Trust Us, We've Tried Them All—These Are the 11 Best Hair Straighteners Money Can Buy

Key specifications: 185ºC temperature, ceramic plates and 2.7m cable

Best for: Creating a range of different looks

Why they're the best: I feel like everyone had a pair of these hair straighteners growing up, and for good reason. Not only will they last you forever, but they have floating plates so you can create a range of different looks, and they're set at the optimum styling temperature of 185ºC.

Editor review: "So many consider these their holy-grail straightening irons," says Who What Wear UK beauty editor Eleanor Vousden. "These were the first hair straighteners I ever tried and it's not hard to see why they're a crowd-pleaser. They leave hair super sleek and with an amazing shine. I've recently had more face-framing layers cut into my hair and they're ideal for quickly adding shape and hold. If you're deciding between these and the Max size [see below in this edit], I'd recommend going for the former if your hair is shoulder length or shorter and naturally straight, and the latter if you have longer or thicker hair."

Key specifications: Three heat settings, flexing plates and 360ºC charging cable

Best for: A unique styling experience

Why they're the best: It wouldn't be a roundup of the best hair straighteners without the Dyson Corrale. These are some of the most impressive hair straighteners I've tried, and I wouldn't expect anything less from the brand. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they come with flexing plates that actually shape around your hair, making the whole process so much easier. They also come with three heat settings and have been designed with all hair types in mind. The curved ends mean that you can create range of curly and wavy looks, so you're never short of options. Oh, and you can also get up to 30 minutes of cordless styling time, which is a definite bonus.

Editor review: "I was surprised by how much I liked the cordless feature—I don't think I can go back to using corded models now," Eleanor tells me. "The fact that they're travel-friendly is another bonus if you plan to take them on holiday (although they are heavier than other models I've tried). Truly, they really are a dream to use. They heat up fast, and because the heat damage is less severe, it's great investment in your hair health if you regularly use heat on it. I couldn't stop stroking my hair and marvelling at how shiny it left my lengths in under 10 minutes."

Key specifications: 13 heat settings, titanium ceramic plates and 3m salon swivel cord

Best for: Thick and curly hair

Why they're the best: BaByliss is one of my go-to brands when it comes to effective hair tools that don't break the bank. These particular hair straighteners come with titanium-ceramic coated pates, an impressive 13 heat settings and longer plates that make it easier to style larger sections of hair at a time. Plus, they look super cute.

Editor review: "I have natural 4C hair that's quite thick and hard for me to manage," says social media editor, Joy Ejaria. "In the last year, I've chosen to wear my hair straight because it cuts down my morning routine significantly. I love a silk press and have found the key to that lustrous silky salon finish is in the tools I use. The Babyliss Rose Blush Straightener promises a super-sleek finish and that's exactly what the titanium ceramic plates and 13 heat settings deliver."

Key specifications: Wide plates, 2.7m cable, 185ºC temperature and dual-zone technology to help with heat distribution

Best for: Long and thick hair

Why they're the best: Anyone with long, thick or curly hair will know just how long it can take to straighten your hair with a regular straightening tool. However, GHD have created the perfect tool for thicker hair types. Yep, the GHD Max features bigger plates that are 70% wider than the original styler, so you can style bigger sections of hair in one go.

Editor review: "Up until recently, I've always had very long and thick hair with minimal layers, and the act of straightening my hair quickly became a chore with standard-size straightening plates," says Eleanor. "However, when I first tested the Max straightener, this all changed. It boasts extra-wide plates that allow you to straighten larger sections of hair, making the process far quicker, and it's ideal for those who have thick or curly hair. I also love to use these to add a soft bend to my lengths for undone waves, and they never fail to leave my hair looking shiny and sleek."

Key specifications: Contoured plates, 190ºC temperature and 2.7m cable

Best for: Thin and fine hair

Why they're the best: If you want a sleek, smooth finish, but don't want to cause too much damage, then I recommend these hair straighteners by Keeo. They have these clever plates that reduce tension on the hair, and in turn, reduce any pulling and let some movement shine through. The gaps between the plates also mean that less heat is applied directly to the strands (the straighteners are set at 190ºC), so overall they are a lot gentler and kinder. If you have thin or fine hair, then I would definitely recommend these.

Editor review: "Although these hair straighteners look a bit like a crimping tool, don't be alarmed, these are just the clever plates," explains Who What Wear UK junior beauty editor, Grace Lindsay. "They can take a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of them, your hair will thank you."

Key specifications: Gold titanium plate surface, 27 heat settings and 3m cable

Best for: A smooth, silky finish

Why they're the best: These Hot Tools hair straighteners have been designed to give extra smooth, shiny results that really last. They feature a whopping 27 heat settings and advanced iconic technology to give that salon-worthy finish.

