Best hair straighteners and flat irons in Australia 2024

Our team has done the research and found the 9 best hair straighteners for any hair type and budget.

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The best hair straighteners and flat irons in Australia

Best Hair Straighteners

Best Rated Hair Straighteners Brand: Cloud Nine

Australian shoppers rated Cloud Nine the best hair straightener brand in this year's Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards. The brand scored highly for performance, ease of use and value for money – 3 essential features for any good hair straightener. It received an overall recommendation rating of 96%.

For this list, we picked straighteners based on actual customer reviews and ratings on various websites, including Adore Beauty, Amazon and Myer. For every category, we carefully chose parameters based on our research and determined products with the highest review score within those parameters.

Read more detail on our methodology below.

Dyson Corrale

Best overall hair straightener

Dyson Corrale
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Travel-friendly
  • Suitable for most hair types

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Some customers had difficulty curling their hair with this tool

We picked the Dyson Corrale as the best overall hair straightener available online. On Harvey Norman and THE ICONIC, it has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from almost 500 reviews.

The Dyson Corrale straightener has 3 heat settings, intelligent heat control and an OLED display. You can plug it or use it cordless for 30 minutes for versatility and easier styling. The brand also claims that it has universal voltage, making it suitable for international travel. It has auto-off and safety lock functions as well.

Customers gave positive feedback on the tool's sleek design, ease of use and versatility. It reduces frizz and static effects, leaving strands smooth and shiny. Those with thick hair mentioned it makes styling their locks easier without losing any volume. Its flexible plates also reduce reliance on heat for styling.

A few customers had difficulty using the Corrale to curl their strands, but this seems to be an isolated issue.

How do Australians rate Dyson's hair straighteners?

86% of surveyed Australians recommend Dyson
3.7
Value for money
4.2
Overall
4.3
Performance
4.3
Ease of use
4.3
Cleaning and maintenance
4.2
Product features
How Dyson compares

In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.

For hair straighteners, Dyson was ranked 8th for value for money, 5th for performance, 5th for ease of use, 6th for cleaning and maintenance and 5th for product features.

8 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

VS Sassoon Keratin Protect Hair Straightener

Best hair straightener under $100

VS Sassoon Keratin Protect Hair Straightener
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Straightens hair within minutes
  • Value for money

Cons

  • Its silky effect only lasts for up to 4 hours according to customers
  • Not as durable as pricier models

For the best option under $100, we recommend VS Sassoon Keratin Protect Hair Straightener. It has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Myer.

This VS Sassoon straightener features ceramic coated and keratin-infused plates to deliver silky-smooth results. It has ionic conditioning technology that helps eliminate any frizz. Apart from a curved body design, it also has 6 digital heat settings up to 235°C.

However, there were concerns about its silky effect not being long-lasting. A few others also found the build flimsier than more expensive options in the market.

How do Australians rate VS Sassoon's hair straighteners?

92% of surveyed Australians recommend VS Sassoon
4.4
Value for money
4.5
Overall
4.5
Performance
4.5
Ease of use
4.6
Cleaning and maintenance
4.3
Product features
How VS Sassoon compares

In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.

For hair straighteners, VS Sassoon was ranked 4th for value for money, 4th for performance, 4th for ease of use, 2nd for cleaning and maintenance and 4th for product features.

8 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

Philips Prestige Pro Hair Straightener

Best hair straightener under $200

Philips Prestige Pro Hair Straightener
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Protects strands while controlling frizz
  • Heats up within 10 seconds

Cons

  • Not suitable for thick hair
  • Finicky temperature control wheel

With an average rating of 4.45 out of 5 stars on Amazon and Myer, the Philips Prestige Pro Hair Straightener is our best pick under $200.

Philips' hair straightener has a 2.5m-long cord, multiple temperature settings and 100mm-long plates for fast heating and easy straightening. It also features ionic care for shiny, smooth and frizz-free strands. This tool boasts an instant heat-up time of just 10 seconds and a ThermoGuard that prevents unintentional heat exposure above 200°C.

