The 12 Best Rotating Curling Irons of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Lyealion Interchangeable Hair Curling Wand

View On Amazon $90

While there were many rotating curling irons that made our list, we loved how simple and effective this option is — and it’s affordable for many budgets. There’s a straightforward ‘home’ button to take the tool to its starting position, directional buttons to turn the barrel left or right, and temperature buttons to modify the heat settings.

We were impressed with how light this iron felt in our hand and appreciated that the barrel rotates at a slower speed (and you can stop and start it with the press of a button). As a set, this rotating curling iron comes with three barrel sizes for various types of curls, as well as a glove and some hair clips. The only hiccup we noticed is that the tool seems to turn in the opposite direction of the button you choose. 

The temperature settings worked well without any burning or hair damage. You just use the clamp to hold your hair in place, and it’s firm enough to hold it but not so much as to pull it. Then you hit the buttons to rotate the tool for effortless curls. We had team members of every expertise level test this, and no one had issues using this rotating curling iron. The resulting curls were quite bouncy and voluminous. We love that this is below the average price of rotating curling irons at under $100, so we would definitely recommend this pick to friends and family. 

Barrel Size: 0.75, 1, 1.25 inches | Temperature: 320°–450°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: All hair types

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Prizm Wavy Professional Rotating Curling Iron

View On Amazon $85

We were torn between our top two picks, which is why we’re designating the Prizm as the runner-up to our best overall pick. This rotating curling iron was so easy to use, even for those of us who had never used a rotating curling iron before. The design has several buttons to turn it on and off, modify the temperature, and for the rotation feature — with directional guides for turning left, right, and re-centering it.

In terms of effectiveness, this rotating curling iron really works. We were impressed it only took about 20 seconds to heat to our desired temperature. It’s super lightweight when you’re holding it in your hand and rotates in each direction seamlessly. There was no burning or damage, and the clamp held the hair without pulling it too hard. We were delighted at the well-defined and bouncy curls this hair tool was able to create. 

While we loved the ease of use and effectiveness of this rotating curling iron, it was the price that really sold us. Despite the high quality, the price is under $100, less than the average for most rotating curling irons (due to the extra technology involved). We would definitely recommend this tool for those of any experience level.

Barrel Size: 1 inch | Temperature: 250°–450°F | Material: Titanium | Best for: Wavy hair

Best Budget

MaikcQ Rotating Curling Iron

View On Amazon $60

This rotating curling iron proved super versatile during testing and came in at a lower price than most on the market, making it a stellar pick for those on a budget. The main portion of the tool is a standard 1.25-inch curling iron, but it comes with a brush attachment for the rotation feature. We were a little disappointed with the limited instructions on the packaging, but the tool is still quite user-friendly.

We liked how lightweight this rotating curling iron is — a quality that makes it easy to hold while it spins your curls into existence. In terms of design, the clamp was somewhat short, and for those of us with shorter hair, there was some concern about the hot tip being a little too close to our heads. All in all, we were able to curl our hair within five minutes. The buttons are simple to use, and the tool creates loose, bouncy waves as desired. Overall, we love this rotating curling iron as a budget pick.

Barrel Size: 1.25 inch | Temperature: 176°–410°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: All hair types

Best Investment

Dyson Airwrap

View On Nordstrom $600 View On Sephora $599 View On Ulta $600

Dyson products are famous for being splurge-worthy and the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler is practically a household name at this point, so we put the beloved hair tool to the test — and it lives up to the hype. During testing, we generally found this tool to be user-friendly, though it takes a few minutes to figure out which barrel to use for what purpose. It’s super lightweight in your hand and can be held for extended periods without worries of your hand cramping up. We figured out the groove of this tool after finishing two or so sections of hair.

The fan settings ensured no burned hair, and the rotation moved in both directions for various types of curls. There aren’t too many buttons and settings, so it’s fairly straightforward, and like any tool, with more practice, the faster the process will go. We appreciated its Coanda air technology rather than a traditional clamp and were impressed with the curls it produced. And we’re not alone in holding the Dyson in esteem. “The reason why I like the Dyson Airwrap is that it is a different kind of heating technology that simulates the same experience as a rotating curling iron while still keeping the integrity of your hair,” says Michael.

Barrel Size: 1.2, 1.6 inches | Temperature: <302°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: All hair types

Best for Beginners

Beachwaver Co. Rotating Curling Iron

View On Amazon $149 View On Walmart $184 View On Ulta $149

The Beachwaver Co. S1 Rotating Curling Iron is ideal for beginners because the buttons are intuitive — left and right — and the other mechanics like temperature and the clamp to hold your hair in place are easy to figure out. The barrel is one inch thick and works well for longer hair, though you can make it work for shorter or thinner hair too (especially since the clamp is shorter). We were impressed with the curls it formed — they were well-defined and voluminous. 

For the most part, we thought this tool was lightweight, though one member of our team thought it was a little bulky. We did wish the clamp was a little longer, but even as such, our hair didn’t tangle or get caught in it. Plus, hair experts love it, too. “I like the Beachwaver because it has an easy-to-use temperature gauge and the ceramic barrel makes it easy to create voluminous curls,” says Michael.

Barrel Size: 1 inch | Temperature: 290°–410°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: Longer hair, all hair types

Best Ionic

TYMO Hair Curling Wand

View On Amazon $80 View On Target $80 View On Tymobeauty.com $100

Ionic refers to the positive and negative charges that work together in this type of hair tool to help reduce frizz. We liked this rotating curling iron because the rotation feature was easy to figure out, and once we got the hang of it, we moved through one side of our head in 15 minutes, finishing up the rest shortly after. It’s a fairly standard weight but didn’t feel too heavy in our hands, especially for long periods of usage.

