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With the right curling iron and a little bit of practice, you can get gorgeous beachy waves or tightly curled ringlets with ease. The Xtava 5 in 1 Professional Curling Wand and Curling Iron Set is our top pick because it can give you any kind of curl you want for less than $50.
Out of all the heat styling tools you can use on your hair, the curling iron is the one that requires the most practice to achieve the best results. However, the results you can achieve are just as reliant upon the type of curling iron you choose. A high-quality curling iron will help you get a salon-quality style right at home.
Whether you have fine hair, thick hair, or something that falls in-between, you won’t be lacking in choices when it comes to finding the perfect one. Fine hair is especially prone to breakage, so it’s important to find an iron that offers low heat settings, and the ability to control those settings. Ceramic barrels, or barrels made with a combination of ceramic and tourmaline, are best for even heating. They’ll prevent any unexpected hot spots that can also damage hair.
For thick, heavy hair that may need a little help when it comes to holding curl, so an iron that offers higher temperature settings will help you create styles that won’t fall flat in a matter of hours. A coated barrel will also prevent textured hair from sticking or pulling while you style.
We’ve done the research, scouring the internet for articles and reading the product reviews, to find the best curling irons for every budget and hair type.
Here are our top picks for the best curling irons:
- Best overall: Xtava 5 in 1 Professional Curling Wand and Curling Iron Set
- Best for thick hair: Hot Tools Professional Multi-heat Control Curling Iron
- Best for fine hair: Xtava Twist Hair Curling Wand
- Best on a budget: Infiniti Pro by Conair Ceramic Curling Wand
- Best high-end option: Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Steam Tech MiraCurl
Read on in the slides below to learn all about our top picks for the best curling irons.
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The best curling iron overall
Why you'll love it: The Xtava 5 in 1 Professional Curling Wand and Curling Iron Set has a temperature display, auto-shut off, a 360-swivel cord, and 5 curling attachments.
Beauty tools that provide style versatility are major wins for anyone who likes to be able to switch up their look and save space. Want to achieve tight, polished curls one day, and loose textured waves another? The Xtava 5 in 1 Curling Set allows you to do just that without having to own multiple curling irons.
The set comes with a base that has 5 detachable barrels: 2 wand style and 3 clip style that range from 0.3 to 1.25 inches in diameter. The variety of curling attachments makes this set ideal for both long and short-haired styles. The 8-foot cord has a 360-degree swivel function so you have plenty of length for styling.
Those of you with fine, easily damaged hair will appreciate the ceramic tourmaline barrels that provide even heating and the low-temperature options. If you have thick hair and want to style at higher temps for extra hold, you won’t be disappointed, either. The curling iron has 9 different heat settings and can heat up to 410 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you’re afraid that you’ll forget to shut off this high-powered styling tool before leaving home, not to worry. It comes with a 60-minute auto shut off function. The Xtava set offers dual voltage, making it ideal for overseas travel, and it comes with a handy traveling case if you choose to take your styling tools with you on your next vacation or work trip.
Be aware that none of these barrels have a cool tip, so you will need to use the heat resistant glove that comes with the set to prevent burned finger-tips. For some reviewers who disliked using the glove, the lack of a cool-tip was a definite downside of this curling set.
Most buyers love this set, though. More than 80% of the reviews gave it a 4-star rating or higher. Reviewer Anna says, “I like the fact that you can choose and pick which barrel to attach to the base, depending on what look you want. Even the morning after I curled my hair, it remained nearly the same with the curls intact. Great product!”
The variety of styles you can create is a favorite among reviewers, who praise this set as “a great product at a great price!”
Pros: 5 different barrels for multiple style options, digital temperature display, 9 heat settings, 8-foot cord with 360-swivel feature, automatic shut-off, dual voltage, comes with travel case and heat resistant glove
Cons: None of the barrels have cool tips
Buy the Xtava 5 in 1 Professional Curling Wand and Curling Iron Set on Amazon for $39.35
The best curling iron for thick hair
Why you'll love it: The Hot Tools Professional Curling Iron with Multi-Heat Control heats up rapidly to as high as 430 degrees, so even thick hair can get curls that hold all day.
Thick hair tends to be heavier, which for some, means hair that has trouble holding curl without falling flat halfway through the day. It also means more hair to curl, and a longer amount of time for styling. The Hot Tools Professional 1102 Curling Iron conquers both of those challenges by heating up quickly. It also allows you to style your hair at a higher temperature, helping curls stay in place.