Apart from its slim design, hundreds of customers were impressed by its quick heat-up time, damage control and lightweight construction. Several customers with thin hair mentioned that this helps create volumised waves and curls with ease.

However, people with thicker strands found that its straightened effect doesn't last long on them. They added that they had to pass various hair sections more than twice to get the result they wanted.

How do Australians rate Philips's hair straighteners?

86% of surveyed Australians recommend Philips
4.2
Value for money
4.3
Overall
4.2
Performance
4.3
Ease of use
4.3
Cleaning and maintenance
3.9
Product features
How Philips compares

In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.

For hair straighteners, Philips was ranked 5th for value for money, 7th for performance, 5th for ease of use, 6th for cleaning and maintenance and 8th for product features.

8 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

Remington Pro Ceramic Max

Best straightener for thick hair

Remington Pro Ceramic Max
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Provides even heat distribution
  • Minimises frizz

Cons

  • Doesn’t create a sleek straight look according to some buyers
  • Lacks damage protection

Our pick for the best straightener for thick hair is Remington's Pro Ceramic Max Wideplate Hair Straightener. It has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

Featuring extra-wide plates, this Remington hair straightener allows users to achieve straight and silky locks in minutes. Its advanced tourmaline plates also provide even heat distribution, leaving hair frizz-free and smooth. Its variable heat settings of 150–230°C suit most hair types too.

Customers praised the product's excellent value for money, quick heat-up and ease of use. It is a great option for people who want to straighten their locks without losing any volume. It creates a smooth result with a bit of dimension and body, suitable for people with thick and wavy locks. The wide plates make the process faster as well.

If you want a tool that gives a sleek straight look, this may not work for you. Several customers reported that this has left their strands dried and damaged after a few months of continued use.

How do Australians rate Remington's hair straighteners?

96% of surveyed Australians recommend Remington
4.5
Value for money
4.6
Overall
4.8
Performance
4.8
Ease of use
4.6
Cleaning and maintenance
4.4
Product features
How Remington compares

In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.

For hair straighteners, Remington was ranked 1st for value for money, 1st for performance, 1st for ease of use, 2nd for cleaning and maintenance and 2nd for product features.

8 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

ghd Original IV Styler

Best straightener for frizzy hair

ghd Original IV Styler
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Compact and travel-friendly
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • No variable heat settings
  • Slower heat-up than other options

We recommend ghd's Original IV Styler as the best option for frizzy hair. It has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on THE ICONIC and Adore Beauty.

The ghd Original IV Styler uses ceramic heat technology to style at the optimum temperature of 185ºC. Its rounded barrel and floating plates glide easily for smooth results. It also has an automatic sleep mode and universal voltage for international travel, plus a 2.7m swivel cord for easy maneuvering.

According to reviews, this hair straightener produces sleek straight results without any frizz or static effect. It works well in straightening thick, thin or even curly strands. Customers also loved its slim design and long cord. Several others also mentioned that it helps them create beach waves in no time.

It's worth noting that it only has 1 heat setting and a heat-up time of 30 seconds. These may be a con if you're looking for a more versatile hair tool.

How do Australians rate GHD's hair straighteners?

92% of surveyed Australians recommend GHD
4.2
Value for money
4.5
Overall
4.6
Performance
4.7
Ease of use
4.6
Cleaning and maintenance
4.4
Product features
How GHD compares

In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.

For hair straighteners, GHD was ranked 5th for value for money, 3rd for performance, 3rd for ease of use, 2nd for cleaning and maintenance and 2nd for product features.

8 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron 1 ½ inch

Best straightener for curly hair

Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron 1 ½ inch
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Leaves hair glossy and volumised
  • Adjustable heat

Cons

  • Not Fahrenheit or Celsius heat indicator
  • Some found the handles flimsy

We recommend Conair Double Ceramic Flat Iron 1 1/2 Inch as the best tool for curly hair. It has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 30,000 reviews on Amazon.

