The best ghd straighteners in 2024, reviewed by our beauty experts

Thinking of investing in one of the best ghd straighteners but don't know which styler is best for you? Our beauty editors are huge fans of the cult brand and have tried and tested them all. 

Ghd is known for having some of the best straighteners since the launch of the Original Styler 23 years ago. The brand has even won a plethora of awards over the years and is the flat iron of choice for many top stylists. But with six additional straighteners for every hair type and look – including a wet-to-dry styler – it may be difficult to know which ghd styler is right for you from the off. 

"I've had a ghd styler in my kit bag forever," says leading hairdresser Adam Reed, the brand's global ambassador. "I remember the first time I used one and being blown away by what it could do. I still get the 'OMG effect' every time I use it to create something new." 

From the best wide plate stylers for curly hairstyles to cordless straighteners for travelling, ahead we've drawn on our years of experience testing and using the best ghd straighteners to give you a run-down of each tool.

The quick list

The best ghd straighteners, tested by our beauty experts

The best ghd straightener overall

ghd's most premium straightener is often pitted against the Dyson Corrale – but if you are weighing up the Dyson Corrale vs ghd Platinum+, there are a few things to consider. The Platinum+ features predictive heat technology, intelligently adapting to the section of hair being styled's thickness and density – meaning more control, less damage and fewer split ends. We loved the speedy heat-up time, a tiny 15 seconds, while the wishbone hinge made styling feel easier than some of the older models. 

Thanks to the smooth plates, we could straighten and wave hair in record time, which meant less time exposed to damaging heat. (Do note that less damage still means you need to take care with heat and use heat protection, especially if your hair is brittle or colour-treated. There is no such thing as a damage-free straightener.) Another plus is that, if something goes wrong, the Platinum+ comes with a three-year warranty, while all other ghd hair straighteners come with two (apart from the newest tool, Chronos).

"ghd Platinum+ is a one-stroke wonder. It gives the best results and incredible shine in just one stroke," Reed says. "The thing I love most about it is that it has made things so easy. The wishbone hinge takes all the effort out of styling as it keeps the hair perfectly in place, and the finish it gives is spot on for today – beautifully smooth while retaining volume and movement. No matter whether a client has super thick or incredibly fine hair, I know that by using the Platinum+ I will get a consistent result and a beautifully smooth finish across every hair type.”

See our full ghd Platinum+ hair straightener review

The bestselling ghd straightener

"The ghd styler is the original and the best. In fact, it’s fair to say it’s genius," says Adam – and we have to agree with this high praise. Can you believe it was 21 years ago when the ghd Original Styler first landed on shelves? A total game-changer, the hot tool quickly became world-famous; now, two million are sold every year across the globe. While it remains a bestseller, the team at ghd has decided to give the Original Styler an upgrade, using the latest technological advancements.

When testing, we found there was something pleasingly familiar about this tool, while also offering a sense of "newness" with its souped-up features. The difference is that the plates now boast a gloss coating, and we did notice even sleeker and smoother results. The ceramic heat technology is as effective as it ever was, but it now ensures there’s no extreme heat, using the optimum styling temperature of 185°C. Design-wise, it retains its classic sleek look with slim plates, which made curling, waving, and straightening super easy.

This is the most simple and straightforward styler we tested and, in our opinion, it would be almost impossible to go wrong with it. It does take a little longer to cover the entire head compared to the Max or Platinum+ models, but the slimmer handle allowed us to get right into the hairline when styling. The new version also features single-zone technology so that the heat is evenly distributed across both ceramic plates to help effortlessly style your hair. "[The] ghd Original is the perfect tool for those starting out on their ghd journey and wanting to create beautiful, simple styles with shine and smoothness," Igor Rago, ghd Italy's art director explains.

See our full ghd Original IV hair straightener review

The best ghd straightener for travel

The ghd Unplugged joins the wave of cordless stylers that has hit the market in recent years, including the Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener and Babyliss 9000 Cordless Hair Straightener, and it brings plenty of useful features to the party. At first, we thought it had a slightly chunky appearance, but this styler is actually extremely lightweight considering that it packs in a battery. Weighing in at 35% less than the Platinum+, and measuring just under nine inches across, it did feel noticeably compact and was easy to manoeuvre when we put it to the test. It still features the standard ghd specs, too, such as dual-zone heaters and ceramic plates, as well as the smooth styling experience we’d expect.

Now, about that battery life. A full charge lasted us 20 minutes – which takes about two hours to power up. If you have fine hair like our tester, this is probably sufficient, but if you have thick and/or curly hair, or lots of it, or both, you'd probably use Unplugged as a topping-up tool rather than for a full styling session. That said, this tool does make charging easy thanks to its USB port, which we could easily plug into our laptop – and could use to charge in the car too – to give it a boost. Overall, it's a great pick for travel and touch-ups.

The ghd Unplugged is naturally a favorite with professional stylists, thanks to how easy it makes styling on the go. “Ghd Unplugged offers a new level of flexibility and creativity for styling " says Manuele Mameli, hair stylist to mega-influencer Chiara Ferragni. "Whether it’s styling touch-ups at a photo shoot or a quick style transformation in the back of a taxi during long days at fashion week, Unplugged is my sleek-styling essential.” 

