Hot Tools Curling Iron are several factors to take into account while selecting a fantastic curling iron. It should heat up quickly so you can style and curl hair quickly; it should be easy to use and not cause kinks or snag hair; it should also make it simple to create flawless beach waves or beautiful curls with just enough heat to set the style without harming your hair. Naturally, it must accomplish all of that within a fair price range.
Having said that, you have a lot of options. With so many options on the market, from titanium to ceramic, tourmaline, and even clamp-less curling wands, hair rollers, and heat-free hair curlers, it can be difficult to know where to start finding the right hair curler for you. “Depending on the texture of the hair and the type of curl you are looking for,” says Eugene Toye, stylist at Rita Hazan Salon in New York City.
To assist you in selecting the best curling irons that are truly worth your money, we test a variety of curling iron types in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab.
Our Beauty Lab experts evaluate characteristics such as temperature range, preheat time, general settings, and user-friendliness. Additionally, we asked a group of testers to use the irons at home and report back on things like how easy they were to use and how long the curls lasted. To select the only curling irons worth your money, our scientists and beauty experts examined over 103 test measurements and 836 survey responses.
Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional tips on what to consider when purchasing a Hot Tools curling iron, such as material, barrel size, temperature, and more. These are our evaluations of the top curling irons available right now.
1. Ion Golden Titanium Curling Iron
Try the highest-temp Ion if you’re looking for a traditional clamp curler; it performed the best in our tests for creating long-lasting curls on thick, coarse hair. With the best scores in over a dozen areas, including grip and maneuverability, controllability, compact size, and permanent curl production, this iron completely outperformed the competition.
Users praised the shorter handle length for “keeping my hand in a perfect position to reach the thumb grip” and the fact that the clamp “is as long as the barrel,” which is especially helpful for shorter hair. However, when set to the highest temperature, it may become a little too hot.
Be sure to give it enough time to heat up before style, since we discovered in lab tests that it required longer than other curlers to achieve the highest temperature (160 seconds).
| Temperature settings | Adjustable heat up to 450ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | Available in 1″ and 1¼” |
| Material | Titanium |
2. Conair Double Ceramic Hot Tools Curling Iron
You can’t match the price of this beloved and classic curling iron, even though we haven’t tested it in the lab yet. Its incredible pricing is one of its main draws, and Amazon customers vouch for it as a wise purchase. For the price, it’s a good option with adjustable heat and a ceramic coating; just ask the more than 52,000 five-star reviews, which claim that it works well on both thick and fine hair.
“The adjustable temperature settings provide flexibility, allowing me to choose the heat level that works best for my hair type,” according to a reviewer on Amazon. “Whether my hair is fine or thick, I can achieve the perfect balance of heat without causing excessive damage.” It might not last you for many years at this incredible price, but it still works perfectly.
| Temperature settings | Adjustable heat up to 400ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel Size | Available in ¾” to 1½” |
| Material | Ceramic |
3. Harry Josh Pro Tools Travel Curling Iron
When traveling, you don’t have to give up on having flawlessly done with Hot Tools Curling Iron hair: With a 1 ¼” barrel, this pint-sized favorite offers all the characteristics of the brand’s best-selling original curling iron, but in a more portable design.
The brand says this one heats up in 30 seconds, although we haven’t tried it in-lab. We also like that it has an adjustable temperature setting and a swivel cord. Because it just weighs a little over 6 ounces, it is also quite portable. Though it can operate on any length with a little more effort, the shorter barrel is best suited for short hair.
| Temperature settings | Adjustable 325°F to 425°F |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | 1 ¼” |
| Material | Ceramic/tourmaline |
4. Beachwaver PRO Curling Iron
April Franzino, the GH Beauty Director, only utilizes this time-saving, automatic curling iron, which was created by hairstylist Sarah Potempa. “It rotates away from your face, taking the guesswork out of curling hair,” she explains. Simply clasp a piece of hair at the bottom, click the button, and observe how the hair winds around the curler. You’ll get the ideal loose curl after a few seconds of holding and releasing.”
Like myself, other GH beauty experts are huge fans of this Hot Tools curling iron. The product “grips hair well,” according to lab testers, and produces “well-defined and stay-in-place curls” for “beautiful, natural looking curls in no time.” The tiny clip was challenging to use for testers with short hair, and there is a slight learning curve. It works best for long hair.
| Temperature settings | Adjustable heat up to 410ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | Available in 1″ and 1 ½” |
| Material | Tourmaline |
5. Bio Ionic Long Barrel Styler Pro Curling Iron
Are you tired of having to wrap your long hair over itself or running out of room on your wand to curl it? The expanded length of the barrel—which the manufacturer claims is two inches longer than other curling irons—combined with a clamp that extends almost the whole length of the barrel for quick and simple styling makes this tool ideal for longer hair.
Fans adore this option because it keeps their hair looking great for hours on end; one reviewer even mentioned that her “curls last the whole day and I still can have loose curls the next day.” We haven’t tested this pick in the lab. Although the long barrel seems like a great option for people with long hair, it might not be
| Temperature settings | Adjustable heat up to 430ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | Available in 1″ and 1 ¼” |
| Material | Ceramic |
6. Bio Ionic 3-in-1 Styling Iron
Actually, this ingenious iron is three tools in one: a Hot Tools curling iron, a flat iron, and a curling wand. The 1 ¼-inch barrel is ideal for creating glam waves and curls. Our testers with short hair especially enjoyed using it, stating that “it was easy to maneuver and keep from touching the face or scalp,” and that it seemed the least risky in terms of burns.
It received a mediocre result in the lab testing for all categories, including performance, user happiness, and ease of use. Although the tool’s short barrel and compact form make it easy to use on shorter hair and conveniently portable, it might be too short to be of any use for longer hair.
| Temperature settings | Adjustable temperature 240ºF to 430ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | 1 ¼” |
| Material | Ceramic |
7. T3 Twirl Trio Interchangeable Clip Curling Iron Set
Get the combined effect of three different Hot Tools curling iron in a convenient package: Three barrel sizes, spanning from 1 inch to 1 ½ inches, are included with this interchangeable iron; other barrel sizes, including tapered barrels, are available for separate purchase. While the test subjects reported that “the barrels did not wobble once locked in,” the replaceable mechanism and lock were deemed excellent. However, it does require some acclimatization time.
Although it is one of the most costly options on our list, this choice received great marks in our Beauty Lab tests for its long-lasting curls and effortless release of hair without snagging or pulling, which is always a bonus.
| Temperature settings | Adjustable heat 260ºF to 410ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | Comes with 1″ wand; 1 ¼ and 1 ½” clip barrels |
| Material | Ceramic |
8. Hot Tools Signature Series Gold Curling Iron/Wand
This curling iron, which scores highly for ergonomic design and ease of use, is excellent for beginners and won’t break the budget. Because “the clamp is long and clips hair well; it does not pinch it at the end,” testers found it to be very user-friendly, even for inexperienced users.
It weighs just 0.9 pounds and has “a classic design, simple and functional,” according to testers. However, it lacks an alert that sounds when it reaches temperature and is operated by a dial rather than particular buttons. Its handle, which is thinner than usual, is cozy to grip. Many of the salon professionals we spoke with also use Hot Tools curling irons as their go-to option: “I use Hot Tools curling irons both at home and in salon,” adds Toye. All we would need is an auditory alert to let us know when it reached temperature.
| Temperature settings | Adjustable temperature 280ºF to 430ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | Available in barrels ranging from ½” to 2″ |
| Material | Steel with 24K gold plated |
9. Chi Lava Ceramic Curling Iron
This solid iron had the top rating of all the Hot Tools curling iron for producing curls that lasted all day, which is ideal for thick hair that could normally be difficult to maintain a style. It also scored highly in our tests for performance, satisfaction, and convenience of use. It received a perfect grade for its clamp and the highest rating for releasing hair from it without snagging or tugging hair.
“The barrel is smooth and clip works well,” said to testers, while some thought it was difficult to press the thumb clamp. This iron can achieve the highest temperature we tested, which is an incredible 450ºF. It is perfect for creating durable curls in hair that is thick, coarse, naturally textured, or difficult to curl.
| Temperature range | Adjustable temperature 250ºF to 450ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | 1 ¼” |
| Material | Ceramic |
10. REVLON Salon Long Lasting Curls Titanium Curling Iron
Because of its fragility and propensity to fall flat, fine hair can be challenging to curl for fear of breaking. For people with thin hair, this Revlon iron is a fantastic choice because of its: Even though its temperature may be adjusted to the lowest setting in our roundup—225ºF—it nevertheless worked very well for curls that last a long time and curl without snagging.
It earned excellent ergonomic and intuitive scores, and our lab experts discovered that its instructions were clear and might help users with fine hair avoid over-experimenting, which increases the danger of damage. One drawback: we would have like a longer chord for styling ease. It is a little challenging to maneuver the tool at less than six feet.
| Temperature settings | Adjustable temperature 225ºF to 425ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | Available in 1″ and 1 ¼” |
| Material | Titanium |
11. FHI Heat Heat Platform Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron
Another standout performer in the lab tests, this choice did well overall, ranking highest for customer satisfaction and style speed despite what some referred to as “poor button placement.” Testers commented, “It worked super-fast and my curls were locked in all day, which is hard to achieve with my heavy, straight hair,” and appreciated how quickly it heated up. Some reported “noticeably shiny and a little less frizzy” hair.
| Temperature range | Adjustable from 250ºF to 450ºF |
|---|---|
| Barrel size | Available in barrels ranging from ¾” to 1 ½” |
| Material | Tourmaline Ceramic |
