We’ve picked the best flat iron for curling hair

By: | Last Updated: November 27, 2021

So, you’ve recently learned the hair wizardry that is curling your hair with a straightener. You may now be wondering ‘Hmm, what is the best flat iron for curling hair?

Armed with your new found hair styling expertise, you know the kind of tool you’re looking for will be a curved flat iron. Plus, with your new skills, you want something that is a hair straightener and curling iron in one. A tool that covers both bases well. Leaving your hair glossy, smooth and straight, as well as voluminous and tousled.

Well, how do you go about finding the perfect straightener that also curls hair?

The best place to start is the internet, of course! 😉 Not only can you find almost every product under the sun online with a quick search, you also have the benefit of reading reviews.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

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* Prices and Images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on 2024-03-28 at 06:21  

Quick Answer: Best Flat Iron For Curling

Firstly, it’s beneficial to know what features you should look for so you can make an informed decision.

Top buying tips for finding the best flat iron to curl your hair:

  • Be wise about width – anything too wide and bulky won’t be ideal for making curls. If you’re lucky a wide straightener will make waves at best. Make sure to choose something around 1-1.5”.
  • Curved is the word – a flat iron with curved sides (rather than those blocky flat ones you can get) will allow you to create the perfect curls.
  • Fight the frizz – Look for a straightener that has the technology to help prevent frizz and keep hair silky smooth. These flat irons will often have heat protectant abilities to reduce the amount of damage they inflict to your precious locks.

To help you along with your quest for finding a flat iron that straightens and curls, we’ve reviewed 8 straighteners to see which stand up to the test.

Best Flat Iron For Curling Hair: Our Top 8 Picks

Without further ado, here are our reviews to help you find the best flat iron for curling your hair:

1. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Straightening Iron

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Ionic Straightening Iron

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If glossiness is what you’re looking for, then this flat iron aims to deliver. Its ionic technology fights frizz until your hair is smooth, smooth, smooth. For the best curls, choose the 1 ¼” plate size.

With an ion generator and titanium plates, this flat iron works on even the most stubborn and curliest of hair. It doesn’t have rounded edges, but its smooth plates prevents snagging and allow curls to be made easily, looking shiny and healthy as well!

You do need to watch out for the heat though! This flat iron reaches up to 450 degrees F. It gets hot fast! While this high temperature is what makes it so effective, you need to be careful not to burn your hands (or hair).

It has Ryton housing that keeps it cool to touch, but you still need to be careful. Get yourself some heat protective gloves, as you’ll definitely need one if you intend to use this on the highest temperature setting. There’s an LED temperature display and you can adjust the heat settings using the + and – buttons beside it.

It’s also wise to use heat protectant spray in your hair to reduce the damage caused by the high temperature. It’s important to work quickly when curling at this heat to avoid leaving the straightener on a section of hair too long and risk breaking it off. However, if you’re confident in your abilities at making flat iron curls, this tool could be the one for you!

2. GHD Platinum+ Styler

image – Curling Diva

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GHD is known for producing some of the most popular and well-loved straighteners around. But who knew they could create a hair straightener that curls too?! These 1” plates evenly distributes heat throughout your hair to help lock in moisture. The results are said to be long lasting with a glossy finish.

You might be tempted to think that the max temperature of 365 degrees F is NOT hot enough to curl or straighten your hair, especially if you have thick hair. But with ‘predictive’ technology that adjusts the heat according to the thickness of your hair, this straightener works well even on thick hair. It claims to be the world’s first “smart straightener” with this technology.

It promises 70% less breakage and up to 2x more color protection. And so far, it hasn’t failed us yet! It does come at a price though, as this flat iron is definitely not cheap. But if you’re looking to invest in a quality heat styling tool that does the job and protects your hair from damage, this is it.

If you have really thick and frizzy hair, this might not be the best straightener to curl your hair. The GHD Platinum+ is great for those who have thinner hair that is more easily tamed. Skip the scorching temperatures and save your hair from heat damage if you don’t need it. But, if you do, read on for more suggestions.

3. CHI Original Hairstyling Iron

CHI Original 1" Flat Hair Straightening Ceramic Hairstyling Iron

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At 1” wide this rounded design flat iron looks the perfect straightener that curls your hair too. It claims to be a multi-tool, so you would be buying a curling iron and flat iron in one if it lives up to its expectations.

