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The blessings of thick hair: lots of body, movement, and volume. The frustration: taming can require Herculean effort (especially when the weather shifts). “Styling thick hair can take a long time because its dense,” adds celebrity hair stylist and Prose spokesperson Camille Friend, who styled Halle Bailey’s locks for The Little Mermaid. But a great hair straightener can make a huge impact, cutting down styling time, reducing frizz, and shaping hair into a sleek, straight style or soft waves.
Our Top Picks
- 1
Best Straightener on Amazon
HSI Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron
$49 at Amazon$49 at AmazonRead more
- 2
Best Straightener for Thick Hair
T3 Lucea 1.5"
$190 at t3micro.com$190 at t3micro.comRead more
- 3
Best Ceramic Straightener
Chi Original Ceramic Hair Straightener
$70 at Amazon$70 at AmazonRead more
- 4
Best Titanium Straightener
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Prima 3000
$190 at Ulta Beauty$190 at Ulta BeautyRead more
- 5
Best Straightener for Frizzy Hair
CROC Classic Silver Titanium Flat Iron, 1.5 Inch
$130 at Amazon$130 at AmazonRead more
Show more
To choose the iron that’s best for your texture, it’s important to pay attention to its features. Note whether it has adjustable heat settings, wide paddles, titanium plates, and ionic technology. “In my experience, titanium hair straighteners work best on thick hair because they heat up in seconds. Ceramic plates provide low heat, which is ideal for fine-hair types,” says hairstylist Cindy Romo. If you have frizzy hair, Friend also recommends a straightener with ionic technology. “It will reduce frizz and promote smoother results,” she says. Both stylists agree that it’s essential to apply a heat protectant before using a hot tool to shield your hair from heat damage.
Read on to find out which hair straighteners, from budget buys to pro go-tos, work best on thick and coarse hair.
1Best Straightener on Amazon
HSI Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron
1Best Straightener on Amazon
HSI Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron
$49 at Amazon$71 at WalmartCredit: HSI ProfessionalPros
A great price and comes with accessories like a heat protective glove and argan oil
Cons
The LCD screen can be confusing when powering down
This iron lets you skimp on price without sacrificing performance. It has earned high Amazon ratings, which isn’t surprising considering it has many of the features—multiple heat settings and the ability to create straight and wavy styles—that the more expensive flat irons offer.
2Best Straightener for Thick Hair
T3 Lucea 1.5″
2Best Straightener for Thick Hair
T3 Lucea 1.5″
$190 at t3micro.comCredit: T3Pros
Straightens hair in one pass
Cons
The wider plates limit the variety of looks you can create
The wider plates make this ideal for straightening long, thick hair because you can work on larger sections at a time to speed up the process. Friend advises that "higher heat may be necessary for thicker strands." If your hair leans toward coarse and unruly, the Lucea might be the best pick for you.
3Best Ceramic Straightener
Chi Original Ceramic Hair Straightener
3Best Ceramic Straightener
Chi Original Ceramic Hair Straightener
Now 30% Off$70 at AmazonCredit: ChiPros
Heats up quickly to curl or straighten hair
Cons
It doesn’t have high-tech features like an LCD screen
The OG of hair straighteners, this one has racked up many awards over the years for its versatility and quick-heating capabilities. It doesn’t have added frills like a fancy digital display, but scores of fans forgo those for the reliable salon-quality results they get.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below4Best Titanium Straightener
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Prima 3000
4Best Titanium Straightener
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Prima 3000
$190 at Ulta Beauty$14 at Walmart$18 at JCPenneyCredit: BaBylissPROPros
You can straighten and curl with this one tool
Cons
Does not have an automatic shutoff
"This is my personal favorite," says Romo. "The plates heat up super quick with heat settings up to 465 degrees. Not only is it a great flat iron, but it can also be used to add waves or curls thanks to its curved edges." If you often switch from curly to straight, this is the tool for you.
5Best Straightener for Frizzy Hair
CROC Classic Silver Titanium Flat Iron, 1.5 Inch
5Best Straightener for Frizzy Hair
CROC Classic Silver Titanium Flat Iron, 1.5 Inch
Now 44% Off$130 at AmazonCredit: CrocPros
The iron automatically shuts off after 40 minutes
Cons
Navigating all the temperature settings may be overwhelming for beginners.
This has the features a professional hairstylist looks for in a flat iron, including quick heating titanium plates so you can straighten your hair fast, ionic technology to reduce frizz, and 17 temperature settings.
6Best Professional Straightener
ghd Platinum+ Styler Flat Iron
6Best Professional Straightener
ghd Platinum+ Styler Flat Iron
$279 at GHD HairCredit: GHDPros
Has built-in technology to protect your hair while you style it
Cons
It’s on the more expensive side
This iron isn’t just about results. It’s about treating your hair with care during the process. The technology keeps heat distributed more evenly, which reduces breakage, increases shine, and protects hair color—it’s won multiple awards.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below7Best Straightener for Short Hair
amika The Conductor 1-Inch Precision Flat Iron
7Best Straightener for Short Hair
amika The Conductor 1-Inch Precision Flat Iron
$150 at Sephora$142 at WalmartPros
It’s lightweight and heats up quickly.
Cons
Consensus among many is that it stops working after about two years
This straightforward straightener is easy to control and glides over hair to smooth out rough spots and create a sleek finish. Featuring germanium plates, the straightener gives high-precision styling, with frizz-free results. As with all straighteners, Friend recommends dividing your hair into sections for best results.
8Best High-Tech Straightener
Harry Josh Pro Tools Cordless Ceramic 1-Inch Styling Iron
8Best High-Tech Straightener
Harry Josh Pro Tools Cordless Ceramic 1-Inch Styling Iron
$350 at DermstoreCredit: Harry Josh Pro ToolsPros
You can easily pop this cordless iron into your bag for touch-ups on-the-go
Cons
The souped-up features come at a hefty price
Aside from the signature mint green color we’ve come to associate with the celebrity hairstylist’s namesake brand, we love that Josh thought of all the details when creating his cordless iron. It comes with interchangeable batteries so you never run out of power (we’ve tested it), a digital temperature control that’s easy to manipulate, and heat protectant nano silver tourmaline plates.
9Best Straightener for Long Hair
Revlon Extra-Long Ceramic Flat Iron
9Best Straightener for Long Hair
Revlon Extra-Long Ceramic Flat Iron
$35 at Ulta Beauty$22 at WalmartCredit: RevlonPros
There is a separate on/off switch so you don’t accidentally hit the off button midway through styling
Cons
Shorter-hair types will have a harder time working with the wide plates.
The 1.5-inch plate width makes this iron ideal for taming thick, long hair. The plates are also especially long, so they can cover a lot of surface area with fewer passes, and they’re ceramic with ionic tourmaline technology to cut frizz while protecting the hair from heat damage.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below10Best Drugstore Buy
Kristin Ess 3-in-1 Flat Iron
10Best Drugstore Buy
Kristin Ess 3-in-1 Flat Iron
$110 at CVSCredit: Kristin EssPros
You can create multiple looks, from pin-straight locks to polished curls
Cons
The ceramic plates take a bit longer to heat up
"Affordable yet effective, this iron provides even heat distribution as you straighten or bend to form S-waves, flat iron waves, and polished curls," says Friend. It also has a digital display so you can easily choose between the four heat settings.
11Best Cordless Hair Straightener
Dyson Corrale Straightener
11Best Cordless Hair Straightener
Dyson Corrale Straightener
$500 at Ulta Beauty$500 at Bloomingdale’s$500 at Saks Fifth AvenueCredit: DysonPros
It’s compact and cordless, which makes it great for travel
Cons
This is one of the most expensive flat irons on the market
"Convenient and portable, the Dyson Corrale provides cordless styling without compromising performance," says Friend. The charge holds for 30 minutes, and the plates flex to help gather the hair and apply heat and tension evenly. The added functionality of corded or cord-free gives you extra control in where and how you style.
12Best Vibrating Straightener
Drybar Vibrating Flat Iron
12Best Vibrating Straightener
Drybar Vibrating Flat Iron
$190 at Sephora$133 at Nordstrom$190 at Ulta BeautyCredit: DrybarPros
The vibrating feature makes it easy to grip the hair and style like a pro
Cons
Some people find the vibrating button hard to use
If you find that flat irons tend to tug on your hair too much, consider this tool’s vibrating feature, which helps to balance the tension. Other bonuses are that it’s comfortable to hold in your hand and its plates are infused with ionic technology to eliminate frizz.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below13Best Steam Straightener
L’Oréal Professionnel Steampod Flat Iron & Styler
13Best Steam Straightener
L’Oréal Professionnel Steampod Flat Iron & Styler
$250 at Ulta Beauty$250 at SephoraCredit: L’Oréal ProfessionnelPros
It can handle the thickest of hair textures
Cons
Some say it can feel heavy and requires a learning curve
Rather than ironing your hair, try steaming it. Fill this straightener’s built-in water tank with the included bottle, choose your preferred heat setting, and run it through your hair. The steam won’t make your hair wet; instead, it leaves you with smooth strands and less frizz.
14Best Straightener for Wet-to-Dry Styles
Remington Pro Wet2Style 1.75″ Ceramic Iron
14Best Straightener for Wet-to-Dry Styles
Remington Pro Wet2Style 1.75″ Ceramic Iron
$28 at WalmartCredit: RemingtonPros
Can be used on damp or dry hair
Cons
The temperature screen does not light up, so it makes the heat settings harder to see
When you don’t have the time or patience to dry your hair, this flat iron is the ticket. It contains a venting system that removes excess water as you style so you can skip the blow-dry and go directly to straightening.
