Are Expensive Hair Straighteners Worth the Money?
Posted: Saturday, May 13, 2006
by Paul Hockney
The increase in usage of hair straighteners (flat irons, hair
irons) has meant that we now have an ever growing selection of
straighteners to choose from. However, it seems that more and
more of them are becoming increasingly expensive and this
article goes some way in exploring what you are getting for your
money and more importantly are they worth the high price tag?
with the cheapest one around $10 and the most expensive ones
close to $200. Given such a price range it is clear that there
is likely to be a significant difference in both quality and
performance of these irons. The best way to establish the
difference is to first look at the features of the cheapest,
most expensive and one from the mid-price range to see if there
are any clues to what extra features, if any, you are paying for,
The following are some typical features found on hair
straighteners in varying price ranges:
Cheapest ($10-$40)
- Two heat settings: Low for fine, easy-to-style hair and High for hard-to-style hair.
- Goldtone plates.
- Power indicator light
- Ideal for smoothing and straightening curly hair.
- 3/4 inch plates
Mid-range ($40-$80)
- Sapphire ceramic plates are unmatched for equal heat distribution.
- New Infra Red Heat technology seals in hair's moisture and luster.
- Faster heat-up time than conventional coil straightening irons
- Variable temperature settings (140ºF - 410ºF, 60°C - 200°C) for all hair types
- 3/4 - 1.5 inch plates.
Most expensive ($80-$200+)
- Scratch-resistant, durable ceramic or Tourmaline plates.
- 1 - 2 inch plates
- Far-infrared heat and negative ion by tourmaline renew the vitality of your hair: seals the cuticle and eliminates frizz.
- Variable temperature settings
Based on my research there are a number of conclusions to draw
about each of the price ranges.
The cheaper flat irons tend to have a smaller plate width, do
not have ceramic or Tourmaline plates (which give much better
results) and they don't have fine temperature controls i.e. they
typically a number of preset temperatures for different hair
types. These flat irons tended to be geared towards occasional
use and for finer hair rather than for thick or curly hair. They
have a shorter life, especially if used every day.
Mid-range flat irons tend to use Ceramic or Tourmaline plates,
which were on average at least 1.25 inches in width. Obviously
the wider the plates the quicker and easier it will be to
straighten your hair. Models in this range can handle all hair
types and are made by some of the better-known makers. They also
have much better temperature controls which go up to as high as
200°C which is needed for really difficult curly, coarse hair.
The most expensive straighteners were also made using Ceramic
plates and more of them did use Tourmaline, which gives even
smoother results than ceramic. The plate width on average tends
to be wider and the overall constructional quality just that
little bit better. The most expensive model, $195, researched is
made by one of the top makers and comes highly recommended by
the hair industry. It is exceptionally well made, having seen
one at my local stylists, but I also suspect just the name alone
will add $10-$20 dollars on the price tag.
Overall it all comes down to how much you can afford to spend
but I would strongly recommend that you save up the dollars and
go for something in the $80-$130 price range. Within this range
you will get all the key features you should have in a good flat
iron: fine temperature control for different hair types, heats
up quickly, fits well in your hand, and has a plate width of at
least 1 inch. You will also get a well-made straightener, which
will still work for in years to come.
About the Author
A self confessed hair straightener fan Andrea Simpson has a website devoted to the Sedu Hair Iron and and other high performance hair irons. Visit her website A1 Hair Straighteners to read reviews, articles, picture galleries
and much more.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)i love it i have an 200 dollar chi and is great so thanxz
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