The 10 Best Hair Straighteners for Curly Hair of 2024

They say the grass is always greener on the other side—and in our experience, that applies to hair, too. No matter how gorgeous your natural curls may be, sometimes you just want the sleek, smooth look of perfectly straight hair. 

But even the best hair straighteners need to be strong—yet gentle—enough to take on the challenge of a full head of curly hair. Even more importantly, hair straighteners for curly hair need to have specific features (think: temperature control and plate material) to avoid heat damage and breakage while taming frizz and flyaways. We researched and tested several of the top hot tools for curly hair on the market, judging them on ease of use, heat settings, value, and effectiveness. After finishing our in-depth analysis, these are the best hair straighteners for curly hair.

Best Hair Straightener for Curly Hair Overall

BaBylissPRO Straightening Iron

What We Love: This straightening iron heats up in seconds and is blissfully smooth. 

What We Don’t Love: The on / off buttons are inconveniently located — you may accidentally press them while using the tool.

The Nano Titanium Ionic Iron from BaBylissPro is our best hair straightener for curly hair overall pick for a number of reasons. First up, it uses ionic technology to smooth hair with greater precision and at lower temperatures, keeping your strands healthier and frizz-free for longer periods of time. Next, it heats up almost instantaneously, allowing for a quick styling process that’ll create an ultra-smooth look in no time. 

We found it incredibly easy to use with intuitive controls and power settings — small lights changed from green to red to indicate what temperature level the tool was operating at. The cord was long enough to allow us plenty of room to maneuver around our vanity setup. And our hair felt secure between the plates and the iron moved well throughout our curls without much tension or tugging. Because the titanium straightens at lower heat settings that are healthier for hair, we noticed that we had to grab smaller sections of hair to iron than we typically might, but that said, we were able to achieve desired results in just one pass. We’ve literally never had such a smooth silk press with any other tool we’ve used and this was only at 375 degrees! 

And while we don’t love the placement of the on / off buttons, the flat iron is lightweight enough that you can easily handle the tool while avoiding accidental shut-offs.

Plate Width: 1 ¼-inch | Plate Material: Titanium | Max Temperature: 450 degrees | Cord Length: 4 feet

Best Budget

Vanessa Pro Flat Iron Hair Straightener

What We Love: If your hair is already blow dried, it only takes one pass with this flat iron to achieve silky smooth strands. 

What We Don’t Love: The thin plate isn’t the most efficient at styling long, thick hair in a timely manner. Luckily, the company also makes a two-inch plate version that will smooth thicker hair much faster.

Vanessa Pro markets this as a “one pass” product, and it lives up to that hype. With 11 heat settings and the ability to reach the max temperature in 15 seconds, this super lightweight (travel-friendly!) option won’t break the bank. (the one-inch plate option comes in at less than $40, while friends with thicker or longer curls can spring for the two-inch plate version for just under $50).

Additional features like a swivel cord and automatic shut off make this flat iron intuitive and comfortable to handle for beginners and pros alike. Plus, the titanium plates are infused with argan oil for increased silkiness and shine, so no matter how dry or frizzy your coils are they'll look softer after using this tool.

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Titanium | Max Temperature: 450 degrees | Cord Length: 8.08 feet

Best Splurge

Dyson Corrale

What We Love: The handle remains completely heat-free, so you can say goodbye to flat iron burns. 

What We Don’t Love: You only get 30 minutes of cordless use (and it takes about 70 minutes to fully charge).

While Dyson has been making waves (literally) lately with the Airwrap, we’re here to remind you that the company makes an excellent straightening iron, too. And after testing the Corrale out, we think it deserves just as much hype as the Airwrap. It features unique flexing plate technology that gathers and shapes around your hair, utilizing less heat and preventing breakage. This feature made reducing frizz and flyaways a breeze — even on our thicker, kinkier hair. 

Along with the innovative technology, we were impressed with other clever features, too. In less than one minute, the tool heated up to temperature and notified us with a sound. It then stayed at a consistent 365 degrees and straightened our strands without overheating. Throughout the process, our hair never snagged, and the iron completely calmed our very frizzy curls. Plus, we were able to curl our hair with the device — a flick of our wrist added gorgeous bounce and definition.

We also appreciated that the tool keeps safety top of mind: The base remained completely cool, eliminating the risk of accidental burns. And, because it's cordless, it was easy to handle and maneuver around our head. The one downside? It will only operate for 30 minutes with a full battery, and it takes almost 70 minutes to recharge. Make sure to work quickly if you have longer hair.

Plate Width: 1.6-inch | Plate Material: Manganese copper alloy | Max Temperature: 410 degrees | Cord Length: Cordless

Best for Frizz

L'Oreal Professionnel Steampod Flat Iron & Styler

What We Love: Using an innovative design, this tool releases steam around the hair (without getting it wet!) to create long lasting frizz control. 

What We Don’t Love: The detangling comb attachment isn't suited for those with thicker curls.

This flat iron takes a unique approach to combating frizz, which made it immediately stand out during our test. Utilizing state of the art technology and an integrated water tank system, small holes to the side of the plates released steam while we straightened to tackle and tamp down frizz with long lasting results (seriously, it controlled our frizz for a full 24 hours!). 

While this iron had an immediate smoothing effect, our extra thick and frizzy curls needed an additional pass to perfect our desired look — but, it was still quicker than most other irons and didn’t require any touchups. We were impressed with the way the steam technology instantly reduced frizz, and how it ultimately kept our hair looking sleek, even through high humidity days.

Since detangling takes so much effort, we were thrilled to discover this also has a removable comb that allowed us to detangle as we styled. Though, we think the attachment is best suited for thinner hair: We found that it created extra tension on our thick curls.

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Anodized aluminum coating | Max Temperature: 410 degrees | Cord Length: 9.75 feet

Best for Coarse Curly Hair

Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold Flat Iron

What We Love: With dual sided plates, this iron offers two passes in one go. 

What We Don’t Love: Hair can sometimes snag when using this tool as a curling iron.

When we tested this Dual Plate Flat Iron from Hot Tools, it cut down styling time by half thanks to its unique four plate design. The half-inch plates seamlessly glided over our course coils, matching the effort of multiple passes in one quick swipe for a maximally protective and effective outcome. 

The dual plate technology offered unparalleled heat customization, which ultimately transformed our hair straightening process. We could set each plate at a different temperature to completely personalize our styling experience. We achieved the best results by setting one plate to 410 and the other to 250, ensuring that the lower temperature plate was the first to touch our hair. This method created perfectly straight strands without any heat damage.

Along with longer pieces, the iron managed to tame our postpartum baby hairs without making them look too creased or ironed. The plates' curved edges also helped smooth our thick strands without any tugging (we did notice minor pulling when we curled our hair, but the tool really wasn't designed to function as a curler).

Plate Width: Four ½-inch plates | Plate Material: Ceramic-titanium | Max Temperature: 455 degrees | Cord Length: 9 feet

Best for Thick Curly Hair

ghd Wide Plate Flat Iron

What We Love: The two-inch plates are designed to quickly and easily style very thick hair.

What We Don’t Love: This iron doesn’t have multiple heat settings — it’s automatically set to 365 degrees, which may seem low to some, but is actually the recommended temperature for maximum hair health.

If you’ve ever thought your hair was too thick to straighten on your own, let us introduce you to This ghd flat iron. With two-inch plates and dual zone heat technology, it can efficiently straighten textured hair in half the time of most other tools. 

The iron heats up in just 30 seconds to the proven safest temperature of 365 degrees, making for quick and easy styling without fear of burning or breaking your hair. It offers even heat distribution with next gen sensor technology to create a silky, frizz-free look that’s long lasting and salon quality. Whether you’re seeking flawlessly straight strands or beachy loose waves, the rounded design allows for multiple styling options with a healthy, shiny finish. 

Plate Width: 2-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic | Max Temperature: 365 degrees | Cord Length: 8.8 feet

Best Brush

Amika Polished Perfection Straightening Brush 2.0

What We Love: Great for type three and four curls, this brush glides through hair, combining detangling and styling prowess.

What We Don’t Love: You might also need a flat iron to fully reach and smooth out roots. 

A straightening brush is such an underrated tool in a curly hair styling arsenal — the combination of detangling and heating capabilities saves time and energy when getting ready for your morning routine or a night out on the town. This tool from amika utilizes iRed beam technology that simultaneously locks in moisture and removes frizz for the smoothest, shiniest effect that’s completely damage-free. With cool touch tips, the ceramic bristles make the styling process safe and easy, while a unique temperature lock function maintains the desired heat throughout. Overall, the brush makes for a convenient two-in-one time-saving tool, but it’s not perfect at reaching those roots — a regular iron may be needed to finish the job and flatten those edges. 

Bristle Material: Ceramic | Max Temperature: 450 F | Cord Length: 9 feet

Best for Damaged Hair

Bio Ionic GrapheneMX Styling Iron 1"

What We Love: The plates are infused with graphene, a heat conducting technology that creates more even distribution and less breakage. 

What We Don’t Love: Because this iron operates at a lower temperature for healthier hair, it's not going to get the job done in one pass.

Bio Ionic has coated the plates of this styling iron with graphene, a volcanic derived material that works to distribute heat more evenly and at lower temperatures than other tools. This ensures less breakage and promotes healthier hair. In addition to graphene, the plates are infused with a mineral complex that locks in moisture to seal hair cuticles for the smoothest, shiniest strands. This iron will deliver results for curls both fine and thick, but if your hair is on the coarser end, you’ll have to do a few more passes to fully achieve that flawless finish (the iron maxes out at 385 degrees so as not to cause overheating or damage). 

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic | Max Temperature: 385 degrees  | Cord Length: 9 feet

Best for Fine Curly Hair

Chi Ceramic Hairstyling Iron

What We Love: The lava infused plates are especially beneficial for fine hair that's fragile and prone to breakage. 

What We Don’t Love: Compared to other flat irons on our list, this one doesn’t have the smoothest glide.

Similar to the Bio Ionic graphene iron, this Chi tool also utilizes volcanic derived materials for sleek styling at lower temperatures. The lava creates more even heat distribution, and it produces hair strengthening ions that seal in your curls' natural moisture for an overall healthier straightening process. This attribute makes the iron ideal for fine, color-treated, or dehydrated hair. For fine hair specifically, the brand recommends not exceeding the 370 degree mark for optimum protection (though heat settings can be tuned in increments of 10 between 200 and 450 degrees). 

It's important to note that although the straightener provides incredible results, it doesn’t have the smoothest glide. You may feel some minimal tugging, but the outcome is worth that minor inconvenience. 

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic | Max Temperature: 450 degrees | Cord Length: 11 feet

Best Cordless

Harry Josh Ceramic Styling Iron

What We Love: The smart battery-powered tool lasts around 50 minutes — longer than most other cordless products on the market. 

What We Don’t Love: Because you can’t use the iron while it’s charging, you may want to purchase an additional (interchangeable) battery if it takes a while to straighten your hair.

Legendary celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh knows his way around a styling tool. That's why we were thrilled to discover his Cordless Ceramic Styling Iron. It's created with innovative features that only a true pro could think up: The streamlined shape is lightweight and easy to maneuver, the three temperature settings take the guess work out of the equation, and the tourmaline-coated plates create more even and smooth styling.

Most importantly, when it comes to a cordless tool you need to be able to straighten a full head of hair on a single charge. With 50 minutes of battery-powered usage, this iron delivers for our curly haired friends. Though, because you can’t use the tool while it's charging, you may need to purchase a separate, additional battery if it typically takes you more than an hour to style your hair.

Plate Width: 1-inch | Plate Material: Ceramic | Max Temperature: 425 degrees | Cord Length: Cordless

Our Testing Process

For this story, we thoroughly vetted four of the ten hair straighteners to ensure they left curly hair looking sleek, smooth, and healthy. Over the course of two weeks, our team of curly haired beauty editors took the irons home and incorporated them into their routine. Along with evaluating technical attributes like the ease of use, heat settings, cord length, and special features, we also analyzed how easily the tool glided through hair, and how long it took to effectively straighten strands (bonus points were awarded if it cut down on typical styling time). Additionally, we tested the tools' versatility by using it to curl hair, too. Once we collected the insights, we consulted a group of esteemed hairstylists and curly hair experts to identify other stellar products that straighten curly hair without causing damage.

What to Keep in Mind

Plate Type

Flat irons are mostly made using one of two plate types: Ceramic or titanium. According to renowned New York-based hairstylist Jackie Seabrooke, knowing the difference between the two is crucial for protecting hair from damage and achieving your desired look. “Ceramic irons often take longer to heat up and transmit heat through infrared technology, straightening your hair from the inside out, while titanium irons conduct heat almost immediately and heat your hair from the surface,” she explains.

“Straightening your hair from the inside out is the most gentle, which is why ceramic irons are recommended the most because they are safer, especially if you have fine, thin, or damaged hair. However,” she continues, “if you have thick, coarse, or kinky hair, you may find that ceramic irons do not get your hair as sleek and straight as you would like, which is why I lean towards titanium irons in this case.” It's a matter of aesthetic preference, time commitment (titanium will be quicker, but usually more damaging), hair type, texture, and more. Make an informed decision based on your personal needs.

Temperature Settings

Temperature ranges on flat irons span anywhere from around 200 to 455 degrees, though settings and precise temperature selection abilities vary from tool to tool. For example, the ghd Max Styler Flat Iron only has one temperature option — it’s automatically set to 365 degrees, which is the heat level the brand recommends for optimum hair health and styling effect. Yet, other tools, like the Vanessa Pro Flat Iron Hair Straightener, offer 11 different temperature settings, while the Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold Dual Plate Flat Iron provides complete customization for all four plates. 

Typically, if you have coarser hair, you’ll need a higher heat setting to effectively straighten it in one go. Those with finer hair should stick with irons with lower settings (around 365 degrees) to prevent damage.

Auto Shut Off

Say goodbye to the days of leaving for work in the morning and panicking over whether or not you forgot to turn your straightener off. Nowadays, most flat irons have an automatic shut off feature to ensure safety and peace of mind. Auto shut off will typically engage anywhere from 10 minutes to two hours after last activity, depending on the product. Some tools even offer locking capabilities while new cordless tools, like the Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener, feature battery-disabling technology that's TSA-approved. 

Your Questions, Answered

Is ceramic or titanium better for curly hair? 

While Seabrooke dives into the specifics in the above section, here’s the simple answer. “Titanium will get the job done faster because it heats up more, but ceramic is healthier for the hair,” says Mona Lisa Arfuso, owner and head stylist of Salon Mona Lisa in Cresskill, New Jersey. 

It comes down to the overall health of your hair, its coarseness, and your time. The thicker the hair, the longer it’ll take to straighten with a ceramic iron. “I recommend ceramic over titanium because ceramic plates are much more gentle on the hair shaft,” adds New York-based celebrity hairstylist and beauty educator, Karen Miller. “Especially for at-home use.”

What heat setting is best for curly hair?

This depends on your hair type and texture. Though, Seabrooke states that the recommended styling temperature for most hair types with no extreme heat damage is around 365 degrees. “And, just because you have curly hair does not mean you automatically classify as having kinky or coarse hair. Curly hair can be fine and damaged as well, but you may just have a lot of it,” she notes. 

For fine and fragile curly hair, she suggests staying around 250 to 300 degrees; for wavy or medium-thick hair sticking to 350 to 375 degrees; and for very coarse or kinky hair going up to as high as 370 to 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 Arfuso.

How should you prep curly hair before straightening it?

Starting with a leave-in conditioner or a hydrating treatment is a great way to prep curly hair for heat. Miller recommends the K18 Leave-In Hair Mask, Aveda Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner, and Oway Flux Potion. Meanwhile, Arfuso loves the Function of Beauty Leave-In Conditioner. “It has four different options based on your hair texture (straight, wavy, curly, or coily) and it will coat the hair to prevent heat damage, making your smoothing process easier and glossier,” she says. 

What is the healthiest way to straighten curly hair?

Start with completely dry hair. “Use a boar bristle brush to smooth out some of the curl prior to straightening to limit heat exposure,” says Arfuso. Depending on the coarseness of your curls, you might have to use a blow dryer as a first pass, according to Seabrooke. 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, Miller reminds us that investing in high quality tools that won’t cause breakage or burning is another great way to retain hair health.

Does straightening curly hair damage it?

Any time you put heat on your hair, there’s likely to be a little bit of damage. However, you can minimize damage by limiting how often you straighten your hair. When you do straighten curly hair, it’s crucial to be cautious about the temperature setting on your straightener and apply an expert-backed heat protectant, which will act as a shield between the heat and your hair (while also preventing frizz, boosting shine, and smoothing texture).  

How do you keep curly hair straight after straightening it?

For straight hair that lasts and lasts, start by using the lowest temperature that makes sense for your strands. Higher heat may seem more effective, but it actually drains moisture from your hair, which can lead to frizz and re-curling. You can also wrap your hair in 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, which will help lock in moisture and seal the style for hours.

Why Shop With Us

Linne Halpern is a freelance beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer. She is a member of InStyle’s evergreen commerce team where she extensively researches and reviews countless products. For this story, she consulted three hair experts to discover the healthiest ways to use hot tools on fragile curls. Renowned New York-based hairstylist Jackie Seabrooke, celebrity hairstylist and beauty educator Karen Miller, and owner and head stylist of Salon Mona Lisa Mona Lisa Arfuso provided their tips and tricks for achieving shiny, smooth, and damage-free strands.  

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