Top 5 compared
The best flat irons
Frizz smoothed and waves straightened for sleek hair that lasts all day, with loose curls on the days you want them.
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The top 5 at a glance
A flat iron is a pair of heated plates that clamp a thin section of hair and smooth it as you draw the iron down from root to tip. Most plates are ceramic, for even heat; some are titanium, or titanium coated. A 1-inch iron suits most hair and gets close to the roots and bangs, while 2-inch plates take wider sections of long, thick hair.
Every iron here switches itself off if it’s left on. Fine or colour-treated hair wants far less heat than thick, coarse hair, so start low and only turn it up if a pass doesn’t take. Outlets in Canada run at 120 volts, so any of these works at home, but only a dual-voltage iron can go abroad with just a plug adapter.
What matters
- A top heat to match your hair: thick, coarse hair wants about 230°C (450°F), and most hair needs far less.
- A heat-up of about 30 seconds, for rushed mornings.
#1Remington Anti-Static 1-Inch Flat Iron (S5502)
$20–$30
Titanium-coated ceramic plates that heat up in 30 seconds, on a 1-inch iron with a digital screen showing which of six settings from 154°C to 210°C (310–410°F) you’re on, so the same heat is easy to find each time. The plates run long for a 1-inch iron, so each pass covers more hair.
What owners say: It heats up quickly and leaves hair straight in very few passes, owners say, and they find it simple to use, easier to handle than a curling iron for some. Most find it good value and would happily recommend it.
A closer look: Press and hold the plus button and it jumps straight to its top heat, handy for a quick touch-up on thick hair, then drop it back down for the rest. The hinge lock keeps the plates shut and protected when it goes back in a drawer.
- Turbo boost to top heat
- Hinge lock for storage
Best for: Straightening at a heat you choose
- Heat settings
- 6 digital, 154–210°C (310–410°F)
- Heat-up
- 30 sec
- Plates
- 25 mm (1 in) ceramic, titanium coated (floating not stated)
- Display
- LCD screen
- Cord
- –
- Auto shut-off
- After 60 min
#2Remington Shine Therapy 2-Inch Flat Iron (S9531)
$30–$50
Two-inch plates take a section twice as wide on every pass, which is what gets long, thick hair done in less time. The ceramic is infused with argan oil and keratin and sits on a floating plate for a smooth glide, with nine settings up to 232°C (450°F) and a 30-second heat-up.
What owners say: Owners say it gets very hot, very quickly, and leaves hair smooth with a real shine; straightening everything takes 25 minutes at most. The width of the plates wins praise, and so does the lock that keeps it closed.
Heads up: Two-inch plates are made for long, thick hair; on short hair or bangs a 1-inch iron is easier to steer.
A closer look: Clip the top layers up out of the way first, then work from the back of the head forward in sections no wider than the plates. Keep the iron moving as it glides down, so no one spot sits under the heat for long.
- 3-year limited warranty
Best for: Thick hair below the shoulders
- Heat settings
- 9, 149–232°C (300–450°F)
- Heat-up
- 30 sec
- Plates
- 51 mm (2 in) ceramic, argan oil, keratin, floating
- Display
- –
- Cord
- Swivel (length not stated)
- Auto shut-off
- Yes
#3DORISILK 1-Inch Ceramic Flat Iron (MD-V209)
$30–$50
The hottest iron here, reaching 260°C (500°F) in about 30 seconds on a 25 mm (1 in) floating ceramic plate, which DORISILK makes to get through thick, coarse hair in a single pass. It curls as well as straightens, and a 360° swivel cord turns with you; it suits anyone whose hair a 210°C (410°F) iron doesn’t quite tame.
What owners say: It’s hot within half a minute, owners say, with the heat spread evenly across the plates; they find it gentle enough for fine hair and at its best on thick, stubborn hair, and the price is part of the appeal.
A closer look: Start well below the top of the range and step up only if a pass doesn’t hold: the high end is for thick, coarse hair, and fine or coloured hair rarely needs it. For a soft bend, give the iron a half turn at the end of a pass and glide it slowly down the section.
