These 14 Flat Irons for Natural Hair Are Celeb Stylist Faves in 2024

Best Overall

HSI Professional Glider Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron

$99 at Amazon $40 at Walmart

This beloved iron has adjustable temperature settings from 140 all the way up to 450 degrees, which Kimble really appreciates. “Always go for a flat iron with an adjustable temperature that reaches 400+ degrees,” she says. A hotter flat iron can help straighten more textured, natural hair in record time (just know that the hotter you go, the more likely you are to damage your hair)

The tourmaline plates reduce frizz by generating negative ions, and the ceramic is built for durability and lasting results on all hair types (it's also safer for your hair than metal plates). Reviewers especially love that the iron heats up super fast, which is a huge perk if you're constantly short on time (like we often are). The one downside is that it doesn't come with an automatic shut-off feature, which might be a dealbreaker for some.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Ceramic tourmaline ionic | Voltage: 110/120V | Max Temp: 450 °F

Best Budget

Remington 1-Inch Anti-Static Flat Iron

View on Amazon $17 at Walmart View on Boscovs.com

Maybe you don't straighten your hair that often or maybe you don't want to shell out a ton of money for a flat iron. Or maybe you want to take Kimble's aforementioned advice and invest in two flat irons. Whatever the reason you're looking for a budget-friendly pick, you can't go wrong with this Remington model. The one-inch ceramic plates style the hair quickly while still being gentle. All it takes is 30 quick seconds to heat up and you can adjust the temp to up to 410 degrees on a digital display. There's also a 60-minute automatic shut-off feature for some peace of mind. The only thing we don't love is some users said it takes longer for the one-inch plates to get through longer or thicker hair.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Ceramic | Voltage: 120V | Max Temp: 410 °F

Best Drugstore

Conair Infiniti Pro Flat Iron

$24 at Amazon $25 at Walmart View on Belk.com

Who doesn't love getting a product that yields salon-quality straight hair from the drugstore? Not only is this flat iron affordable compared to others we reviewed, but you can find it at most drugstore chains, and it does the job well without damaging the hair.

The tourmaline ceramic plates allow you to straighten your hair in minutes no matter your hair texture (thanks to the heat setting going up to 455) and provide anti-frizz and anti-static results. What's more, it boasts 30 different settings to help you achieve various styles (and protect damaged hair). There's also a trusty automatic shut-off feature if you accidentally forget to unplug it. That said, some users have reported their straightener shuts off randomly while they're still using it.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Ceramic tourmaline | Voltage: 120V | Max Temp: 455 °F

Best Splurge

Paul Mitchell Flat Iron

$157 at Amazon View on Paulmitchell.com

If you're going to spend top dollar on a straightening iron, it better perform like nothing else, and that certainly applies to this Paul Mitchell one. The name Paul Mitchell is synonymous with all things hair, and this flat iron lives up to the name. It features premium titanium plates that glide over the hair with ease, and the SmartSense microchip reduces the number of passes needed to achieve smooth strands (aka less potential for damage). The adjustable temperature control heats up to 450 in just 45 seconds and there's also a customizable auto shut-off feature. Just note that some users reported a burning smell when they used the straightener at higher temperatures.

Plate Width: 1.25 inches | Plate Type: Titanium | Voltage: Dual voltage | Max Temp: 450 °F

Best for Curly Hair

ghd Original Styler

$126 at Amazon $209 at Sephora $209 at Ulta

Curly hair is more likely to be dry and brittle, making it especially prone to damage, which is why hair dryers for curly hair are a thing. Similarly, when you straighten your curly locks, you want to be sure the tools you use are designed to protect them. This flat iron has one heat setting and one heat setting only—365 degrees (which the brand claims is the optimum temperature for perfect straightening without damage). If you prefer to be in control of your iron's temperature, this one is probably not for you, but know that once you get into the 400s you're risking fraying your delicate tresses.

We especially love this pick for all types of waves and curls, including dense 4a curls. It has a 30-second heat-up time and floating plates which help this styler glide effortlessly through hair to straighten, smooth, and eliminate frizz.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Ceramic | Voltage: Dual voltage | Max Temp: 365 °F

Best for Curly Hair, Runner-Up

Kipozi V7 Hair Straightener

$25 at Walmart

Most straightening irons worth their salt have floating plates to help you smooth your hair with minimal snagging, but this one has another trick. It has a twist-lock handle, meaning you can easily go from curling your hair to straightening it, depending on your mood. The iron’s ultra-smooth nano titanium plate technology reaches a heat setting of 380 in just 30 seconds, a sweet perk for a styling tool in this price range. It targets the frizz and straightens all kinds of curls in minutes (or creates them, if that's your preference). We love that it's narrow enough to use on bangs and baby hairs.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Titanium | Voltage: Dual voltage | Max Temp: 450 °F

Best for Damaged Hair

CROC Classic Black Titanium Flat Iron

$130 at Amazon $149 at Ulta

If you have colored or otherwise chemically-treated hair, you've probably already been warned by your hair stylists not to mess with hot styling tools too much. But, hey, we all break the rules sometimes, am I right? This flat iron is ergonomically designed so you can have more control over fine or damaged hair and get it smoothed out the first time around. The heat settings go from 200 degrees to a high of 450, allowing you to keep heat lower when going over any sensitive or breakage-prone areas.

The only thing we weren't thrilled about is some users reporting their iron stopped working after only a few months, but those reviews were relatively few and far between.