Another swivel cord design, this is much cheaper in comparison to the cloud nine iron which also boasts this feature. But does this lower price mean a compromise in quality?

Definitely not! If reviews are to be believed this could possibly be the best hair straightener for curling!

What is so great about creating curls with this flat iron, is the longevity of them. They last all day whilst still looking freshly styled, even on the most stubborn hair types.

If you’re looking for a mid-price straightener that delivers, this could be the one for you.

4. Remington Wet 2 Straight Tourmaline Ceramic Wet/Dry Flat Iron

Remington Wet 2 Straight Wet/Dry Ceramic Hair Straightening Iron

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These Remington straighteners is great if you’re facing a time crunch. They allow you to work with wet hair without having to blow dry first. As a budget friendly option, they certainly pack a punch for the price! Its ideal for smoothing hair as well as heating up to a whopping 400 degrees F.

While the 1” model is the ideal size for getting close to the roots and creating well-defined curls, patience and experience is needed. The 2″ iron is great for big waves and curls. As its edges are not rounded, you need practice to get the hang of creating beautiful curls with this. Once you’ve mastered the trick to using these to create waves, you’ll have gorgeous curls in no time.

Curling fine or hard to curl hair with this flat iron is virtually impossible. But this hair straightener works great for those with thick hair!

We’d recommend this straightener for those on a budget, or for those with easier to style hair.

5. Karmin Professional Salon Pro G3

Karmin G3 Salon Professional Ceramic Flat Iron

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Yet another swivel cord flat iron on this list, this one boasts tourmaline plates as opposed to the Cloud Nine and CHI’s ceramic ones. The difference is that, without getting scientific, tourmaline creates a shinier, smoother result than ceramic.

Well, it definitely seems to be the case with these straighteners. You can easily produce curls with these, thanks to the rounded design of the iron. Plus, they come out looking healthy and glossy.

This might not be the best straightener for curling hair if you have thick locks as it hasn’t got the tightest grip. Instead, we recommend this product to those of you with a fine to medium thickness of hair.

6. T3 Micro SinglePass Luxe Styling Iron

T3 SinglePass LUXE 1 Inch Professional Straightening & Styling Iron

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Another tourmaline infused tool, featuring the now ever so popular swivel cord. Again, this flat iron markets itself as also being able to create curls and waves easily.

As well as being a curler and straightener in one, this product says it leaves your hair shiny all day long with just one swipe. A bold claim, but does it live up to it?

Well, reviews are mixed here. Some claim that yes, curls last all day, but others find the opposite is also true. Even so, there seems to be no disputing that this flat iron can curl hair. Reviewers also agree with the shiny hair claim, so we would say this is best again for fine to medium hair types.

7. Cloud Nine The Original Iron

Cloud Nine Original Iron

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Cloud Nine is pretty much a curling iron and straightener in one. It could be easy to look at this product and think it was actually a curling iron that looks like a straightener, rather than it being the other way around.

Its rounded shape and swivel cord design makes it a versatile tool, perfect for creating many different styles, which we would expect from its hefty price tag. They also heat up in 10 seconds, so no waiting around for it to reach maximum temperature.

We can say that the shape of these straighteners certainly makes for an easier curling experience. In fact, it does curl well even at lower temperatures, which is a great way to protect your hair from heat damage.

8. Sultra The Wicked Wave & Straight Iron

Sultra The Wicked Wave & Straight Iron

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Even the name of this suggests this could be the best flat iron to make curls. This straightener is supposedly great for those of you concerned about heat damage, as the ceramic technology helps to protect against that. They also help to protect and lock in those curls that we know you work so hard to perfect, so a big bonus!

Well, it certainly lives up to its heat protection claims. Reviewers said their hair felt healthy and not frazzled after using these. They aren’t the hottest straighteners on this list, but they are still suitable for all hair types, including the thickest of hair.

The rounded design and the ideal 1” plates make sure that this is a flat iron that curls hair and curls it well. We definitely recommend this tool for those who are particularly concerned about heat damage.

Which one of these 8 is really the best flat iron for curling hair?

More importantly, which one should you get?

All 8 products here seem like great choices for those looking for one tool to be both a curling and straightening iron. As all hair types are different, it’s important to remember that there isn’t a one size fits all. That’s why each flat iron has different specifications to another.

In general, it seems that those that reach higher temperatures will be ideal for people with thicker, frizzier hair. You won’t necessarily need the same heat for finer hair. All of the tools achieve that shiny, smooth finish that is desirable. However, something to note is how they make the straightening plates.

Ceramic and tourmaline are both great for leaving your hair with a healthy shine. These materials sometimes coat the plate and thus can wear off over time. This is something to be mindful of when investing money into a flat iron.

If the plates are made of either of these materials, then the straighteners won’t start to tug on your hair over time as these beneficial materials won’t wear away. But this usually comes with a price.

Whichever you decide to buy, you can be sure that you have most likely bought the best flat iron for curling hair. Just make sure to perfect your technique and we’re certain you won’t regret parting with your money.

So you’ve got your straighteners, now what?

Can flat irons really be an all-in-one tool?

Yes! Flat irons don’t just help you create one style of curl. In fact, you can use your straighteners to make lots of different curly hair do’s.

Here’s just a small selection of the looks you can achieve and how to get them:

1. Classic Curls
curl hair with straightener – Curling Diva

We’re talking about the kind of curls you probably automatically think of. Preened, but tousled. Not messy, but not uniformly neat.

To achieve this look, take about an inch section of hair for each curl. Clamp the straightener near the root, turn it 180 degrees and pull the straightener gently down the length of the hair.

Mix up the width of each hair section and the direction of the twist to see how you can vary the curls using this method.

2. Crimp Crazy
tyra banks crimped hair – Curling Diva

If you’re not feeling a classic curl look, why not unleash your inner 90’s wild child with some hair crimps. As long as you know how to plait, this style’s super easy.

Plait your hair into plaits that are around half an inch wide. The amount of plaits you’ll have will depend on the thickness of your hair. Now straighten the plaits. Make sure to not overheat the hair, but also make sure that you’ve heated it enough.

Once you’ve done that, take the plaits out and voila! You should have a full head of crimped goodness.

TIP: Try this same technique with wider plaits to get a beach waves vibe.

3. Vintage and Retro Curls

Take an inch section of your hair and starting from the end curl it up to the root like a pinwheel. Clamp the straightener over the curl and clip it into place.

Once you’ve done this all over, wait for the curls to cool and then unclip to get a cute vintage pin-curl look.

Now, if you’re more about that 70’s retro vibe, just brush them out (be gentle please) which will add more volume to your do.

Aren’t these techniques just for people with long hair?

Definitely not! No matter what length your hair is, you can definitely achieve a curled look to suit you with your flat iron.

The shorter your hair is, the thinner you’ll want your flat iron to be. This will allow you to get closer to your roots and have more length to play with.

Short haired pixies

The best curling method is the classic, as we outlined above. To make a real statement, vary the thickness of the hair pieces you’re curling. If you want a messy vibe then alternate between twisting the flat iron clockwise and anti-clockwise.

Spray some fixing spray in once you’re done and go to town with running your hands through your hair. You’ll look like a rock chick in no time!

Medium length lovelies

Now, you may have more length to play with here, but different curls can give you very different looks. For example, tight curls make your hair bunch up and get shorter and this can sometimes make your head look wider. Not always the look that you’re trying to achieve.

Instead, opt for looser curls. The best way to do this is to section your hair into chunks 1 inch or larger when following the classic curls method. Make sure to tease them out with your fingers after.

You can also start the curl further down from your roots to prevent that over-volumized puffy hair appearance.

Finish with salt spray and some tousling with your hands to get the perfect balance between curled and beach goddess.

2 thoughts on “We’ve picked the best flat iron for curling hair”

  1. Just an FYI, 1-1.25 inches is actually way too wide to create good curls. It’s why I’ve been failing miserably at the effort I just got back from my long- time stylist and brought this up when I realized she used a 1/2in curling iron for that job.

    But the brands were helpful. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Michelle, thanks for chiming in!

      1.25 inches is probably too big, unless you have really long hair.
      A 1 inch flat iron is ideal for curling, although for really defined curls, a half-inch or 3/4 inch flat iron is best.

      Reply

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