We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Beauty Hair Hair Products & Tools The 12 Best Curling Irons for Soft Curls, Beachy Waves, and Lots of Volume, Tested & Reviewed The hairstyling world is your oyster. By Emily Orofino Emily Orofino Emily Orofino has over a decade of experience working in beauty. You can find her work on sites such as Harper’s Bazaar, Byrdie, Editorialist, POPSUGAR, & RealSelf. She has also lent her expertise to marketing departments & product development teams of some of the industry’s most prestigious brands. InStyle's editorial guidelines and Irene Richardson Irene Richardson Irene Richardson is a beauty + fashion commerce writer for InStyle. She covers trends surrounding style, makeup, skincare, and more. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on August 21, 2024 @ 12:57PM In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews What to Keep in Mind Frequently Asked Questions Why Shop With Us Photo: InStyle / Jhett Thompson There are seemingly endless ways to curl hair—the right technique can show you gorgeous results from a hair straightener or a hair dryer and a round brush. Some heatless curlers don’t even require high temperatures to get the job done. Each has its merit, sure, but a curling iron is the one tool that will quickly and efficiently turn flat strands into bouncy waves and ringlets every time. And if you’re thinking “Yeah, not in my experience,” you simply may have been steered down the wrong path (We can fix that). “I suggest using a curling iron with adjustable heat settings and a ceramic or titanium barrel to evenly distribute heat and create better curls,” says celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons, who launched his buzzy, eponymous haircare brand last year. “A smaller barrel works well, as tighter curls generally last longer and relax into waves over time.” Still, combing through all your options is no easy task—so we did it for you. Our team of InStyle editors rigorously tested the 14 buzziest and most popular curling irons across every hair type in our New York City-based Lab and on our natural hair for two weeks. We scrutinized each hot tool for a speedy heat-up to our desired temperature, along with the range of heat settings available and degree of clamp tension (did it give us enough resistance or a little too much, leaving us with jagged 90-degree angled ends?), whether we found it easy and stress-free to maneuver the piping hot irons around our heads, and of course, the quality (and longevity) of our freshly styled curls. After thoroughly looking for any damage, we scored each curling iron, and only our favorite, highest ranking irons are featured on this list. Our Top Picks Best Overall : Hot Tools Pro Artist Digital Curling Iron at Amazon $48 Jump to Review Best Budget : InfinitiPro by Conair Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron at Amazon $27 Jump to Review Best Splurge: Dyson Airwrap at Nordstrom $600 Jump to Review Best Rotating: Drybar The 3-Day Bender Curling Iron at Amazon $149 Jump to Review Best for Thick Hair: SALE T3 Switch Kit Wave Trio at Amazon $300 $255 Jump to Review Best Wand: SALE L’Ange Hair Le Curl Curling Wand at Amazon $69 $39 Jump to Review Best for Damaged Hair: Shark FlexStyle Air Styling and Drying System at Amazon $329 Jump to Review Best for Fine Hair: Tymo 3-in-1 Interchangeable Curling Iron at Amazon $60 Jump to Review Best for Beginners: SALE Ghd Soft Curl Curling Iron at Amazon $209 $156 Jump to Review Best for Beach Waves: InStyler Cerasilk Curling Iron at Instyler.com $125 Jump to Review Best Overall Hot Tools Pro Artist Digital Curling Iron PHOTO: Hot Tools $48 $46 at Amazon $80 at Ulta View on Hottools.com What We Love: This tool performs flawlessly across all hair types.What We Don’t Love: Those with finer hair may find that their hair slips out of the iron during use. We tried three different-sized barrels—0.75-inch, 1.25-inch, and 1.5-inch—and found that each one delivered on its styling promises (beachy waves for larger sizes, tighter curls for smaller). Not only did our curls look great immediately after styling, but they also held their shape for the rest of the day, and even sometimes the next morning. Design-wise, we were impressed with all the helpful features: It heated up in just a few seconds and conveniently beeped when it was ready. The clamp was comfortable and never caught or tugged at our hair, and the digital temperature screen made it easy to view and adjust the heat as needed. The extra-long cord , which clocks in at nine feet, was very easy to maneuver the tool around our heads, even when the outlet was far away from our mirror. Another bonus: Thanks to its dual voltage, we safely used