Plate Width: 1.5 inches | Plate Type: Titanium | Voltage: 120V | Max Temp: 450 °F

Best for Smoothing

BaBylissPRO Graphite Titanium Ionic Flat Iron

$170 at Amazon $137 at Walmart

Yes, straightening irons are designed to straighten hair first and foremost, but a good one will also help smooth out your strands so you look like you just stepped out of the salon. This 1" flatiron uses not one, but four smoothing technologies to give you the sleekest look around. The plates are a mix of graphite, titanium, and ceramic (each material is designed to send targeted heat to your tresses with minimal damage). The straightener also employs ionic technology, which removes the positive ions from damp hair, canceling out its frizz effect.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Titanium | Voltage: Dual voltage | Max Temp: 450 °F

Best for Fast Straightening

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Straightening Iron

$160 at Amazon $160 at Ulta View on Sleekshop.com

We love a thin flat iron that has longer plates—it helps us get the job done much faster and without missing any spots. When surveying the top flat irons on the market, this model received numerous rave reviews for its ultra-thin design and five-inch plate, allowing for wider sections to be straightened quickly and efficiently. It also has 50 different heat settings up to 450 degrees and smooth titanium plates which can create super straight or wavy styles without tiring out your arms. We did want to note though that just because this flat iron can take on wider areas of hair doesn't mean you can load it up with thick sections of hair. That won't necessarily harm it, but will likely leave you with less than perfectly straight strands.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Titanium | Voltage: Dual voltage | Max Temp: 450 °F

Read Full Review: The BaByliss Iron Gave Me Straight Strands in Under 10 Minutes

Best With Titanium Plates

Moroccanoil Perfectly Polished Flat Iron

$160 at Amazon $160 at Sephora View on Nordstrom

Perhaps the biggest advantage to a flat iron with titanium plates is it heats up super fast. It can also stand up to wear and tear better than ceramic plates. This iron has extra-long four-inch titanium plates that maximize surface area for fast performance and even heat distribution, even on long hair. The titanium plates glide smoothly and effortlessly for silky, frizz-free styles, adding extra shine. The digital display gives precise temperature control of up to the typical high of 450 degrees. It'll also shut off automatically after 60 minutes. The only downside we noted is some reviews said their plates were tarnished.

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Titanium | Voltage: Dual voltage | Max Temp: 450 °F

Best for Quick Styling

CHI Original 1″ Ceramic Flat Iron

$70 at Amazon $100 at Ulta $70 at Walmart

CHI flat irons are known for their quality and this one, in particular, targets frizz, reduces any static electricity, and creates silky shiny hair after one swipe with its ceramic plates. It has a maximum heat setting of 392 degrees, but we found it heats up very quickly. Since it's only 1 inch wide, it's super easy to use for making curls and waves, and it has a long swivel chord so you won't get tied up in knots while using it. We love the durability of this iron—one of our editors still has hers after 11 years—and that it's less expensive than many of its competitors. The only thing we don't love is there are no temperature settings, so you can't tailor the heat to match your hair (although it is set at a temperature that should be safe for most hair types).

Plate Width: 1 inch | Plate Type: Ceramic | Voltage: Dual voltage | Max Temp: 392 °F

Best for Dry Hair

Kim Kimble Vapor Infusion Iron

View on Amazon View on Shopkimkimble.com

This flat iron has a neat little trick for handling frizz and restoring dry, brittle hair: it uses vapor infused with argan oil to put moisture and shine back into the hair. The combination of hydrating steam, infrared heat technology, and tourmaline-infused plates will allow you to straighten hair quickly without overdrying it. They work together to seal moisture into the hair cuticles for the smoothest results. We do wish the warranty was longer though—most other flat irons we reviewed have a warranty of two years or more.

Plate Width: 1.25 inches | Plate Type: Tourmaline | Voltage: 120V | Max Temp: 450 °F

Best Mini

ghd Mini Styler Flat Iron

$209 at Ulta $209 at Dermstore View on Sleekshop.com

We love a compact flat iron that works fast and efficiently, and this one from ghd is that in a nutshell. It's skinny, half-inch plates can make it easier to get super close to your roots to more effectively smooth out textured or tightly coiled hair. But it's also the smaller size of the original we love so much and comes with the same high-level performance. Its ceramic plates heat up in just 30 seconds to 365 degrees—the perfect temperature for smoothing those shorter locks. In addition to allowing for better root access, the compact size is conveniently packable and has a universal plug, aka perfect for travel. It also has a protective plate guard as an extra safety measure when you need to style on the go.

Plate Width: 0.5 inches | Plate Type: Ceramic | Voltage: Universal | Max Temp: 365 °F

Best for Travel

T3 SinglePass 0.8-Inch Travel Flat Iron

$89 at Amazon $89 at Sephora $89 at Dermstore

Looking for something you can pack for trips? Go with the T3 SinglePass Compact Iron. As the name suggests, the compact design features skinny plates less than 1 inch wide. And, like the ghd mini above, it comes with a heat guard cap so you can quickly pack it up after use if you need to (although we suggest waiting till it cools down considerably before doing so, especially since reviews note it can get pretty hot).

Thanks to the brand's SinglePass technology (there's a microchip in the device that helps maintain even heat distribution), you can smooth your hair in just one swipe rather than continuously running the hot plates over it and potentially causing damage. Though the temperature isn't adjustable, we appreciate how the narrower plates help you get closer to the roots.

Plate Width: 0.8 inches | Plate Type: Ceramic | Voltage: Universal | Max Temp: 410 °F