It’s less work if you use one of the best flat irons for natural hair. You don’t need to spend so much time brushing and blow-drying or getting your hair straightened if you have the right tool at home.
Sleek, smooth hair and a silk press are only a few minutes away. The biggest decision isn’t whether to use a flat iron, but whether titanium or ceramic is better for natural hair. If you’re not sure, think about your hair type.
Thick, curly hair is easier to straighten when you have a flat iron with titanium plates. Titanium heats up very quickly and it’s durable, which is why salons use this type of flat iron. The metal holds the heat evenly so you don’t have to do as many passes as you might with a ceramic iron and thick hair. But if you have chemically processed hair, stay away from titanium plates.
Kinky, coarse, dry hair requires protection against dehydration so that it doesn’t break or frizz. Tourmaline plates smooth the cuticle and add negative ions to the hair to reduce frizziness. They leave the hair silky while they guard against heat damage.
Dry and damaged hair that’s not thick or coarse does well with a ceramic flat iron. Ceramic doesn’t get as hot as tourmaline or titanium.
Here’s a quick overview of the best flat irons for natural hair. You can see in-depth reviews for each one below.
| The best flat irons for natural hair | Why we love them |
|---|---|
| HSI Professional Glider | Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron |
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| Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron |
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| Remington S9520 Pro 2" Pearl Ceramic Flat Iron |
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| CHI Onyx Euroshine 1" Straightening Hairstyling Iron With 4" Extended Plates |
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| BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin Straightening Iron |
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| Bed Head Pixie 1/2" Straightener |
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How to choose the best flat iron
If the plates on your flat iron are chipped or if it’s hard to close, it’s time to upgrade to a new iron so that you don’t damage your hair.
The best flat irons these days have adjustable heat. For example, if you have fine hair, you only need about 260°F to straighten it. And for 4C curls, it’s essential to keep the temperature below 380°F. But if you have thick hair, you’ll want at least 400°F.
Next, think about the length of your hair and look at the width of the plates. Some are two inches wide to straighten a lot of hair at once. Meanwhile, others are one inch wide for short hair and the rest even smaller to get close to the roots.
After that, check for safety features like automatic shut-off and whether the iron has been drop tested.
Best Flat Irons for Natural Hair in 2024
HSI Professional Glider | Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron
What do you want from your flat iron? To get your hair done quickly? Then pause here because fans of this best-selling iron say it’s better than Chi and perfect for all hair types.
As soon as you unbox it, you’ll see that it has a nice long cord that swivels. Those one-inch plates are small enough for bangs and wide enough to get shoulder-length hair straightened fast.
By the way, those plates are ceramic tourmaline ionic so they heat up rapidly yet leave the hair silky and shiny. The ion feature prevents frizz and keeps the iron from stealing all the moisture from your hair. To the contrary, it actually restores hydration because the negative ions allow water molecules to sink into the hair shaft.
Moreover, the plates have microsensors that keep the temperature on target and evenly distributed. That’s good news because the iron has adjustable temperature settings from 140- 450°F. This range encompasses everything from fragile, fine, and damaged hair to the thickest, coarsest curls.
Do you know what else is nice? The iron comes with a heat-resistant glove and a sample of leave-in hair treatment with argan oil. If you’ve never used a flat iron before, there’s a little instruction booklet with style suggestions. Last of all, there is a silk drawstring bag to protect the iron when you travel. (After all, the iron runs on international voltage so you can take it anywhere in the world).
Wait, did we mention that it has a one-year warranty? But there’s one con – there’s no automatic shut-off.
Pros:
- One-inch ceramic tourmaline ionic plates with microsensors
- Leaves hair silky, shiny, and protected against frizz
- Suitable for all hair types with a temperature settings range from 140-450°F
- Has an extra-long, swiveling power cord
- Runs on worldwide voltages
- Comes with a heat-protective glove, instructions, leave-in hair treatment, and travel bag
Cons:
- No auto shut-off
Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron
Here’s the top budget flat iron. It offers five temperature settings beginning with 266°F for fine hair and topping off at 410°F for thick and coarse hair. It takes about thirty seconds to heat up. You’ll know when it’s ready to use because the red LED will change from blinking to solid.
Furthermore, the straightener has one-inch double-coated ceramic plates that glide over the strands without snagging. The material is designed to prevent frizz and leave the hair silken.
It has an auto shutdown feature in case you forget to turn it off. Once you’re ready to put the iron away, you can lock it closed for compact storage.
