Top Flat Irons 2021


Advertising Disclosure

Skin Research Institute has a financial connection to products sold via links on our website such as our top choices.

Finding A Flat Iron that Straightens Your Hair WITHOUT the Damage Can Be Overwhelming… So We Did the Research For You

The top hairstylist-approved straighteners for 2021 that won’t tug roots, snag ends, break your hair… or the bank!

Love-hate relationships are a tricky subject. Take my ex-flat iron for example. On one hand, I loved the sleek straight locks it left me with. But on the other hand, I absolutely hated the way all that direct heat was frying and damaging my sensitive cuticles—often leaving me with the very frizz I was trying to tame. Grrrr!

So as a licensed cosmetologist for over 10 years, this got me wondering—“Could there be a BETTER FLAT IRON out there, one that knows the way to my heart without hurting my hair in the process?!”

And as luck (and hours of research) would have it, there is!

Having had so many cheap straighteners fall apart on me in the past, I decided it was time to look into higher quality straighteners. And I learned something I wish someone had told me years ago: Straightening your hair does NOT have to result in damaged hair! You just need to know what to look for in a flat iron and find a brand that you can trust.

But be careful—many expensive flat irons are advertised as “high quality” but are actually made of cheap materials that lead to frizz, split ends, and a dull shine.

As the age-old saying goes, “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” And, as I’ve learned the hard way, this is true for your hair too!

 

SEE THE #1 TOP-RATED CHOICE

 
You see, deep inside each strand is the cortex, which is responsible for hair’s strength and texture. So it’s important you protect it at all costs—and a cheap straightener is definitely not up to the task.

Thankfully, with modern technology, it is possible to find a flat iron that doesn’t just protect the cortex of your hair, but actually strengthens it as well (and at a price EVERDAY PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD).

My highly-trained team of BEAUTY EXPERTS and I researched, dissected, and tested hundreds of straighteners to determine the most essential elements of each. We then went out into the market and handpicked the crème de la crème so you don’t have to.

From CERAMIC-COATED TITANIUM PLATES to IONIC TECHNOLOGY to the recent innovation of RED LIGHT THERAPY, there are several high-quality straighteners on the market using modern innovation to help give your hair that strong, shiny, salon-chic look like you’ve always dreamed of without costing you a fortune.

So, ladies, why keep putting yourself through the emotional rollercoaster that is the love-hate relationship you have with your current flat iron when your prince in shining armor (and hair!) is just around the corner?

The name of the game is HEALTHY HAIR. And healthy hair starts with using products you can actually trust! So before committing to your next flat iron, make sure you look for the SEVEN FLAT IRON ESSENTIALS we uncovered in our research and have conveniently listed below.

What to Look for in a GREAT Hair Straightener

The Seven Flat Iron Essentials:

  1. Infrared Heating Technology – One of the most exciting recent developments in hair straightening technology is infrared heating, which gently heats hair from within rather than without. This ensures that hair retains its moisture and a healthy shine, without heat damage, frizz, or split ends.
  2. Fast Warm-Up and Adjustable Heat Settings – A straightener really shouldn’t take more than 45 seconds to heat up, and you should be able to get silky smooth swaths of hair with just one pass. It’s also just as important to have a flat iron with a range of temperature options–from lower temperature settings for fine or damaged hair all the way up to high heat for thick or curly hair.
  3. Ceramic Plate Composition – High-quality plates made of ceramic eliminate the risk of burning your strands. The even distribution of heat these high-end materials provide has proven to smooth those stubborn spots and ensure you won’t need to go over the same section of hair more than once to achieve that salon look. However, full ceramic plates often take forever to heat up, meaning ceramic-coated plates strike an ideal balance that provides the best of both worlds.
  4. Negative Ion Technology – Negative ions neutralize static and allow more moisture to be retained within your cuticles. This helps reduce unwanted frizz and split ends, giving your style better hold.
  5. Lightweight and Easy to Use – Lightweight irons travel better and don’t leave your arms tired or worn— your morning beauty routine should never feel like a visit to the gym.
  6. Value – Rather than dishing out a hefty chunk of cash on a flat iron with a cringe-worthy price tag, look for a straightener that uses current technological advancements to do the same amazing job at a fraction of the price.
  7. Durability and Warranty – The last thing you want is to fall in love with an amazing straightener only to have it break in 3 months, leaving you with nothing but a futuristic-looking paperweight. When choosing a flat iron, make sure the company offers extensive warranties, uses sturdy materials with a durable design, AND offers a money back guarantee.

To simplify your shopping process, we’ve compiled a list of the best new hair straighteners on the market that meet all of our standards listed above. So whether you’re straightening your hair after blow drying for a night out on the town or just freshening up quickly on your way out the door to work, these flat irons will get you the BEST RESULTS with the LEAST DAMAGE to your hair… AND wallet!
 

