If you have very coarse or thick hair, then you know how difficult it can be to find a flat iron that quickly and effectively will straighten your thick hair without burning it to a crisp.
Some models are so ineffective that they don’t feel like they’re even doing anything, and others are so hardcore that they singe or even burn your hair.
Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up a collection of our favorite best flat irons for thick hair. These powerful, yet gentle irons will give your hair the straight, sleek look you’ve always wanted while still keeping it soft, healthy, and touchable.
We’ve also included a buying guide that answers all your straightening iron questions!
Best Flat Iron for Thick Hair Reviews
1. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Ultra-Thin flat Iron [Best Choice]
If you’re on the market for a new, powerful straightening iron that’ll get the job done quickly and easily, look no further than the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium-Plated Ultra-Thin Straightening Iron!
This super light, super versatile straightening iron is designed specifically to work best for people with short to medium-length hair.
Titanium and Ceramic Technology
The plates of this straightening iron are coated with a thin layer of titanium, which helps them heat evenly, maintain their proper temperature, and resist corrosion. Combine that with the iron’s ceramic heating technology, and you’ve got a straightener that can handle anything your hair has to offer!
Petite Size
This ultra-thin straightening iron measures only 1 inch across, which makes it the perfect tool to quickly and effectively straighten short to medium-length hair. It’s lightweight, easily maneuverable, and, due to its petite size, very easily portable as well!
Various Range of Heat Settings
This straightening iron features different heat settings that range all the way up to 450°F. That means that no matter how thin, thick, wavy, or curly your hair is, this flat iron has a setting that’ll make it silky, smooth, straight, and manageable in no time!
Perfect for Short to Medium Hair
This straightener has earned rave reviews for its efficiency and ease of use. If you have a pixie cut, a bob, or any other type of short to medium-length hairstyle, this straightener is the perfect tool to give you smooth, silky, straight hair in absolutely no time!
2. CHI G2 Ceramic and Titanium Hairstyling Iron, 1.25 Inch
This convenient, award-winning straightening iron features ceramic and titanium technology to create the fastest, easiest, and least damaging heat styling experience possible. Plus, it features a digital display and an ergonomically friendly design, making it even easier to use!
Color-Coded Heating System
This straightening iron can reach temperatures anywhere between room temperature and 425°F. Plus, its intuitive color-coding system helps you figure out which temperature is best for you. If you have fine or brittle hair, use the blue temperature. If you have medium or wavy hair, use the green temperature. Finally, if you have thick or coarse hair, use the red temperature!
Super Versatile
In addition, to quickly and easily straighten your entire head of hair, this versatile straightening iron can also be used to give yourself curly and wavy hairstyles, as well as to create “flips” at the end of your hair for a trendy, retro-inspired look!
Comes With a Thermal Mat
With each package, you’ll receive a 1.25-inch CHI G2 Ceramic and Titanium Hairstyling iron, as well as a convenient red thermal mat that allows you to safely rest your heated iron on any flat surface without worrying about burning your countertops or tables!
Works on All Hair Types
This straightener works incredibly well for all types of hair, from thin to thick and from short to long. It heats very quickly, reaching your intended temperature in under a minute, which means that you can straighten your entire head of hair in record time and get out the door faster!
3. KIPOZI Professional Titanium Flat Iron Hair Straightener with Digital LCD Display, 1.75 Inch Wide
This powerful, effective straightening iron is perfect for people with long, thick hair. It features titanium floating plates, which distribute and maintain heat as evenly as possible, leaving you with shiny, soft, and smooth results!
Powerful and Seamless
This straightening iron can reach temperatures up to 450°F, making it powerful enough to stand up to even the longest, thickest, and coarsest of curly hair. Plus, the rounded edges of the iron’s clamps help it move seamlessly through your hair.
Easy Temperature Settings
This iron also comes with preset temperature settings for a variety of hair types, including fragile hair, damaged or colored hair, and thick, healthy hair. Just press the “P” button to switch between temperature settings to find your perfect straightening temperature!