this hot tool abroad and never worried about it breaking halfway through the trip. We finished each style with a generous mist of dry shampoo or texturizing spray to give our fine hair an extra lush-looking boost, which also revived any curls that slipped out of the clamp. Barrel Sizes: Available in 0.75-inch, 1-inch, 1.25-inch, 1.5-inch | Barrel Material: Hot Tools’ proprietary black gold styling surface | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes InStyle / Kimberly Souza Best Budget InfinitiPro by Conair Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron PHOTO: Amazon $27 $26 at Amazon $30 at Ulta $35 $26 at Target What We Love: Beyond the price, we loved how smooth it made our hair and the even, consistent curl pattern it created. What We Don’t Love: The clamp is removable and if it’s not securely fastened, it’ll slide around or slip off altogether. Turns out, lightning does strike twice, or at least it does with this wallet-friendly, reliable iron that we could rely on to give us beautiful, similar-looking styles again and again. The Infinitipro consistently shaped our straight hair into soft, shiny and strong curls that remained intact from the morning to happy hour, especially on thicker and more textured hair. In fact, we found that our curls lasted up to four days on our very curly hair—no touch-ups required. With the unique removable clamp, this iron is actually a two-in-one: It can be used as a traditional curling iron or just slide the clamp off and you have yourself a wand to twist your hair around as tightly or loosely as you’d like to achieve a wide range of styles. While we enjoyed the duality, if the clamp wasn’t correctly attached, it fell off mid-use and snagged our hair. When we took the time to secure it, it was smooth curling. Barrel Sizes: Available in 0.75-inch, 1-inch, 1.25-inch, 1.5-inch | Barrel Material: Tourmaline, ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes PHOTO: InStyle / Dana Fouchia PHOTO: InStyle / Dana Fouchia PHOTO: InStyle / Dana Fouchia Best Splurge Dyson Airwrap PHOTO: Ulta $600 at Nordstrom $600 at Ulta $599 at Sephora What We Love: This styling system is basically an entire salon’s worth of hot tools in one device.What We Don’t Love: Because this tool harnesses air to curl hair, it sometimes sucks up pieces of already-styled strands when trying to work on a new section. If you’re skeptical about spending so much money on a hot tool, believe us when we say that the Dyson Airwrap is worth the investment (and the hype). Unlike many other options, Dyson taps air instead of a heated surface to curl the hair, so we experienced zero heat damage, even when we used it several times a week on bonded hair extensions. With the Airwrap, we didn’t have to get super close to our scalp and risk the integrity of the bonds to get our extensions to support a curl. It’s also worth noting that we used the second-generation Airwrap, which comes with barrels that allow you to switch the airflow direction, ensuring all the curls are facing the right direction. Our curls held well, though, on finer hair, the larger barrel resulted in more of a bouncy blowout effect than a true curl. Pro-tip: Pin finished sections up to avoid its strong suction powers from sucking in pieces you’ve already styled. Barrel Sizes: Two sizes, 1.2-inch, 1.6-inch, and four other attachments are included | Barrel Material: Alloy | Automatic Shut-Off: No PHOTO: InStyle / Jessica Juliao PHOTO: InStyle / Jessica Juliao Best Rotating Drybar The 3-Day Bender Curling Iron PHOTO: Amazon $149 at Amazon $127 at Nordstrom $127 at Nordstrom What We Love: The manual curling feature made even wrapping super thick hair around the barrel a breeze. What We Don’t Love: The clamp can snag very fine hairs. Until we live in a fairytale world where little forest animals get us ready in the morning, the Drybar Rotating Curling Iron is our next best option. Sort of like the electric assist you get from an e-bike, the curling iron features a rotating base that allows you to manually twist from the bottom of the tool while your hair is clamped in the iron. We styled our hair quicker without having to twist the iron physically. And, since we could better control how loose or tight the curl was depending on how much we twisted the base, with some practice, we created way more looks than we could with our traditional irons. Even once our waves fell out, they still had structure and our hair looked voluminous all day. On top of this, it has a very wide temperature range, which it clearly displays on an LED screen near the base of the tool, making it customizable to all hair types. Barrel Size: 1.25-inch | Barrel Material: Ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes PHOTO: InStyle / Jhett Thompson PHOTO: InStyle / Jhett Thompson PHOTO: InStyle / Jhett Thompson Best for Thick Hair T3 Switch Kit Wave Trio PHOTO: T3 $300 $255 at Amazon $255 at Nordstrom $255 at Nordstrom What We Love: This interchangeable tool comes with three barrels, so it’s like three curling irons in one. What We Don’t Love: It is hard to safely change out the barrels when they’re hot if you want to create a look with different types of curls. This clever tool is perfect for cutting down on beauty bag bulk (the set comes with three interchangeable barrels for triple the looks) and is particularly excellent for curling thick hair—a single styling session gave us shampoo commercial-level bounce that lasted for days. Each attachment securely fastened into the base, thanks to a twistable locking mechanism, which doubled as a stand so the hot surface didn’t scorch our countertop. We also liked that this tool features universal voltage, making it travel friendly. Somehow, we always lose a few good strands to deadly clamps, but with the T3, our hair never got stuck. We also loved the huge variety of heat settings, so we didn’t have to settle for too-hot temps, which diffused evenly down the barrel (no fried ends!). It was also pretty light, and we managed to curl all the way around in 20 minutes. Barrel Sizes: Comes with 3 barrel attachments, 1-inch, 1.25-inch, and 1.5-inch | Barrel Material: Ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes InStyle / Alyssa Grabinski Best Wand L’Ange Hair Le Curl Curling Wand PHOTO: Amazon $69 $39 at Amazon View on Langehair.com $39 at Target What We Love: No instructions needed—this larger-barreled wand evenly distributes heat so you can quickly create full, voluminous curls. What We Don’t Love: A tapered design would allow us to create a wider variety of looks. Similar to the brand’s popular hot air brush, the L’Ange Le Curl Curling Wand is made for beginners or the lazier bunch (hi, that’s us!) who’d rather throw away the instruction booklet and dive right into styling. Seriously, with only one button, an auto-set temperature feature to 410 degrees, and no clamp, you don’t have to fuss with confusing attachments and settings. That’s not to say your looks will suffer for its more limited features—the titanium-coated barrel evenly distributes heat so each strand curls quicker and looks fully defined after a few seconds. However, one downside to any curling wand is you’re a little more limited in the looks you can create, especially since this one doesn’t have a tapered design that would’ve allowed us to create tight and loose curls. And, although there’s no protective cooling tip at the top, the curling wand includes a little glove to keep fingertips safe. Barrel Sizes: Available in 1-inch, 1.25-inch | Barrel Material: Titanium | Automatic Shut-Off: No Best for Damaged Hair Shark FlexStyle Air Styling and Drying System PHOTO: Amazon $329 at Amazon $300 at Nordstrom $300 at Ulta What We Love: This device from Shark offers similar technology to the Dyson, along with unique attachment options to choose from, at half the price.What We Don’t Love: There are barrels for both left- and right-facing curls, so you’ll have to switch them out as you work. Although the Shark looked intimidating, we got the hang of it quickly and were styling our hair like pros within minutes. In this choose-your-own-adventure, hairstyling edition, you’re free to select three attachments (out of eight total options), which include two curling barrel sizes, a variety of brushes, a concentrator, a comb, and even a diffuser. While the tool does heat up, it never reaches a temperature that scorches our hair or scalp, instead producing a lasting curl that requires few, if any, touch-ups. We never mastered a tight ringlet; we’d compare our final look to model off-duty beach waves, which is perfectly fine by us. Despite how easy the Shark was to operate, it was a bit annoying having to switch out barrels to change the direction of our curl, but at least Shark clearly distinguishes between the two—there is a very clear “L” and “R” on the corresponding attachments. Barrel Sizes: Comes with two barrel attachments, 0.59-inch and 1.25-inch | Barrel Material: Not applicable, uses air | Automatic Shut-Off: No InStyle / Tamara Staples Best for Fine Hair Tymo 3-in-1 Interchangeable Curling Iron PHOTO: TYMO $60 at Amazon $80 at Tymobeauty.com $70 $60 at Target What We Love: This is the most affordable and interchangeable curling iron on our list.What We Don’t Love: The power button and temperature controls are awkwardly placed. We had almost given up curling our fine hair, accepting that our hair would always just slide out of the clamp looking like a wet noodle. That all changed when we tested this hero tool. Though it’s pretty budget-friendly, it has pricier features, including three detachable barrels in different sizes, an LED temperature screen, and accessories, like a protective glove, hair clips, and storage bag. The smooth barrels and an unfussy clamp (with a comfortable grip) allowed our curls to gently slide off the smooth ceramic after each twist. Our finished look actually lasted four days with this tool—a downright miracle for our hair. We attribute the longevity in part to the helpful temperature guide, which taught us that we’ve been curling our hair with too much heat. Barrel Sizes: Available in 0.5-inch, 1-inch, 1.5-inch | Barrel Material: Ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes PHOTO: InStyle / Emma Phelps PHOTO: InStyle / Emma Phelps PHOTO: InStyle / Emma Phelps Best for Beginners Ghd Soft Curl Curling Iron PHOTO: Sephora $209 $156 at Amazon $209 at Nordstrom $209 at Ulta What We Love: This is the lightest curling iron we’ve ever held, making it very comfortable to use during long styling sessions.What We Don’t Love: There is only one heat setting, which may not work for all hair types. Even though this tool is a premium and well-made device, it's the lightest we’ve ever tried, making it a breeze to hold as it works to give hair a lasting curl with minimal frizz. With only one heat setting (365 degrees), it was sometimes a little too hot for very fine hair, the heat zapped too much moisture from our strands and left our hair steaming after just a few seconds. However, we didn’t encounter any issues with thicker hair and when used on type 2 and 4 textures, our curls maintained their shape for days. Temperature aside, we liked the clamp’s nice, strong grip that didn’t yank at our hair, but kept it firmly in place as we styled, while the barrel was smooth enough to slide our finished curls right off. As a bonus, if you travel frequently, you’ll enjoy the universal voltage (no frying your hot tool on vacation!) and the automatic sleep mode, which kicks in after 30 minutes. Barrel Size: 1.5-inch | Barrel Material: Ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes Best for Beach Waves InStyler Cerasilk Curling Iron PHOTO: InStyler $125 at Instyler.com What We Love: The ultra-long barrel is perfect for creating loose, mermaid-like waves.What We Don’t Love: This doesn’t have a clamp, which is terrific for making waves, but requires a bit of a learning curve. When creating beach waves, we find it’s easiest to achieve that look when using a long-barreled curling wand without a clamp to avoid harsh angles, and we loved wrapping our hair along this copper ceramic barrel to create elongated curls that even a mermaid would envy. That said, the tip of this styling tool features a unique “feeder” grip tip that allows for easy one-handed styling, so if you prefer a clamp, you do have options. The barrel of this curling wand features a special coating that allows heat to pass through without allowing hair to touch the heat source directly, cutting way down on potential damage. Even our fine hair, which never held a curl for more than two minutes, met its match with this curling wand—our waves lasted much longer than they did with any other hot tool. For many people, using a clamp-free curling wand is a far easier process than a traditional curling iron because you simply twist your hair around the barrel without worrying about clamp tension, and we definitely found that to be true with this straightforward, no-nonsense iron, and we had a lot of fun customizing our curls, bouncing between soft waves, tight ringlets, and everything in between, depending on our mood that day. Barrel Size: 1-inch | Barrel Material: Ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes PHOTO: InStyle / Courtney Thompson PHOTO: InStyle / Courtney Thompson Best for Long Hair Bio Ionic Long Barrel Curling Iron PHOTO: Amazon $149 at Amazon $149 at Nordstrom $149 at Ulta What We Love: The length of this barrel made it easy to style the back of our heads—a notoriously tricky spot to reach.What We Don’t Love: This hot tool didn’t provide a strong-holding curl on thicker hair. With a barrel that’s two inches longer than the average curling iron, this iron is an excellent choice for those with long hair. We just kept wrapping our waist-length strands around the barrel until we reached the end, allowing us to curl our hair in one go. We bet even those looking for a curling iron for shorter hair will find the barrel length helpful to grab the hard-to-reach pieces in the back. One small but mighty detail we loved was the generously-sized cool tip at the end of the barrel, so we could control the iron without burning our