Our Top Choice

 

#1 INFRAROSE STYLER

Overall Rating: Excellent
Infrarose Styler

1.0 inch tourmaline & ceramic plates Professional Infrared Hair Straightener

$119.00$199.00

Our #1 Choice, Without a Doubt!

As soon as we got our eyes on the SRI Infrarose Styler Flat Iron, it stood out from the crowd. Not only is the straightener itself modern and luxurious with lots of thoughtful features (like a latch that locks the straightener closed for ease of travel) but the packaging is elegant and fun! The floating tourmaline plates work wonders on any type of hair texture and slide through your hair without pulling, tugging or snagging.

We also loved that the technology used in this flat iron is the latest on the market.The Infrarose Styler combines infrared heating, tourmaline and ceramic plates, negative ion technology and custom temperature controls to ensure you get the best results in the least amount of time. Our tests proved you can effortlessly straighten your hair in just one pass to get the glossy salon finish you deserve without having to worry about breakage, frizz or damaging your hair.

Even better– Skin Research Institute, the company behind the Infrarose Styler, is renowned and trusted by professionals. It is also nice that there is no risk when buying this straightener because it comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee and 1 year warranty.

The other great thing about SRI is that they always have amazing sales! Order your Infrarose Styler today to take advantage of their Bi-Annual Sale! so if you hurry, you can get their awesome discount! ​

Our Final Verdict on the Infrarose Styler: Highly Recommended

PROS:
  • GENTLE ON HAIR: Tourmaline-ceramic plates glide through hair without snagging, pulling or tugging.
  • LESS FRIZZ: Negative ion technology helps neutralize frizzy hair, leaving it sleek and shiny.
  • HEALTHY HAIR: Infrared light heats hair from the inside out, sealing in moisture and protecting hair from unwanted heat damage.
  • FAST STYLING: Heat up your styler in less than 30 seconds.
  • ROUND BODY: The easy-to-grip rounded body allows you to straighten or curl your hair with ease.
  • TEMPERATURE RANGE: Choose from a wide variety of temperatures so you can customize for your exact hair type.
  • RISK FREE: SRI is BBB accredited, offers a 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee and has a 1-year warranty.
CONS:
  • Only available online
  • Could use a traveling bag for convenience

Visit the official Infrarose Styler website to see which special offers are available.

#2 Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener

Overall Rating: Good
Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener

FLEX PLATE STRAIGHTENER for all hair types, cordless, luxury item​

$499.99

This high-end flat iron by Dyson will certainly make you feel fancy while styling! It’s great for all hair types, and we loved the cordless feature and flat plates. It was able to straighten and style in a decent amount of time, however sometimes it would take 3 or more passes to smooth out curly hair. Overall, it worked well, just snagged more than we would have liked for the price.​

PROS:
  • Fast heat up
  • Sleek, gorgeous design
  • Upscale packaging
  • Great customer service
CONS:
  • Requires multiple passes to thoroughly straighten
  • Can take all day to charge

#3 T3 – Lucea ID 1” Flat Iron

Overall Rating: Good
T3 – Lucea ID 1” Flat Iron

UNIQUE HEAT ID for T3 specific heat temperatures and variability, touch interface

$235.00

The T3 straightener is great for anyone who prefers everything to be automated! This flat iron has 9 unique settings and can be customized to your preference. To us, it seemed like a lot of heat settings for little variability, and sometimes became confusing. Overall, we got great results once we were able to understand the interface.​

PROS:
  • Digital interface
  • Compact, cute design
  • Personalized heat settings
  • Smooth handling
CONS:
  • Difficult to use without instructions
  • Short lifespan

#4 Drybar The Tress Press Straightening Iron

Overall Rating: Good
Drybar The Tress Press
Straightening Iron

MULTIPURPOSE FLAT IRON with titanium technology, infrared light, digital temp control

$165.00

The Drybar flat iron is a good choice for someone who would prefer to have one hair tool, rather than 2 or 3 (or more!). It gives you straight hair and curls, loose waves and more. It does a fair job of all styles, but none are standout results. The infrared light is a favorite feature of ours, but theirs isn’t visible which makes us question the efficacy. Overall, it got the job done but isn’t one that we would be excited to use everyday. ​

PROS:
  • Great for styling
  • Infrared technology
  • Single pass straightening
CONS:
  • Long heat up time
  • Inconsistent heat settings

Conclusion

While the above list barely scrapes the surface of the numerous flat iron products available, hopefully it gives you a starting place in the process of buying your new glamorous tool.

You are moments away from acquiring the high-quality hair straightener that will not only generate the ageless glamour you see dazzling the pages in magazines, but you will also be taking a new step towards making sure you have a healthy head of hair for a good long time..

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

    Leave a reply