Useful Safety Features
You won’t ever have to worry about accidentally leaving your straightening iron plugged in anymore since this model features a timed temperature safeguard. After 60 minutes of disuse, this iron automatically shuts itself off, preventing you from inadvertently creating a safety hazard!
Great for Thick Hair
This straightening iron is especially perfect for people with very thick, very long, or very curly hair. It works extremely quickly due to its relatively thick width, and is powerful enough to keep your hair straight all day long without frizzing up or becoming wavy halfway through the afternoon!
4. Professional Hair Straightener, Flat Iron for Hair Styling: 2 in 1 Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron
This sleek, professional-grade styling iron is designed to revolutionize your heat styling routine. It can work as both a straightener and a curler, doubling its utility and eliminating the need to buy both a flat iron and a curling iron!
Unique Round Design
This styling iron has a unique round design that prevents it from snagging on your hair. That way, it can quickly, smoothly, and easily straighten your entire head of hair without causing unnecessary tangles or interruptions.
Swivel to Your Perfect Temperature
Instead of pushing a button to reach your desired styling temperature, all you need to do is swivel the base of the styling iron until the pointer reaches the temperature you want! These innovative design features make this iron sleeker and smoother than almost any other model!
Travel-Friendly
This styling iron is also super travel-friendly. It features dual voltage, meaning that it can be used anywhere in the world. Its safety lock keeps it closed for easy storage in your luggage or handbag, and its extra-long 360° swivel cord means that you can easily and comfortably use it anywhere you go!
Straightens Hair in One Pass
This styling iron promises to straighten even the coarsest, most coiled of hair in just one pass. Even if your hair is very naturally thick and curly, this iron won’t snag or get stuck in your hair, and because it works with just one pass, it minimizes heat damage and leaves your hair smooth, soft, and healthy!
5. HSI Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron
This salon-quality straightening iron features ceramic and tourmaline technology to quickly and easily straighten your hair while also protecting it from heat damage. Plus, its floating plates allow you to straighten, curl, or flip your hair, all with the same tool!
Tourmaline Ceramic Plates
This straightening iron features tourmaline ceramic plates, which generate negative ions that penetrate through the outer cuticles of your hair, leaving your hair smooth, soft, silky, shiny, and free of frizz or static in addition to being nice and straight!
Heat Balance Technology
This straightening iron also features 8 micro-sensors with Heat Balance technology, which carefully monitors the temperature of the tourmaline ceramic plates. Plus, it ensures the heat gets evenly distributed throughout your hair, creating the fastest and easiest straightening experience!
Amazing Add-Ons
In addition to a powerful, yet gentle Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron, you’ll also receive a heat-resistant styling glove, a convenient carrying pouch, and a travel-sized argan oil leave-in hair treatment, which nourishes your hair with vitamins A, B, C, and D!
Great for Short or Medium Hair
Because it measures 1 inch across, this flat iron will work exceptionally well for people with short to medium-length hair. If your hair length falls within that range, this flat iron will be perfect for you, regardless if your hair texture is lightly wavy or coarse and coiled. It’s powerful and effective, but still gentle!
6. BaBylissPRO Porcelain Ceramic Straightening Iron
This petite, portable straightening iron features porcelain ceramic plate technology to create the straightest, smoothest, and sleekest results without causing heat damage to your precious hair.
Far-Infrared Technology
This straightening iron’s porcelain ceramic plates emit far-infrared heat, which is especially gentle on thin, fine, fragile, brittle, or damaged hair. If other straightening irons are too harsh for your hair, this iron will still get the job done quickly without causing further heat damage!
Ceramic Plates
Additionally, this straightening iron features a rheostat dial that allows you to adjust the temperature all the way up to 450° F. Plus; its ceramic plate technology allows the iron to heat up to your desired temperature almost instantly, making this iron an excellent option for busy people short on time!
