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The type of curling iron you purchase will depend on how you want your hair to look. Below, we gathered expert-recommended curling irons, as well as NBC Select staff favorites that we have tried ourselves, as well as highly rated options that align with our experts’ guidance. Our beauty experts evaluated over 103 test measurements and 836 survey answers to find the top curlers for all hair types. This luxury hair tool can be used on all hair types but works best on longer lengths. Ultimately, though, “a curling iron versus a curling wand is a personal preference — some people just like one more than the other,” says Reed. 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.
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During our test, we found that this tool created long-lasting curls best for longer hair. Not to rule it out for shorter to medium-length hair, but for our testers who didn’t have longer strands, they reported the barrel was a pretty big adjustment and that it felt tricky to maneuver. Though it wasn’t ideal for creating tight or ultra-defined curls—it’s better for a looser, more beachy look.
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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. Aside from the tool’s rotating abilities, this iron also has other impressive features, including its 1.2-inch ceramic barrel that helps to reduce frizz and add shine. Additionally, it has a nine-foot swivel cord, as well as a feature that shuts it down after one hour of use.
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Keep in mind the shorter barrel is best-suited for short hair, though it'll work on any length with a bit more effort. For a tool your stylist would use during your routine blowout appointment, consider the Drybar The Wrap Party Styling Wand. Not only does the professional wand feature a no-slip barrel, but it also uses technology to reduce frizz and boost shine. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
Dyson Airwrap
This curling wand has a half-inch barrel, which is one of the tiniest you can find on the market. That makes it perfect for defining natural curls, or for giving yourself a full head of tiny spirals. The tool wraps hair in both directions—left and right or towards and away from the face—you just twist the top of the attachment to adjust it. Unlike the other tools on this list, the Dyson doesn’t have a clamp but rather relies on suction to wrap the hair around the tool.
Those with long hair know the struggle of trying to fit the entire length of your strands onto a standard curling iron—it’s awkward and it often creates funky-looking results. We were so impressed by this tool that’s two inches longer than the average curling iron because it makes wrapping your hair around the barrel in one shot super easy. It features a clamp that secures the hair just right without creating unflattering creases, and it also has six heat settings to suit different hair types.
When creating beach waves, we find it’s easiest to achieve that look when using a long-barreled curling wand without a clamp, and this tool from InStyler fits the bill. Thanks to the clamp-free design, we were able to loosely wrap our hair along the barrel, creating 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. It’s rare to find a curling iron that delivers a solid curl across all hair textures regardless of the size of the barrel, but this one from Hot Tools did just that. We tried three different sized barrels — 0.75-inch, 1.25-inch, and 1.5-inch — and we found that each one delivered on their 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.
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We couldn’t have a list of the best rotating curling irons without this innovative device. Compared to other tools on our list, this one uses very little heat to curl hair, which means your strands are at less risk of being exposed to heat damage. (This ultimately means less breakage, frizz, and dryness.) Despite the lack of heat, curls maintain shape because Dyson uses what’s called the Coanda Effect.
Some people may prefer a wand, while others may prefer a traditional curling iron with a clamp. “Being able to curl your hair in a way that’s comfortable and doesn’t strain your arms will yield better results and less damage,” says Chamarti (that includes avoiding burning yourself!). If you’re new to using a curling iron, you might find yourself getting tired while styling — they’re often so heavy that you end up getting a vigorous arm workout along with a head full of curls. Although the Shark looked intimidating, we got the hang of it quickly and were styling our hair like pros within minutes. While the tool does heat up, it never reached a temperature that scorched our hair or scalp, instead producing a lasting curl that required few, if any, touch-ups. We were never able to master a tight ringlet; we’d compare our final look as model off-duty beach waves, which is perfectly fine by us.
Our tester admits that the motion was really instinctual for her because of her familiarity with the Dyson; those that aren’t as experienced may need to practice a bit. Choose a curling iron that allows you regulate its temperature, as opposed to one with a simple on/off switch, says Foster. This is important because your hair density helps determine the appropriate temperature setting, according to Jagling. In terms of options, there are small barrels for tighter curls, large barrels for looser ones, and tapered, clipless, motorized, and interchangeable wands for just about any curl in between.
And despite the wand being significantly longer than the average curling iron, it remains lightweight. If you’ve got long hair and you find that standard curling irons aren’t ideal for your lengths, we highly suggest checking this one out. If you’re looking to create a variety of curls, this tool that comes with three different-sized barrels is perfect for you.
Choose between a slew of stylers including a handful of brushes (complete with round, oval, and paddle options), as well as a curl diffuser, style concentrator, and wide-tooth comb. Plus, you can also choose two auto-wrap curlers, which are our personal favorites. These automatic curling irons are easy to use and creates bouncy, voluminous styles. Using ion technology, with a sleek design and comfortable heat settings, this curling iron can eliminate frizz, leaving you with curled, sleek hair. This three-barreled curling iron makes it easy to get that beachy, wavy look we’re all searching for. According to our experts, barrel size depends on the type of curl you want to achieve.
It runs on a chargeable battery—so when it’s not in use, you just plug it in and let it charge back up. Both of the testers who tried this one in the lab agreed that reading the directions was necessary to understand how to use it. But, once you get the hang of it, the tool produces “perfect ringlets” every time.
Made with a titanium barrel, this curling iron releases negative ions that penetrate the hair, nourishing it from the inside out. These negative ions also seal hair follicles and lock in moisture, ultimately taming and lessening frizz. Aside from the fact that it dramatically reduces static and frizz, we also love that the iron has a handful of great features that make it ideal for anyone to use, from beginners to pros. The only thing we will point out is that this device comes with two different curling barrels that can only curl hair in one direction (one curls hair to the left and the other curls hair to the right). This means you will have to swap out the barrel if you want to switch the direction of your curls. However, it’s really easy to change between attachments, so this shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.
Those with color-treated hair should look to the GHD Classic Curl—a model designed to intensify hair color and create curls that last. The ceramic iron uses the brand’s Tri-zone technology which celebrity hairstylist Graham Nation says “makes the hair easy to manipulate without overheating the hair” and maintains it across the entire barrel. (Plus, no extreme heat!) This was also pro hairstylist Clayton Hawkins’s pick to create romantic Botticelli-inspired waves on Maddie Ziegler in their installment of Hairdos.