The best ghd straightener for curling and waving hair

The Gold is a great pick for anyone who likes to change up how they style their hair. With a curved design and rounded barrel, we found we could create curls and waves at a quicker rate than with any other pair of ghds. Top tip? Leave the ends of your hair free of the styler to create undone beach hair waves. If you'd rather go smooth and sleek, the floating mechanism on the plates helps this styler to move easily down the hair shaft without snags.

Heat-wise, to us these straighteners felt quick to warm up, probably taking about 25 seconds, and are pleasingly lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. You can also expect an even temperature without hot spots due to the highly intelligent heat sensors in each plate. This allowed us to enjoy highly controlled styling without repeat passing through the hair – a big tick in our book. If you’re after styling versatility with a nod to heat protection, the Gold should suit your needs. Reed explains: "The ghd Gold styler glides through the hair, delivering a constant safer-for-hair heat of 185ºC to ensure hair is perfectly styled but is not damaged."

There’s no ionic technology here to keep static at bay, so they may not suit those with particularly frizzy hair, but we still achieved a smooth, sheeny look with this tool. ghd Platinum+ vs ghd Gold is a common debate and we found that both are great stylers for regular use. While we recommend the Platinum+ for those concerned about the drying effects of heat-styling on delicate or damaged hair, this hits the gold standard if you want to learn how to curl hair with straighteners perfectly. 

The best ghd straightener for thick or long hair

If you have thick hair, a curly hairstyle or a natural hairstyle that you’d like to smooth out every now and then, the ghd Max is undoubtedly one of the best straighteners for curly hair out there. With broader-than-standard plates that are double the width of other ghd models (two inches vs. the usual one inch), we were able to hold and smooth out larger sections of hair in one go. This significantly cut down the overall styling time. 

These generous proportions also allowed our tester's hair to be styled at a consistent 185ºC, which is a godsend for anyone who worries about having to repeatedly pass over and frazzle individual sections. For us, this also sets it apart from other brands’ irons that are designed for thick hair, as many rely on styling at a higher heat, which can cause damage over time. 

Of course, the downside of having larger plates – which we experienced firsthand – is that they do take slightly longer to heat up than other ghd stylers. That said, the time you’ll save during styling thanks to its bigger design will more than make up for it. We would also point out that it's harder to create curls with this tool due to the plate size, though it does create a very loose, undone wave look. But if your main hair straightener uses are to smooth and straighten, this is the one for you.

See our full ghd Max hair straightener review

The best ghd straightener for short hair and bangs

Our first impression of this miniature straightener was, how very cute! With a plate width of just half an inch, this pocket rocket of a hot tool allows for precision styling that lends itself particularly well to both bangs hairstyles and pixie haircuts. Despite its minute size, the ghd Mini still offers the same styling power as other ghd models, including the Gold and Platinum+. 

Due to its smaller size, we did find that the Mini feels a little fragile in the hand, though we didn't once experience any issues while using it; the two-year warranty also set our mind at ease. It has simple controls and features ghd's signature styling temperature of 185ºC, which removes any guesswork, while the floating plates gave us a smooth, snag-free straightening experience. 

If you have shorter hair and find that it has a tendency to stick out at an angle when using conventional-sized straighteners, or that larger tools often leave a dent in the top of your hair, then you’ll likely fall in love with the ghd Mini. Styling every section did take a little longer when we tested, but the seamless results made that worth it in the end.

The best ghd straightener for shiny results

The Chronos is ghd's latest straightening innovation. HD motion-responsive™ technology adapts to your styling, with the tool promising to straighten hair in a single stroke. Powering up in just 20 seconds, it also sleeps after 10 minutes of inactivity, improving on the 30 minutes seen with most of the brand's other straighteners. 

Acting digital beauty editor Aleesha Badkar notes that, though it's similar to it's predecessor, the Platinum+, it's a great tool. "It works wonders on long, thick, curly and frizzy hair in just minutes – something I've only seen before with the Platinum+ and the Dyson Corrale – and it wasn't too hot for the finer hair types we tried it on, too. It is a bit of an investment and you can probably get something that will work just as well for a bit less, like a ghd Gold styler or a pair of Cloud Nine straighteners, but it definitely topped the leadership board for me when it comes to smooth usage and a shiny finish."

See our full ghd Chronos review here

The best ghd straightener for drying and styling

As ghd is excellent at creating both hair dryers and straighteners, we had high hopes for this. Shall we start with the good? The Duet styler is clearly a very advanced piece of kit. It combines targeted airflow with four slimline plates on either side of the central air vents and does a pretty great job of drying and smoothing hair in one fell swoop. 

Our thick-haired tester found it took only a few passes on each section of rough-dried hair to achieve the same result she would with a separate dryer and straightener. It also doesn't knock every inch of texture from the hair as flat irons sometimes can, rather it smoothes and styles. The main benefit here is convenience. Only using one tool is less hassle and you'll spend less time styling. It also benefits hair health, as the dryer gets up to 150ºC and the plates 120ºC (both lower than ghd's standard 185ºC temperature). Although if you do rely on higher heat to get a sleek finish, you can use Shine Shot mode to do so.