fingers. We crafted loose, beachy waves without much effort or brushing out our hair thanks to the natural-looking waves it produced. Except for the very thick hair we tested the curling iron in, for the most part, our finished look maintained shape throughout the day. Although when we tested it on thick hair, we found that our style didn’t last as long and required frequent touch-ups. With that in mind, it may not be the best pick for thick or heavy hair, but it was brilliant with fine to medium strands. Barrel Sizes: Available in 1-inch, 1.25-inch, 1.5-inch | Barrel Material: Ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: Yes PHOTO: InStyle / Jhett Thompson PHOTO: InStyle / Mary O'Boyle PHOTO: InStyle / Jhett Thompson Best for Short Hair BaBylissPro Nano Titanium Curling Iron PHOTO: Amazon $60 at Amazon $60 at Ulta $80 at Sephora What We Love: This tool’s clamp never left hard lines or crimps in our curls.What We Don’t Love: The temperature gauge isn't very straightforward. When curling short hair, you have limited real estate to get the perfect ringlet, and irons with long barrels aren’t the easiest to maneuver. But because this BaByliss tool has a short wand and a gentle, yet effective clamp, it was super simple for us to form smooth, glorious curls, leaving our shoulder-length hair free of any harsh bends or creases that we sometimes get from other irons. Out of the four barrel sizes available, we tested the 0.75-inch, which took us longer since a smaller barrel meant we had to curl our hair in smaller sections. Despite our grumbling, that extra time was worth the effort: Firm, stunning curls with kangaroo levels of bounce. With a quick finger comb and light brushing, along with a spritz of hairspray, the style slayed all day and night. We even rocked the wavy remnants the next day. The only downside of this tool is the temperature gauge—there are almost too many options to choose from and we’re still not exactly sure what some of the settings do (we’re talking to you, Boost mode). Barrel Sizes: Available in 0.75-inch, 1-inch, 1.25-inch, 1.5-inch | Barrel Material: Titanium, ceramic | Automatic Shut-Off: No InStyle / Rachel Marek What to Keep in Mind Hair Type: When selecting a curling iron, you’ll want to consider the qualities of your hair itself, not just the length, which may benefit from an extra-long curling rod. If you have ultrafine or damaged hair, you will want to select a curling iron that offers a low styling temperature. “Excessive heat will damage the cuticle further,” warns New York-based hairstylist Alwyn DiGregorio. “Lower temps with smaller sections will work just as well as higher temps and bigger sections.” For hair that falls into this category, aim for a temperature of 350 degrees or below.Thicker or coarse hair can withstand more heat—New York City-based hairstylist Vennela Chamarti uses medium to high heat settings (around 375 degrees or above) for this type. This goes for super healthy hair, too. “Often, very silky and healthy hair doesn’t hold a curl as well, and therefore needs more heat,” she says.Arkive founder Adam Reed prefers using one flat temperature for all hair, regardless of its texture or type—365 degrees, which he says is the best universal styling temperature. “365 degrees is the most respectful temperature to any hair type,” he says. “It’ll warm any hair type enough to mold it into the curl you want—if you go above that you risk higher damage, and if you go below that the curls will fall.” Clamp: There are traditionally three types of curling iron clamps: A marcel curling iron, a spring curling iron, and a curling wand. “For more traditional curls, I recommend using a marcel curling iron. The marcel iron’s manual clamp allows for more control and precision to create uniform curls with defined edges,” says Fitzsimons. On the other hand, if you want beach waves, he suggests a curling wand. “The absence of a clamp on a curling wand allows for more freedom and versatility in styling, resulting in effortless, natural-looking and tousled beachy waves,” says Fitzsimons. Barrel Size: Perhaps the most daunting aspect of selecting a curling iron is navigating all of the barrel sizes. The larger the barrel, the looser your curl will be, so if you want a faux blowout effect or a beachy wave, look for a thick barrel. DiGregorio recommends keeping your hair length under consideration, too. She uses 1-inch barrels for above-the-shoulder-length hair, 1.25-inch to 1.5-inch barrels for medium-length hair, and 2-inch barrels for hair lower than a bra hook. However, if your hair stubbornly refuses to hold a curl at all, DiGregorio recommends taking smaller sections and using a slightly smaller barrel size, around like the 