Don't Waste Your Money is supported by our readers. When you purchase an item through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Best Curling Iron

Last updated on April 11, 2023

We looked at the top 22 Curling Irons and dug through the reviews from 84 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Curling Irons.

Best Curling Iron

Our Review Process

Don't Waste Your Money is focused on helping you make the best purchasing decision. Our team of experts spends hundreds of hours analyzing, testing, and researching products so you don't have to. Learn more.

Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in a category.

Technology has made our lives easier and much more pleasant. Not often at the top of the list, but certainly deserving, are hot tools for styling hair. You don’t have to settle for the hair texture you were born with. What’s more, with the user-friendly and inexpensive styling tools available now, you can change your style daily and safely. Flat irons or straightening irons have smooth, straight hair on lock, but curling irons create a wide range of curls, waves and coils. No matter how stick-straight your hair’s natural texture is, you can transform it into a head full of curls.

And, there are so many different variations, there’s a specific curling iron that’s ideal for every hair length and type. However, the number of curling irons available can make your head, instead of your hair, spin.

A general rule of thumb to follow is the smaller barrels are better for shorter hair and tighter coils. Larger barrels, around 1¼-inch to 1½-inch, work best for long hair. Barrels top out around 2,” and these massive tools can produce equally buoyant beachy waves or loads of volume. In contrast, the smallest ¾  to 1-inch barrels create corkscrews and vintage looks. Right in the middle, 1-inch barrels are the most versatile and produce classic curls and defined waves.

Beyond sizes, there are many different types of materials used in the barrels of curling irons: ceramic, Teflon and a few types of metal. Trendy materials also include tourmaline and titanium. Each one has varying benefits and can work better for certain types of hair.

Ceramic barrels disperse negative ions, which can smooth and protect hair. It also works best at a lower temperature range and can safely curl thin hair. In addition to negative ions, super durable titanium barrels, as well as those made of tourmaline, also produce infrared heat. As such, they are excellent at removing frizz from thick or coarse hair. Some modes are made of titanium and have 50 fine-tuned heat settings to make the most of the material.

A luxurious option is a 24K barrel. Gold irons emit quick, high and even heat. Plus, the mini gold particles help enhance hair follicles and potentially prevent hair loss.

One thing they all have in common is their ability to heat up to high enough temperatures to transmit the heat to hair and transform stick-straight locks into cascading curls.

A wand is great if you want natural-looking waves and beachy curls. In addition, interchangeable irons let you switch out barrel sizes for a wide range of curly looks. Clip curling irons produce tighter, ringlet-style twists. They can still look natural and come in a variety of barrel sizes. The Conair model is available in four different barrel sizes.

Not all hair types can take the heat. The most vulnerable hair types, fine or chemically treated, can handle up to 300 degrees. Next is healthy or medium-textured hair, which can stand a bit more at 300-380 degrees.  If you have coarse, curly or thick hair, you can crank up the heat higher to 350-450 degrees without worry.

You can find curling irons for sale in a wide variety of stores, including grocery stores, drugstores, department stores, beauty specialty retailers and online. The higher-end curling irons are sold exclusively direct from the manufacturer or through select shops. Still, budget-friendly curling irons found a few aisles down from the produce section can offer a solid value and produce beautiful curls.

Many manufacturers are getting super creative with styling tools, especially curling irons. The patented Curl Dial has ridges and prongs that smooth and detangle hair while it curls. There’s also an easy way to achieve natural or beachy waves. The Bed Head Wave Artist Curling Iron has specially designed deep plates that clamp to turn straight hair into wavy locks quickly. All these high-tech features don’t mean the curling irons are overpriced.

The hair possibilities are endless.

Our Picks For The Top Curling Irons

View All Recommendations
Product Overview
Our Take
Pros
Cons
 Best for Waves

Alure 3-Barrel Digital Screen Temperature Control Curling Hair Tool

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

Alure

3-Barrel Digital Screen Temperature Control Curling Hair Tool

If you're looking for waves, this option uses multiple barrels to speed up the styling process. It also has plenty of heat settings and a ceramic coating to help reduce damage to your strands.

Overall Take

Good for WavesThis three-barreled hair tool allows you to get quick waves.

Pros
" Gives you salon-like curls at home effortlessly, for all hair types and lengths. Its negatively charged ions help reduce frizz and add gloss to your hair. With this triple barrel curler, you can curl and crimp it. In a matter..."
Cons
"It lists the temperature in Celsius. One thing to note is that this hair tool is coated with Teflon, which might not appeal to Teflon-averse shoppers."
 Top Pick

Duomishu Rose Gold Tourmaline Curling Iron

Duomishu

Rose Gold Tourmaline Curling Iron

With six different attachments, this curling iron allows for creating everything from straight locks to tight curls. There are two built-in temperature options to accommodate both thin and thick hair. You can even get this curling iron in black, gold, rose gold or pink gold.

Overall Take

Create a Variety of StylesAs an added bonus, this curling iron set comes with a pair of protective gloves and two hair clips.

