A flat iron is the most used beauty tool nowadays. But, with so many types available on the market, which flat iron should I buy is the most common question that arises in the mind of those searching for a reliable hair straightener. For a lady, choosing the right flat iron seems an easy task but, with so many products and features, it is rather challenging and sometimes overwhelming.
Because everyone’s hairstyle goals are different, in this guide, we’ll discuss how to choose the best flat iron for your requirements and budget.
Why buy a flat iron? We all know that, in order to achieve straight, brilliant hair you have to use a hair straightener also known as a flat iron. The flat iron is the best and most versatile hair care tool invented in the last decades. Ladies, do you agree? We don’t even want to imagine how life would be without a flat iron. The hair straightener is a perfect symbol of cutting-edge technology and innovation.
Let’s talk a little about the best flat iron. Every person is born with a unique natural hair type. It can be straight, curly, thick or coarse. With shampoos or conditioners, you cannot change the type of hair. But with a flat iron, everything is possible. What does exactly a flat iron do? A hair straightener’s plates heat the hair so the follicles flatten. In this way, you can either straighten your hair or create curls and waves. Depending on which hairstyle you wish to achieve, you can choose the perfect hair straightener for you.
If you are looking for a new Best hair straightener, continue reading our guide as you will find some interesting suggestions. You will see this high-end tool has unlimited advantages.
We have gathered all the information you need before buying a new flat iron. After reading this article, you will have answers to the most common question on How To Buying An Affordable Best Hair Straightener.
There are many factors that influence the purchase of a flat iron. You have to do some in-depth research so, we did it for you. If you follow our recommendations, you will find the best flat iron that perfectly suits your hair type and your needs.
So, let’s start!
Which Flat Iron Should I Buy: Choose The Right Flat Iron For Your Hair Type
Hair Type and Texture:
Before asking yourself which flat iron should I buy, examine yourself and see which hair type you naturally have. Your hair type dictates the type of hair straightener you should use. One type of flat iron is not going to go for all hair types. You must check whether you got straight, curly, wavy, fine, thick or coarse hair. After that, you will be able to determine the product best suited for your needs. Once you have determined your hair type, it’s time to check other factors such as those listed below.
Plate Material:
The most important part of the flat iron is the heating plates. Heating plates play a pivotal role and ultimate source of heat for flattening the follicles. There are two types of flat irons commonly: ceramic and titanium flat irons (Titanium Vs Ceramic Flat Iron Reviews). If you are a professional stylist and you want fast performance with instant heat recovery, you must go for a titanium flat iron. But if you are a home girl and want a flat iron for home usage, ceramic is the best bet for you. Ceramic plates have good performance plus a smoother finish. As per hair type, a titanium flat iron works great for thick and coarse hair.
Temperature Settings:
Temperature is another factor that should be considered in the process of buying a hair straightener. Most flat irons come with a range of 400-450 degrees. The range is not the only factor to be considered. Fixed and adjustable settings are also important. First, we will talk about the temperature range. A 400-450 degree range is awesome for thick and coarse hair. These stubborn hair types need a lot of heat. The fixed temperature setting would be great for curly and thick hair because of their intense type. While the lower temperature range is the only bet for fine or normal hair to prevent them from frying up. A variable temperature setting is essential to set up an accurate setting for fine hair.
While purchasing a flat iron, you must look for digital LCD temperature control. In this way, you can precisely set the temperature according to your hair type.
- Understanding The Flat Iron Temperature or Heat
| Hair Types | Hair Length | Plate Width | Temperature Setting |
| Coarse, Thick, Curly | Above Shoulder | ½ – 1 ½ Inch | 350°F – 400°F |
| Shoulder Length | 1 – 2 Inch | ||
| Below Shoulder | 1 ½ – 2 inch* | 380°F – 410°F | |
| Normal, Medium/Average Medium Thickness or Wavy | Above Shoulder | ½ – 1 ¼ Inch | 300°F – 350°F |
| Shoulder Length | 1 – 1 ½ Inch | ||
| Below Shoulder | 1 ½ – 2 inch* | 360°F – 380°F | |
| Fine, Thin, Damage or Naturally Straight Hair | Any | Any | 250°F – 300°F |
| Fragile Hair | Any | ½ – 1 ½ Inch | Below 250°F |
Flat Iron Plates Material and Technology:
Well, at this point you should understand what are the best flat irons. There were days when flat irons would only do one thing – that was heating. But now technology is getting better and better every single day and so does the technology of flat iron. There are several straightening technologies, which work similar, but the best is going to help you to solve the mystery of which flat iron should you buy.
Here are important technologies to consider when buying a flat iron
- Ceramic Ionic: Most of the flat irons in the market are ceramic flat irons. What does that mean? The ceramic flat iron has heating plates made up of 100% solid ceramic infused with some advanced components like tourmaline. These ceramic plates are known for instant heating and recovery. Secondly, they are infused with negative ions. Why we need negative ions? Well, do you like frizz? No. Then that’s the answer. Negative ions remove the frizz from the hair. They also lock the natural moisture on the hair. So you get silkier and shinier hair without any frizz.
