10 of the Best Flat Irons for Thick Hair That'll Cut Your Styling Time in Half

Celebrity hairstylist Kristin Ess has spent more than two decades treating the tresses of your fave A-listers from Lauren Conrad to Lucy Hale. "Over the last 20+ years, I have tried all kinds of irons and could never find one that had everything I wanted," Ess says of her line's 3-in-One Titanuim Flat Iron. "This iron allows you to create four of my favorite styles: sleek straight, S-waves, flat iron waves, and polished curls."

This bb is stacked with four different heat settings that go up to 440°F, and its titanium plates help tame any frizz and enhance shine. Users rave about how easily this iron glides on even the thickest of hair, and for a little less than $100, you can't beat the benefits.

User review: "I have tried many flat irons claiming to be great for thick long hair. This is the first one that actually lives up to the claims," one reviewer says. "It does NOT pull my hair, it slides through larger sections with ease, straightening quickly without drying or burning the hair. It truly does make my hair appear to have a glossy, silky finish."

Dyson revolutionized hair stylers with its bestselling Airwrap, and its latest drop is following in its footsteps. Similar to the Airwrap, the Airstrait uses heated air technology to style and dry hair at the same time. It was designed with multiple hair types in mind, and the best part is you can use it on wet or dry hair to make the most of your styling time. While the Airstrait has a higher price point, users say its worth every penny as they saw their tight curls and coils transform into a sleek style in less than an hour.

User review: "I have 4a curly hair. My hair usually takes 30 minutes or more to blowdry and then another 45 minutes to straighten. Then another 30 minutes to curl. The Airstrait dried my wet curly hair and made it bone straight in 15 minutes!!!!" a 5-star review reads. "This product just might single-handedly create a revolution! Who would ever think something so simple could change your life?"

If you're new to the hairstyling game in general, let us introduce you to Conair. The tried and true beauty brand has been around for decades and has continuously provided high-quality products for a lower cost. Larger 2" plates on this flat iron make it quick and easy to straighten more hair at once, and users can switch between five different heat settings depending on their preference and hair thickness. Oh, did we mention it's also on sale for less than $50?

User review: "This is the first time I invest in a flat iron. I don’t normally use them to keep my hair healthy. However, I have thick hair and my current medications are drying it more than usual. I purchased this to give my hair some TLC. It’s so easy to use and what a game changer!" a 5-star review reads. "Within 10 minutes I’m ready to go. My hair is straight (I have thick Latina hair semi wavy and dry) and looks shiny and healthy. I don’t know how I waited so long. My look is a hit with family and friends. Highly recommend. Super easy to use."

Need a flat iron that will straighten, flip, and curl? HSI Professional's Glider is the one you've been looking for. Its ceramic plates help fight frizz and are also built with microsensors that keep the high temps regulated to avoid hair damage. Plus, it comes with a snazzy sleeve for storage as well as a heat-protectant glove to use while styling.

User review: "The HSI Professional Glider Ceramic Flat Iron has been a reliable hairstyling tool for me. It's easy to use and provides fast results, making my hairstyling routine a breeze. The adjustable temperature settings allow me to customize the heat according to my hair type, ensuring even heat distribution for both straightening and curling," one reviewer writes on Amazon. "The included hair treatment pouch and glove are thoughtful additions that enhance the overall experience. While it may not have all the bells and whistles, this flat iron gets the job done and I love the convenience it offers."

For a little less than $100, ion's Magnesium Flat Iron comes in clutch with a slim design and easy-to-use features. The tool's silicone-textured handle helps secure a firm grip and prevents hands from burning while you work. And, no one wants to put in all the work of straightening hair just to end up with a fried, crunchy look. Thankfully, the iron's ceramic plates evenly distribute heat, so you'll have sleek and soft tresses from root to tip.

User review: "My 3b/3c hair was left lightweight and blowing in the wind! It’s sleek and really gave me salon quality results!" a review at Sally Beauty reads. "It cut the time it takes me to do my hair in half! Love this tool!"

We live in a society with smartphones and AI devices, so naturally, there are smart hairstyling tools, too. The Platinum+ Styler from the celeb hairstylist-approved brand pretty much adjusts to your hair type and predicts what heat settings it may need for a long-lasting style with more shine and less breakage.

User review: "I've been looking for a newer version of the flatiron that I have. Upon suggestion from my hairstylist, I bought this ghd Platinum one. My daughter has curly hair and this is definitely the 'go to' for her to give her a simple way to straighten her hair, that doesn't dry," an Ulta reviewer writes. "For myself - I love it too! The wider wand allows for even heat to allow my hair to easily straighten. Most of all, that time it takes to heat up is seconds! Amazing."

Hot Tools has a catalog of amazing hairstyling tools, and the Micro Shine Salon Flat Iron is only one of them. This bad boy comes with a heat-protectant glove, rotating temperature dial, an LED screen, and 27 (!) heat settings. Its pulse technology keeps the tool at the same temperature during your styling session so your tresses get sleek faster.

User review: "It was time for a new hair straightener and OMG love this one! It heats up super quick! I have thick curly hair and I usually need to have high heat to get my hair straight BUT with this one I don't need the heat all the way up!" a reviewer on Ulta says. "I was so impressed because I am trying to reduce heat to prevent damage and breakage in the event that I do straighten my hair. I would definitely recommend!!!!"

Who says you need to drop big dollars for high-quality features? This Titanium Flat Iron from Wavytalk has an LED screen that displays the device's temperature, as well as a dual voltage for international travel (in case you're in your jet setter era 💅). Users note that the titanium plates help get their long hair straight in less than an hour, event at a lower temperature. This bb is currently on sale for 50% off, BTW.

User review: "To my pleasant surprise, I can use this iron on a setting of 380-400 and get rather straight hair in a few sweeps," one Amazon reviewer raves. "After about 20 - 30 min, I can actually get my whole head pretty straight without the awful burning smell of my old flat iron and in less time."

With large, smooth plates and nine heat settings, Lucea's Professional Straightening and Styling Iron is a fave among the average user and pro hairstylists alike. The plates are coated with Ceragloss, which helps strands stay shiny and frizz-free, even for those with thicker hair textures.

User review: "Easy to straighten coarse thick hair!!...I really love the extra thick plates for my thick long hair. It’s hot enough for my coarse thick hair, and I only need to do one pass when styling properly," one 5-star review from Sephora says. "I love this flat iron so much!! it’s so beautiful with a sleek design, and really works on my thick hair. it flattens better than many of my other tools and the style stays in my hair."

With nearly 8,500 reviews on Ulta alone, L'ange's Le Duo 360 Airflow Styler is a favorite among people with short hair because of how easy it is to grip and reach close to the roots. In addition to hot plates, the Airflow Styler uses air vents that cool hair down as you pass it through, and there's a clip that holds strands in place while you work.

User review: "It is basically a solid hair straightener with a cool blast feature. This feature 'sets' the curl or wave immediately, letting you pin it or leave it hanging without burning yourself or getting your neck all sweaty," one review on Ulta reads. "You can curl tighter or looser depending on your movement, bump or flip ends, and quickly tame cowlicks and bangs. Thats it. It's simple but works!"