And the not-so-good? It's larger than other ghd straighteners and we've found it can be trickier to get it very close to the root in thicker and/or curly hair types. That said, you have to factor in that this is a hair dryer as well, in which case you could actually say it's quite small. It's also a little noisy at first, although we found it quietened down with use. You will also need to practice a few times to get the knack, as is the case for any new technology – but that's what this is, something new and exciting and another option in ghd's roster. 

See our full ghd Duet Style Review 

How we tested the best ghd straighteners

When you’re considering paying three figures for a hair tool, it needs to tick all the boxes. To that end, we analysed everything from size and weight to ease and speed of styling, as well as each styler's price tag. Hair type also plays a role, as the best ghd straighteners for curly, thick, or long hair will not be the same as for fine hair or particularly travel-friendly, and we assessed how well each works on different hair types. Our testers thought about the following factors when trialling each ghd styler:

• Design, including size of plates
• Any unique or interesting technology
• How easy it was to use 
• Whether it worked on all hair or was more suited to specific types
• Results, including smoothness of the finish
• How long results lasted
• Price

We've taken every one of these considerations into account to write this thorough guide to the best ghd straighteners, so that you can make the right choice (and investment) for both your hair type and styling needs. 

Your ghd straightener FAQs, answered

How to choose the best ghd straighteners for you

• Hair type: If you have curly or very thick hair, the wide plates of the ghd Max will be a godsend, while something slimline and simple like the Original IV styler is a good choice for fine and straighter hair. Hair length is important, too, as very short styles need narrower plates, such as those of the ghd Mini, while those with very long hair may appreciate the predictive technology of the Platinum+. Or, for those with hair that lacks volume, the Glide Hot Brush may appeal, as it smooths without completely flattening sections, too.
• Styling behaviour: Every model on this list is designed to straighten hair, but do you also want to be able to curl and wave with your tool? If so, picking a model with a curved barrel, such as the ghd Gold, would be a smart choice. Think about how often you straighten, too. If daily, it makes sense to invest in a tool that inflicts less damage on strands. If you are only an occasional user of heated tools, a more basic model without hair health benefits will likely suffice. 
• Budget: ghd is a premium brand and none of these stylers come at bargain basement prices. However, often the newer the model (and its technology), the higher the price tag. If your budget is smaller, consider an older device like the Original IV or Gold. Both are still high-performing tools but, as they aren't the brand's latest, they tend to come at better-value prices. This is particularly true during shopping events, such as the ghd Black Friday sale, when slightly older models usually have most generous discounts.  

Do ghd straighteners turn off automatically?

The agonising question we all ask ourselves after leaving the house in a hurry: Did I forget to turn my hair straighteners off?” Despite trying to recall the moment you put them down, you often cannot remember whether or not you turned them off – making your journey to work or a social engagement far from stress-free. 

But when it comes to these tools, all ghd hair straighteners are programmed to switch themselves off automatically after 30 minutes (with the exception of the Glide's 60 minutes, Chronos' 10 and the Unplugged's three). That's one less thing to worry about,

How hot do ghds get?

All ghd tools reach an optimum temperature of 185°C. This number has been specially chosen because, according to the brand, it is scientifically proven to produce a long-lasting style with minimal resulting damage to individual strands.

Their research also found that anything above this optimum temperature can actually cause structural damage to your hair. Yikes!

How long do ghds last?

Most ghd straighteners come with a warranty of two years, sometimes three, which gives you some peace of mind when making such an investment. That said, many users have claimed that their styler has lasted upwards of five years. The trick is to take good care of your tool, cleaning it between uses (once cooled down, of course) and storing them in a heat-resistant bag. 

If your hair straighteners aren't maintaining an even heat, or are taking longer to style, it might be that they're past their best. Some experts recommend replacing them after four years.

How to heat protect hair when using ghds

“One of the best hair care tips, which is very often ignored, is using a heat-protective spray on your hair before using any heated tools," says Charlotte Mensah, ghd global ambassador and hairstylist. "If you do, you’ll love how your hair looks even after the styling wears off! Follow this commandment, and your hair will really thank you for it. ”Below are the key ingredients to look out for when it comes to heat protection for hair.

• Humectants: These act as water magnets that help hair draw in and retain more moisture. Glycerin, panthenol, and propylene are all types of humectants that can often be found in heat protectant sprays to deliver hydrated, healthy hair results. 
• Amino acids: These work as strengthening and conditioning agents, but in the world of haircare, their main function is to supply nourishing antioxidants to repair surface damage. For example, keratin is a structural protein that helps strengthen strands, restoring and repairing heat and colour damage.  
• Natural oils: These protect the hair cuticle while locking in moisture. They work especially well for thicker, curly, or natural hair, as these types can often take on a heavier product without getting weighed down. Coconut oil repairs split ends and shields your hair against the effects of heat-styling tools, and a little goes a long way.

Best ghd hair care products to use with straighteners

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