What are the best hair straighteners? We review options from GHD, Argos, Remington, Hur.Iron and Babyliss

Whatever your budget and hair type, you’ll find the styling tool for you in our roundup
What are the best hair straighteners? We review the best optionsWhat are the best hair straighteners? We review the best options
What are the best hair straighteners? We review the best options

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A straightener is a must-have item for any beauty obsessive. Whether you’re looking to create 90s-style poker straight hair, or you want to creates waves using your straightener, it’s a versatile styling tool that will last for years and pay for itself many times over.

Which straightener is right for me?

Before buying a straightener, take your hair type into account: whether you have thin, thick, frizzy, curly, straight or short hair will all make a difference to the type of straightener you should choose.

Those with thick, long hair might prefer a tool with large plates to save on time, while if your hair is short or thin, you can go for normal or smaller plates. If you’ve got damaged or thin hair, consider buying tools with ceramic plates as they distribute heat more evenly.

How do I find the hottest possible straightener?

If you’re after a higher heat, you could go for a straightener with a titanium plate, as these get hotter faster, and can reach higher temperatures - but they’re pricier and can do damage faster too, so be mindful when using them.

Some straighteners come with only one heat setting, while others offer up to five, which can be useful if you like to be in control of the finer details of your styling sessions.

You might also want to check if your straightener’s plates are infused with any minerals or oils, as this can help to limit heat damage and will keep your locks looking smooth and shiny.

Before you straighten, make sure your hair is totally dry and brushed though - and don’t forget to spritz it with a heat protection spray to avoid doing any damage with your iron.

We’ve included a range of straighteners and tested them out thoroughly: we took into account how they looked, how quickly they heated up, how straight, soft, silky and smooth they left our locks and their standout features.

Whatever your budget and hair type, you’ll find the styling tool for you in our roundup.

If you have a bit more budget to play with, you won’t regret splashing out on the excellent Platinum+ Hair Straightener from the styling tool experts at GHD.

The super-smart technology within the gadget responds to your hair as you straighten and adapts accordingly to help you get the style you want.

We loved the sleek look of this straightener, and found it simple and incredibly intuitive to use: it heated up quickly, delivered even, effective heat across the plate, and most importantly, left our locks looking shinier than ever.

Also, those little added GHD luxuries - an included heat-resistant plate guard and a nifty noise when you turn it on and off - are the cherries on top of the cake.

As much as we love a straightener, using heated hair tools repeatedly can damage your hair.

That’s why the Hydraluxe Pro Straightener from hair pros Remington is such a good idea.

The straightener works by releasing a cool moisture mist as you straighten, meaning you’ll be able to achieve fabulous results while working at a temperature of 170°C with less heat damage.

For even more control over the heat to your hair, you can also choose between five different heat settings, and the ceramic-coated plates will keep your locks looking shiny.

We found this really effective and easy to use, and loved that there was a pipette included, making filling up the straightener’s water tank a doddle.

If you’re always on the go, you’ll want a case to protect your styling tools.

The smart included black case was just one of the things we loved about the Classic Hair Straightener from new hairstyling brand Hur, which has received rave reviews since its launch.

We loved how easy it was to use thanks to its 360-degree swivel cord, the fact you can choose between five heat settings depending on your hair type, and the shininess of our hair after use thanks to its mineral-infused ceramic plates.

Another nice touch is that the brand also has a sustainable focus, giving consumers the option to be sent the product “naked” - without packaging - to cut down on plastic.

Straightening can be as easy as brushing your hair: quite literally, with this life-saving product from hair experts Revamp.

The Progloss Deepform Ceramic Straightening Brush is perfect for those who always seem to miss a spot with a traditional straightener.

It’s incredibly easy to use, heats up really quickly and offers five heat settings, while its bristles are infused with keratin, organ and coconut oils to leave hair shinier.

We were really impressed by how glossy and frizz-free it left our tester’s hair looking, and how intuitive it is to use.

Considering how quickly and easily it transformed our hair, we think it offers fantastic value for money.

You can always trust iconic haircare brand GHD to deliver fantastic styling tools, and the Max Hair Straightener is no exception.

We loved it from the minute we took it out of its stylish packaging, with everything from the reassuring noise it makes when you switch it on to its included protective plate guard screaming luxury.

Its large plates are perfect for getting long, thick or curly hair looking poker straight quicker: ideal if you find that smaller plates just take too long.

This powerhouse of a styling tool delivers an all-round superb straightening experience on a range of hair types thanks to its quick heat-up time, wide ceramic styling plates and clever rounded design.

These are not, of course, hair straighteners, but the Hot Air Styler is the type of miraculous hair tool that will leave you completely evangelical after first use.

Ever marvelled at your hairdresser’s blow-drying technique, where they fold your hair over a brush, apply a blast of a hairdryer, and manage to turn your coiffure into a well behaved, bouncy, shiny delight? And then despaired that you lack the dexterity to recreate the result at home? Enter: the BaByliss Hydro Fusion Hot Air Styler.

Simply run through mostly-dry hair and it will replicate the expert technique of a hairdresser, drying your hair with volume, shine, and movement. The ionic plates ensure no frizz and added shine.

If you want the “just walked out of the salon” look, this is the tool for you - and it’s an absolute doddle to use, too. A bargain.

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