Top 5 compared
The best curling irons
Tight ringlets, loose waves or something in between, done at home in front of the mirror.
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The top 5 at a glance
A curling iron is a heated barrel that hair is wound around for a few seconds to set a curl. A clamp iron holds the ends while you wind, which keeps it easy to control and gives polished, defined curls; a wand has no clamp, so the hair wraps around by hand for softer waves; an automatic curler draws each section in and winds it for you. The barrel’s size sets the curl: the smaller it is, the tighter the curl.
A barrel stays hot for a while after use, so a heat glove and a heat-proof mat are worth having. Fine or coloured hair needs less heat than thick, coarse hair, so a wide spread of settings suits more hair types, and a dual-voltage iron works abroad with just a plug adapter.
What matters
- Auto shut-off, in case it’s left on.
- A swivel cord that turns with you instead of twisting.
- A heat range that suits your hair: low for fine or coloured hair, high for thick.
- A cool tip for steadying the barrel with the other hand.
#1Conair Instant Heat Curling Iron, 1 in (CD87NC)
$20–$30
Conair’s Instant Heat is a 25 mm (1 in) clamp iron, a size for most hair lengths, with 25 heat settings, a cool tip and an auto shut-off. Three irons below beat it on score, but the TYMO is an automatic, the Conair ½ in suits short hair and tight spirals and the BaBylissPRO has no auto shut-off.
What owners say: It heats in moments and is straightforward to handle, owners say, and it’s a comfortable size; most feel it’s fairly priced. Some find the curls only okay, and how long they hold varies from one head of hair to the next.
A closer look: Switch it on at the touchpad before you section your hair, and it’s hot by the time you start. Hold the cool tip with your free hand to guide the barrel, and give each section a few seconds before opening the clamp.
- Quick heat-up
- On/off touchpad
- Ceramic heater
- Dual voltage
Best for: Medium-length hair
- Type
- Clamp iron
- Barrel
- 25 mm (1 in)
- Heat settings
- 25 (top heat not stated)
- Auto shut-off
- Yes
- Cord
- Swivel (length not stated)
- Cool tip
- Yes
- Barrel coating
- Multi-layer metal
#2TYMO CurlPro Plus Automatic Curling Iron (HC509G)
$100–$150
Put a section of hair against the barrel, press a button and it rotates to wind the curl for you, then signals when the curl is set. The Plus has a longer 25 mm (1 in) barrel for shoulder-length to waist-length hair, three settings from 160°C to 210°C (320–410°F) and a 360° anti-scald design.
What owners say: Even curls every time, owners report, with a whole head done in as little as 15 minutes and curls that hold for most of the day. They also mention no tangles and no burnt fingers.
Heads up: Use small sections, about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide: bigger ones are what cause tangles.
A closer look: Work from the back of the head forward, waiting for the timer’s signal before letting each curl go, and leave the curls to cool before brushing through so the waves last. It switches itself off after 30 minutes, so it won’t sit hot on the dresser if you get distracted.
- Timer signals when curls set
- Anti-tangle design
- Dual voltage
Best for: Automatic curling
- Type
- Automatic rotating
- Barrel
- 25 mm (1 in), long
- Heat settings
- 3, 160–210°C (320–410°F)
- Auto shut-off
- After 30 min
- Cord
- –
- Cool tip
- Anti-scald casing
- Barrel coating
- Tourmaline ceramic
#3Conair Double Ceramic Curling Iron, ½ in (CD699L)
$20–$30
A 13 mm (½ in) barrel wraps small sections close to the root for tight spirals and ringlets, which also makes it one of the few irons that really works on short hair. Thirty heat settings cover fine to thick hair, a Turbo Heat button helps with stubborn sections, and it’s light in the hand.
What owners say: Owners compare the results to Shirley Temple’s curls: tight and springy. It heats almost at once, the cord is long enough to work comfortably, and they rate it good value.
A closer look: Take small sections, no wider than the barrel, and hold each for a few seconds before letting the curl drop into your hand to cool. It also tidies the ends of a bob or the shorter layers around the face, and the 1.5 m (5 ft) swivel cord turns with you rather than twisting as you work around the head.
