Tips For Choosing The Best Hair Flat Iron

best flat iron for thick hair

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Last Updated on July 2, 2024 by Shopping Kim

Choosing a hair straightener is seemingly a simple task. Still, you need to choose an iron with plates that will be good for your hair. In this case, you’ll encounter a number of features to keep in mind.

Thanks to the latest advancements in the hairdressing industry, especially when it comes to hair styling tools, these devices are much more accessible to us no matter what our hair type, even those with thick curly hair can now found a better option than was available on the market even a few years ago.

Professional Hair Straightener, Flat Iron for Styling, 2 in 1 Tourmaline Ceramic for All Hair Types, Birthday Gifts for Women, Mom, Wife, Her, Gold

Undoubtedly, there are many features to consider, but common sense should always prevail.

What you really need in a hair flat iron?

If we start with the most obvious, the main point of contact between our hair and the hair straightener are plates which produce the heat. Although there are several choices in terms of materials (ceramic, titanium, etc.), the most common are those with ceramic coating. Without any doubt, the ceramic is the ideal element found in high quality models.

Terviiix Plancha De Cabello Professional 450°F, Non-Snagging Ceramic Flat Iron Hair Straightener 1 inch, 3X Less Damage Hair Iron Straightener and Curler, 15s Fast Heating, 5 Adjustable Heats

But why ceramic coatings are the best? Ceramic is an element that by its nature evenly distributes heat and its surface allows it to perfectly glide on the hair, which prevents the usual friction caused by other materials, avoiding unnecessary suffering and damage.

Now, besides ceramic component, some brands use tourmaline for the ionization purpose. This element is very good, but it is not found in cheap flat irons.

Is ceramic better than titanium? Yes, but titanium also has some great features. It not only guarantees a longer life of our device but it also takes less heat to propagate along the surface of the plates. It is also more resistant to the corrosion.

Click here to learn more about ceramic and titanium flat irons.

Hair Straightener, Flat Iron for Hair, Titanium Flat Iron, Hair Straightener for Thick Hair, Flat Irons for African American Hair, Hair Iron, Straightening Iron

The Importance of The Temperature

This is an important thing to take into account. It depends on the type of hair you have – thin, medium or thick. It ranges between 75-85 degrees to 220-240 degrees F.

What is the normal temperature for a plate? It is commonly understood that 175 to 190 degrees is enough for normal hair, which is why some brands have only a single temperature.

Should you buy a hair iron with the temperature control? It is a must to buy a model with the temperature control if you have a thin or brittle hair. If you have normal or thick hair, you can go without the temperature controller.

Size Always Matters In the Case of the Plates

There are two groups: one with the standard size plates and models for traveling.

Travel hair straighteners should not be used as regular irons, because their characteristics will not give you the best performance. Therefore, they should only be used sporadically.

Bcway Professional Hair Straightener, 2.16'' Extra-Large Floating Titanium Flat Iron for Hair, 30s Instant Heating Straightening Iron with 5 Adjustable Temp, Anti-Static Hair Iron for All Hair Types

Let’s move on to the standard size. Basically we can see two types of plates according to the width of the plates. There are smaller plates, two to three centimeters, which are very useful for short and/or curly hair, because they will help us work more comfortably with our hair. On the other hand, there are much more wider plates, which are great for longer and thicker hair. Hair Straightener Lab has some fantastic recommendations to make sure you create a style that stays.

In the end, there are features that are good but are not considered critical (such as ionization). So the best advice in this regard is to choose a model from a recognized brand, such as ghd, Sedu or Solia, rather than a low cost model that you can find in supermarkets.

Solia Professional Ceramic Flat Iron- Salon Quality Hair Straightener - 1 1/4"

You can find Hair Flat Irons for the best price on Amazon.

Tips For Choosing The Perfect Hair Flat Iron