Extra Long Plates
Although this straightening iron is relatively thin in width, measuring in at 1 inch across, its plates are significantly longer than the average straightening iron. This additional length helps it straighten your hair more quickly and easily than other models!
Super Fast and Easy
This straightening iron is the perfect option for people with short to medium-length hair who need to straighten their hair as quickly as possible during their everyday morning routines. It works quickly and efficiently, but also gently, making it the perfect option for people short on time!
7. LumaBella Keratin Hair Straightener
This straightening iron is unique because its ceramic plates are infused with keratin micro-conditioners, which work hard to prevent heat damage and keep your hair silky, soft, and conditioned in addition to straightened!
Intuitive Heat Technology
If you have trouble picking a safe temperature that’ll effectively straighten your hair without causing heat damage, this straightener is perfect for you! It’s intuitive technology senses when you’re using too much heat and will automatically adjust itself to a safer temperature for your hair, reducing heat damage by up to 50%!
5 Heat Settings
This iron features 5 heat settings that range from 300°F all the way to 450°F. The lower temperatures work better for shorter, finer, or brittle hair, whereas the higher temperatures work better for thicker or curlier hair. No matter your hair texture, type, or length, you’re sure to find a temperature that’ll work perfectly for you!
Comes with Storage Cover
In addition to receiving a keratin-infused ceramic hair straightener with your purchase, you’ll also receive a super convenient rubber storage cover, which keeps your straightening iron nice and clean when not in use, and is also great for travel!
Great for Frizzy Hair
This straightening iron is beloved by people who live in humid environments. Even if you have very curly or frizzy hair, this straightening iron will do an excellent job of keeping your hair smooth, sleek, and soft all day long.
8. Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Smooth+ Flat Iron
This professional-quality straightening iron works quickly and efficiently to give you soft, smooth, and straight results that last all day long. Paul Mitchell products are beloved by professional hairstylists all around the world for their value and effectiveness. Now you can achieve salon-quality results at home!
Express Ion Complex
This straightening iron features ceramic plates and an Express Ion Complex, which release negative ions into your hair. These negative ions seal off your hair cuticle, minimizing heat damage and ensuring that your finished results are soft, sleek, smooth, and healthy!
Creaseless
In addition to ceramic and ionic technology, this straightening iron features a design with slim, beveled plates. If you’re frustrated by other straightening irons’ tendency to leave creases or lines of demarcation in your hair, this straightening iron will never give you that problem!
Auto Shut-Off Safeguard
This straightening iron has an automatic shut-off safeguard that kicks in after one hour of disuse to ensure that your home or hotel room stays safe. Plus, the iron is designed with dual voltage, so you can take it with you and use it anywhere in the world!
Smooth, Shiny Results
This straightening iron does an excellent job of creating smooth, shiny, static-free results, even on people with naturally frizzy or staticky hair. Plus, the digital temperature display tells you exactly what temperature the plates have reached, allowing you to fine-tune your straightening experience!
9. HAI Classic Convertible Professional Flat Iron
This reliable ceramic straightening iron boasts the ability to straighten any length or texture of hair in just one pass, making it one of the fastest and most efficient hair straighteners on the market!
Ceramic Technology
This straightening iron features ceramic technology, which means that the plates heat up extremely quickly; and return to room temperature after being unplugged just as easily. Also, ceramic technology creates the best heat distribution, ensuring that your hair gets straightened quickly and evenly.
Wide Temperature Range
This straightening iron has a heating capacity that ranges from 250°F all the way to 410°F, which makes it versatile enough to work amazingly well on literally any hair type, texture, or length. No matter whether your hair is thin and brittle or coarse and curly, this straightener will get the job done!
Ergonomically Friendly
This straightening iron also features an ergonomically friendly handle, which makes it easier than ever to operate this iron at any angle. You can use it to straighten, curl, and flip your hair with ease!