- Heat boost for stubborn sections
- Tidies bobs and face layers
- Recessed buttons
- Dual voltage
- Weighs 272 g
Best for: Short hair
- Type
- Clamp iron
- Barrel
- 13 mm (½ in)
- Heat settings
- 30, up to 204°C (400°F)
- Auto shut-off
- Yes
- Cord
- 1.5 m (5 ft), swivel
- Cool tip
- Yes
- Barrel coating
- Double ceramic
#4BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron, 1 in (BNT100S)
$75–$100
A 25 mm (1 in) spring clamp iron from a salon brand, a barrel that gives defined curls on shoulder-length hair and looser waves on long. The nano titanium barrel heats evenly up to 232°C (450°F), which helps with thick or coarse hair, and the 2.4 m (8 ft) swivel cord reaches easily.
What owners say: It heats fast and gets very hot, owners say, turning out neat curls and soft waves with little effort. Some were let down by the barrel size, and reliability, durability and value all draw mixed views.
Heads up: There’s no auto shut-off, BaBylissPRO confirms, so switch it off and unplug it as soon as you’re done. It isn’t dual voltage either, so it needs a power converter abroad, not just a plug adapter.
A closer look: Titanium heats fast and runs hot, so start low on the dial for fine or coloured hair and save the top end for thick, coarse sections. Lay the ends flat under the clamp and keep each section thin, since bunched-up hair is the most likely to slip out before the curl sets.
- Quick heat-boost button
- Barrel heats evenly
- 2-year limited warranty
Best for: A titanium barrel
- Type
- Spring clamp iron
- Barrel
- 25 mm (1 in)
- Heat settings
- 50 (dial), up to 232°C (450°F)
- Auto shut-off
- No
- Cord
- 2.4 m (8 ft), swivel
- Cool tip
- Yes
- Barrel coating
- Nano titanium
#5JAETON 4-in-1 Curling Wand Set (CW400G)
$30–$50
Four barrels on one handle, from a slim 9 mm (0.35 in) cone for tight corkscrews to a 32 mm (1.25 in) wand for loose, bouncy waves, so one set covers several looks. The barrels are tourmaline ceramic wands with no clamp, there are two heat settings, and a glove, two clips and a comb come in the box.
What owners say: The curls and the choice of wand sizes please owners, and using it comes naturally. Opinions differ on whether it gets hot enough and whether the price is fair, and a few miss having a clamp to hold the ends.
A closer look: Wear the glove from the box when changing barrels, since each one stays hot for a while after use. With no clamp, wrap from near the root, hold for 10 to 15 seconds as JAETON suggests, then slide the curl off slowly so it doesn’t tangle, using the clips to keep the rest of the hair out of the way.
- Ready in 60 seconds
- Glove, clips and comb included
- Hold each curl 10–15 seconds
- Non-slip handle
- Dual voltage
Best for: Different curl sizes
- Type
- Interchangeable wand set
- Barrel
- 9–32 mm (0.35–1.25 in), 4 wands
- Heat settings
- 2: 180°C or 230°C (356°F or 446°F)
- Auto shut-off
- –
- Cord
- 1.8 m (6 ft), swivel
- Cool tip
- Anti-scald tip
- Barrel coating
- Tourmaline ceramic
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Conair 1 in | #2TYMO CurlPro Plus | #3Conair ½ in | #4BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium | #5JAETON 4-in-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best automatic | Best for short hair | Best titanium iron | Best set | |
| Picked Rating | 8.5 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.4 |
| Price | $20–$30 | $100–$150 | $20–$30 | $75–$100 | $30–$50 |
| Type | Clamp iron | Automatic rotating | Clamp iron | Spring clamp iron | Interchangeable wand set |
| Barrel | 25 mm (1 in) | 25 mm (1 in), long | 13 mm (½ in) | 25 mm (1 in) | 9–32 mm (0.35–1.25 in), 4 wands |
| Heat settings | 25 (top heat not stated) | 3, 160–210°C (320–410°F) | 30, up to 204°C (400°F) | 50 (dial), up to 232°C (450°F) | 2: 180°C or 230°C (356°F or 446°F) |
| Auto shut-off | Yes | After 30 min | Yes | No | – |
| Cord | Swivel (length not stated) | – | 1.5 m (5 ft), swivel | 2.4 m (8 ft), swivel | 1.8 m (6 ft), swivel |
| Cool tip | Yes | Anti-scald casing | Yes | Yes | Anti-scald tip |
| Barrel coating | Multi-layer metal | Tourmaline ceramic | Double ceramic | Nano titanium | Tourmaline ceramic |
| Best for | Medium-length hair | Automatic curling | Short hair | A titanium barrel | Different curl sizes |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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