0.75-inches. “Be mindful that each hair section can easily wrap around the iron with a little room to spare,” she says. “This enables the heat to reach every hair in the section.”Ultimately, your hair type plays no role in what barrel size you should pick, just in how you style: “If you have thicker hair, use smaller sections on your hair; if you have thinner hair, you can use larger sections,” explains Reed. Barrel Material: You’ll really only see three kinds of materials when it comes to curling iron barrels: Ceramic, tourmaline, and titanium. If you have coarse hair that is heat resistant, titanium is the way to go. “It’s a natural metal that heats up very fast and will help the heat penetrate fully through the hair,” says DiGregorio, who adds that it’s also a lightweight material to hold. Ceramic and tourmaline tools are a bit gentler on the hair as they don’t get quite as hot. DiGregorio likes ceramic, as she finds they create the most even heat throughout the iron. If you have an issue with the smoothness of your hair, check out a tourmaline tool. “Tourmaline is a crystal mineral that emits negative ions to counteract positive ions, which helps keep moisture and shine,” says DiGregorio. Frequently Asked Questions What's the best way to use a curling iron? Depending on your desired look, you can create a tighter curl by using your iron just off the scalp. Meanwhile, you’ll achieve a looser style if you skip the root and start wrapping your hair about a third of the way down the shaft. “Holding the curl horizontally will make the curl fuller, vertically will provide a more relaxed look,” adds DiGregorio. If you’re going for a beach wave or modern vibe, Reed loves to curl hair in different directions to prevent uniformity or an overdone look. “If you’re looking for classic curls, keep the iron going in one direction,” he says.The most important thing to do when styling your hair with a curling iron is to keep things moving to avoid heat damage. “Do not leave the iron on your hair for too long,” warns Reed. “If I’m doing a wave or a curl, I’m always moving the tool underneath the hair to evenly distribute the heat and make sure one section isn’t being overheated.” Charmarti also says to let your hair cool down completely after styling. Pinning your curls up (with rollers or clips) for at least 20 minutes will help them set. What's the difference between a curling iron and a curling wand? The only true difference between curling irons and wands is that an iron has a clamp to hold your hair in place while you style. You’ll also find that wands come in more shapes than curling irons do, such as conical and bubble, says DiGregorio. The one-two punch of a unique shape, plus a lack of clamp makes it simpler to achieve beachy waves or undone look—putting less tension on the hair with your fingers will make for a looser curl. Curling irons will often result in a cleaner and tighter curl. How can I protect my hair from heat damage? When it comes to heat damage, prevention is better than a cure. “If you know that you use a lot of heat on your hair, make sure a hair oil and a hair mask are a regular part of your hair routine,” says Reed.Whatever you do, don’t take any kind of hot tool to your hair without priming your hair with a high-quality heat protectant first. Consider a cream styler for dry or damaged hair, or a leave-in spray if you prefer a more lightweight formula. Why Shop With Us Irene Richardson is a beauty and fashion writer on the InStyle evergreen team. For this article, she interviewed celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimmons to gain further insight into the top qualities to look for in a curling iron. Additionally, she delved into insights from the InStyle testing team to include several more standout options you should consider adding to your arsenal. Emily Orofino is a beauty writer, editor, and consultant with more than a decade of experience in the industry. She has stubbornly straight hair that refuses to hold a curl without aggressive amounts of product but has found success in using tools from Dyson, Sarah Potempa, and Conair. For this piece, she carefully sifted through the research performed by the InStyle testing team who rigorously tested multiple curling irons to narrow it down to the best devices. She also tapped three stylists who shared their insights into curling irons and how to get the best curl out of your hot tool: Adam Reed is a celebrity stylist and the founder of Arkive Headcare. Vennela Chamarti cuts and styles hair at the famed Blandi Salon on 5th at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.Alwyn DiGregorrio is a colorist, stylist, and senior educator for Schwarzkopf Professional and Alterna Haircare.