We noticed there were five temperature levels rather than being able to adjust the temperature setting to a specific number, which could be a con for some but isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. The clamp held the hair without issue, tugging, or tangles, and didn’t get too hot. Considering the price, we think this is a great ionic option, especially for those who deal with frizz regularly.

Barrel Size: 1, 1.25, 1.5 inches | Temperature: 280°–430°F | Material: Nano titanium coating | Best for: Frizz, all hair types

Best for Long Hair

Bio Ionic Rotating Styling Iron

View On Amazon $165 View On Walmart $122 View On QVC $145

We appreciated how easy this rotating curling iron was for beginners and experts alike. It was lightweight and easy to maneuver through various sections of our hair, though you do have to manually rotate it. The clamp held the hair effectively so we could focus on changing the direction of the curls, and created soft, beachy waves.

We were impressed with the ease of use when it came to the temperature settings, but wished it got hotter more quickly — it took about three minutes to fully heat up. Since this one is a manual rotating curling iron, it did take slightly longer to curl our hair on both sides of our head compared to others on our list. That said, it’s competitive in pricing with many of our favorites, and it worked effectively, so we would definitely recommend it.

Barrel Size: 1 inch | Temperature: Up to 440°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: Long hair, all hair types

Best for Thick Hair

NuMe Automatic Curling Wand

View On Amazon $120 View On Numehair.com $249

We appreciate this rotating curling iron because it just makes sense. It has straightforward buttons that tell you which way the curling iron turns, and you can easily set the temperature to control the tool’s heat level (which heated with impressive speed). You press a button to start the curl and press one to stop it, but with practice, this becomes an auto-pilot movement. There are three barrels included so you can swap them out depending on how big or small of a curl you’re looking to make.

The rotation feature isn’t super speedy, so you have time to click each button to control the curl as you go — especially if you’re nervous about getting the tool too close to your ears or skin. There’s also a way to reset the tool to its starting position after use to keep the process going efficiently. The design is super sleek with a black barrel and rose gold buttons, and the clamp, though short, held our hair without difficulty, so the barrel could curl each section to create loose, bouncy curls. Though expensive, we think this is a good value for the quality of tool that you’re getting, especially if you need a curling iron that's effective for thick hair.

Barrel Size: 0.75, 1, 1.25 inches | Material: Ceramic | Best for: Thick, curly, frizzy hair

Best Cordless

Conair Cordless Auto Curler

View On Amazon $58 View On Walmart $70 View On Ulta $80

Next to manual rotation, the second most annoying attribute of standard curling irons is navigating around the cord. With this cordless option, that’s not an issue. Though the instructions weren’t the most clear, we figured out how to use this rotating curling iron fairly quickly. Rather than a traditional barrel, this beauty tool uses a chamber to twirl the hair into. It beeps twice to let you know the curl is finished so you can thread your hair back out and start on the next section. 

Though it’s super lightweight, the width of the tool is a little bulky. That said, the size makes it quite portable, so it could be good for travel. We loved the ringlets this curling iron created, and each section only takes 12 seconds to curl. There weren’t any tangles and no hair was pulled, and our team thought the results, paired with the price, make this a great option for a lot of different needs. 

Barrel Size: Not listed | Temperature: Up to 400°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: All hair types

Best for Volume

T3 Twirl 360 Curling Iron

View On Nordstrom $170 View On Sephora $200 View On Ulta $200

Generally, you can never go wrong with a T3 hair tool — and this one is no exception. Though we’ll caution you, you do need to read the instructions here, but once you do it’s fairly easy to use. Essentially, it has smart technology that can detect motion, so it uses the literal flick of your wrist to decide which direction to curl. So, if you’re working on one side of your head it will curl one way, and when you flip your wrist toward the other, it will rotate. (We were in awe, too!)

It saves time, it’s lightweight, and it creates voluminous curls given the large-sized barrel. Plus, it heats up in 20 seconds, so there’s no time lost here. Some felt the shorter clamps on other rotating curling irons made the process trickier, but that’s not an issue with the T3 because it has a standard-length clamp that holds the hair securely without tangling or pulling. We acknowledge it’s on the pricier side of our list, but we believe it’s a great value and 100 percent worth the cost.

Barrel Size: 1.25 inch | Temperature: Three heat settings, 260°-410°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: All hair types

Best for Loose Curls

The Farrah Rotating Curling Iron

View On Thefarrah.com

If you’re looking to create loose bouncy curls that emulate a nice blowout, this is the rotating curling iron to help you achieve that look. It’s super compact (perfect for travel and tucking into carry-on luggage) and uses a loose chamber system that automatically rotates your hair to curl it. We learned it takes a few tries to figure it out, but once you have it going, this rotating curling iron is super easy to use. There’s one central power button, two rotational buttons (for each direction), and five temperature settings ranging from 250°–450°F.

It proved quite lightweight to hold in your hand while styling and has a swivel cord to avoid any tangles during the process. Given the loose style of this beauty tool, we don’t think it would work for short hair since it might not stay on the barrel as well. It did take its time heating up, but once it reached the right level, it curled effortlessly, creating a blowout-worthy look.

Barrel Size: 1 inch | Temperature: 250°–450°F | Material: Ceramic | Best for: Longer hair, all hair types