Yahoo Movies Amazon Reviewers Love this $15 Ceramic Curling Iron
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Amazon Reviewers Love this $15 Ceramic Curling Iron
We updated this article in January 2023 to ensure all products were in stock and up-to-date, and included additional information on the extensive testing conducted by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab.
There's no way to create perfect beach waves or cascading curls without a great curling iron; one that's easy to use and maneuver, heats up quickly to curl your hair fast and reaches a high enough temperature to set curls without damaging your hair — and fits in your budget. But choices can vary greatly "depending on the texture of the hair and the type of curl you are looking for," says Eugene Toye, stylist at Rita Hazan Salon in New York City.
With so many options on the market, from titanium to ceramic, tourmaline and even clamp-less curling wands, hair rollers and heat-free hair curlers, it can be difficult to know where to begin to find the best curling iron for you. That's why we tested curling irons in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to find the ones that are actually worth your money. Our Beauty Lab pros evaluate features like preheat time, temperature range, overall settings and ease of use. We also had a panel of at-home testers try the irons at home and report on factors such as the lasting power of the resulting curls and ease of use. All said, our scientists and beauty pros parsed through over 103 measurements and 836 survey answers to find the only curling irons worth your money.
Our top picks:
For more information on what to keep in mind as you shop for the best curling irons (including material, barrel size, temperature and more), scroll to the bottom of this article. In the meantime, these are the best curling irons you can buy.
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1) Golden Titanium Curling Iron
Ion
amazon.com
$47.49
For a classic clamp curler, give the highest-temp Ion a whirl — it won for forming lasting curls, even on coarse, thick hair. This iron blew away the competition, scoring highest in nearly a dozen categories including grip and maneuvering, easy controls, compact size and producing curls that stay put. Users loved that "that the clamp is as long as the barrel," which is particularly useful for shorter hair, and the shorter handle length "keeps my hand in a perfect position to reach the thumb grip."
Ion - 3/16
2) Double Ceramic Curling Iron
Conair
amazon.com
$19.99
Though we haven't tested this pick in the Lab, you can't beat the price of this classic curling iron. Despite its eye-popping bargain price, it's racking up the five-star ratings on Amazon. It has adjustable heat and a ceramic coating, and for the price, it's a solid choice — just ask the 54,000+ five-star reviewers who say it works great on fine and thick hair alike.
Conair - 4/16
3) Beachwaver PRO Curling Iron
Beachwaver Co.
ulta.com
$199.00
Created by hairstylist Sarah Potempa, this time-saving, automated curling iron is the only one GH's Beauty Director April Franzino uses. "It rotates away from your face, taking the guesswork out of curling hair," she says. "All you have to do is clamp a section of hair at the bottom, press the button and watch as it winds around the curler. Hold for a few seconds, release and you have a perfect loose curl." Lab testers noted that "it grips hair well," and the resulting "curls are well-defined and stay in place" for "beautiful, natural looking curls in no time." There's a bit of a learning curve, though, and it's best for long hair; testers with short hair found the small clip difficult to use.
Beachwaver - 5/16
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5) Long Barrel Styler Pro Curling Iron
Bio Ionic
amazon.com
$149.00
Sick of running out of space on your wand to curl your long hair, or having to wrap hair multiple times over itself? This tool works especially well for longer hair thanks to the extended length of the barrel, which the brand claims is two inches longer than most curling irons. Though we haven't tested this pick in the Lab, fans love that their style lasts for hours, with one reviewer saying her "curls last the whole day and I still can have loose curls the next day."
Bio Ionic - 7/16
6) 3-in-1 Styling Iron
BIO IONIC
amazon.com
$149.00
This clever iron is actually three tools in one: A flat iron, a curling wand and a curling iron. The 1 ¼-inch barrel is perfect for glam waves and curls, and in Lab tests, it scored in the middle of the pack in everything from ease of use to performance to user satisfaction. Our short-haired testers particularly loved it, saying "it was easy to maneuver and keep from touching the face or scalp," and that it felt the safest of all options with a low burn risk. Plus, the short barrel and compact design makes it foolproof to use on shorter tresses.
BIO IONIC - 8/16
7) Twirl Trio Interchangeable Curling Iron
T3 Micro
amazon.com
$284.99
Get all of the impact of three separate tools in one neat package: This interchangeable iron comes with three barrel sizes ranging from 1 inch to 1 ¾ inches, with even more barrels available for separate purchase including tapered barrels. Testers found the interchangeable mechanism and lock impressive, saying "the barrels did not wobble once locked in," but switching the barrels takes some getting used to. This pick scored highly for long-lasting curls and easy release of hair without pulling or snagging for super smooth styling.