Pros:
- Impressive value at a budget price
- Temperature settings range from 266°F to 410°F for all hair types
- Heats up in thirty seconds, has an indicator light
- One-inch double-coated ceramic plates
- Automatic shutdown and handle lock
Cons:
- Users with especially thick hair may have to do multiple passes to straighten it
Remington S9520 Pro 2″ Pearl Ceramic Flat Iron
This is another affordable flat iron with adjustable heat settings. It heats up super fast in only fifteen seconds.
The digital controls let you choose between nine different temperatures up to 450°F. Just hit the plus or minus buttons to choose what you want.
What’s more, this flat iron straightens a lot of hair quickly because it has two-inch-wide floating ceramic plates. But these aren’t your average ceramics – the coating has both crushed pearls and eight times more ceramic than the regular Remington model has. The springy support and ultra-smooth surface let the iron glide over the hair without snagging.
We also appreciated three other features: the swiveling cord, the hinge lock, and the automatic shut-off.
Pros:
- Affordable flat iron with a digital display and nine heat settings
- Reaches maximum temperature in fifteen seconds
- Floating ceramic plates contain crushed pearls for better glide
- Swiveling power cord, hinge lock, and automatic shutdown
Cons:
- We looked hard but didn’t find any cons
CHI Onyx Euroshine 1″ Straightening Hairstyling Iron with 4″ Extended Plates
We heard a lot about the CHI flat irons and finally got a closer look at this one. Fans say it’s worth the price because it gets the job done in half the time.
The plate description is a little confusing at first. It makes it sound like it has four-inch plates, but they are only one-inch wide. Still, the size allows you to do a large section of hair with each pass and still grip the tip without burning your fingers.
Plus, the plates are onyx ceramic for double the negative ions. These charged particles are what make the hair extra smooth and shiny and prevent frizziness.
The power button and temperature controls are inside the hinge of the iron and the digital display is on the outside. The upside of this is that you won’t change the temperature on accident. There are five presets ranging from 370°F to 450°F, which are ideal for thick, curly, and coarse hair (but not fragile or fine).
Unlike some CHI irons, this one only has a six-and-a-half-foot cord. On the bright side, the package includes a thermal mat to protect the countertop.
Last of all, the iron shuts itself down after an hour. And happily (considering the price), it comes with a two-year warranty.
Pros:
- Digital heat control with five presets from 370° to 450°F
- Onyx ceramic plates with double the negative ion output for extra shiny hair and less frizz
- Rapid straightening performance
- Comes with a thermal protective mat and a two-year warranty
Cons:
- Not for fine or fragile hair
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin Straightening Iron
If you have short hair, you don’t need a huge flat iron to straighten it. This compact model comes in one-inch, one-and-a-half-inch, and two-inch widths. The size allows you to get close to the scalp without scorching it. Plus, it’s lightweight to keep your hand from getting tired.
The ultra smooth titanium plates are perfect for a silk press. They are 5 inches long and heat up in an instant, ready to glide through the hair without getting stuck. Choose from fifty (yes, you read that correctly) temperature settings up to 450°F.
If there’s any downside, it’s that there is no automatic shut-off.
Pros:
- Five-inch-long titanium plates with an ultra-smooth surface that heats up rapidly
- Fifty temperature settings up to 450°F
- Available in one, one and a half, and two-inch versions
Cons:
- No automatic shutdown
Bed Head Pixie 1/2″ Straightener
Out of all the flat irons we reviewed, this one is the smallest. It’s the ideal mini hair straightener for a pixie cut! The tourmaline ceramic plates are only ½ inch wide, allowing you to reach right down to the root of the hair.
The iron takes thirty seconds to reach 450°F, but you can choose a lower temperature down to 140°F. There is an analog dial on the inside of the hinge right next to the power button. Rotate it to the setting you want.
According to everything we saw, the iron is very good at and making the hair smooth and shiny.
Pros:
- Mini hair straightener with tourmaline ceramic plates
- Ideal for short styles, extra compact for travel
- One-half inch width makes it easy to straighten hair at the roots
- Analog dial with temperature settings between 140° to 450°F
Cons:
- A bit slower at heating up when compared to the leading brands
Conclusion
With the right flat iron, you can straighten your hair faster and with less effort. You don’t need to rely on chemical straightening when you’ve got a flat iron that can do a silk press in minutes.
We hope our reviews helped you find the best hair straightener today. If you’re loving your new iron, please come back and tell us all about it.