Get Soft, Smooth, Straight Hair
You’ll be amazed at how smoothly this straightening iron works through your hair. From our experience, your hair will feel silky and soft once you’ve finished straightening it! Even if your hair is very frizzy, coarse, or curly, this iron will make it feel as soft and smooth as satin!
What Is the Best Flat Iron for Thick Hair?
If you have thick, coarse, short to medium-length hair, the BaBylissPRO NanoUltra-Thin flat iron is the perfect option for you! Its titanium-coated plates heat up quickly and evenly, smoothly working through your hair to create silky straightness, no matter how thick or coarse your hair is.
Plus, its petite 1-inch size makes it perfect to take with you on the go in your purse or suitcase. It also comes with different heat settings, so no matter what hair type, you’re sure to find the perfect heat setting for you!
Is Ceramic Better for Your Hair?
Straightening irons with ceramic plates are undoubtedly the best at-home flat iron option for thick, coarse, curly, or coiled hair.
Ceramic plates are highly valued in the haircare industry for their ability to generate and distribute heat evenly. This significantly decreases the likelihood of singeing or burning your hair. Additionally, Ceramic plates also create the smoothest, sleekest, and straightest results.
If at all possible, look for a model with 100% ceramic plates, not metal plates with a ceramic coating, so that you guarantee yourself the best quality and results.
How to Straighten Thick Hair with a Flat Iron?
- To guarantee the best results, wash and towel dry your hair first. Your flat iron will work best on completely air-dried or slightly damp hair.
- Make sure you apply a light layer of heat protectant spray, cream, or oil to your hair before using any heat tool. This acts as an added layer of protection from heat damage.
- Plug your flat iron in and turn it on. Because your hair is quite thick or coarse, you’re going to want to set it to a relatively high temperature. Start at 350°F, and if it isn’t hot enough, keep increasing the temperature by 10°F increments.
- Before beginning to straighten your hair, make sure the iron is completely heated. Then, divide your hair into small sections. The thicker your hair, the more sections you’re going to need to create.
- You’re going to want to start straightening your hair from the innermost sections. Glide your iron starting about a half-inch away from your roots down to the ends of your hair. Make sure your iron doesn’t linger in any one spot; this can burn your hair.
- Once you’ve finished the bottom, innermost sections, unclip the outer top sections of your hair, and straighten them too, using the same fluid gliding motion.
Related:
5 Things to Consider When Buying a Flat Iron
1. What kind of plates does it have?
Some of the most common types of plates are ceramic, titanium, and tourmaline. Ceramic plates are well-known for their even heat distribution. Titanium plates are most common in professional-grade flat irons, due to their extreme power. Tourmaline plates are famous for their negative ionic abilities, which keep your hair looking smooth, shiny, and frizz-free. Do your research to figure out what kind of flat iron plate is best for you!
2. How many heat settings does it have?
The more heat settings a flat iron has, the more versatile it is. If your hair is very thin, fine, or damaged, you’ll need a flat iron with lower settings, ranging from 270°F to 300°F. If your hair is thick, coarse, or curly, you’ll need a flat iron with hotter settings, ranging from 400°F to 450°F.
3. What size is it?
Different plate sizes will be better for different lengths and styles of hair. Smaller plates that measure 1 inch or less are best for people with short to medium-length hair. They’re also perfect for creating waves and curls in your hair. Plates between 1 inch and 2 inches are ideal for thick, coarse, or coiled hair. Finally, plates that measure 2 inches or above are great for people with long hair.
4. Does it have dual voltage?
If you travel internationally very often, you’re going to want to make sure your flat iron has dual voltage. This means that these appliances will work with the voltage in all continents, not just the United States. Of course, you’re still going to need an adapter to plug it in!
5. How often are you going to use it?
If you only want a flat iron for special occasions, you don’t necessarily need to shell out more than $100 for a super fancy flat iron with lots of add-ons. If you’re a hairstylist or you’re planning on using your flat iron every single day, you’re going to want to invest the money in a heavy-duty flat iron that can stand up to everyday use.
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