Everyone asks me "Which flat iron is the best?" and I always answer, "What is your hair type?" before I answer with a specific flat iron. Unless you've tried it firsthand, chances are the iron you are thinking of buying might not be the best one for your hair. Let's narrow down the choices with a few key questions".

It depends on your hair texture and hair length. Use the following table as a reference.

Texture	Hair Length	Recommended Plate Size
Very coarse, thick, curly	Long (below shoulder)	1.5 to 3 inch
Very coarse, thick, curly	Medium	1.5 to 2 inch
Very coarse, thick, curly	Short	1.25 inch
Normal	Long	1.25 to 2 inch
Normal	Medium	1 to 1.5 inch
Normal	Short	1 or 1.25 inch
Fine, thin hair	Any length	1 to 1.5 inch

If you have natural straight hair and you just want to smooth or de-frizz, choose small ones (1 to 1.5 inch). Small sizes are also recommended for hair that's already chemically straightened (by Japanese hair straightening, for example).

Small sizes are lighter, easier to use and more versatile while bigger ones work faster and save time with long coarse hair, but they are not as user-friendly and generally on the heavy side.

Most popular sizes are 1-1/4" and 1-1/2 inch.

 

Different hair texture requires different temperature. At Folica Product Testing Lab, we did a thorough test with various hair texture. Our findings are tabulated as follows:

Texture	Recommended Temperature
Normal Hair	360-380 oF (180oC - 190oC Celsius)
Very coarse, thick, curly or ethnic hair	380-410 oF (190oC - 210oC Celsius)
Bleached, fragile, damaged or fine hair	Below 360oF (180oC Celsius)

It is very important to buy a flat iron with adjustable temperature.

First of all, it is extremely important that you set the right temperature for your hair (see 4). Try a few settings starting from low to high until you find a setting that straighten your hair fast and well enough while not burning your hair.

Use flat iron heat protection spray before each styling section.

 

Unplug it right after use.
Do not wrap power cords around the iron.
Clean the plate with a styling iron cleaner after each styling session.
Unplug it right after use (worth repeating).

The warranty is another biggie to think about. Some manufacturers will only honor a warranty if you buy the flat iron in a salon. I would consider that a fine idea if the salon in my area carried every flat iron. Truth is, they don't. But I have noticed the irons they do carry are way more expensive than online. What gives?

If you are buying a flat iron in a store or online, look for a flat iron that has a 1 year warranty or longer - . We've all heard the rumors about a certain flat iron that breaks after only a few months. Honestly, it does. You might want to think about it. 'Nuff said.

If you use a flat iron every day you want it to last. Make sure you select a flat iron guaranteed to survive your daily styling habits. If you use a flat iron sporadically, go for a less expensive Ceramic iron without all the technological bells and whistles.

I hope you take the time to ask yourself these simple questions, the flat iron of your dreams is waiting for you!