14 Best Curling Irons, According to Testing

For a classic clamp curler, give the highest-temp Ion a whirl — it came out on top in our tests for forming lasting curls, even on coarse, thick hair. This iron blew away the competition, scoring highest in nearly a dozen categories including grip and maneuvering, easy controls, compact size and producing curls that stay put.

Users loved that "that the clamp is as long as the barrel," which is particularly useful for shorter hair, and the shorter handle length "keeps my hand in a perfect position to reach the thumb grip," although it may get a bit hot when set up to the highest temperature.

In Lab testing, we also found that it took longer than other curlers to reach the highest temperature (160 seconds), so just be sure to give it ample time to heat up before styling.

Though we haven't put this pick to the test in the Lab yet, you can't beat the price of this classic and well-loved curling iron. Its bargain price is a huge selling point, and Amazon reviewers swear it's a worthy investment. It has adjustable heat and a ceramic coating, and for the price, it's a solid choice — just ask the 52,000+ five-star reviewers who say it works great on fine and thick hair alike.

"The adjustable temperature settings provide flexibility, allowing me to choose the heat level that works best for my hair type," says one Amazon reviewer. "Whether my hair is fine or thick, I can achieve the perfect balance of heat without causing excessive damage." At such a bargain price, it may not last last you for years and years, but it still does the job just fine.

You don't have to sacrifice perfectly styled hair when you travel: This pint-sized favorite features a 1 ¼" barrel and has all the features of the brand's top-performing original curling iron, just in a more portable package.

Though we haven't tested this one in-Lab, the brand claims it heats up in 30 seconds, and we love that it has a swivel cord and adjustable temperature settings. It weighs in at just over 6 ounces, which makes it perfectly portable too. Keep in mind the shorter barrel is best-suited for short hair, though it'll work on any length with a bit more effort.

Created by hairstylist Sarah Potempa, this time-saving, automated curling iron is the only one GH Beauty Director April Franzino uses. "It rotates away from your face, taking the guesswork out of curling hair," she says. "All you have to do is clamp a section of hair at the bottom, press the button and watch as it winds around the curler. Hold for a few seconds, release and you have a perfect loose curl."

Other beauty pros at GH similarly love this tool. Lab testers noted that "it grips hair well," and the resulting "curls are well-defined and stay in place" for "beautiful, natural looking curls in no time." There's a bit of a learning curve, though, and it's best for long hair; testers with short hair found the small clip difficult to use.

Sick of running out of space on your wand to curl your long hair, or having to wrap hair multiple times over itself? This tool works especially well for longer hair thanks to the extended length of the barrel, which the brand claims is two inches longer than most curling irons with a clamp that runs nearly the full length of the barrel as well for fast, easy styling.

Though we haven't tested this pick in the Lab, fans love that their style lasts for hours, with one reviewer saying her "curls last the whole day and I still can have loose curls the next day." While we think the long barrel is a brilliant solution for those with long hair, it may not be best-suited for those with shorter hair — and the long barrel can take some getting used to at first, too.

This clever iron is actually three tools in one: A flat iron, a curling wand and a curling iron. The 1 ¼-inch barrel is perfect for glam waves and curls, and our short-haired testers particularly loved it, saying "it was easy to maneuver and keep from touching the face or scalp," and that it felt the safest of all options with a low burn risk.

In Lab tests, it scored in the middle of the pack in everything from ease of use to performance to user satisfaction. While short barrel and compact design makes it foolproof to use on shorter tresses (and the perfect size for travel, too), the tool may be too short to use effectively on longer hair.

Get the impact of three separate tools in one neat package: This interchangeable iron comes with three barrel sizes ranging from 1 inch to 1 ½ inches, with even more barrels available for separate purchase including tapered barrels. Testers found the interchangeable mechanism and lock impressive, saying "the barrels did not wobble once locked in," but switching the barrels takes some getting used to.

This pick scored highly in our Beauty Lab tests for long-lasting curls and easy release of hair without pulling or snagging for super smooth styling, which is always a plus, but it comes at a high price — this pick is among the most expensive on our list.

Scoring tops for easy maneuverability and ergonomic design, this curling iron is great for beginners — plus, it won't break the bank for first-time users. Testers loved that "the clamp is long and clips hair well; it does not pinch it at the end," making it easy to use for novices.

At 0.9 pounds, testers also found it lightweight and easy to control with "a classic design, simple and functional," though the temperature is controlled via dial instead of specific buttons, and it lacks an alert when it reaches temperature. Its slimmer-than-average handle is comfortable to hold. It's also the go-to curling iron for many of salon pros we spoke with: "I use Hot Tools curling irons both at home and in salon," says Toye. We just wish it had an audible indicator when it reached temperature.

This solid iron scored high in ease of use, performance and satisfaction in our tests and earned the highest mark of all irons for creating curls that lasted throughout the day, which is perfect for thick hair that might typically be resistant to holding a style. It scored highest for releasing hair from the clamp without snagging or pulling hair, including a perfect score for its clamp.

Testers said, "the barrel is smooth and clip works well," though some found the thumb clamp tricky to press. This iron also reaches the highest temperature that we tested, a whopping 450ºF which is ideal for forming long-lasting curls in even thick, coarse, natural textured or hard-to-curl hair.

Fine hair is fragile and can be difficult to curl for fear of breakage, as well as its tendency to fall flat. That's why this iron from Revlon is a great pick for those with thin hair: Its adjustable temperature reaches the lowest setting in our roundup at 225ºF, and it still performed toward the top of the pack for long-lasting curls and curling without snagging.

It scored high for ergonomics and intuitiveness, and our Lab pros found it had good instructions that may be helpful for fine haired users to prevent over-experimentation (a.k.a. increased risk of damage). One downfall: we wish the cord was longer for easier styling. At under six feet, it makes maneuvering the tool a little difficult.

Another top performer in Lab tests, this pick performed well across the board, scoring highest in speed of styling, as well as top ranks for consumer satisfaction, even despite what some called "poor button placement." Testers noted that it heated up fast loved how speedy it was when styling: “It worked super-fast and my curls were locked in all day, which is hard to achieve with my heavy, straight hair." Others said hair was "noticeably shiny and a little less frizzy.”

While we haven't formally tested this exact model in the Lab yet, Drybar's curling wand has performed well in our Lab tests, so it's no surprise this three-in-one pick is a fan favorite.

It has three useful attachments for all of your curling needs and then some: A 1-inch wand for undone beach waves, a 1 ¼-inch curling iron for polished curls and a three-pronged waver for messy texture. Plus, the clamp on the curling iron is heated so you can also use the larger barrel as a wand or a smoothing flat iron, of sorts.

One GH editor who has tried it says, "the mechanism to switch the attachments is easy to use and feels secure and safe, while the display is bright and the rubberized buttons are intuitive and simple to press." While she wishes there was a better kickstand to keep the heating element from resting on the counter, she adds the tool does heat up quickly on every mode and every barrel is smooth and snag-free for glossy, smooth styling.

Our Beauty Lab pros love the Dyson Airwrap: Like a hair dryer and curling iron in one, this high-tech styling tool uses six powerful streams of hot or cool air to magically style your hair from damp to dry.

"I admire the genius air jet design, which makes hair strands, as if by magic, wrap themselves around the curler attachment,” says Birnur Aral, Ph.D., executive director of the GH Beauty Lab. The result: Bouncy bends that rival a professional blowout. "It gives salon-level styling using lower heat, which can minimize damage as well," she explains.

But all of this innovation comes with a sky-high sticker price. If it means you're able to swap out your hair dryer, flat iron and curling tools for one item, though, we think it's justifiable. You can also opt for sets that target different hair types and textures, including long or short barrel sets, and attachments for kinky hair.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: We Tried the New Dyson Airwrap

This sleek one-inch model has universal voltage and earned dozens of raves with reviewers, including those with thin hair. "I have fine hair and it is wonderful to find a curling iron that actually does what I need it to," one Nordstrom reviewer said. We haven't Lab-tested this iron, but it's a consistent top-seller with a cult following (and a GH beauty editor fave!).

While no heat tool can be "damage-free," in our Beauty Lab's test of flat irons, we found that ghd's tools maintained a steady temperature of 365º which helps prevent excessive heat damage, unlike other models that can exceed 450º, so we expect the brand's curling iron to perform similarly. The downside, though, is that a single temperature may not suit all different hair types, textures and thicknesses.