Best straighteners for curly hair 2023: Jump Menu
1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best overall: ghd Platinum+ Styler
3. Best luxury: Dyson Corrale
4. Best budget: Remington Shine Therapy Advanced Ceramic S850
5. Best speedy: T3 SinglePass x Straightening Iron
6. Best steam: L'Oreal Steampod 4
7. Best versatile: BaByliss Straight & Curl Brilliance
8. Best long: Revamp Progloss Ultra X Shine Wide Ceramic
9. Best prone to damage: Keefo Genius Smart Glide
10. How to choose
If you're looking for the best straighteners for curly hair, you've come to the right place. We've tested and rounded up the top stylers that'll leave your curly locks sleek, straight, protected, and shiny.
This gorgeous hair type spans loose waves to tightly wound coils. But just because you’re blessed with curly hair doesn’t mean you’re forever bound to wear it in its natural state. If you want to use your best hair straighteners, that’s your prerogative. “I’ve always been a huge fan of curly hair and going with natural textures,” says celebrity session stylist and Babyliss Ambassador Syd Hayes. “However, on the odd occasion, it’s great to change it up and wear your hair in a different look.”
“You also might want to straighten if your curl is frizzy and unmanageable,” advises pro hairdresser, KAO ambassador, and owner of Hare & Bone Salon Sam Burnett. Just take precautions to preserve the health of your hair and your curl pattern. Due to its shape, curly hair is more porous than straight, which can make it drier and more prone to breakage. You also need your straighteners to work harder for you. “I would advise finding a straightener that has incredible plates with a smooth glide and controllable heat settings, so you don’t completely kill your hair,” adds Hayes.
As woman&home's Beauty Channel Editor, Fiona Mckim has tried more beauty products than she’s had hot dinners.
Fiona joined woman&home as Assistant Beauty Editor in 2013, working under industry legend Jo GB, who taught her everything she needed to know. She has since covered every corner of the industry, from interviewing dermatologists and celebrities to reporting backstage at Fashion Week and judging the w&h Beauty Awards.
The quick list
We have tried dozens of hair straighteners to bring you our complete roundup, but below are the top six straighteners for curly hair we put to the test.
The best straightener for curly hair overall
Known to be one the best ghd straighteners, this fan-favourite styler is w&h's number one pick for straightening curly hair. It's sleek, easy to use, and with ultra-gloss plates, even the tightest curl pattern will be left sleek, straight, and shiny.
The best luxury straightener for curly hair
From flexing plates that prevent hair damage to shiny, long-lasting results, this Dyson straightener is on the expensive side, but it's totally worth every dime. Plus, this straightener has a cordless feature for you to touch up unwanted curls and waves while on the go.
The best affordable hair straightener for curly hair
Costing less than £80, this is a more affordable straightener that still gets your curly locks super sleek and straight. It has nine heat settings and ceramic conditioning plates, leaving your hair ultra-straight and shiny.
The best wide straightener for curly hair
The Cloud Nine Wide Iron is one of the best straighteners for thick hair. With its wide, mineral-infused plates, you're able to style and straighten large pieces of hair at once. And if you're someone who's hair health is your number one priority, you'll be happy to know this styler's temperature can go as low as 100°C.
The best speedy straightener for curly hair
If there's one thing with straightening curly hair, it is that it's very time-consuming, from waiting for the flat iron to heat up to your desired temperature to the endless passes to straighten out every curl and wave. But the T3 SinglePass does what it says: straightens your hair within one pass with its wide ceramic plates and consistent heat.
The best straightener with steam
Don't let the steam scare you. This dry steam feature helps retain moisture while styling your curly hair. This wide-plated styler is designed with three combs that work with any hair type, giving you a smooth, glossy finish.
The best straighteners for curly hair, chosen by our beauty team
Why you can trust Woman & Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best overall straightener for curly hair
The GHD Platinum+ Styler has made it even easier for those with curly hair to cut down their styling time and still be left with a sleek, straight finish.
The top tool is everything we look for in a premium straightener. Not only does it get the job done faster than most other tools on the market that we tried, but it also looks good while doing so. The plush wishbone hinge and contrasting finishes work well with the sleek, streamlined shape to add a chic touch to any dressing table.
As well as looking great, we love that this feels satisfyingly sturdy and has been designed to give more control when styling. The plates are generous and robust enough to capture a large section of hair in every pass, too. Tighter curl patterns will benefit from a second glide through for a super sleek finish, but the ultra-gloss plates meant that our hair came out shiny rather than frazzled, even when doubling up.
See our full ghd Platinum+ hair straightener review
The best luxury straightener for curly hair
While hair tools have made strides in recent years, giving us the ability to style our own hair at home (thank you, GHD), for many curly girls, the telltale frizz tends to creep back after a few hours of styling. But the Dyson Corrale is here to change that.
The finish we got from this styler was unparalleled, with speed and convenience thrown into the bargain. Unlike any other straightener on the market, the Corrale features flexing plates that gather around the hair while it styles, meaning that less pressure is put onto the hair shaft, which results in less damage. This reduced damage was evident in the finish of our hair, as our locks felt shinier and straighter than we’ve seen with any other hot tool.
The cordless design is great for on-the-go touch-ups - although, with seriously long-lasting results, you may find that you can make it to your next hair wash without reaching for the irons. Unusually wide plates for a non-curl-specific device also meant that the styler could capture a large section of hair, which resulted in reduced styling time - even on very thick and coarse locks.
See our full Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener review