There are many excellent hair straighteners on the market today, but the key to your purchase is to find the quality hair straightener that is right for you and your hair. These tips will help you decide between many good options, and you’ll end up with a straightener that gives you the looks you want.

Tip #1: Match the hair straightener’s temperature to your hair texture: If you have thin, easy to manage hair, then your options are greater, since most models have a wide range of settings. For thin hair, lower heat is needed, and high heat can cause damage. So make sure the unit you use has heat settings as low as 225F. Thin hair responds best to temperatures between 300 and 350F. Medium textured hair should use heat in the 350 to 400F range, and for coarse hair, you’ll need heat upwards of 375F.

Tip #2: Use hair straighteners that will increase your hair’s natural beauty: Heat is generally bad for hair. It dries it out, which leads to cracking, split ends, and very lackluster appearance. Therefore, be good to your hair by choosing a hair straightener with ceramic or ceramic tourmaline heaters and plates that will emit negative ions. These ions neutralize static, which makes hair frizzy and harder to manage. Ions relax hair with infrared heat that also seals the cuticle of the hair which locks in natural oils and protects against damage. If you have hair that has been damaged by blow drying or over processing, this is even more essential.

Today home hair stylists have access to the hair straighteners the professionals use every day in styling salons all over the world. You can use the same tool at home to achieve the look your stylist gave you the day you got your hair cut, or you can get creative and craft some killer looks all your own. This list of professional hair straighteners is available through our site, so you can style like a pro and look like a million bucks!

1. Farouk CHI Pink GF1001P Limited Edition 1" Hair Straightener [GF1001P Limited Edition]: The professional hair care experts love this model because the ceramic heaters and plates heats quickly, and time is money for all of us. The generous 10 foot cord gives you plenty of room to reach the mirror as well as the tresses on the back of your head. Ceramic plates deliver the negative ion therapy that helps to heal damaged hair and keep shiny hair healthy and full of luster. Besides all that, it’s bright pink, for a fun, fresh look!

2. Sedu Pro Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Hair Straightener (SU-100A): This unit is made for professionals, but is affordable enough for anyone who wants great looking hair. Performance and durability go together in this model. Patented ceramic tourmaline is gentle and healing to damaged hair and keeps healthy hair looking its best at all time. The contoured handle and lightweight design make it easy to use.

3. Solia Tourmaline Ceramic Ion Hair Straightener (ST100): The advanced ceramic plates in this model offer damaged hair up to 5 times more healing ionic emissions than other leading Professional Hair Straighteners. If you have over-processed locks, or damage caused by drying and cracking, this would be one of the top hair straighteners to consider. Your hair will return to a healthy luster more quickly with this gentle, effective unit.

Not all hair straighteners are created equal! When shopping for your next hair straightener it is important to keep in mind several factors that will help you choose one that will perform well for you, and allow you to achieve professional looking results by doing it yourself!

First of all, avoid cheap hair straighteners that use inexpensive metal plates without ceramic coating. Like poorly designed curling irons, metal plates do not heat evenly and will burn your hair or damage it by drying it out. The results will include frizzy hair, stressed locks, fried tresses, and lack luster looks. Always look for ceramic, ceramic tourmaline, or titanium plates, all of which heat evenly, pull gently through hair, and won’t dry it out.

Secondly, choose the right width for your hairstyle. If you have short to medium hair, use a hair straightener with a more narrow set of plates, in the ¾ inch to 1 ¼ inch range. The nice thing about narrower plates is that they are also useful for styling curls and textures. For longer hair, a unit with plates 1 ¾ to 2 or more inches wide will work best. Many home users have a hair straightener with wide, 2+ inch plates to get the straightening done quickly and effectively, and then employ the narrow unit to craft the style they want. If you have longer hair and the budget for it, this might be the way to go. Styling with a hair straightener that used ceramic/ceramic tourmaline/Titanium plates will be better for your hair than a curling iron. By the way, coarse hair also responds better to wide plates, since there is more heating surface to do the work of ironing out the kinks.

Thirdly, if you have hair that has been damaged by perms, bleach, blow drying or any kind of harsh processing, use the types of plates we have indicated, but also consider using a Wet to Dry hair straightener. These remarkable units employ design technology that allows you to skip the blow drying process – and blow dryers are known to damage hair badly with over use. Peruse the models that feature at Hair Straighteners Reviews for several wet to dry models that will give you healthier hair and fantastic hair styles.

Ethnic hair qualities, like those found in the hair of many African Americans, require a certain type of hair straightener to bring them under control and do an effective job. To begin with, very high heat is needed, so only select a hair straightener that has a high-temperature range over 400 degrees F. And since it takes longer, and the unit will be in your hand longer, ergonomic handles and tangle-free swivel cords are an advantage. Here is our list of the best straighteners for African American hair.

1. HAI Nu-Stik Ceramic Hair Straightener (Nu Stik): This model has all the features you want if you’ve got tough to manage, coarse African American hair. It fires up to a top temperature of 425 F, and it gets there in a time-saving 25 seconds. That temperature, delivered to your hair in the very gentle ceramic plates, will get the job done more quickly. The ceramic plates also assist by sealing in the natural moistures usually found in ethnic hair, protecting it against the high heat and keeping its natural sheen and beauty. The negative ion emissions of this unit also relax your hair, easing the transition from coarse to smooth and silky. The HAI Nu-Stik Ceramic Hair Straightener also features an easy-grip ergonomic handle that won’t wear out hands and wrists, and also makes it easier to shape your hair, adding twists, curls, flips, and more once you’ve got it straight.

Less expensive brands may use aluminum plates, however aluminum is not as good for the hair, and is less effective. Higher quality irons use ceramic plates and even higher quality hair straighteners use ceramic tourmaline plates.Read More...

Cordless Hair Straighteners offer excellent versatility since you can use them anywhere. Sitting in the car before heading in to work or school, you can touch up your look in a moment. They’re great for use wherever power is not available, or if you travel out of country and don’t have a unit with the right voltage for your destination. Of course, you’ll need a ready supply of batteries on hand to match the unit you select. These 5 cordless hair straighteners are the top models on the market.

1. Infiniti by Conair CS40W White Nano Cord / Cordless Straightener (CS40W): This versatile unit offers a corded charger where an outlet is within easy reach, and allows you to switch to cordless operation when necessary. The Nano technology and ceramic tourmaline heaters/plates are great for gently straightening hair using high, infrared heat and negative ions that reduce static and naturally relax your locks. This model is capable of heating to 395 F, which will work very well on most hair styles and textures.

2. Hot Tools Helix 1" Cordless Flat Iron (4203): Hot Tools is a respected brand, and this cordless unit does a fantastic job on all hair types. The narrow width plates add versatility because they can be used for adding the styling highlights that give you a unique look all your own. Curls, twists, and flips of all kinds are easy to achieve. This unit also heats to a toasty 430F, so it can handle even the coarsest hair out there.

3. ProCo IR10-3 Ceramic Mini Cordless Hair Straightener (IR10-3): This is a cordless, compact unit that is just 7 inches long, a size that will fit nicely in a purse or coat pocket. Keep it in your desk at work or locker at the gym for quick touch-ups when needed. It is lightweight and also comes with an AC adapter for added convenience.