The 16 Best Hair Straighteners of 2025, Editor-Tested

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Flip, curl, and straighten your hair into any style.

In This Article

InStyle

Between overnight heatless curls and moisturizing hair masks for easy, frizz-free styles, you might've forgotten about your trusty hair straightener. However, the best hair straighteners are more versatile than you realize, especially one suited for your hair type. "Some of the most popular styles created by flat irons are beachy waves and curls," says celebrity hairstylist Annagjid Kee Taylor. While results vary based on your tool and skill, LA-based celebrity hairstylist Laurabeth Cabott says, “Ceramic plates are going to be your best bet if you are looking to straighten without compromising the integrity of your hair.”

Still, we tested all kinds of the most popular hair straighteners—55, to be exact—in search of the top options. Read on to discover the best hair straightener for your unique strands.

Why We Love It: An excellent flat iron can straighten hair quickly, but this one goes a couple of steps further. It uses negative ion technology to combat frizz and lightweight, nonslip dual-titanium plates to reduce the number of passes needed to get a straight look. We partially credit our tester's healthier-looking hair to the lack of pressure she needed to use while moving the iron through her strands. Each pass from root to end was smooth, which prevented crimping, and the wider plates meant that she could work in larger sections to straighten and curl her hair in just one pass.

Who It’s For: Though the gorgeous white finish and gold accents give this tool an elevated, luxurious appearance, the design is uncomplicated and straightforward, especially for beginners. One button controls all four heat settings, and a clear LED screen on the handle flashes when one is changed. You also won't have to worry about whether you left it on or not—it shuts off automatically after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Worth Noting: If your hair is on the thinner side, you might prefer a straightener with thinner plates.

Plate Width: 1.25 in | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 4 | Temperature: 280—440 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Nasya, tester with 2A hair: “The flat iron was very easy to use and comfortable to hold for an extended period of time. There is only one button (which serves as both the on and off button as well as the temperature button), making it easy to figure out how to use the flat iron. There is also a small reading screen that tells you the temperature you are using at the time. The cord is long, and my hand was not tired while using the flat iron throughout the process.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: Slow and steady doesn't always win the race—just ask InStyle tester Trisha. She says the GHD Chronos heated up quickly, turning her wavy hair into sleek, straight strands quicker than any other straightener she's used. Better yet, her hair actually looked healthier after swiping the ceramic plates through her hair, which is pretty unusual for a hot tool. Marissa, another InStyle tester with very curly 3C hair, confirms these results, telling us that her frizzy ringlets looked smooth and shiny after only two passes.

Who It's For: Anyone who finds themselves distracted and rushed while they get ready will appreciate the GHD Chronos Styler's thoughtful features. A snappy tune that alerts you when it's fully heated, the interior power button prevents you from accidentally turning it off mid-application, and, best of all, it gives you a sleek style after one pass. Consider your styling time cut in half.

Worth Noting: There is only one heat setting.

Plate Width: 1 in | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 1 | Temperature: 365 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Trisha, tester with 2A hair: "The GHD works just as well, if not better, than the top models I have used. I'm really amazed by how quickly it heated up (I think this is the fastest I have used), it did not superheat my hair, and after one pass, the results were more than acceptable. If I were still straightening my hair every day, this would be my preferred product since it would easily give me back some time in the morning."

Why We Love It: Across hair types 1C to 4B, the ceramic tourmaline plate on this tool evenly distributes heat. The narrow, thin plates make it easier to work in small sections, ideal for those who prefer tighter curls or need to iron out shorter baby hairs. The tool also felt comfortable in our testers' hands, courtesy of a slim design and silicone-textured handle, which gave them a firm grip and prevented their hands from burning on the hot iron.

Who It’s For: When you want to exert the least amount of effort and see the highest payoff, the Ion Magnesium Flat Iron will give you the best results. At an affordable price point, its design includes everything you’d want from a hassle-free hot tool: It automatically turns off after 45 minutes, and it beeps when it reaches your desired temperature. The heat setting buttons are also easy to reach (but hard to accidentally bump—a true feat).

Worth Noting: Our testers noticed minimal shedding when we used it on especially fine hair.

Plate Width: 1 in | Plate Material: Ceramic tourmaline | Heat Settings: 4 | Temperature: 210—450 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Mandy, tester with 1A hair: “The flat iron is very comfortable to hold and use for an extended period of time. The cord is a good length and it is a good weight. My arm did not become tired after an extended period of time. The buttons for turning on and setting up the flat iron were also easy to use.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: T3 straighteners never let our editors down, especially when it comes to smoothing frizz, so it's not surprising our testers adored this static-fighting tool. True to its name, InStyle testers typically only need to run the straightener over strands once, but where it truly shines is the glint it'll give your hair. Like the tool itself, which has a gorgeous, creamy white glossy finish, your strands will look polished after each pass. Beyond this, you can easily see which of the nine heat settings it's set to, courtesy of nine dots lit on the tool's outside.

Who It's For: The T3 SinglePass is truly the tool for achieving a very straight, frizz-free blowout, especially if you have very curly hair that doesn't typically cooperate with hot tools. Its extra-long plates are perfect for flipping out your ends.

Worth Noting: The narrow handle makes it difficult to curl hair with the flat iron.

Plate Width: 1 in | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 9 | Temperature: 260—410 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Kiana, tester with 4B hair: "This product is far better than any straightener I have used in the last few years because it straightens your hair quicker with a higher quality. I love that even though the heat setting that was appropriate for my hair was 370 degrees, it held the temp well without being too hot."

Why We Love It: The Airstrait isn’t a traditional hair straightener. Like a hot air brush, it takes your hair from wet to dry by skipping the hot plates and using directed hair flow to dry and straighten simultaneously. Plus, it has all the features you could imagine: A bright LED screen, preset temperatures for wet and dry styling, and zero wait time for the tool to heat up. One of the highlights for us was the preset wet styling temperatures (175 degrees, 230 degrees, and 285 degrees). They were significantly lower than the temps for dry styling (250 degrees, 285 degrees, and Boost, which goes up to 320 degrees and is recommended only for touch-ups). We appreciated the preemptive defense against heat damage, and the settings were easy to adjust.

Who It’s For: Those seeking out a multiuse hot tool will enjoy this pick from Dyson. We loved how easily the Airstrait slid over our hair. Without any hot plates, there was virtually no tugging or pulling, further reducing the risk of hair damage. Thanks to its fluidity, we found it incredibly easy to successfully straighten hair (although thicker hair needed a few more passes).

Worth Noting: Like many Dyson products, the Airstrait has a bulky cord that ultimately weighs it down.

Plate Width: 1.6 in | Plate Material: Copper alloy | Heat Settings: 3 | Temperature: Up to 320 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

InStyle

Why We Love It: As someone with Irish curls, I understand how infuriating it is to straighten those little wavy parts near the roots that can't quite get smooth. However, Michelle, an InStyle tester with curly 3C hair, found the solution for taming unruly roots: The BondiBoost flat iron. She says the curved edges allow her to reach closer to her scalp and glide easily through her hair without snagging, preventing a frizzy halo. Additionally, the brand places the buttons on the inside—a feature our testers found very helpful, as the design helped them avoid bumping the heat setting up or down while styling.

Who It's For: If you're not in the market for a splurge on your next straightener, we'd recommend giving the BondiBoost flat iron a chance. It impressed us with how well it smoothed frizz around tricky areas, like the scalp and face-framing strands.

Worth Noting: While it left all of our testers' hair a little dry, as long as you have a hair serum on hand to apply afterward, your strands should still look fresh.

Plate Width: 1 in | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 210—480 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Michelle, tester with 3C hair: "The before and after was amazing, and there was such a huge difference in how well it took my hair from curly to straight....The straightener glides easily along each section and never snags my hair. It smoothed my hair down significantly on the first pass."

Why We Love It: Overall, the pièce de résistance of this smart tool is the technology. After evaluating our testers' specific hair type and texture (including whether they colored their hair or not), it was selected and heated to the perfect temperature to style our fine hair for a totally customized experience. From there, our testers never needed to re-enter our information. The iron remembered its unique settings and automatically heated up to that temperature with every use. The arms’ edges are slightly longer than the hot plates themselves, meaning fingers have a place to safely rest. It was also simple to unlock the screen and go back to the manual mode when adjusting one of the nine temperature settings.

Who It’s For: This tool harnesses an ion generator and patented CeraGloss-coated ceramic plates to boost shine and reduce frizz, making it a great pick for anyone who regularly struggles with this issue. Unlike with other designs, we rarely saw our fine hair slip from the tool as we twisted and twirled it between the plates.

Worth Noting: If you like a no-frills straightener, the advanced settings and controls may be a little too much.

Plate Width: 1 in | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 9 | Temperature: 260—410 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

InStyle

Why We Love It: Since curly hair is more delicate than other hair types, we wanted to find a flat iron that was gentle, but still gave us the straight look we wanted. The Hot Tools Pro Artist has smooth plates and rounded surfaces that prevent our testers' hair from getting stuck or tugged like it so often does with traditional rectangular edges. Plus, you can adjust the temperature settings on each individual plate to control how much heat you're using. Our testers found the most success by setting one plate at a lower degree than the other, so that they could prime the hair with just a little heat before the hotter second plate sealed in the style.Who It’s For: Whether you have fine, medium, or thick hair, there’s a heat setting (30, to be exact) to guide you toward your desired look.

Worth Noting: The technique isn’t totally intuitive—occasionally the dual plates creased hair when it was left on a strand for too long—but once you get the hang of it, it’s smooth sailing.

Plate Width: 0.5 in | Plate Material: Gold plated | Heat Settings: 30 | Temperature: 300—450 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Cydnie, tester with 3C hair: “This tool had a very smooth glide. To see my hair go from super curly to super straight in a matter of seconds was incredible. I could glide it on and through my hair with ease and no resistance.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: The Tymo Ring Plus has a lot going for it: With an ergonomic design and cord that swiveled with our movements, we could get every one of our strands pin-straight, even when we started on very wavy, curly hair. At first, we questioned whether this would be possible, since the highest heat setting (out of nine!) is 410 degrees (many irons go up to 450 degrees), but we got a sleek, straight finish without ever needing to crank it way up. Although this design isn't conducive for curling hair—at most we saw a soft wave, similar to the results from heatless curlers—we loved the straight look it gave us so much that we didn't mind. Plus, it comes with hairpins, a glove, a travel bag, a detangling brush, and a straightening comb.

Who It’s For: The interior of the clamp has comb-like teeth to mimic the effect of a hot brush, making it a great option for those who typically reach for those tools. This feature allowed us to easily straighten and untangle our hair without catching strands.

Worth Noting: This isn't the hottest hair straightener on the market, so if your hair type requires high heat, pick another option.

Plate Width: 1.25 in | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 9 | Temperature: 250—410 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Tina, tester with 1B hair: “This tool combed my hair while straightening it, making the process easier, especially for fine hair such as mine. It came with a cute brush that was compact and easy to use while flat ironing it at the same time.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: A hair straightener usually isn’t our first choice for curling hair, but the lightweight BabylissPro made creating everything from beachy waves to tighter ringlets so easy. The swivel cord was so flexible, InStyle tester Breanna barely had to move a muscle as she worked from her bangs to the back of her head. She didn't experience any hair catching in the plates, especially impressive since curling required her to wrap and pull each section through. Additionally, the ion technology helped give our testers softer, shinier strands.

Who It’s For: This tool works well for anyone who appreciates having multiple options for styling their hair. Regardless of whether we fancied straightening or curling our hair, we were blown away by how we didn’t have to crank the iron up to the highest heat setting to see results that lasted all day.

Worth Noting: With hair woes solved, our one wish is an automatic shut-off.

Plate Width: 1.25 in | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 300—450 F | Automatic Shut-Off: No

Breanna, tester with 3B hair: “The tool did a great job at straightening my hair. I think it could get a looser hair pattern even straighter than it got mine.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: In true Dyson form, this professional hair straightener comes with all the bells and whistles. Whether our testers created waves, straightened, or curled their hair, they created various styles in record time. Dyson designs the plates with flexible materials, and when hair is clamped between them, it molds to your specific hair weight, automatically adjusting the temperature to a customized setting for your hair. This gives you far more control with fewer passes needed. The straightener doesn’t travel solo either: It comes with a charging dock, a heat-resistant travel case, a beautiful storage box, and a magnetic charging cable. There’s even a safety lock, so you can stow it away when it's still warm. The cordless design was a total game-changer because we could style our hair faster without getting tangled. Less flashy features, like the dinging sound it makes when it reaches the desired temperature and a five-minute automatic shut-off, are also bonuses.

Who It’s For: Anyone looking for sleek, fast styling would do well to choose this straightener. We also feel that using this tool had a direct impact on the lack of static around our scalp—a good thing considering it helped us avoid frizzy, curly hairs getting occasionally caught in the plates.

Worth Noting: The plates may be too wide for very fine, thin hair.

Plate Width: 1.6 in | Plate Material: Copper alloy | Heat Settings: 3 | Temperature: 330—410 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Danielle, tester with 3C hair: “I have fairly small hands and the Dyson Corrale fit in my hand pretty easily. There was a noticeable weight to the Dyson, due to its rechargeable battery. But I didn’t find myself fatigued or arms sore while using it.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: We blame frizz and flyaways on bad weather and high humidity, but sometimes it starts with what tool we’re using—and Drybar came to the rescue. The titanium plates on its styling iron slid through our testers' hair like butter and took no stragglers in the process. The results? Hair so soft and smooth, we couldn’t stop touching it. Its slightly curved edges also helped target flyaways around faces. The straightener features Drybar's signature Ionic Technology, which releases negative ions to seal the cuticle, locking in the style and preventing frizz.

Who It’s For: Those looking to target frizz and achieve an ultra-sleek look will appreciate this straightener. Anyone whose hair doesn't hold a curl will also want to try this straightener that helps to lock in their styles.

Worth Noting: Word to the wise: Working in small sections prevents slippage from the thin 0.5-inch plates and helps create more defined curls.

Plate Width: 0.5 in | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 250—450 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Maritza, tester with 1A hair: “My hair looks beautifully straight with this tool, but somehow also has the perfect volume. I achieved my desired results in one to two passes.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: Weighing under a pound and designed with smoothing plates and an overall adorable look, we love a lot about this mini, travel-friendly tool. Its compact, rounded tip design is ideal for styling and curling short hair. Unlike traditional flat irons with an elongated shape, this one held our tester's shoulder-length strands in place, courtesy of the miniature size of the plates. She never saw any dents from too much pressure. Plus, it has a cooling function that kicks on once the tool reaches the set temperature.

Who It’s For: The ceramic plates on this tool very rarely tugged at strands, making this a great pick for those with damaged hair. In fact, we really only noticed it when we clamped down too hard or tried to straighten too much hair at once with the 1-inch plate. Its uncomplicated design is also a great introduction for beginners: The hair straightener heated up fast, fit perfectly in our testers' hands, and only had one button to cycle through the five heat settings.

Worth Noting: The only times we experienced tugging were when we clamped down too hard or tried to straighten too much hair at once with the 1-inch plate.

Plate Width: 1 in | Plate Material: Titanium | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 280—430 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Rebecca, tester with 3B hair: “My hair still looked good several hours later! I like that it looks naturally straight. It's not the stiff, flat look that I've gotten with other straighteners. It's perfectly straight without being intense and blunt.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: Frankly put, our hair looked incredible after using this tool’s steaming feature. Think: Shinier, glossier, and healthier hair—and it wasn’t even a painstaking process to get these results. As steam tools were new to some of our testers, they appreciated that there were downward-facing arrows on the tool that guided them through the straightening process. We also like that we only had to press one button to toggle between the three different temperatures as we straightened our hair. Plus, the flat iron came with a detachable comb that we used on days we craved big, beachy waves. It helped hold our hair in place as we styled, although the comb prongs are a little close together, meaning we had to work through our hair slowly to avoid tugging.

Who It’s For: It’s a daunting thought to consider applying more heat to already brittle, damaged hair. Innovative hair tool aficionados will appreciate the uniqueness of this less damaging straightener, as well as how well it actually works. If you like to switch up your style from straight and sleek to undone waves, this tool offers versatility.

Worth Noting: There's no automatic shut-off feature.

Plate Width: 1.25 in | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 3 | Temperature: 350—410 F | Automatic Shut-Off: No

Danielle, tester with 3C hair: “The final appearance of my hair was akin to a fresh blowout—just much looser and straighter. I let twenty minutes pass and checked the appearance of my hair. The cuticles had not swollen up nor did my roots or strands revert back to their natural state.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: Chi has long been a leader in styling hot tools (and no stranger to TikTok fame) for a good reason. Case in point: The Lava 4D Hairstyling Iron, which offers ceramic plates infused with a thick mineral lava coating that tamed our pesky flyaways and frizz with just one pass. It smoothly moved through super coarse hair like it was nothing. Designed with long, curved arms and 1-inch plates, the flat iron is a versatile option. Our testers mastered all the styles, flipping small sections into spiral waves or running the iron root to end for a blown-out look. Plus, it heated up faster than any of the other irons we tested (about 15 seconds!). It took an hour before the iron automatically turned off, and as added security, we liked that there was a locking mechanism to prevent the hot plates from touching other items while it cooled off.

