish. Equipped with dry and wet modes with their heat settings, InStyle tester Danielle found that it took several slow passes to get her desired straightness. She also noted that since the straightener and power cord are bulkier, her arms got easily fatigued throughout the styling process. But, if getting a mini arm workout in exchange for fewer fried strands and cutting our styling routine in half is what it takes, that’s simply an offer we can’t refuse.
Who It’s For: The Dyson Airstrait is undoubtedly a splurge, but your healthier hair will thank you for the investment. Since you can use it to dry and straighten your hair, it also helps reduce the time spent on your post-wash styling routine.
Plate Width: 1.6 inches | Plate Material: No hot plates | Max Temperature: 320 degrees | Cord Length: 9.6 feet
Danielle, tester with type 3B/3C hair: “I was surprised at how nice my hair came out. I did not expect it to come out as good as it did. I loved it. My hair basically looked like a sleek, blowout. My hair wasn’t completely bone straight, but it was still nice and smooth to wear it as is or re-style it.”
InStyle editors researched dozens of the most popular hair straightening tools in search of the best. We narrowed our list down to the top five options and started testing in our NYC-based testing lab to get first impressions on how the tools performed, how easy they were to maneuver, how long they took to heat up, how easy it was to achieve a straight hairstyle, and our thoughts on the final results. Our testers then took the tools home for several weeks to use the hair straightener and continued to note performance and notable features, like auto-shut-off and adjustable temperature settings.
The ideal heat setting depends on your hair type and texture, but according to Seabrooke, the recommended styling temperature for most hair types with no extreme heat damage is around 365 degrees. “Just because you have curly hair does not mean you automatically classify as having kinky or coarse hair. Curly hair can also be fine and damaged, but you may just have a lot of it,” she notes.
For fine and fragile curly hair, she suggests staying between 250 and 300 degrees. For wavy or medium-thick hair, stay within 350 to 375 degrees; for very coarse or kinky hair, cap the heat between 370 and 410 degrees. “To avoid burning the hair, start at a lower temperature and see how the hair handles it. Once you have tested it, you can raise the temperature setting,” adds stylist Mona Lisa Arfuso.
Starting with a leave-in conditioner or a hydrating treatment is a great way to prep curly hair for heat. After rinsing the product off in the shower, spray your wet hair with a heat-protectant spray.
Next, “Use a boar bristle hair brush to smooth out some of the curls before straightening to limit heat exposure,” says Arfuso. Seabrooke adds that, depending on your curls’ coarseness, you might have to use a blow-dryer as a first pass. And heat protectant is a must. “Heat protectant seals in hydration and provides cuticle protection that acts as a barrier between the iron and your hair,” says Seabrooke. Plus, celebrity stylist Karen Miller reminds us that investing in high-quality tools that won’t cause breakage or burning is another great way to retain hair health.
For straight hair that lasts, use the lowest temperature that makes sense for your strands (see above for recommended heat settings). Higher heat may seem more effective, but it drains moisture from your hair, which can lead to frizz and losing your style faster. You can also wear a silk or satin head wrap to help preserve the style (and add a silk pillowcase if you’re feeling extra fancy). Finally, apply a touch of hair oil to help lock in moisture and seal the style for hours.
barrel hair curler Chaise Sanders is a beauty, fashion, and lifestyle editor. For the story, she dug through insights from InStyle’s dedicated team of testers. She also relied on her experience with the tools to determine which ones lived up to their claims. With help from previous reporting by Linne Halpern, who interviewed the below hair experts, she landed on this list of the top-performing hair straighteners for curly hair.