The 24k gold plated barrel is designed to speed up the circulation of heat, and provide even heating the whole time you’re styling. It also helps eliminate frizz and allows for a smooth release to keep your hair from snagging. While this iron can heat up to 430 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s important that you start with a lower temperature and only increase heat as needed to prevent heat damage.
This curling iron features a rheostat dial for easy temperature adjustment and an extra-long cool tip to keep the heat in your hair, and away from your fingertips. The separate on/off switch allows you to keep the dial set to your ideal styling temperature, so all you have to do is turn it on, let it heat up, and start styling.
The 8-foot 360-degree swivel cord will give you plenty of room to work with, and the spring clamp will securely hold each section of hair in place while you curl it. As an added insurance, 2 replacement springs are included with every curling iron to extend the life of the clamp even further.
It also comes with a safety stand, so you can set the curling iron down when needed without it damaging any surfaces. Unfortunately, one feature it doesn’t come with is auto shut-off, so you’ll have to remember to turn it off before leaving home.
As a clamp-style curling iron, this will work best with longer hair lengths. However, if you do have shorter hair, reviewers at Bustle suggest going with the 1 ¼-inch model. If you do have long hair, and you want the ability to create large, tumbling curls, the 1 ½-inch model will be your best bet.
Overall, the Hot Tools Professional 1102 Curling Iron has received positive reviews, getting an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars at Ulta and a 4-star rating on Amazon as well. Jess, a reviewer on Amazon, says, “It gets hot enough to curl my thick hair, and best of all, my curls stay all day! I love the mermaid waves I can do with this one!”
Pros: Heats up rapidly, rheostat dial can heat up to 430 degrees, 24k gold-plated barrel provides even heating and smooth release, spring clamp style for a secure hold, 8 foot cord with 360-degree swivel feature
Cons: No automatic shut off, not as ideal for those with short hair
Buy the Hot Tools Professional 1102 Curling Iron with Multi-Heat Control on Amazon for $29.68 and up
The best curling iron for fine hair
Why you'll love it: The Xtava Twist Hair Curling Wand won’t damage fine hair, thanks to a ceramic coated barrel for even heating and 22 temperature settings that give you control.
The Xtava Twist Hair Curling Wand is ideal for those of you with fine hair who are looking for a styling tool that will give you perfect waves or tousled curls without damaging your delicate tresses.
The barrel has a ceramic and tourmaline coating for fast, even heating so you won’t have to worry about any damaging hot spots. The temperature setting starts at 200 degrees and ranges to 410 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature can be increased in 10-degree increments, allowing for 22 temperature settings that are shown on the LCD screen.
Those with thicker hair can also use this curling wand with success, but the starting temperature of 200 degrees is lower than most curling irons, making it perfect for those with fine, easily damaged hair. The barrel works best for creating waves or voluminous curls, with its widest part starting at 1.5 inches and then tapering down to 1-inch in diameter. If you want tighter ringlets, you may want to look for a smaller sized barrel, but you can create more defined curls by wrapping smaller sections of hair around the barrel. Curling larger sections of hair will create looser waves.
By double-clicking on the bottom temperature control button, you can activate the lock feature, which will lock in the temperature while you’re creating your desired look. For those with fine hair, this is especially useful. The last thing you want is to have accidentally turned the temperature up on your styling tool without meaning to, creating the potential for hair damage you could have avoided otherwise. The lock function eliminates this error from the styling equation.
This Xtava model does have a cool tip at the end of the barrel. A heat-resistant glove is also included for use with the curling wand, so both your fingers and your hair can be spared from heat damage. The nearly 9-foot cord allows you plenty of freedom for styling, and the 360-degree swivel feature will keep all that length from getting tangled.
The 60-minute auto shut-off function will provide you with extra peace of mind. If you’re planning on dashing abroad anytime soon, this curling wand can go with thanks to its dual voltage power a heat-safe travel case.
Most buyers love this curling wand for creating loose curls and waves that last. This reviewer exclaims, “Finally a curling product that works on my hair! I have super straight, fine hair that would never hold a curl for more than a couple hours. With this curling wand, my curls last throughout the day and into the evening.”
Others love the beachy waves the barrel can create, the numerous heat settings that are easy to adjust to the type of hair you have, and its ability to keep up with high-end tools for a much more affordable price.
Pros: Ceramic and tourmaline coating for even heating, 22 heat settings starting at 200 degrees, easy to read LCD digital display, long cord with 360-degree swivel function, auto-shut off, comes with heat resistant glove and travel bag, dual voltage, affordable
Cons: Not ideal for creating tight curls
Buy the Xtava Twist Curling Wand on Amazon for $28.99
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