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.

Tip #3: Choose narrow plates for greater versatility. If you use your hair straightener ONLY to straighten hair, then selecting a model with 1 ¾ to 2 ½ inch wide plates is the right choice. Straightening generally goes more quickly with wider plates. However, if you straighten your hair and then add some body, curls, twists, or other styling looks, a narrow set of plates will be more effective. Some plates also feature rounded edges, which aid in the styling department.

Tip #4: Choose an ergonomic handle if you use your straightener daily or have hand or wrist problems. Quality design features on some of today’s leading straighteners include ergonomically designed handles which greatly reduce hand and wrist fatigue, especially when working on hard to reach areas of your tresses. This feature is very important for daily users, and also for those with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tip #5: If you like to pack a hair straightener with you, choose a cordless or compact model: These are perfect for touching up your ‘do in the restroom before work or school, or after a workout at the gym before meeting friends or a date for dinner. They are excellent for travel, too. Please also see our guides related to Cordless Hair Straighteners and Travel Hair Straighteners.