This Conair hair tool features double ceramic technology for even heat and a frizz-free shine. It has variable heat settings and a heat-up time of 30 seconds, plus an auto-off function and heat recovery system. The brand claims that its floating plates provide better contact with hair for long-lasting results.

Thousands of buyers were impressed by the straightener's ease of use, versatility and performance. It helps create various hairstyles – from beach waves to sleek straight strands. Customers also praised the tool for being beginner-friendly. The adjustable heating setting also fits most hair types.

However, it doesn't have any temperature display indicator. Some buyers also found the handles quite slippery and flimsy, but this seems to be a minor concern.

ghd Platinum+ Styler

Best straightener for damaged hair

ghd Platinum+ Styler
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Suitable for damage-prone and coloured hair
  • Has a rounded barrel for curling

Cons

  • Only heats up to 185ºC
  • Not cheap

With a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Adore Beauty, the ghd Platinum+ is our best pick for damaged hair.

The ghd Platinium+ is a smart hair styler for straightening locks without excess damage. It uses ultra-zone predictive technology that the brand claims "think about your hair's needs while it is in use". It has a rounded barrel for easy curling and 185ºC heat for optimised results. Its sleep mode and universal voltage are good for travelling.

Customers praised the product's sleek design, damage control and fast heat-up that are suitable for coloured and damaged locks. Several others said its swivel cord and compact body make it easy to manoeuvre. But just like the Original IV Styler, it only features a single heat setting.

Today's ghd Platinum+ Styler deals
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How do Australians rate GHD's hair straighteners?

92% of surveyed Australians recommend GHD
4.2
Value for money
4.5
Overall
4.6
Performance
4.7
Ease of use
4.6
Cleaning and maintenance
4.4
Product features
How GHD compares

In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.

For hair straighteners, GHD was ranked 5th for value for money, 3rd for performance, 3rd for ease of use, 2nd for cleaning and maintenance and 2nd for product features.

8 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

Philips HP8372-00 Moisture Protect Straightener

Best travel hair straightener

Philips HP8372-00 Moisture Protect Straightener
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Helps preserve hair's natural moisture
  • Eliminates static effect and frizz

Cons

  • Not suitable for thick hair
  • Some customers said the plates catch their hair strands, causing breakage

For travel, we picked the Philips Moisture Protect Hair Straightener as the best one available right now in Australia. It has an average of 4.15 out of 5 stars on Amazon and Myer.

Featuring floating ceramic plates for reduced pressure, this Philips straightener promises shiny and frizz-free results in no time. It has moisture protect sensor that regulates heat on the floating plates. The brand claims this sensor also helps strands from overheating and provides the exact temperature for any hairstyle you want. It has 3 temperature settings and a 15-second heat-up time as well.

It's a compact and durable option for travel and home use. It has moisture protection, ensuring your hair remains healthy and smooth after numerous styling sessions. Most buyers said it glides seamlessly, leaving their locks soft and frizz-free.

However, those with thick hair found that they needed multiple passes to get the results they wanted.

How do Australians rate Philips's hair straighteners?

86% of surveyed Australians recommend Philips
4.2
Value for money
4.3
Overall
4.2
Performance
4.3
Ease of use
4.3
Cleaning and maintenance
3.9
Product features
How Philips compares

In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.

For hair straighteners, Philips was ranked 5th for value for money, 7th for performance, 5th for ease of use, 6th for cleaning and maintenance and 8th for product features.

8 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

Conair Unbound Cordless 3/4-inch Mini Flat Iron

Best cordless hair straightener

Conair Unbound Cordless 3/4-inch Mini Flat Iron
Image: Supplied/Finder

Pros

  • Suitable for most hair types
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • The tool gets stuck when curling according to a few buyers
  • Doesn't work while charging

Conair Unbound Cordless Mini Multi-Styler is our choice for the best cordless hair straightener. It has a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

The Conair mini flat iron is powered by 1 lithium battery, providing up to 20 minutes of run time. The tool features a heat temperature of up to 204°C to fit most styling needs and hair types. The ceramic coated plates and round barrels also provide smooth results without any frizz. It comes with a USB charger and a heat-resistant pouch as well.

Customers praised the product's compact design, ease of use and excellent value for money. It's a foolproof option for creating fantastic beach waves or a sleek straight look. A full charge also lasts up to 20 minutes, but it can't be used while charging. Some customers also said it gets stuck between strands when curling, but this seems to be an isolated issue.

Amazon prices last updated on 19 November, 2024 at 04:02 pm
eBay prices last updated on 19 November, 2024 at 10:23 am
The Iconic prices last updated on 18 November, 2024

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How do we pick this list?

19
Brands considered
68
Products compared
9
Best products chosen
  • We compared over 60 hair straighteners from 19 brands.
  • We then assessed hundreds of customer reviews and ratings on various websites, including Adore Beauty, Amazon and Myer.
  • The products on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not selected based on commercial relationships.

Why you can trust our picks

We considered the following brands of hair straighteners:

  • BaByliss
  • Conair
  • Dafni
  • Diva
  • Dyson
  • ghd
  • Hairstyla
  • Hot Tools
  • Mondava
  • Muk
  • Nobby
  • Panasonic
  • Philips
  • Remington
  • Revlon
  • Runsnail
  • Silver Bullet
  • Tymo
  • VS Sassoon

For this list, we carefully picked products with the highest customer ratings on various websites, including Adore Beauty, Amazon and Myer. We ended up with a total of 68 hair straighteners to compare.

We then researched each product and its features. We also considered ratings and customer reviews on various websites, including Adore Beauty, Amazon and Myer. We came up with what we believe are the 9 best hair straighteners available online.

What types are available?

There are 3 main types of straighteners: Titanium, ceramic and tourmaline or ionic.

Titanium

Titanium straighteners heat up quickly and apply temperature evenly. They can also operate at lower temperatures while still achieving the same results, making them suitable for daily use as they'll result in less damage than other plate types. However, they are typically the most expensive type of straighteners.

Ceramic

Ceramic plated straighteners tend to be cheaper than titanium, but they don't transfer heat as smoothly as titanium. As a result, they may require higher operating temperatures to achieve the desired result. Using a ceramic straightener daily may cause more damage than a titanium model, However, if you don't have super thick hair and don't straighten your hair daily, ceramic is suitable for most hair types.

Tourmaline or ionic

Tourmaline plates, also known as ionic plates, react differently to heat than other plate types by becoming negatively charged. This heats the hair from the inside out and helps heat the hair more quickly and reduce frizz. Tourmaline straighteners are suitable for those with damaged hair.

How to compare straighteners

While it might be tempting to grab one of the cheapest straighteners available, shelling out a bit more typically gets you a straightener that will last longer, heat up more quickly and do less damage to your hair.

Ultimately, choosing a straightener comes down to what type of hair you have and how you plan to use it.

When choosing a straightener, consider the following key factors:

Width

The size or width of a straightener typically ranges from 2.5cm to 6cm. The wider the plates, the faster you can straighten your hair. However, wider plates are bulkier and heavier and can damage hair by applying too much heat. If you have short hair, look for a slimmer straightener. If you have medium hair or long, fine hair, look for a straightener with a medium-range width. If you have thick, long hair, go for a wide straightener.

Temperature settings

Straighteners with higher temperature settings can help you straighten your hair faster and more efficiently. However, high settings are also more likely to damage your hair. Look for a model with adjustable temperature settings for more flexibility. Typically, cheaper straighteners don't work as effectively on low heat settings so if you want to avoid high heat, you'll have to pay a bit more.

Wattage

Wattage can give you an indication of how powerful the straightener is. However, higher wattage doesn't necessarily mean it's the best model for your hair type. If you have fine or short hair, you probably won't need the highest setting that produces the most wattage anyway.

Shape

Straighteners can have different edge shapes. Rounded edges make it easier to use the straightener to make curls or waves in your hair, while sharper edges can produce straighter hair.

