Skip to main content
To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories.
- Security
- Politics
- Gear
- Backchannel
- Business
- Science
- Culture
- Ideas
- Merch
- Podcasts
- Video
- Newsletters
- Magazine
- Events
- WIRED Insider
- WIRED Consulting
- Jobs
- Coupons
Medea Giordano Victoria Woollaston-Webber
Gear
Curls and waves are beautiful. But when you want to smooth them out, these hot tools—irons, brushes, and combs—work wonders.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED
What to Look for in a Good Hair Tool
Before You Buy
Read more
Best Overall
Paul Mitchell Express Ion Style+ Ceramic Flat Iron
Read more
Best Budget Straightener
Conair Infiniti Pro
Read more
An Amazon Bestseller
CHI Original Ceramic Flat Iron
Read more4
/
18
Curls are beautiful, but taking care of and styling them can be a long, frustrating, and often expensive task. Whether you have tight coils, waves, or Shirley Temple spirals, sometimes you just want to smooth them out and not be bothered for a few days. Having a good tool, be it a flat iron or a blow-dry brush, makes that process easier.
WIRED's Gear team has an array of curl types, needs, and hair-styling tricks, and we've all tried a lot of hair straighteners in our lifetimes. Some flat irons have left us with crispy ends and cramped hands, while others, like the ones listed here, gave us sleek hair. There's a dizzying number of options around, but hopefully our favorite hair straighteners can help narrow down your search.
Updated September 2023: We added GHD's Platinum Plus flat iron and Duet styler, Chi's Original Ceramic flat iron, and L'Oreal's Steampod. We also added a section for blow-dry brushes.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
Most Popular
Gear
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)Brenda Stolyar
Gear
The Best Record-Breaking Timepieces From the World's Biggest Watch ShowJeremy White
Gear
The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Kind of PlayerGear
Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline SuppliesMedea Giordano
Most Popular
Gear
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)Brenda Stolyar
Gear
The Best Record-Breaking Timepieces From the World's Biggest Watch ShowJeremy White
Gear
The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Kind of PlayerEric Ravenscraft
Gear
Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline SuppliesMedea Giordano
Most Popular
Gear
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)Brenda Stolyar
Gear
The Best Record-Breaking Timepieces From the World's Biggest Watch ShowJeremy White
Gear
The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Kind of PlayerEric Ravenscraft
Gear
Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline SuppliesMedea Giordano
Most Popular
Gear
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)Brenda Stolyar
Gear
The Best Record-Breaking Timepieces From the World's Biggest Watch ShowJeremy White
Gear
The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Kind of PlayerEric Ravenscraft
Gear
Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline SuppliesMedea Giordano
Most Popular
Gear
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)Brenda Stolyar
Gear
The Best Record-Breaking Timepieces From the World's Biggest Watch ShowJeremy White
Gear
The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Kind of PlayerEric Ravenscraft
Gear
Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline SuppliesMedea Giordano
Most Popular
Gear
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)Brenda Stolyar
Gear
The Best Record-Breaking Timepieces From the World's Biggest Watch ShowJeremy White
Gear
The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Kind of PlayerEric Ravenscraft
Gear
Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline SuppliesMedea Giordano
Most Popular
Gear
The Best iPad to Buy (and a Few to Avoid)Brenda Stolyar
Gear
The Best Record-Breaking Timepieces From the World's Biggest Watch ShowJeremy White
Gear
The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Kind of PlayerEric Ravenscraft
Gear
Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline SuppliesMedea Giordano
Medea Giordano turned her shopping problem into a career as a product writer for WIRED. She covers a little bit of everything but loves health, beauty, and pet tech. Prior to WIRED, she was an assistant editor at Wirecutter and an assistant in the newsroom of The New York Times.... Read more
Victoria Woollaston-Webber is a freelance journalist, editor and founder of science-led health, beauty and grooming sites, mamabella and MBman. She has more than a decade's experience in both onlineand print journalism, having written about tech and gadgets since day one for national papers, magazines and global brands. Victoria specializes in... Read more
Wired Contributor
TopicsShoppingbuying guideshousehold
Kids only wear diapers for a short time. These super-organized backpacks (plus a stroller organizer) work well past the diaper stage.
Nena Farrell
We filled these bags to the brim with our tech, wallets, and water bottles. They held up to the test.
Medea Giordano
These rechargeable and battery-powered models put better oral hygiene within easy reach.
Medea Giordano
The best gift idea for your dad is a nicer version of something he already owns. The second best is one of these things.
Martin Cizmar
The absolute must-have MoonSwatch has arrived, complete with a moon-phase function. Its all-white look is spot-on for NASA fans.
Jeremy White
Got milk? From wearables to popular portables, these are the breast pumps we recommend for your nursing era.
Nena Farrell
MSI’s new ultralight Windows laptop strikes a great balance between price, performance, and portability. If only the keyboard and trackpad were better.
Christopher Null
We've tried dozens of litter boxes, pet cameras, and fancy cat furniture. These are our favorites.
Medea Giordano