Who It’s For: Anyone looking for quick styling time with frizz-free results will be satisfied with this straightener. We should note that we were initially concerned that this hot tool would be, ironically, too hot for us (especially on fine or damaged hair), as 370 degrees is the lowest heat setting available, which is far higher than your average straightener. Fortunately, we didn’t have to clamp down on our hair for more than a few seconds, so the heat isn’t applied for very long.

Worth Noting: It may be too hot for very fine, thin hair.

Plate Width: 1 in | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 370—450 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Mandy, tester with 1A hair: “This flat iron is very comfortable to hold and use for an extended period of time. The cord is really long, and it's good for those users who have to plug into an outlet that's far away. I felt the flat iron was lightweight, and my arm did not become tired.”

InStyle

Why We Love It: The simple, intuitive tool didn’t require us to watch hours of tutorials or practice on an old Barbie before we could straighten our hair with ease. It heated up in about 30 seconds and had five easily adjustable heat settings to choose from. It slid through all hair types easily while straightening. The swivel cord was extremely long—up to 12 feet—and when purchasing this flat iron, you can select from several different width options, depending on your specific hair type and needs.

Who It’s For: Those who appreciate no-frills hair tools and beginners will enjoy this tool’s straightforward design. However, temperature adjusting is a little tricky because the FHI flat iron uses a dial, and the designated markings are every 70 degrees. So, if you wanted to hit a 350-degree temperature, you’d have to make your best guess between 300 degrees and 370 degrees.

Worth Noting: We did feel a slight tug while curling our hair.

Plate Width: 1.25 in | Plate Material: Ceramic | Heat Settings: 5 | Temperature: 140—450 F | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes

Tina, tester with 1B hair: “My hair is fine, so setting the temperature to 350 degrees complemented it. My hair has become sleek, shiny, and gorgeous in one swipe!”

InStyle

InStyle editors tested 55 of the most popular hair straighteners in search of the very best. We began in our NYC-based testing lab to gather initial impressions on how the tools arrived in their packaging, what features we were most excited about, how quickly they straightened, and our thoughts on the final results. Our editors then took the tools home for several more weeks to use the hair straightener and continue to note its performance and notable features, such as auto shut-off and adjustable temperature settings.

After applying a heat protectant and curl cream, Fowles tells us to separate the hair into manageable sections, starting with the bottom layers of hair first, moving from the base of the head to the tip of the strand. To create the curl, “run the irons from the root to the end, twisting the iron at 180 or 360 degrees slowly away from the face with the iron vertical until you reach the tips of the hair,” says Fowles. Repeat this method around your head, changing the direction of how you curl the hair to add depth and dimension. If you want a more natural look, Taylor suggests allowing the curls to cool before combing through with your fingers and giving your hair a good tousle.

According to Taylor, ceramic plates are superior because they distribute heat evenly and use far-infrared heat to heat the hair from the inside out, meaning that "you’re reducing the amount of time you need to expose your hair to heat," she says. Ceramic material also slides through hair seamlessly without pulling on strands. Just be sure to watch how often you’re ironing the same section of hair, says Taylor, since these plates tend to heat up quickly and can disrupt your hair’s integrity when it lingers on hair or you’ve done one too many passes.

Without a regular weekly wipe-down, buildup from heat protectants and other styling products can impact the amount of heat that is transferred from the plates to your hair, dulling the heat's strength. Even with a high temperature, you’ll need to do more passes to get the same result. Before cleaning, ensure the iron is turned off and has completely cooled down. Then dip a damp cloth into a bit of rubbing alcohol and carefully wipe down the plates to remove any debris. Taylor also likes to dip a cotton swab into rubbing alcohol to really get into the iron’s edges and crevices.

Alternatively, Cabott says a simple microfiber cloth works, as long as you don't see too much buildup. “And if you are consistently seeing a lot of gunk, you may need to rethink your shampoo, conditioner, or other products you are using.”

Irene Richardson is an InStyle writer covering fashion and beauty trends. For this story, she compiled insights from in-house testers, read dozens of online reviews, and rounded up top picks. She also spoke with hair experts: