The 15 Top-Rated, Best-Selling Hair Straighteners of 2022
The 15 Top-Rated, Best-Selling Hair Straighteners of 2022
Listen, even my fine, thin, mostly straight hair knows the difference between a meh flat iron and The Very Best hair straightener. I’ve been testing hair tools since I was 11 (don’t get me started on my love for curling wands), which means at this point in my life, I know just how much a bad hair straightener can mess with your hair (see: excessive damage, breakage, snagging, etc). That doesn’t mean you need to spend $$$ on some high-tech flat iron for good results, but it does mean that your straightener should at least be tailored to your hair type, straighten in one pass without pulling, and have a few heat settings.
And those are just the very basics. You should also consider if you want ceramic or titanium plates (ceramic = softer heat that’s better for finer, straighter hair; titanium = stronger heat that’s better for curlier, coarser hair), if you care about auto shut-off features, if you prefer wide or thin plates (depending on your texture and length), etc. I know it sounds overwhelming, so to make it easier for you, I rounded up the best hair straighteners of 2022 for every different hair type, need, and budget. Here’s a quick preview of my favorites:
Our top hair straightener picks of 2022
Now keep reading for the full breakdown of my favorite hair straighteners—from drugstore-priced straighteners to flat irons for curly hair and more—along with explanations on how to minimize heat damage, how to choose the right flat iron for your hair type, and whether price really matters when it comes to quality.
Remington Pro 1" Pearl Ceramic Flat Iron
Remington
amazon.com
$31.98
If you flat-iron your hair a few times a year max, you’re probably not willing to spend a bunch of money on something that spends most of its time in your drawer. I get it. Enter: This inexpensive hair straightener will straighten, wave, bend, and curl with ceramic plates that heat up to 450 degrees. It also features “floating” plates that basically don’t press down as intensely on your hair, meaning your hair is less likely to get that crisp, fried feeling—and less likely to actually get fried.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Ceramic
- Heat settings: 300 to 450 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “I want a simple tool to do a simple thing; I don't want to fuss with it or have to figure it out,” writes one reviewer. “This was perfect. I can get my super thick hair done in about 10 minutes with this, and it leaves my hair feeling soft.”
Kristin Ess Hair 3-In-One Titanium Flat Iron
Kristin Ess
amazon.com
$90.00
You know when you try to curl your hair with a straightener, and you're left with creases, bumps, and snags? Yeah, that won't be the case with this rounded-edge flat iron. It's smoothly curved to allow you to clamp, twirl, and twist your hair without crimps, so your flat-iron waves and curls look genuinely good, not just good-for-a-flat-iron good.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Ceramic
- Heat settings: 280 to 440 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “My hair is fine and straight, and this tool does a fantastic job putting a little ‘bend’ in my usual blow-dry style,” writes one reviewer. “Very easy to use, and I really like the temperature control feature.”
Hot Tools Radiant Blue Digital Flat Iron
amazon.com
$58.04
This titanium iron heats up fast, bringing its plates back to the ideal temperature quickly after each pass, so you won’t need to go over each section multiple times and destroy your hair. To get your hair extra sleek and straight, brush through each section with a fine-tooth comb while following right behind it with the straightener.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Titanium
- Heat settings: 300 to 450 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “From the moment I took this out of the box, I was impressed,” writes one tester. “It heats up quickly, it's easy to use, looks sleek, feels great as I grip the iron, and doesn't snag as I run it through my hair. It did not take me long at all to get my hair straightened, and I have naturally curly hair.”
Revlon Salon Straight Copper Smooth XL Flat Iron
amazon.com
$42.05
Copper is famously known for being an even heat conductor (just ask any cook), which is why I love this flat iron for coarser hair: Its copper-infused plates will straighten hair with fewer passes, which means less heat damage for you. Bonus: The detachable comb also smooths and distributes your coarse hair evenly over the plates, so you’re left with stick-straight hair on the first pass.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Copper and ceramic
- Heat settings: 180 to 455
THE REVIEWS: “I straightened my very coarse, thick hair quicker than I ever have before,” one review writes. “It warms up fast, and the copper plates glide across my hair without snagging.”
BaBylissPro Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin Straightening Iron
ulta.com
$139.95
If your hair tends to just look poofy and dull after a flat-iron session (been there), you need to try this hair straightener. It’s designed with titanium plates that heat up quickly and powerfully to quickly smooth your hair for a silkier finish. And because the tongs are ultra narrow, you can easily maneuver them close to your scalp to straighten curly or wavy roots, or to help lay frizz and flyaways.
- Auto shut-off: No
- Plates: Titanium
- Heat settings: 240 to 450 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “I do my hair so fast now,” writes one tester in a review. “It used to take me about 35 minutes because I have a lot of hair and it's thick. Now it takes me between 15-20 minutes. This is the best straightener I've ever purchased.”
T3 SinglePass X Straightening Iron
ulta.com
$235.00
Thick hair + flat-ironing can equal an hour of arm-exhausting, damage-ensuing labor. Enter: this tourmaline-and-ceramic straightening iron with one-and-a-half-inch plates. The wider plates (with softer ceramic heating) help straighten thicker, straighter hair types with fewer passes and less heat damage.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Tourmaline and ceramic
- Heat settings: 260 to 410 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “It heats up super quickly with several adjustable temperature settings,” writes one reviewer. “It glides through my curly hair quickly, and best of all, my hair stays straight for days—even on hot, humid summer days."
Ghd Platinum+ Professional Performance Styler
sephora.com
$249.00
Ceramic flat irons are excellent at straightening, smoothing, and adding shine at lower temps—but they can also take longer to heat up. But not this one, which only needs 20 seconds (yup!) to reach its maximum temperature of 365 degrees. According to the smarties in research and development at Ghd, this is the optimal temperature for changing the shape of your hair with as minimal damage as possible. You’ll get straight hair in one single pass and save a lil heat damage in the process.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Ceramic
- Heat settings: 365 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “This is the best hair straightener I’ve ever used, and I’ve been straightening my hair regularly for 20 years,” writes one tester. “It glides through my hair, makes my hair unbelievably shiny, and in one pass, I get a sleek style that lasts all day, even when it’s humid.”
InStyler Cerasilk Woven Ceramic Styling Iron
amazon.com
$115.00
You obviously sleep with a silk pillowcase to protect your hair (if you don’t, do it now, k?), so why not heat style with silk too? The silk-and-ceramic ridges on this iron mean that less of your hair comes in contact with the direct heat, which equals less damage and breakage for you.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Ceramic
- Heat settings: 300 to 440 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “My hair was left silky smooth and had a beautiful shine with minimal damage compared to my old flat iron,” writes one reviewer. “This product got to a perfect temperature of 450 degrees in seconds, and the comb attachment does a more thorough job straightening.”
Bio Ionic 10x Pro Straightening & Styling Iron
ulta.com
$230.00
Don’t let the light vibrations in this iron surprise you when you clamp down. The oscillating plates encourage your curls and waves to spread out evenly between the plates to help you get the smoothest, most even finish all the way down the length of your hair. It’s so good, Cosmo’s deputy beauty director Chloe Metzger uses it most times she straightens her own curly hair.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Ceramic
- Heat settings: 300 to 450 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “Hands down, this is the best flat iron I've ever used,” writes one tester in a review. “It's a little pricey but well worth the money and makes my hair shiny and smooth.”
Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener
sephora.com
$499.00
Yup, this is a Very Expensive Flat Iron. Yup, this is something you'd definitely splurge on, save up for, or beg for from the person who loves you most, but it'll be worth it. This cordless/corded—you can do both—flat iron uses flexible copper plates that subtly move with your hair to evenly distribute heat across every strand, leaving you with less damage and smoother hair. I've used it, and it really is a freaking thing of the future.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Copper
- Heat settings: 330 to 410 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “I am SHOCKED at how freakin’ awesome this straightener is,” writes one reviewer. “After I completed the first section of hair my only words were ‘damn.’ My hair was done in half the time and looks better than it has before using the other higher-end straighteners out on the market.”
Conair InfinitiPro Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron
amazon.com
$30.58
This flat iron is a dream for anyone who's absolutely terrified of destroying their damaged or fine hair with heat tools. It has 30 heat settings (so it's suuuper customizable for fine or damaged hair), and its tourmaline/ceramic combo means your hair gets straighter with fewer passes and less heat. If you don’t want to spend a bunch of money on more heat tools, you truly can’t go wrong with this one.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Tourmaline/Ceramic
- Heat settings: 248 to 455 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “The Infiniti Pro does a great job of straightening my fine, wavy hair,” writes one tester in a review. “I have a short/medium bob, and it leaves my hair smooth and shiny in no time at all! My hair looks like I just came from the salon in just minutes.”
Kim Kimble Vapor Infusion Iron with Silk Argan Oil
shopkimkimble.com
$99.00
Steam-based flat irons can be tricky. Even though they can be magical for straightening 4c hair, they can also be hella drying (the steam attaches itself to the water in your hair strand, pulling it out and evaporating it). But this one from Kim Kimble uses a mix of steam and argan oil-filled cartridges to smooth and moisturize hair with fewer passes. And that means way less damage for you.
- Auto shut-off: No
- Plates: Tourmaline-infused
- Heat settings: 300 to 450 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “This product left my hair completely straight, shiny, and very soft,” writes one tester. “I liked it so much that I bought one for my friend’s birthday. She also loved it.”
CHI G2 Professional Flat Iron
amazon.com
$129.99
If you plan on using your hair straightener on different hair types and textures (ahem, sharing with roomies or siblings), you want something versatile, like this titanium-infused ceramic straightener. It has a digital heat control panel that lights up in one of three colors (blue = fine/delicate hair, green = medium texture or wavy hair, red = coarse hair) to indicate when the temperature has reached the right range for certain hair types.
- Auto shut-off: Yes
- Plates: Ceramic and titanium
- Heat settings: 370 to 425 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “As a hairdresser, I can say this is an excellent tool—no wonder why this product has won awards,” writes one reviewer. “It gives very professional results and doesn't damage the hair. Even with the most damaged hair, I get shiny and smooth results.”
Amika Mighty Mini Styler
revolve.com
$29.00
No joke: I have this mini hair straightener in my drawer right now, and I freakin' love it for touch-ups. The half-inch-wide plates make it super easy to straighten bumps near your roots, along with messed-up bangs that wider flat irons usually can’t touch without burning your forehead. It also comes in a cute pouch, so you can keep the cord wrapped up and stowed away if you bring it in your purse or carry-on.
- Auto shut-off: No
- Plates: Titanium
- Heat Settings: 400 degrees
MY REVIEW: I entirely rely on flat irons to style my curtain bangs and not make them look flat and blah against my forehead. But I also don’t want to bring a big, bulky flat iron just to do my bangs when traveling, which is where this iron comes in. It’s so compact and beyond easy to use, but it has some power—enough that I’ve straightened my whole head of short hair with it before.
Deeper Than Hair 22TiTania Flat Iron
deeperthanhair.com
$129.00
This titanium flat iron can reach super-hot temps (a max of 465 degrees) to evenly straighten type-4 hair without as much damage as other models, thanks to its floating plates that help reduce pressure while clamping down on your hair. And because the rounded metal casing also heats up, you can easily create bends and waves once you’ve smoothed out your hair.
- Auto shut-off: No
- Plates: Titanium
- Heat settings: 300 to 465 degrees
THE REVIEWS: “I have 4b-4c natural hair, and I don't have to run the iron on my hair multiple times to get it straight,” writes one tester. “It does the job right the first time.”
We tested the best hair straighteners, whether you're looking for ceramic or titanium, a hair straightener for curly hair, or the best flat iron for waves.