So, What Does The Best Curling Iron Do?

Well, it depends on what we need it for. But perhaps the most important feature is its size, which varies a lot depending on what results you’re looking for. If you want large curls, then you will have to go with a barrel size between 1.1 and 2 inches. On the other hand, if you want spiral curls or ringlets that give a beautiful curly look to your hair, you’ll have to go for a smaller sized barrel, between 0.5 and 1 inch.

Another important feature you have to look for in the best curling iron for you is its temperature. On a fragile or dyed hair you shouldn’t use temperatures above 194 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you have a strong hair with thick hair fibers, then you won’t have any problems using temperatures as high as 302 F.

Depending on your budget, you also have two options for the material the curling iron is made of. The chrome irons are the least expensive and complicated models, but the major disadvantage is that those might burn your hair. So if you’re thinking about your hair’s health, you should consider spending a little more money and buying a ceramic curling iron. They are the best.

These is some general information about curling irons, but now let’s take a look at what are the most important features of the best curling iron and what you should look out for:

Best Curling Iron Features

The Barrel: Perhaps the most important feature of a curling iron. Besides the material its made of (I wrote about it above), you also have to look for the barrel’s quality. Rule of thumb: a smooth barrel will get you smooth curls, otherwise your hair might look dry and ragged.

Heat-up Speed: The faster, the better. Those moments when we have all the time in the world to curl our hair are rare. Most of the time we need to do it in a hurry right before going out to a wedding, a dinner or on a date. So you should search for a curling iron that heats up fast (a decent one reaches optimum temperature in about one or two minutes).

Curls Quality: The best curling iron will get your hair holding your curls for several days, without having to apply too much hair spray or gel. Unfortunately, you can’t tell about this features from manufacturer’s specs or from seeing and touching the product. The only way is to use it for yourself for a few times and see what happens. Or another great way is to read reviews about it and talk to people that actually used a certain model and see what results they got.

Temperature: What you should look for is a curling iron that has temperature memory, this way you won’t have any troubles using it again next time after you find that perfect setting for you. Another features you should look for is automatic shut-off, this prevents the iron from heating and suffering heat-related damage.

Weight: Since you’ll be using the curling iron on your own, you should search for the one that’s the lightest. This way, your arms won’t be hurting after you’re done curling, especially if you have a lot of hair.

Price: Well, this one’s not so difficult, right? The cheaper, the better. But like I said before, since we’re talking about your looks and health, you shouldn’t get cheap when choosing the best curling iron, because after all, it’s not money thrown away but money invested in you and your future.

My Recommendations:

Some of the best rated curling irons available today are:

Jose Eber Curling Iron (around $70)

InStyler ($70)

Hot Tools Professional 1181 Curling Iron with Multi-Heat Control ($19)

Herstyler 3P Ceramic Culer Iron Set ($50)