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Best hair straighteners to buy right now
Most hair needs one steady temperature around 185C, which is what ghd plates are built around. A budget pair with adjustable heat and ceramic plates gets close; skip anything that only goes very hot, because heat damage is what wrecks hair.
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Best overall
1. ghd Original
Ceramic floating · 30 sec · 185C, fixed
The straightener to buy if you want one that does the job without fuss. ghd's Single-zone technology holds 185C across both plates, the steady heat most hair needs, and the rounded shape also makes curls and waves. There is no temperature control at all, so fine or fragile hair that wants less heat has no lower setting.
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Best budget
2. Remington Shine Therapy S8500
Auto shut-off after 60 minutes · 15 seconds · 150 to 230°C, 9 settings
The best seller of every straightener here, and the one to buy on a tight budget. Nine settings starting at 150C let you stay below ghd's 185C, and it has a digital display and a 60-minute auto shut-off. It also goes up to 230C, far hotter than most hair needs, so start low and work up.
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Best gift
3. ghd Gold Gift Set
Paddle brush, heat-resistant bag · Dual-zone, one per plate · 185C
The present for someone who wants a ghd and would enjoy the extras. Over the Original it adds a heat sensor on each plate to hold 185C from root to tip, plus a paddle brush and a heat-resistant bag. It still has one fixed temperature, so it suits the same hair as the Original rather than more types.
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Best for fine hair
4. BaByliss Smooth Pro 2393U
Heat-proof mat · Nano-ceramic · 1-hour auto-off · 6 (140-235C)
A cheap pair for fine hair, because it starts at 140C, lower than anything else here bar the Cloud Nine. It has digital settings, ionic technology for frizz and a heat-proof mat in the box. Six steps across a wide range is coarse control, and the top 235C is more than most hair needs.
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Best for thick or long hair
5. Cloud Nine Wide Iron
100-200C · Wide ceramic floating · 7
Built for thick, long hair, with wide plates that cover more hair in each pass. Heat runs from 100C to 200C over seven settings, so it never reaches the extreme temperatures of the budget pairs. Wide plates are awkward on short hair and fringes, where the ghd Original or Remington is easier to use.
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Best cordless
6. SUNMAY Voga Cordless
Straightens and curls · 5000mAh · About 30 sec to 165C · 165/185/205C
For touch-ups at work, at the gym or away from a socket. A 5000mAh battery runs three heat levels, and SUNMAY says it reaches 165C in about 30 seconds. The listing gives no runtime per charge and warns that the battery is banned at Japanese airports.
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Best for fringes and travel
7. MELYDO Mini Straightener
1.8cm ceramic · 150g · Dual voltage, UK plug · 210C, fixed
A tiny straightener for fringes, bobs and short hair, and small enough for a wash bag. It weighs 150g, works on dual voltage abroad and comes with a heat-resistant pouch. It has one fixed heat of 210C, hotter than this guide recommends, so keep passes quick and do not use it as your main pair.
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How we rank
Ordered by how well each sells in its Amazon UK category, what the listing confirms it can do, and price. We have not handled these products: the write-ups rest on what each listing states. Prices and stock are checked daily.
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