- Tourmaline Ceramic: A tourmaline ceramic flat iron is one of the best flat irons with the latest technology. If you want perfectly straight hair with minimum damage, a tourmaline ceramic flat iron is the best choice. This type provides great heating plates made up of 100% solid tourmaline ceramic and they produce more negative ions that, as we have said before, are crucial for your hair’s health.
- Aluminium: Aluminum is the low-quality type of flat iron. It was used in old times. Some companies are still producing this kinf od flat irons using some advanced technologies to make the products better. But still, can’t compare with the performance of ceramic or titanium flat irons.
- Nano Ceramic: These flat irons have heating plates made of pure ceramic. Tourmaline is converted into microparticles and infused with ceramic plates. What’s the advantage? Smoother straightening process. This infused ceramic flat iron glides through the hair easily. As a result, hair gets straightened easily and the damage is almost completely reduced.
- Nano Titanium: Nano titanium is the most advanced and high-performance heating technology available on the market. Titanium flat irons work 40% faster than other flat irons. If you are looking for high end cutting edge leader in flat irons, titanium flat iron is your only choice.
- Nano Silver: These flat irons work great for professional hairstylists who have to use a flat iron to style a wide variety of hair types. Why is this of such great use in the salon? Well, the silver finish keeps the plates germ free and bacteria-free.
Plates Size:
The next thing you should consider when thinking about which flat iron should you buy is the plate size. This is because multiple sizes are available on the market. Sizes range from 1 inch to 2 inches. To be honest, the plate size of 1 inch is not ideal. Always try to get a flat iron of 1.5 inches to 2 inches. In this way, your flat iron will work for any hair type of any length.
| Plate Size | Hair Length | Hair Texture |
| 1” to 1.5” | All lengths | Fine and thin |
| 1” to 1.25” | Short | Normal |
| 1” to 1.5” | Medium | Normal |
| 1.25” to 2” | Long | Normal |
| 1.25” | Short | Coarse, thick or curly |
| 1.5” to 2” | Medium | Coarse, thick or curly |
| 1.5” to 3” | Long | Coarse, thick or curly |
Accessories:
Most flat irons are coming up with a lot of accessories. You can have barrels, rollers, brushes and much more with the flat iron. You must choose a flat iron with accessories, if possible, to give a leap jump to your creativity.
Auto Shut Off Feature:
Jokes apart, but sometimes girls forget to switch off their flat irons, but auto shut off is an alarming feature of any Best hair straightener. You must have a flat iron, which has the built-in feature of auto shut off. In case you forget to shut off the iron in a hurry, it will get off automatically.
Insulated Cool Tips:
A flat iron is a tool that dissipates heat at a very high temperature. You don’t want to burn your hands, do you? So please ensure that the flat iron you are going to buy have insulated cool tips and handler.
Infrared Technology:
Flat irons are known to damage the hair, because of high heat. But there is a newer technology known as the infrared heating system. Why you should choose infrared flat iron? The Infrared heating system will keep your hair and scalp safe. Infrared technology has only one objective – prevention from heat damage.
Swivel Cord:
Swivel Cord with 360 degrees rotation is awesome. It will keep your hand away from twisting when styling curls or waves. The longer the swivel cord, the better.
Price:
The main factor that decides any purchase is obviously the price. We should be clear about one thing – the flat iron is not a tool that you should use daily. It is not cheap or lower in price. You have to spend some extra bucks, but trust the facts, once you have a good flat iron, you won’t regret a single penny you have spent.
Wet To Dry Flat Irons:
Well, this is a rare case. Girls often use a flat iron on dry hair. But sometimes they are in a hurry for an event. You can have hair straightening with the capability of wet to dry technique. Please Check Best Wet To Dry Flat Iron Reviews 2016
Warranty:
Just to be sure, always pick a hair straightener with a longer warranty.
Which Flat Iron Should I Buy: Our Final Verdict and Recommendation
Still thinking which flat iron should you buy? problem solved. We have discussed each and every factor to the smallest details and we hope you have a clear image of the ideal hair straightener that will meet all your needs. Remember that a flat iron is a long-term investment. You won’t buy a flat iron every six months so choose one with care so you can enjoy fantastic hairstyles years to come.
The flat iron is an awesome tool for every woman and girl. It is serving ladies all around the world for helping them achieve different hairstyles right in the comfort of their homes. We should admit, the hair is the reflection of our personality. So, a flat iron directly contributes to our style’s development, which means we can’t go to the store and pick the flat iron randomly, right?
Show some respect to the most inventive tool designed for hair care. A flat iron makes it possible to get a new hairstyle with a shiny luster whenever you desire! We hope that this guide will help you a lot! In case you find it helpful, please share it with your friends who have the same question as you do: which flat iron should I buy?