Automatic shut-off

Look for a straightener that shuts off automatically after a certain period of time to avoid starting a fire in case you forget to shut it off.

Controls

Make sure the controls are easy to use with one hand so that you can adjust it easily while you're using it.

Swivel cord

A swivel cord makes it easier to use the straightener at any angle without tangling any cables.

Storage

Some straighteners come with a carry bag, stand or hanging loop for more accessible storage. Some also include a heat-protective mat that you can place the straightener on while you're using it or waiting for it to cool down.

Wet to dry

Wet-to-dry straighteners claim to dry your hair while straightening. However, they usually work best on damp hair, not wet hair. We don't recommend straightening very wet hair, even with a wet-to-dry straightener due to safety concerns.

Straighteners vs straightening brushes

Straightening brushes are another tool that can help you get silky, straight locks. Unlike a flat iron, these brushes look similar to a regular hair brush that heats up your hair while you brush it.

Check out our review of the GHD Glide Professional Hot Brush

Hair brush straighteners usually operate at a lower heat than flat irons, which makes them suitable for damaged hair. However, straightening brushes aren't as effective for thick and curly hair.

Straightening brushes have the following pros and cons:

Pros

  • Low heat makes it more suitable for thin and damaged hair
  • Brushes and straightens hair at the same time
  • Heats up quickly

Cons

  • Doesn't work effectively on very thick or curly hair
  • Takes longer to straighten than a typical flat iron
  • Not as effective at achieving a glass hair effect

Safety tips

Anyone who has experienced a hair straightener burn knows just how careful you need to be, so it's all the more important that you follow the right protocol.

When you're using hair tools that function at such a high heat, they can cause hair to dry out, crack and worst-case scenario – burn. To minimise damage, use a heat protecting product, use the lowest effective temperature on your flat iron and avoid straightening more often than necessary.

Here are 3 rules for using a hair straightener safely:

  1. Don't use a heat setting that's higher than you need.
  2. Don't hold it on your hair for too long.
  3. Don't use your straightener near water.
1 - 5 of 50
Updated regularly
Name Product AUFTG-HSS Length of Cord Product More info
Philips HP8372-00 Moisture Protect Straightener
2m
Buy at Amazon
View details
Philips SenseIQ Hair Straightener, BHS830/00
N/A
Buy at Amazon
View details
Remington Pro Ceramic Max
N/A
Buy at Amazon
View details
Dyson Corrale
N/A
Buy at The ICONIC
View details
Conair Unbound Cordless 3/4-inch Mini Flat Iron
N/A
Buy at Amazon
View details
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Frequently Asked Questions

Customer satisfaction rating breakdown

The Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards is an annual national survey conducted in partnership with research firm Dynata. With over 30,000 real shoppers participating, the awards serve as a reliable reflection of Australian consumers' preferences and opinions.

Here are the scores for air purifier brands from 2024.

Brand Cleaning and maintenance Ease of use Overall Performance Product features Value for money Recommended Total Score
Cloud Nine 4.7 4.8 4.7 4.8 4.5 4.5 96% 4.69
Remington 4.6 4.8 4.6 4.8 4.4 4.5 96% 4.64
GHD 4.6 4.7 4.5 4.6 4.4 4.2 92% 4.51
VS Sassoon 4.6 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.3 4.4 92% 4.49
Kmart 4.3 4.3 4.2 4.2 4 4.5 92% 4.3
L'Oreal Paris 4.4 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.2 4 90% 4.27
Philips 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.2 3.9 4.2 86% 4.21
Dyson 4.3 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.2 3.7 86% 4.19
Data: Finder Retail Brand Survey, 2023, Kantar. Metric out of 5 stars unless indicated. Methodology and more info. Kantar logo

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Ericka Pingol is a writer for Finder specialising in reviews. She has previously written articles about property investment, finances, and health. She’s a huge fan of Tina Fey, bubble teas and dogs. Ericka has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of the East, Manila and is currently writing her thesis for a Master’s degree in Communication See full bio

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