The Best Curling Irons We’ve Tested (2024)

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Victoria Woollaston-Webber

Gear

We’ve tested tongs, wands, curling irons, and dryers in our pursuit of the best tools for all hair types and styles. These are our top twisters.

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It may seem that curling irons are all created relatively equal, but depending on what style you’re after, your hair type, skill level, and budget, they can vary wildly. What suits one person won’t suit another, and this can make choosing the best curling iron a minefield.

The size of the barrel, for example, can make a huge difference to the size of the curl and how defined it is. If you have long, thick hair, you’re going to want a styler that offers higher temperatures than someone with thin or fine hair. And if your hair is damaged or brittle, you’ll likely benefit from an iron that’s been infused with oils and proteins, or a styler that curls your hair with hot air rather than hot metal.

To help you navigate this tricky terrain, we’ve tested a range of curling irons, wands, tongs, and stylers for ease of use, how well they curl the hair, and how well the curls last. We also factor in if they have any safety features, and we recommend alternatives for different hair types for those curlers that serve more specific needs.

For more hair and beauty guides, check out Best Hair Dryers and Diffusers, Best Hair Straighteners and the Best Creams and Tools for Removing Hair.

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  • The Best Curling Irons We’ve Tested (7)

Victoria Woollaston-Webber is a freelance journalist, editor and founder of science-led health, beauty and grooming sites, mamabella and MBman. She has more than a decade's experience in both onlineand print journalism, having written about tech and gadgets since day one for national papers, magazines and global brands. Victoria specializes in... Read more

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