- Straightens and curls
- Anti-scald button
- Dual voltage
- 90-day replacement from seller
Best for: Stubborn hair that needs more heat
- Heat settings
- Adjustable, up to 260°C (500°F)
- Heat-up
- 30 sec
- Plates
- 25 mm (1 in) ceramic, floating
- Display
- –
- Cord
- Swivel (length not stated)
- Auto shut-off
- When idle
#4Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Flat Iron (CS221N)
$20–$30
A simple iron that still has the parts that count: extra-long floating plates with a double ceramic coating for even heat, five settings up to 210°C (410°F) and a 30-second heat-up. It works as a first iron, a spare for the cottage, or an iron for straightening only now and then.
What owners say: Easy to handle and quick to reach its heat, owners say, with hair left smooth and an iron that looks the part. Curling with it, hair pulling, the time a full style takes and durability all draw mixed reports.
A closer look: Five LED lights show the setting, so it’s easy to go back to the one that worked last time. The 1.5 m (5 ft) swivel cord is on the short side, so it’s happiest with an outlet close to the mirror.
- Extra-long plates
- Spot or wipe clean
Best for: A first iron or a spare
- Heat settings
- 5, up to 210°C (410°F)
- Heat-up
- 30 sec
- Plates
- 25 mm (1 in) double ceramic, floating
- Display
- 5 LED lights
- Cord
- 1.5 m (5 ft), swivel
- Auto shut-off
- Yes
#5L'ange Le Ceramique 1-Pass Flat Iron
$50–$75
L’ange built the Le Ceramique around one idea: a pass that leaves hair done. The ceramic coating holds moisture and shine, the rounded edges turn out curls as well as straight hair, and six settings run from 121°C to 232°C (250–450°F). It’s also built to travel, running on 110 to 240 volts.
What owners say: Quick to heat, with settings that suit fine hair, which it glides through smoothly, owners say. They like the grip, the curls and the sleek, shiny look of the iron itself; how well it straightens is where reviewers part ways.
A closer look: Let it heat for about 30 seconds, then glide rather than clamp and drag; for a curl, wrap the section once around the iron and pull it through slowly. Abroad it needs only a plug adapter, not a voltage converter. L’ange backs it with a money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty.
- Dual voltage, 110–240V
- Coating holds moisture and shine
- Soft-touch grip
- Money-back guarantee
- 1-year warranty
Best for: Travel, curls and straight styles
- Heat settings
- 6, 121–232°C (250–450°F)
- Heat-up
- Under 1 min
- Plates
- 25 mm (1 in) ceramic, rounded edges (floating not stated)
- Display
- Dial, no screen
- Cord
- 2.7 m (9 ft), swivel
- Auto shut-off
- After 60 min
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Remington Anti-Static 1 in | #2Remington Shine Therapy 2 in | #3DORISILK | #4Conair Double Ceramic | #5L'ange Le Ceramique |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for thick hair | Best budget | Best for travel | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Price | $20–$30 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 | $50–$75 |
| Heat settings | 6 digital, 154–210°C (310–410°F) | 9, 149–232°C (300–450°F) | Adjustable, up to 260°C (500°F) | 5, up to 210°C (410°F) | 6, 121–232°C (250–450°F) |
| Heat-up | 30 sec | 30 sec | 30 sec | 30 sec | Under 1 min |
| Plates | 25 mm (1 in) ceramic, titanium coated (floating not stated) | 51 mm (2 in) ceramic, argan oil, keratin, floating | 25 mm (1 in) ceramic, floating | 25 mm (1 in) double ceramic, floating | 25 mm (1 in) ceramic, rounded edges (floating not stated) |
| Display | LCD screen | – | – | 5 LED lights | Dial, no screen |
| Cord | – | Swivel (length not stated) | Swivel (length not stated) | 1.5 m (5 ft), swivel | 2.7 m (9 ft), swivel |
| Auto shut-off | After 60 min | Yes | When idle | Yes | After 60 min |
| Best for | Straightening at a heat you choose | Thick hair below the shoulders | Stubborn hair that needs more heat | A first iron or a spare | Travel, curls and straight styles |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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