T3 - 9/16
8) Signature Series Gold Curling Iron/Wand
Hot Tools
walmart.com
$41.82
Scoring tops for easy maneuverability and ergonomic design, this curling iron is great for beginners — plus, it won't break the bank for first-time users. Testers loved that "the clamp is long and clips hair well; it does not pinch it at the end," making it easy to use for novices. At 0.9 pounds, testers also found it lightweight and easy to control with "a classic design, simple and functional," though the temperature is controlled via dial instead of specific buttons, and it lacks an alert when it reaches temperature. Its slimmer-than-average handle is comfortable to hold. It's also the go-to curling iron for salon pros: "I use Hot Tools curling irons both at home and in salon," says Toye.
Hot Tools - 10/16
9) Lava Ceramic Curling Iron
Chi
ulta.com
$64.99
This solid iron scored high in ease of use, performance and satisfaction and earned the highest mark of all irons for creating curls that lasted throughout the day. It scored highest for releasing hair from the clamp without snagging or pulling hair, including a perfect score for its clamp: Testers said, "the barrel is smooth and clip works well," though some found the thumb clamp tricky to press. This iron also reaches the highest temperature that we tested, a whopping 450ºF which is ideal for forming long-lasting curls in even thick, coarse, natural textured or hard-to-curl hair.
Chi - 11/16
10) Salon Long Lasting Curls Titanium Curling Iron
REVLON
walmart.com
$51.84
Fine hair is fragile and can be difficult to curl for fear of breakage as well as its tendency to fall flat. That's why this iron from Revlon is a great pick for those with thin hair: Its adjustable temperature reaches the lowest number in our roundup at 225ºF, and it performed toward the top of the pack for long-lasting curls and curling without snagging. It scored high for ergonomics and intuitiveness, and our Lab pros found it had good instructions that may be helpful for fine haired users to prevent over-experimentation (a.k.a. increased risk of damage), although we wish the cord was longer for easier styling.
Revlon - 12/16
11) Heat Platform Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron
FHI Heat
walmart.com
$65.00
Another top performer in past Lab tests, this pick performed well across the board, scoring highest in speed of styling, as well as top ranks for consumer satisfaction, even despite what some called "poor button placement." Testers noted that it heated up fast loved how speedy it was when styling: “It worked super-fast and my curls were locked in all day, which is hard to achieve with my heavy, straight hair." Others said hair was "noticeably shiny and a little less frizzy.”
FHI Heat - 13/16
12) Mixologist Interchangeable Styling Iron
Drybar
sephora.com
$199.00
We haven't tested this exact model formally in the Lab, but Drybar's wand performed well in our Lab tests, so it's no surprise this three-in-one pick is a fan favorite. It has three useful attachments for all of your curling needs and then some: A 1-inch wand for undone beach waves, a 1 ¼-inch curling iron for polished curls and a three-pronged waver for messy texture. Plus, the clamp on the curling iron is heated so you can also use the larger barrel as a wand or a smoothing flat iron, of sorts. A GH editor says, "the mechanism to switch the attachments is easy to use and feels secure and safe/ The display is bright and the rubberized buttons are intuitive and simple to press," although she wishes there was a better kickstand to keep the heating element from resting on the counter. The tool heats up quickly on every mode and every barrel is smooth and snag-free for glossy, smooth styling.
Drybar - 14/16
13) Airwrap Multi-Styler
dyson
ulta.com
$599.99
Our Beauty Lab loves the Dyson Airwrap: Like a hair dryer and curling iron in one, this high-tech styling tool uses six powerful streams of hot or cool air to magically style your hair from damp to dry. "I admire the genius air jet design, which makes hair strands, as if by magic, wrap themselves around the curler attachment,” says Birnur Aral, Ph.D., Director of the GH Beauty Lab. The result: Bouncy bends that rival a professional blowout. "It gives salon-level styling using lower heat, which can minimize damage as well," she explains.
Dyson - 15/16
14) Classic Curl Curling Iron
ghd
amazon.com
$199.00
This sleek one-inch model has universal voltage and earned dozens of raves with reviewers, including those with thin hair. "I have fine hair and it is wonderful to find a curling iron that actually does what I need it to," one Nordstrom reviewer said. We haven't Lab-tested this iron, but it's a consistent top-seller with a cult following (and a GH editor fave!). While no heat tool can be "damage-free," in our Beauty Lab's test of flat irons, we found the ghd tool maintained a steady temperature of 365º which helps prevent excessive heat damage, unlike other models that can exceed 450º. The downside, though, is that that single temperature may not suit all different hair types, textures and thicknesses.
GHD - 16/16
15) How we test curling irons
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, we test curling irons for factors such as speed of preheat, whether the tools actually heat up to (or exceed) the temperature settings indicated on the tool and whether other parts of the iron get hot to the touch. We also have a panel of testers try them out at home and report on how well the curling irons create curls, how long the curls last and how easy and comfortable the tools are to use. Our scientists and beauty pros parsed through over 103 measurements and 836 survey answers to find the best curling irons on the market, and consulted hairstylists and beauty editors for additional insight on what makes the best hair tool.
Sabina Wizemann