Editor review: "I’ve been straightening my wavy hair since before I can remember, so I have a few requirements from a pair of straighteners," says Who What Wear UK copy editor, Georgia Seago. "They have to get hot enough (around 190ºC for me), the plates have to be coated in something that leaves my hair smooth and silky; the cord needs to swivel and be long enough to manoeuvre around whatever room I’m doing my hair in, and they need to work quickly. These Hot Tools ones tick all of my boxes, and they also have an automatic sleep mode in case you forget to turn them off before leaving the house (one less thing to be anxious about), plus a temperature dial, so you can figure out the optimum temperature for your hair texture and avoid overheating it."

Key specifications: 20 minutes of cordless styling time, dual-zone technology and 185ºC temperature

Best for: Hair touch-ups on the go

Why they're the best: If you want to be able to straighten your hair on the go, you can't go wrong with the GHD Unplugged Cordless Styler. This clever cordless hair straightener is light and compact, with 20 minutes of cordless styling, making it ideal for travel. I would say that if you have longer or thicker hair it might be hard to do your whole head of hair with this before your time runs out, but it's great for touch-ups throughout the day. 

Editor review: "Ok, so these aren't the straighteners that I rely on for taking my thick hair from wavy to straight, but these are the ones I always reach for for top-ups throughout the day," says Grace. "They are so easy to use and I love keeping them in my locker at work in case of any spontaneous evening plans."

Key specifications: Comes with three steam-optimizing combs for different hair types and a new curl locking guide

Best for: All hair types

Why they're the best: If you didn't know, L'Oréal have created a super clever hair straightener that causes less damage to the hair by using patented steam technology to style your ends. The SteamPod 4.0 comes with three different combs to help diffuse the steam onto all different hair types. It also features wider plates compared to the other models and a curl locking guide depending on your desired style.

Editor review: "This year I've been focusing on my hair health, and I've been on the market for more hair-friendly tools to use," says Grace. "A friend recommended the L'Oréal Steampod 4.0 straightener, as this clever tool is meant to be a lot gentler on the hair thanks to the steam technology. Although this tool can take a while to get used to, after figuring out how to use it properly, I was immediately impressed by how the plates glided through the hair. The removable comb helped to optimise the steam and left my ends looking so sleek. Although the sound the tool makes reminded me a bit of an iron, my hair felt super soft after using it and held its style all day long."

Key specifications: Ceramic floating plates, rounded design, 20-second heat-up time, 10 minute sleep mode, 2.7m cable and new HD motion-responsive feature

Best for: Curling and straightening hair quickly

Why they're the best: The GHD Chronos is one of the newest straighteners from the brand, and it does not disappoint. It aims to deliver results three times quicker than the original styler, as well as promising three times more breakage protection and a sleek finish, If you're wondering how, this tool comes with a new HD motion-responsive feature, which continuously adapts to your movements whilst styling your hair. Pretty cool, right? It also features a re-engineered wishbone hinge (the bit at the bottom of a straightener that connects the two sides), which makes curling and waving your hair easier, meaning you can create lots of different styles with just one tool.

Editor review: "There's no argument that GHD is the brand to go for when it comes to shopping for the best straighteners. The technology behind the products is trailblazing, and I don't care what anybody tells you, GHD straighteners are the best of the best," says Who What Wear UK beauty director, Shannon Lawlor. "And the Chronos? The Chronos is the best straightener GHD has ever made. Does everybody need to spend more on the supercharged tech of the Chronos compared to the Original or even the Platinum+? No. But if you want quick styling that straightens or curls in just one stroke, there is no straightener out there that compares."

Key specifications: Uses a combination of heated ceramic plates and powerful airflow, comes with five different attachments and a Scalp Shield Mode to ensure scalp comfort

Best for: Straightening hair from wet to dry

Why they're the best: Ok, so this is technically a little bit more than your average hair straightener, but this tool is so great I felt it deserved a place in this roundup. New from Shark, the Flexfusion uses heat and air to straighten your hair from wet to dry, cutting your styling time in half.

Editor review: "After rough-drying my hair to about 80% dry with the hairdryer nozzle, this straightened and dried my hair in just one or two passes in wet-to-dry mode," says Eleanor. "It left my hair silky-smooth, shiny and almost poker-straight. When I attended the FlexFusion launch event earlier this year, I saw first-hand how well it works on curly hair, where it smoothed and straightened in just two strokes through the lengths on wet-to-dry mode. However, if you have a very curly or coily hair texture and want an ultra-sleek result, you may wish to switch to the 'dry' mode afterwards and pass over your lengths once more for a really smooth finish."

Key specifications: Mineral-infused floating plates, 11 heat settings, 20-second heat up time, 30 minute hibernation mode and 3m cord length

Best for: A sleek finish

Why they're the best: Last but by no means, let me introduce you to The Original Iron from Cloud Nine. This hair tool has been developed with the brand's Revive Mode™ technology. What this means is that the plates vibrate at maximum frequency while gliding through the hair to reduce friction and heat. The plates also come infused with a mineral duo that works to boost shine.

Editor review: "While I don't think that any hair straightener can be that kind to your hair, this Cloud Nine tool does a good job of gliding through the hair without any snagging, making it easier to use and leaving my hair looking shiny and healthy," says Lindsay.