The best curling wands for thick hair in 2024 to deliver lasting, frizz-free results

If your hair is on the thicker side, you’ll know all too well the challenge of finding a curling tool that effortlessly styles it with long-lasting, salon-worthy results. But fear not – our woman&home's experts have tested an array of irons and knows which are the best curling wands for thick hair that create curly and wavy styles with ease.

In order to call itself one of the best curling wandsmake styling an easy and hassle-free task, as well as create gorgeous curls. However, finding a tool that does all of that well isn't as simple as it sounds. Much like the best hair straighteners for thick hair, you need something that is designed to work well with your thicker hair type and that yields results that last through the day – without dropping or succumbing to unwanted frizz. So, what should you look for?

"When looking for a curling wand, much of what you consider should depend on your hair length and texture," says Nicole Petty, Hair Expert at Milk + Blush. “You ideally want a curling wand with an adjustable temperature range so you can customise the heat depending on your hair type." Keeping this in mind, we put a range of hair curlers through thorough testing to determine which ones are truly worth the investment for those with thick hair – here are the top buys...

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Remington PROluxe You Curling Wand: was £74.99 now £59.99 at Amazon

Not only is it equipped with clever adapting technology that adjusts the temperature to suit your hair's personal styling needs, Remington's PROluxe You Curling Wand also boasts a ceramic coating that's infused with diamond particles for even heat distribution, leaving glossy and smooth curls. What's more, this kind-to-hair tool has had its price tag slashed by 20%.

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Beauty Works Professional Styler: was £69.99 now £52.45 at LOOKFANTASTIC UK

Those with lengthier hair can currently get a 25% saving on Beauty Works' Professional Styler, which boasts an extra long barrel that's designed specifically for long hair. Its ceramic barrel works to seal the cuticle, prevent frizz and enhance the shine of your voluminous curls. Its adjustable temperature of 80–220°C also allows you to create an array of styles, from loose waves to tight curls.

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The quick list: Our top 6

The best curling wand for thick overall

When it comes to hair styling, ghd is certainly champion, making home to some of the best tools that money can buy – including the best hair straighteners and even a stellar lineup of haircare products. So if you're looking to invest in a quality hair tool, this is the ultimate destination.

Curling thick hair can be a lengthy task, so investing in a lightweight tool that avoids dreaded arm ache is key. Delivering exactly that, this curling wand boasts a design that's both easy to hold and manoeuvre – without having to fiddle with any buttons. Though the tool only has one heat setting, this still did the trick in terms of creating bouncy curls in our thick and frizzy hair. Plus, extra point the wand's cold tip, which helped make the styling process a breeze, too.

Best affordable curling wand for thick hair

Many are sceptical about the performance of budget-friendly hair tools, but Remington's PROluxe You Adaptive Wand really impressed us throughout the testing process. The tool itself was easy to use and we found the wider barrel was perfect for quickly creating effortless curls on long hairstyles. As for results, these curls lasted incredibly well without the need for any hairspray or hair styling products. Two days after styling our curls were still there, albeit looser, proving the results hold up in thick hair.

Despite boasting a more affordable price tag, this curling wand's clever StyleAdapt technology is a unique touch for those prioritising the health of their hair – although, we would have quite happily set the temperature ourselves, too. If you’re struggling to curl your hair with the desired outcome, or you’re unsure on what’s needed for your hair type, this tool is a great option.

Best premium curling wand for thick hair

Arguably needing no introduction, Dyson has created an impressive selection of hair tools, from the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer to the Dyson Airstrait. But for this particular guide, we focused on how well the Airwrap's curling barrels work on thick and frizzy hair, specifically. Our tester's locks can be difficult to manage and need higher temperatures to achieve the desired results, so they were initially unsure how well this air styler would perform. (Side note: though this tool uses air instead of direct heat, you still need to apply the best heat protection.) After one use of the curling attachment on our tester's natural, dry hair, they were completely sold. Each curl only took a matter of seconds to style, leaving our once dry and frizzy strands with smooth and shiny curls.

It's worth noting that this pricey tool requires quite the investment, but the results spoke for themselves and required very minimal effort. So, if you have the budget and want a styler that saves significant time and effort, we think it is worth the investment.

See our full Dyson Airwrap review for a detailed guide to this famous tool

Best hydrating curling wand for thick hair

Revamp's tools are great for those with thick hair that's on the drier side, in particular the brand's oil-infused Progloss range – take it from us. This small, lightweight and easy to use wand made styling incredibly easy, whilst the bouncy curls it created remained intact all night long (without any need for hairspray to boot).

The barrel may look deceivingly short, but it still catered to our long and thick hair well, delivering curls that were neither too tight nor too loose. We felt we noticed the benefits of the oils, as our hair was left looking smooth and feeling healthy, with no need for finishing products – something that further sped up the styling process.

With not just one but two interchangeable batteries, this wire-free tool made for quick and easy styling, even while on the go, though it's worth noting that the batteries do take a few hours to charge. But overall, if your hair is prone to dryness and frizz, we'd highly recommend this tool.

Best curling wand for thick hair for bouncy curls

It can feel like a mission to find a curling tong that doesn't produce ringlet-style curls, but that's where tools like this Beauty Works number come in. This wand has an easy to use design and takes just 60 seconds to warm up before you can use it. Plus, it comes with a travel case, a heat-proof glove and a mat for fuss-free and portable styling.

After trialling this tool, we noticed that thick, straight hair needed finishing products to ensure the curls were defined and lasted all day long. If you find curls typically drop out of your strands, as is common in hair that's naturally smooth and flat, it might be wise to invest in a strong hold hairspray to lock your look in place. But overall, considering this is one of the more affordable curling tongs for thick hair, it performed extremely well and created the type of curls we wanted – without any additional effort.

Best automatic curling wand for thick hair

We're always intrigued by brands that create innovative new methods to styling your hair, so this BaByliss tool left us seriously impressed. It works by automatically drawing a section of hair into the ceramic curling chamber and heating it there before you release the tool – and with it your newly-formed curl. The method does take some getting used to, but if you're in the market for a quick, easy and effortless curling method, this styler is for you.

Based off first impressions, the large head of this tool does mean it's on the bulky side, but this also makes it great for styling chunkier sections of thick and long hair; if you want more defined waves, we'd recommend styling smaller sections of hair at once. However, one downside we noticed is that you don't have any control over the type of curl this tool creates, but the results are truly brilliant so we don't really mind. We must also mention the handy heat-proof mat – a feature that always gets a tick from us.

See our full BaByliss Wave Secret Air review for a detailed look at this easy curler

Best curling wand for thick hair for travel

BaByliss has another candidate we rank among the best curling tongs for thick hair: the 9000 Cordless Waving Wand. Particularly great for those who need or want to style on the go or who don't want to be limited to styling in close proximity to a wall socket, this cordless curler makes for easy and fuss-free styling wherever, whenever. When testing the tools, we found this is noticeably shorter compared to others, but the thick barrel is more than sizeable enough to wrap each strand around it. It is admittedly slightly heavy, but using it isn’t too much of a strenuous task – in fact, it gives the curler a kind of luxe feel.

In terms of ease of use and results, we loved how quickly we could form curls with this tool and how well they lasted throughout the day. The downside? It does require recharging after about 40 minutes of use on the maximum heat setting – is fine if your hair didn't take long to style, but those with very thick and long hair may find that this isn't enough time, so it's worth bearing in mind.

Best curling wand for thick hair for loose waves

A hybrid between a straightener and a waver, we had to include this Bellissima tool in our guide because of the gorgeous tousled waves it created. To look at, it's similar to one of the best hair straighteners but has a rounded internal clamp that helps create natural, relaxed waves that last – even on thick hair. If you've mastered the art of how to curl hair with straighteners, this is a great option that is both less damaging to your hair and also more geared towards curling.

Our tester usually struggles to create curls using a straightener, but found this tool pretty easy to use when styling. Simply hold it at a slanted angle, turn it 180° and smooth through the hair in one motion. With more practice of the technique, we could see this becoming a go-to multi-use tool, as it's ideal for travel or for creating quick hairstyles. The rounded plate also allows waves to form without much effort, while the steam technology and argan oil-infused ceramic promote a healthy and shiny finish in even the thickest strands.