 Runner Up

Revlon Barrel All Hair Types Curling Iron

Revlon

Barrel All Hair Types Curling Iron

Styling your hair has never been easier than with this curling iron. It's made with a ceramic coating that not only ensures even heating, but also reduces damage to your hair during the styling process. Ladies will love the tangle-free swivel cord, as well as the ability to choose between 30 different heat settings.

Overall Take

Economical PickWhen shopping on a budget, this affordably priced curling iron is the way to go.

 Best Multi-Tool Set

Wavytalk Curling & Volumizing Hair Tool Set

Wavytalk

Curling & Volumizing Hair Tool Set

With this hair tool set, you'll receive a curling iron with interchangeable wands, two hair clips and a heat-resistant glove. With the various wands, you'll be able to create straight, wavy or curly locks. You can even make the curls tight or loose, depending on your preference.

Overall Take

Accessories IncludedThis hair tool uses Ceramic Technology, so you never have to worry about frizz.

Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
29

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the curling irons available to purchase.
22

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

View All Product Rankings

84

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: Get A Razor, Hair Straightner Models, BestReviews, ifb, Consumer Reports.

742,252

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 22 Curling Irons and also dug through the reviews from 84 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Curling Irons.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval
Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in their category.

The Best Bang For Your Buck

Revlon Barrel All Hair Types Curling Iron

User Summarized Score

8.6
11,850 user reviews

Our Take

Styling your hair has never been easier than with this curling iron. It's made with a ceramic coating that not only ensures even heating, but also reduces damage to your hair during the styling process. Ladies will love the tangle-free swivel cord, as well as the ability to choose between 30 different heat settings.

What to Look For

  • If you plan to travel internationally, you will want to confirm the curling iron has dual voltage options.
  • Be aware that some barrel materials heat unevenly and can create hot spots. These areas of the barrel heat up faster or retain more heat than other sections and, in turn, heats the hair unevenly and can damage it.
  • If you’re using a curling wand or a curling iron that is made of titanium, you should wear a pair of heat-protective gloves to ensure you don’t accidentally burn your hands.
  • If a lightweight curling iron is important to you, titanium is your best choice.
  • Not all curling irons work well with wet hair. Tourmaline is the best option if you plan to use a curling iron on wet hair.
  • One inexpensive material to watch out for is Teflon. It’s better to leave it on your nonstick pans because it discharges positive ions that can damage hair. It also tends to heat unevenly.
  • Even if an iron has a higher setting, never curl any hair above 450 degrees. If you have fine hair, you should be curling it with a much lower heat setting to keep it healthy.

This review has been updated by DWYM staff.

Curling Iron Rankings

2. Duomishu Rose Gold Tourmaline Curling Iron

Overall Score: 9.3
Reviews Included: 1

3. Revlon Barrel All Hair Types Curling Iron

Overall Score: 9.2
Reviews Included: 1

4. Wavytalk Curling & Volumizing Hair Tool Set

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 1

5. Bed Head Wave Artist Tourmaline Curling Iron

Overall Score: 9.0
Reviews Included: 8

6. Fezax 1-Click Curling Cordless Ceramic Heat Tool

Overall Score: 9.0
Reviews Included: 6

7. BESTOPE PRO Rose Gold Instant Heat Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.9
Reviews Included: 1

8. CHI Air Spin N Curl Ceramic Rotating & Curling Hair Tool

Overall Score: 8.8
Reviews Included: 8

9. Bed Head Wave Artist Beachy Waves Tourmaline Hair Tool

Overall Score: 8.8
Reviews Included: 8

10. VODANA Professional Snag-Free Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.8
Reviews Included: 1

11. Kiss Instawave Detangling Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 9

12. Conair All Hair Types Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 7

13. HOT TOOLS Soft-Grip Cooling Tip Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 1

14. BaBylissPRO Infrared Smoothing Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 10

15. Conair Turbo Heat Boost Curling Hair Tool, 1-Inch

Overall Score: 8.7
Reviews Included: 8

16. Hot Tools Gold Barrel High Heat Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.6
Reviews Included: 5

17. Xtava Digital Temperature Control Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.6
Reviews Included: 17

18. Remington Pro Wide Consistent Heat Curling Wand

Overall Score: 8.6
Reviews Included: 13

19. Jose Eber Ceramic Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.6
Reviews Included: 5

20. Bed Head Curlipops Ceramic Protective Glove Curling Wand

Overall Score: 8.5
Reviews Included: 10

21. Conair INFINITIPRO Nano Technology Curling Iron

Overall Score: 8.4
Reviews Included: 8

More to Explore

There’s quite the debate around the true inventor of the very first curling iron. Hiram Maxim obtained the first patent for a curling iron in 1866. However, Marcel Grateau gets the credit for inventing the curling iron and additional hair styling tools a few years later. Grateau co-created the long-lasting Marcel waver with Maurice Lentheric.

Today, professional hairstylists still use Marcel curling irons, like Grateau’s model. They are more difficult to use and require an extra set of hands to operate well. Naturally, they aren’t as common or popular for home use.

His design idea did serve as inspiration for the more user-friendly modern curling irons with spring clamps and wands.

More to explore