My first pair of straighteners cost £7.99 from my nan’s catalogue and weighed about the same as I do. I used them to do my hair when I went to Wembley to see Madonna. Several tours and decades later, I went to see her in Antwerp, and left my GHD Unplugged travel straighteners in an Airbnb. I was aghast when I came to replace them and found they cost £309. When did hair straighteners – a staple for so many British women – become so ridiculously expensive?
Not for the first time, I blame James Dyson. He broke the £150 barrier with his Corrale straighteners (which I enthusiastically and hypocritically use at home), and other brands followed suit – if not quite to the same extent.
My Antwerp debacle made me wonder: are there still any good “flat irons” out there that cost less than a decent vacuum cleaner? Answer: yes, but not many.
Babyliss was my first port of call, because it best manages to combine salon performance with consumer pricing. Its Hydro-Fusion Anti-Frizz Hair Straightener (£100, but on offer widely at £66.67 at time of writing), is very good if, like me, you have hair that is fine and easily frazzled by heat. One stroke is enough (running repeatedly over the same section of hair causes significant damage) and gives a glossy, smooth finish.
Remington stylers are impressive across the board, but at just £27.99, its Ceramic Straight 230 is outstanding. There’s nothing this bargain iron can’t do. The heat-up is inordinately fast and, unusually for an inexpensive model, temperature settings are varied and easily controlled. It’s a brilliant buy for a teenager, as a travel spare or for anyone who uses straighteners experimentally or infrequently.
Those with thick hair might find the plates too narrow but, fortunately, the Remington Pro-Ceramic Extra Wide S5525 (still great value at £46.50) has the same features as its skinny sister and glides through abundant, thick hair with aplomb.
Squeaking under the £150 threshold is the Original GHD styler (£129), which changed global hair styling habits for ever circa Rachel from Friends. Many upgrades later, I still think this model is hard to beat. It heats up in only 30 seconds and straightens and smoothes with one swipe, even at 180C. It’s also the best at curling (think of the hair as gift ribbon, the iron as your wrapping scissors). Nowadays, it helpfully shuts itself off after 30 minutes, saving you the stress of having to run home to make sure your bedroom isn’t on fire.
