Best hair straighteners for every budget and hair type

Style your hair beautifully with the best hair straighteners for the job.

best-hair-straightners-uk

by Hannah Mellin |
Updated on

If there's just one tool you need in your haircare tool kit, finding the best hair straighteners is arguably all you need. But, making sure you've chosen the right ones that suit your hair type can be an overwhelming task, especially as there are so many on the market these days. Whether it's wide thick plates that work wonders on long and curly hair, or 2-in-1 straighteners that do the job of a curling wand - curling hair as well as straightening. Straighteners have come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, with most helping you to create flawless hairstyles without creating instant hair damage.

Are you looking to upgrade your old styler with something that will cause less damage? Or want a smarter hair straightener that adapts to your hair type? We've done some extensive research and scoured the haircare space for the best straighteners out there right now. From ultra-high tech from brands such as ghd, Cloud Nine and Dyson as well as dupes if you're looking to save a little more cash.

Best hair straighteners at a glance:

• Best overall: ghd Platinum Hair Straightener - View on ghd
• Best value: Remington Shine Therapy Hair Straightener S8500 - View on Boots
• Best for damaged hair: Remington Hydraluxe Pro Hair Straightener - View on Amazon UK

Furthermore, listed below are our hair tools FAQs. We made sure to answer your burning questions about how to store your gadgets, as well as recommendations for hair products to help along the way. With the right tool and hair products, you can style your hair as well as protect it from long-lasting heat damage caused by straighteners, hair wavers, and more.

Best hair straighteners UK

Best overall

Description

ghd is a world-trusted brand, so it's no surprise that the Platinum+ tool tops our list of the

Pros

  • Trusted brand and technology
  • Great on curly hair
  • Longevity

Cons

  • Can't turn the heat up or down

Best premium hair straighteners

Description

The Dyson Corrale™ straightener can create a variety of different styles – from curls and waves,

Pros

  • The curved outer body is engineered to support curl and wave structure
  • Up to 30 minutes of cordless styling
  • Different colours available

Cons

  • A little on the heavy side

Best hair straighteners for thick hair

Description

If you've got thick hair, you'll already know that straightening your hair can take a while. The

Pros

  • Suitable for a variety of hair types
  • Wide plates
  • Helps achieve a shiny finish

Cons

  • Some found it didn't glide through the hair so easy compared to earlier ghd models

Best hair straighteners for short hair

 Wahl Pencil Straightener, Pencil Thin Plate Straightener

Rrp: £29.99

Price: £29.03
Alternative retailers
Robert Dyas£33.99View offer

Description

Many hair straighteners are too big and thick for shorter hairstyles, but these thin-plated Wahl

Pros

  • Narrow plates
  • Auto shut-off function
  • Three-metre cable

Cons

  • Some reviews mention that they take a long time to heat up

Best hair straighteners for long hair

Description

Finally providing an answer for the huge demand for a tool that straightens and curls, the Cloud

Pros

  • Adjustable temperature settings
  • Mineral infused plates
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Earlier models had the option to personalise, while this one does not

Best value hair straighteners

Description

If you're after hair straighteners that are affordable and do the job, the Remington Shine Therapy

Pros

  • Easy to handle
  • Great value compared to others on the market
  • Good for thick and curly hair

Cons

  • Not great on fine hair that is naturally shiny

Best cordless hair straighteners

Description

Going away on holiday? Forgotten your UK plug adapter? Or are you off camping? Cordless hair

Pros

  • Heat up quickly
  • Comes with travel case
  • Great for short or mid-length hair

Cons

  • Lose power within half an hour

Best smart hair straightener

Description

If you never expected the words 'Bluetooth' and 'smart' to be included in a description of a hair

Pros

  • Ensures you 'never leave your straighteners on!'
  • Heat up quickly
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Some customers wouldn't recommend for frizzy hair

Best hair straighteners for damaged hair

 Remington Hydraluxe Pro Hair Straightener

Rrp: £159.99

Price: £69.91
Alternative retailers
Boots£69.99View offer
Robert Dyas£156.99View offer

Description

We all know now that heat can damage our hair over time, especially if we use straighteners every

Pros

  • Temperature controlled
  • It emits steam, keeping hair from drying out

Cons

  • Some reviews say the steam doesn't always work

Best hair straighteners FAQs

Do hair straighteners damage your hair?

The short answer is yes, but not as much as they used to and there is so much you can do to prevent severe heat damage. The heat from the straightener not only can break the hair, but it makes it weaker. This leads to frizz, which leads to using a flat iron, and that leads to more damage. Unfortunately, this is going to be an ongoing cycle of damage to your hair, especially if you use hair tools, like this or a hair curler, every single day.

How long do hair straighteners last?

Although many of us are guilty of holding onto our trusted pair of ghd straighteners for over ten years, some experts say hair straighteners normally need to be replaced every two to three years. If you notice yours becoming less and less effective, it could be time to switch to a new set. Wrapping the cord around your straighteners is also a big no-no, and can cause a lot of power problems - even if you think they're still working fine!

Marie Nieuwoudt, Creative Ambassador at CLOUD NINE advises, “A lot of us are guilty of clinging onto a pair of hair straighteners that have served us well for five years and some even a decade. However, it’s important to note that the longer you use the straighteners, the greater the risk of hair damage.

“There are a couple of signs to look out for to know when it's time to part with your straightener.   Check if the heat plates have started lifting off the straightener's body, Once this happens it can trap your hair as you straighten causing breakage. The temperature gauge in older straighteners can often lose accuracy meaning you can be unaware that you are burning your hair.

We’d recommend replacing your straighteners every 2-3 years to ensure of your product is working at its best and reduce the risk of hair damage. When the time comes to get a new pair, trade in your old pair at CLOUD NINE and receive a discount on a new styler.”

Hannah Mellin has been working in the Journalism industry for over a decade and has written for an array of brands. When she's not writing, perfecting her skincare routine, researching or testing products, she's renovating her Victorian terrace and chilling in the garden with her sausage dog Waffle.

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