Beauty The 10 Best Hair Straighteners for Every Hair Type and Budget Add one of these frizz-taming, shine-delivering devices to your arsenal. By Audrey Noble Audrey Noble Twitter Audrey is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on December 23, 2021 09:10AM EST Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Photo: Chakrapong Worathat / EyeEm / Getty /images Choosing the correct hair straightener for your hair type is important if you want to keep your strands healthy long-term—after all, too much heat can cause breakage and dryness. How can you know which device is right for you? Despite a sea of options, there are a few ways to narrow it down. According to celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons, the first two elements to consider before picking a tool are your hair's texture and its current state. From there, decide between the two most common iterations—ceramic or titanium—which heat up differently. The former, he says, heats hair from the inside and are less harsh, while the latter reaches higher temperatures and can be more damaging, depending on your skill level. Top Picks Best Overall Straightening Iron: GHD 1' Platinum + Styler Best Splurge Straightening Iron: Dyson "Corrale" Hair Straightener Best Budget-Friendly Straightening Iron: Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron Best Straightening Iron for Fine Hair: BaByliss Pro Nano Titanium Straightener Best Straightening Iron for Thick Hair: T3 Single-Pass Styling Iron Custom Blend Ceramic + Ionic Flat Iron For Hair Best Straightening Iron for Natural or Curly Hair: Xtava Pro-Satin Advanced Infrared Straightener StyleSeat haistylist Kamara Brown suggests using a ceramic device if you have fine hair; the lower temperature and even heat distribution allows you to straighten sans damage. If you have thicker or naturally curly strands, titanium is best. These often have larger plates, explains Brown, and can heat up faster; their settings often reach 350 degrees and allow for fewer passes through the hair to keep healthy and smooth. Though she recommends using a hair steamer if you have naturally curly hair ("It can be a healthier choice," she says), a titanium hair straightener is the next best bet. With all of that in mind, we asked Brown and Fitzsimons to share their favorite hair straighteners for each hair type (we picked out a few of our favorites, too). Find some of the best devices on the market, below, and discover the right one for you. Can You Revive Heat-Damaged Hair? Here's What the Experts Say Best Overall: GHD Courtesy of Sephora crush your strands This device's ultra-zone technology, which delivers optimal results without damage, is why it holds the best-overall slot in Fitzsimon's arsenal. "It has unmatched features," he says. "The floating plates won't crush your strands—they heat up in 20 seconds. It also has an automatic sleep mode that switches off the straightener once it's been inactive for 30 minutes." Shop Now: GHD 1' Platinum + Styler, $249, sephora.com. Best Splurge: Dyson Courtesy of Ulta Dyson's newest offering is worth the splurge: Made with flexing manganese copper alloy plates, this straightener regulates its own temperature a hundred times per second, which allows you to styling hair in half the time (which means less damage). It's also cordless so you can maneuver it with ease. Shop Now: Dyson "Corrale" Hair Straightener, $499, ulta.com. Best Budget-Friendly: Conair Courtesy of Amazon hair types A hair straightener under $20? That's a steal. Fitzsimons likes Conair's iteration for its extra-long, smooth ceramic plates, which allow you to use the device when you want to go sleek or wavy. It also has five temperature settings to choose from, which makes it suitable for all hair types, he adds. Shop Now: Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron, $19, amazon.com. Best Budget-Friendly: HSI Courtesy of Amazon This pick from Brown contains eight micro-sensors that evenly distribute heat and regulate temperature; you straighten hair fast without damaging it. "It creates dramatic results on even the frizziest, coarsest hair and quickly straightens, flips, and curls with minimal effort," she says. "At such an affordable price, this flat iron checks every box on the list." Shop Now: HSI Professional Glider, $48.95, amazon.com. Best for Thin Hair: BaByliss Courtesy of Ulta thin hair Fitzsimons prefers this device for thin hair, since its titanium design, corrosion-resistant plates, and advanced features make straightening fine strands easy, fast, and damage-free. Shop Now: BaByliss Pro Nano Titanium Straightener, $154.99, ulta.com. Best for Thin Hair: Harry Josh Courtesy of Dermstore With a quick warm-up time and customizable heat, this option will style thin hair, no extra heat necessary. Its nano-ceramic and tourmaline plates emit negative ions to smooth out hair and give it extra shine. Shop Now: Harry Josh Pro Tools Ceramic Flat Styling Iron, $200, dermstore.com. Best for Thick Hair: T3 Courtesy of Amazon coarse hair Both Brown and Fitzsimons love using the T3 hair straightener on thick, coarse hair. "It is made for this hair type," says Brown. Fitzsimons agrees and credits its one-and-a-half-inch-wide tourmaline and ceramic plates—as well as its five adjustable heat settings— for its efficacy. Shop: T3 Single-Pass Styling Iron Custom Blend Ceramic + Ionic Flat Iron For Hair, $235, amazon.com. Best for Straight Hair: Revlon Courtesy of Amazon frizz control With its large plates and adjustable heat range (you can work between 180 to 455 degrees), this hair straightener from Revlon is perfect for thicker hair. It also boasts 81-percent less hair breakage and 24-hour frizz control. Shop Now: Revlon Salon Straight Copper Smooth, $46.50, amazon.com. Best for Naturally Curly Hair: Xtava Courtesy of Amazon According to Fitzsimons, those with natural curls will see wonderful results with this device, thanks to its floating ceramic plates that move with hair at you pass it through every strand. It's also an infrared flat iron, which means it releases negative ions through the hair strand to heat it from the inside. Shop Now: Xtava Pro-Satin Advanced Infrared Straightener, $39.97, amazon.com. Best for Naturally Curly Hair: NuMe Courtesy of NuMe Hair without dehydration "I love the NuMe Straightening Heat Brush for curly hair because it heats strands gently while sealing the cuticle and creating long-lasting styles," says Brown. Its tourmaline ceramic bristles and edges smooth as you brush; the device also has temperature control settings ranging from 190 to 450 degrees, which Brown says will help you get sleek results without dehydration. Shop Now: NuMe Straightening Heat Brush, $119, numehair.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit