Best Hair Straighteners On A Budget

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you make a purchase through the links.

With all the many kinds of styling iron out there, it is easy to get lost trying to find the best hair straighteners on a budget.

However, if you know what you are looking for, you will be able to narrow down your choices.

Things to Consider

When you are on the market for a new hair straightener, there are things to consider.

Hair Type

We are not created equal, and neither is our hair. Some have thick hair, curly hair, thin hair, and straight hair. Therefore, it is vital to pick the right straightening iron or curling iron for your hair type.

Budget

Now that you know what your hair type, next you have you figure out your budget and stick with it. You don’t want a styling iron to blow your monthly budget. What I usually do is set up a sinking fund for the beauty category.

In this way, when the time comes that I need to buy a new beauty product, I already have the cash in hand.

It is then important to know that ceramic flat irons are usually cheaper, and the titaniums are often expensive.

Durability

And of course, you have to consider the durability. You don’t want to end up with a flat iron that cracks the first time you drop it (if you’re clumsy like me).

It has been found that ceramic flat irons tend to crack easier while titanium flat irons are more resistant.

Frequency Of Use

How often you will use the flat iron plays a big factor when shopping for your next hair straightener.

I have straight hair, and honestly, I only style my hair occasionally. My job does not require me to style my hair every day; therefore I only need my hair styled during special occasions and night outs.

So if you are like me, you can get away with a cheaper ceramic flat iron. However, if you style your hair more frequently, then you are better off with a more durable kind.

Ease Of Use

Last but not the least thing to consider when buying a hair straightener is the ease of use. You do not want to end up with a styling tool that is too complicated or too cumbersome to use.

Best Features To Look For

Now that you know what things to consider when shopping for a new hair straightener, here are some of the features that you should be looking for.

Heat Settings

One of the essential features to look for when shopping for hair straightener is the heat setting. It should have the settings that your hair needs.

Usually, for thin and damaged hair, you should have a low setting, below 300 while for normal to thick hair, you can start from 300-400 F. It is important to start low and work your way up so as not to damage your hair.

Ceramic Vs. Titanium Plates

Ceramic and titanium both can serve their purpose of heating your hair. However, at a different speed. Titanium heats a lot quicker than ceramic and can cause damage if you are not fast enough. These plates are perfect when you have coarse, thick, and curly hair. They are also known for being lightweight.

On the other hand, ceramic plates are heavier and heat slower but provide equal heat distribution to the hair. Therefore, ceramic plates are perfect for thin, damaged, or fragile hair.

Auto Shut Off

I don’t know about you, but I tend to leave my styling iron on after I used it. It usually happens when I’m running late. Thank goodness for auto shut-off. On that note, another feature to look for is the ability of the flat iron to power off when not in use for a while.

Heat Up Time

Heat up time is another thing to consider when shopping for your next flat iron. As I’ve mentioned above, titanium heats up the fastest, but you need to be fast too. Ceramics tend to heat up slowly, but it gives equal heat distribution to your hair. So plan accordingly.

Frizz-Reducing Ability

I hate frizz, and I am sure you do too. Fortunately, the type of flat iron you have can help reduce frizz. The titanium flat iron excels in this department because of its higher number of negative ions.

On the other hand, the ceramic flat iron cannot help you with the frizz problem but can give you a better shine. However, newer ceramic flat irons are now combined with tourmaline, a mineral that emits negative ions, which can help in the smoothening process.

Want the best straighteners on a budget? Here is a complete list that you need to check out.

Other Features To Look For

Portability

I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I like to bring my styling iron, so portability is really important to me.

Dual Voltage

Having a dual voltage hair straightener is a must if you travel abroad a lot.