Good Housekeeping

Hair

13 Best Flat Irons for Natural Hair, According to Pros

Maximize smoothness and shine, minimize damage.

There is no shortage of flat irons on the market, and while there are many great options, it's important to find the right one for your hair that will smooth and straighten strands and most importantly, not cause excessive heat damage. When it comes to picking the best flat iron for natural hair, the rules are even more specific.

"You want to make sure there is a thermostat to adjust heat settings, large plates, and curved casing around the plates, which will allow you to make curls and waves, as well as straighten," says Leigh Hardges, a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. For natural hair, a flat iron with adjustable heat is super important to prevent damage to strands: "If you have a 4c curl type, never go above 375 or 380º," as this texture is especially damage-prone.

How we test flat irons

To find the best flat irons, the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab runs a series of tests both on the Lab and with consumer testers. First, we conduct controlled testing on swatches of human hair in our Climatology Chamber to see each flat iron's ability to maintain straightness in humid environments. In our most recent test, we took over 100 measurements of width and thickness expansion after 24 hours of high humidity.

We also consider each iron's weight and size, safety, efficacy, and put each flat iron’s durability to the test with the Drop Tester, which replicates falls from three feet onto tile floor. Last but not least, we send flat irons home with real consumer testers to get feedback on ease of use, satisfaction, and smoothness and shininess of the finished style. In our most recent test, we parsed through 4,914 heat data points and 972 survey questions to find the best flat irons on the market.

Check out our picks below, a mix of GH Beauty Lab test winners, expert favorites, and top-rated options for the best flat irons for all of your natural hair needs.

1

BEST OVERALL FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL HAIR
Lava Ceramic Hairstyling Iron
CHI

This red hot CHI iron received a rare perfect score in GH Beauty Lab testing for heating up super quickly and keeping hair smooth and frizz-free all day. Plus, it didn't pull or snag strands, was comfortable and easy to hold and use, and has a wide temperature range (which Hardges notes is key for natural hair). 

WHY WE LOVE IT

Large temperature range
Automatic shut-off
Heats up fast
Keeps hair smooth all day

TAKE NOTE

Pricey

2

BEST VALUE FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL HAIR
Pro 1" Pearl Ceramic Flat Iron
REMINGTON

With lightweight, long plates and an easily adjustable temperature range, this GH Beauty Lab test-winning budget-friendly iron from Remington is a triple threat. It also has a lock button to make sure you keep the heat consistent. "The temperature lock was great so that you couldn't accidentally hit during use," an expert evaluator noted. "One pass effectively straightened hair with results that lasted." 

WHY WE LOVE IT

Temperature lock option
Won't snag hair
Straightens in one pass
Bargain-priced

TAKE NOTE

Small temperature range

3

BEST FLAT IRON FOR SILK PRESS
Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin Straightening Iron
BABYLISS PRO

Titanium flat irons are best for a silk press, Hardges says. "The titanium plates create a great level of shine and straighten hair with a single pass," she notes. This one from BaBylissPRO heats up super quickly and has a wide, adjustable range of temperatures. 

"You have the option of controlling the heat which is great and the cord seems to be pretty long which is always a plus," Amazon reviewer shared. "It left my hair super straight in no time!" This iron is also our Beauty Lab standard: We use it for anti-frizz studies, and it's an expert favorite for gliding through hair without snagging. 

WHY WE LOVE IT

Thin and lightweight
Shortened styling time
Boosts shine

TAKE NOTE

No auto shut-off

4

BEST FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL 4C CURLS
The Antidote Silk-Wrap Styler
AMIKA

Though we haven't put this model to the test in the Beauty Lab, Hardges loves this Amika iron for 4C curls because she says "the infrared lights make for more gentle distribution of heat, which is ideal for highly sensitive 4C hair." It "also has a wide range of heat settings for use on all hair types, has an automatic shut-off, and locks closed," an Amazon reviewer raved.

WHY WE LOVE IT

Range of heat settings
Gentle heat
Automatic shutoff

TAKE NOTE

Pricey

5

BEST STEAM FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL HAIR
Infiniti Pro Ionic Steam Flat Iron
CONAIR

Conair's steam flat iron claims to lock moisture into strands every time you swipe and steam is released. While we haven't tested these claims in the Beauty Lab, reviewers swear by this iron: "I was afraid of damage and agree with the other reviewers who've found this iron to impart a healthy gloss to hair rather than frying it," an Amazon reviewer shared.

WHY WE LOVE IT

Heats up quickly
Softens hair

TAKE NOTE

Water chamber is small so empties quickly

6

BEST FLAT IRON FOR COARSE NATURAL HAIR
Lucea 1'' Professional Straightening & Styling Flat Iron
T3

Coarse hair tends to hold heat and can become scorched, but this T3 flat iron is optimal for preventing damage: It has nine unique heat settings, and for personalized styling, you can input information like hair length and texture to find the best styling temperature for your hair. Hardges is a big fan of the technology, as it "ensures even heating." 