How we tested the best curling wands for thick hair

In order to narrow down the best curling wands for thick hair based on firsthand experience, we made sure to complete a thorough testing process. We paid close attention to a number of details, features and characteristics, including the settings and functions available, how easy they were to use and, most importantly, the look and lasting power of our curls. The design, price and added extras – such as a heatproof glove or carry case – were also considered. Each of the tools in this guide either met or went above and beyond our expectations, so you can trust we deem any of them a worthy addition to your styling arsenal.

How to choose the best curling wand for thick hair

The abundance of curling wands available on the market can make pinpointing the best tool for you a tricky task, so below are some helpful pointers from hair experts that will make the shopping process even easier.

• Barrel size: "There are many different sizes and shapes [of wand] that can help you achieve different looks, whether that's a large barrel for loose and glamorous waves or a small barrel for tighter curls," says Tyler Moore, Expert Stylist at Live True London. "Generally speaking, a one inch curling wand is the best all-rounder and can work for most lengths and textures," adds Petty. This size is especially good for thick hair.
• Materials: "We tend to recommend ceramic for finer or more damaged hair types that can't handle higher temperatures, and tourmaline for thicker hair that is prone to frizz, as this emits negative ions to counteract this," says Moore.
• Temperature controls: "We also recommend shopping for a curling wand that allows you to control the temperature with a degree setting, allowing you to have more control," says Moore. This is especially important for damaged or damage-prone hair types.
• Look at additional extras: "Curling wands with an automatic shut-off option are great, so you don’t spend the day wondering if you remembered to turn them off," says Petty. “Rotating barrels make the curling process easier, and some wands come with interchangeable barrels, so you can create different curl types without having to splash out on different gadgets."

Tyler Moore

Tyler Moore is an experienced hair stylist working for Live True salons in London.

How can I keep my hair healthy when using a curling wand?

The first non-negotiable tip? "Always, always use heat protection!" says Moore. "No matter how you heat style your hair, this is the most vital step. We also recommend looking for a barrel material that is suited for your hair, and not styling too hot. As a rule for damaged, fine or colored hair, go no hotter than 150ºC. For healthy or medium thickness hair, 150-190ºC, and for coarse or thick hair, a maximum of 175-230ºC."

When it comes to styling, Petty agrees that said protection is key to minimising damage to your strands and recommends you "invest in heat protector creams and sprays, which are made to protect your hair from the heat of dryers and curling wands." As for using the heated tool itself, she also advises working quickly: "If you are using a curling wand, try not to use it for more than three or four seconds per section."

Finally, Petty stresses the importance of adding nourishing and reparative products into your haircare routine: "Invest in good aftercare like hair oils and the best hair masks that are designed to repair any damage, which might be caused by overuse or too much heat."

Why won't my thick hair hold curls and how can I fix it?

After spending your time adding bouncy curls into your thick locks, it can feel frustrating when they fall out within hours, as to why this happens, Petty explains: "One of the main reasons [a curl doesn't hold] is usually because the curling wands are not hot enough when used, thick hair usually needs higher temperatures, ranging from 350 to 450ºF (roughly 180ºC–230–C) to set the curls."

To combat this issue, Moore suggests: "If your hair won't hold curls, try styling your hair on a higher degree setting until you find a temperature your hair can tolerate without becoming dry."

Problems can also arise because of how you wash your hair: “Even if you're already using quality products, you want to ensure you're thoroughly rinsing your hair in the shower, too," Petty says. "Not properly removing conditioner creates an oily residue, which doesn't react well with heat, and also creates a barrier that stops the heat from activating the hair curl."

Finally, it's also worth trying to avoid touching your hair as soon as you've finished curling. “If you brush or touch your curls when they are still warm, they lose their curl quickly," says Petty. "This is a challenge if you have longer, thicker hair, which takes more time to cool. Setting the hair with pins or clips until it has fully cooled can be useful here to get your style to hold for longer."

How can I make my curls last longer?

The answer to the question that's on all of our minds lies in the preparation. "Prep will be important to make our curls last longer," Moore stresses. Aligning with Petty's comments about allowing the hair to cool, she recommends: "Clip each curl in place while it cools down to help it set and apply a generous amount of flexible hold hairspray to maintain the style throughout the day."

Petty also recommends styling non-freshly washed hair to get a stronger hold. "For even better results, curl your hair on the second or third day after shampooing," she says. "Dirtier hair can hold a curl better. If your hair feels greasy, you can always use a dry shampoo beforehand."