The 17 Top-Rated, Best-Selling Hair Straighteners of 2022

Fact: Using a subpar hair straightener can truly destroy your hair. Take it from me, someone who straightens their fine, thin, curly hair once a month max: I thought it didn’t matter that my crusty ol’ flat iron had a bad habit of getting too hot, snagging my hair, and randomly turning off. As long as it gets the job done, right? But nope—regardless of your hair type, a bad straightener can lead to excessive damage, breakage, and split ends. That doesn't mean you need to spend $$$, but at the bare minimum, a straightener should at least be tailored to your hair type, straighten in one pass without pulling, and have a few heat settings.

And those are just the very basics. You should also consider if you want ceramic or titanium plates (ceramic = softer heat that’s better for finer, straighter hair; titanium = stronger heat that’s better for curlier, coarser hair), if you care about auto shut-off features, if you prefer wide or thin plates (depending on your texture and length), etc. I know it sounds overwhelming, so to make it easier for you, I rounded up the best hair straighteners of 2022 for every different hair type, need, and budget. Here’s a quick preview of my favorites:

Our top hair straightener picks of 2022

Now keep reading for the full breakdown of my favorite hair straighteners—from drugstore-priced straighteners to flat irons for curly hair and more—along with explanations on how to minimize heat damage, how to choose the right flat iron for your hair type, and whether price really matters when it comes to quality.