Ulta reviewers agree and love how fast it works, even on thick hair. "After one swipe my hair was smooth, no burning smell and still pretty shiny," a user said. "I was able to straighten my hair rather quickly without having to go over it numerous times."

WHY WE LOVE IT

Heats evenly
Works quicly
Smart heat prediction

TAKE NOTE

Doesn't show temperature
Pricey

7

BEST FLAT IRON FOR LONG NATURAL HAIR
Salon Straightening Copper Flat Iron
REVLON

The extra long plates on this Revlon straightener have greater surface area, so it can straighten larger sections of hair in one pass. Translation: it can help speed up the straightening process especially for longer hair. Win, win! While our technical Beauty Lab test revealed that it kept hair straight, it didn't get a high score for minimizing frizz all day, so you may want to add an anti-frizz styling product into your routine before ironing. 

WHY WE LOVE IT

Extended plates
Wide temperature range
Good value

TAKE NOTE

Doesn't beep when it gets to desired temperatures
Doesn't minimize frizz

8

BEST FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL HAIR EDGES
Platform Tourmaline Ceramic Professional Hair Styling Iron
FHI

When straightening hair edges, Hardges recommends looking for a flat iron that's small and narrow. "FHI Heat's half-inch flat iron is optimal for smoothing edges and short tapered haircuts," she says. "And the ceramic plates deliver a more gentle heating method for fine hair."

WHY WE LOVE IT

Compact, narrow size targets small areas
Gentler heat for baby hairs

9

BEST FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL, THICK HAIR
Porcelain Ceramic 1-1/2" Straightening Iron
BABYLISS PRO

Some people with thick, coarse hair struggle with straightening every strand, no matter how small the section. This BaByliss PRO iron with teeth "grabs every hair with the comb and straightens it all out," an Amazon reviewer reported. Despite its high heat capabilities, reviewers say it isn't damaging on hair, though we haven't tested this in the Beauty Lab. "Even though I straighten my hair so often, my hair is still super soft and healthy," another commented. 

WHY WE LOVE IT

Great for thick, unruly hair
Heats up quickly

TAKE NOTE

Gets super hot so be careful not to burn scalp

10

BEST SHINE-ENHANCING FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL HAIR
H3000 Tourmaline Ceramic Straightening Iron
HAIRART

We haven't tested this model in the Beauty Lab, but Hardges is a big fan of Hairart's iron and its super smooth plates. "Thanks to ceramic and tourmaline blend technology, the heat stays even and is less damaging, " she says. "It leaves strands with incredible shine." 

WHY WE LOVE IT

Minimizes damage
Boosts shine
Heats evenly

11

BEST FLAT IRON FOR DAMAGED NATURAL HAIR
Platinum+ Professional Performance Hair Styler
GHD

This cult-favorite ghd flat iron is ideal for protecting damaged strands, since it holds a steady temperature of 365ºF to protect hair from excessive heat. ghd's predictive technology makes for even heat distribution across the entire plate: The brand claims heat is monitored 250 times per second. The edges are curved so you can curl and flip hair's ends as well as straightening. In the Lab, it heated up in 30 seconds flat, but one caveat: 365º may not be hot enough to get coarse, thick, or kinky hair totally straight. 

WHY WE LOVE IT

Consistent 365ºF temperature
Quick pre-heat time
Rounded edges for versatile styling

TAKE NOTE

Temperature isn't adjustable
Pricey

12

BEST LONG-LASTING FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL HAIR
Original 1'' Ceramic Hairstyling Iron
CHI

Multiple Ulta reviewers agree that this compact-sized classic CHI iron lasts for years. One shared that "the same straightener will still work 15 years later," while another one said: "I've had this straightener for 14-15 years and it still works so amazing." It also straightens all hair types and its smaller silhouette makes it great for travel.

WHY WE LOVE IT

Small, compact size
Long-lasting

TAKE NOTE

Heat isn't adjustable

13

MOST POPULAR FLAT IRON FOR NATURAL HAIR ON AMAZON
Ceramic Tourmaline Ionic Flat Iron Hair Straightener
HSI PROFESSIONAL

With over 54,000 reviews on Amazon, this HSI Professional iron is a best-seller for good reason: Reviewers say it's efficient, keeps hair healthy, and is a true multi-tasker for all hair types."I did not need to pass through the hair many times, only ran through twice and hair was left straight and shiny," one reviewer shared. "It also curls effortlessly." 

Another user commented that she "loves the extended cord and the rapid heat up; hair glides smoothly and doesn’t snag," but heads up that in GH Beauty Lab tests, it didn't do as well: Testers rated it poorly for ease of use and satisfaction, and in Lab tests, it had a long pre-heat and it didn't keep swatches straight in humidity tests.

Why We Love It

Reviewer favorite on Amazon
Good value

Take Note

Lackluster Lab performance