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11 Best Professional Curling Irons

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Whether you’re a salon stylist or a home hair enthusiast, a pro-curling tool is a must-have hot tool. Now, the best professional curling iron will look different from one person to the next – depending on if your hair is long, short, thick, thin, naturally wavy, or poker-straight – so it can be tough to choose. But, don’t worry. We’re here to remove the guesswork with these top curling irons that stand up to the pros.

What Are the Best Professional Curling Irons to Use in 2023?

PARWIN PRO 7-in-1 Curling Wand Set Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Includes seven different rods for different curl types
  • Comes with a heat protective glove, hair clips and a travel bag
  • Tourmaline ceramic barrels make for shiny, bouncy curls
Price: $78.98 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Unclipped 3-in-1 Ceramic Interchangeable Curling Wand Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Three interchangeable barrels
  • Extra long length makes it great for longer hair
  • Easy digital temperature display
Price: $96.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Sam Villa Professional Curling Iron Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Creates volume and curl
  • Can be used as a wand and curling iron
  • Special setting for color-treated hair
Price: $129.95 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Super affordable compared to many
  • Far infrared heat is less damaging to your hair
  • Heats up super fast
Price: $59.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
CHI Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Creates gorgeous curls that hold for hours
  • Heats up fast
  • Smooth, easy-to-use barrel
Price: $54.10 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
HOT TOOLS Professional 24K Gold Curling Iron Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Gives beautiful, bouncy curls
  • Super easy to use, even for styling newbies
  • Great size and price point
Price: $32.57 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
SKYPRO Professional Series Hair Curling Iron Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Gives gorgeous beach waves, especially on fine hair
  • Long-lasting curls
  • Adjustable & lower heat settings protect hair
Price: $98.96 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
MINT Professional Series Curling Iron Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Removes frizz easily
  • Gives beautiful curls
  • Long barrel makes it very easy to use
Price: $99.97 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
BIO IONIC Long Barrel Styler Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Easy to use for get loose beachy waves & curls
  • Curls very fast
  • Used and recommended by many stylists
Price: $149.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Bestope Pro Beach Waver Curling Iron Wand Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Multiple attachments for different looks
  • Great value
  • Heats and curls quickly and very nicely
Price: $38.55 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Prizm 1 Inch Wavy Professional Rotating Curling Iron Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Great value
  • Easy to use
  • Gives gorgeous waves and curls
Price: $81.30 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Our Unbiased Reviews
  1. 1. PARWIN PRO BEAUTY 7-in-1 Curling Wand Set

    Pros:
    • Includes seven different rods for different curl types
    • Comes with a heat protective glove, hair clips and a travel bag
    • Tourmaline ceramic barrels make for shiny, bouncy curls
    • Digital temperature control up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
    Cons:
    • Not perfect for all hair types
    • No heat proof tips mean it’s easy to burn yourself
    • Thermal glove doesn’t adequately protect fingers

    This professional curling iron from PARWIN PRO BEAUTY gives you seven different styling wands for ultimate styling flexibility. From big, swoopy smooth curls, to tightly wound ringlets and spirals, each delivers a different level of curling capacity. Tourmaline ceramic barrels mean you’ll get shinier, more bouncy curls without the frizz.

    The handle easily accommodates each barrel, which locks in place. Because it has one of the widest heat ranges, from 170 – 450 degrees Fahrenheit, you can customize your heat setting as well as your curls. The digital readout gives you easy access to a variety of settings.

    The 60-minute automatic shutoff feature and 360-degree long swivel cord make this professional iron suitable for home use as well as salon settings. It comes with a convenient travel kit to store the different barrels and handle, along with a heat-protecting thermal glove to spare your pinkies, as well as clips to separate and part out your hair.

    If you still want a professional curling iron, but you really don’t want or need that many barrel options, you can save a few bucks with the PARWIN PRO BEAUTY 5-in-1 Curling Iron, which also comes with clips and a heat protection glove.

  2. 2. Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Unclipped 3-in-1 Ceramic Interchangeable Curling Wand

    Pros:
    • Three interchangeable barrels
    • Extra long length makes it great for longer hair
    • Easy digital temperature display
    • Proprietary Express Ion Complex leaves curls shiny and frizz free
    Cons:
    • More difficult to use than barrels with clips
    • Easy to burn your fingers while wrapping hair
    • Some shelf life issues reported

    This professional curling iron from Paul Mitchell Pro Tools delivers flexible styling, with the confidence and quality of one of the top professional beauty brands. This three-in-one hot tool gives you exactly what you’ll need to create loose waves, natural-looking curls, and flirty ringlets.

    Three interchangeable ceramic barrels have a clamp-free design to deliver heat directly to your hair, for long-lasting, frizz-free styles. The iron comes with a one-inch styling rod for loose waves, a 1.25-inch styling cone for natural-looking curls, and a .75-inch small styling cone for ringlets.

    Infused with proprietary Express Ion Complex, the tool makes curls stay bouncy and hair extra shiny. Its digital display allows you to set your curling iron at the temperature best for your or your clients’ hair, up to 410 degrees Fahrenheit. At 18-inches long, this large iron is terrific for longer hairstyles.

    The three barrels are easy to swap out and, for home users, the swivel cord makes it even easier to maneuver from the front to the back of your head.

  3. 3. Sam Villa Professional Curling Iron with Extended Barrel

    Pros:
    • Creates volume and curl
    • Can be used as a wand and curling iron
    • Special setting for color-treated hair
    • Small handle is easy on the hands
    Cons:
    • Not as many heat setting options as some
    • Pretty spendy for home users
    • No cool touch tip

    The Sam Villa Signature Series professional curling iron lets you easily create a wide variety of hairstyles, from loose and tousled to tight and curly. This professional curling iron is the choice for many thanks to the extended barrel that makes it simple to style even the longest hair. That’s the biggest differentiator here. 

    This hot tool meets the demands of professional stylists and home users alike because it allows you to curl, and add lots of extra body and movement. But it’s all in the technique, so be sure to check out the video from Sam Villa.

    An extra-long ceramic barrel makes styling thick hair as well as long hair a breeze. The ceramic heating element ensures that the barrel evenly heats from top to bottom, which means you’ll get consistent temperature from top to bottom. That’s especially important if you’re using a technique to build volume.

    Professional stylists (and your hair) can appreciate the “Color Treated” 392-degree Fahrenheit heat setting that helps keep the integrity of your expensive hair color, without dulling or fading it. With three heat settings and a nine-foot swivel cord, it’s a winner in our book.

  4. 4. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron

    Pros:
    • Super affordable compared to many
    • Far infrared heat is less damaging to your hair
    • Heats up super fast
    • 50 temperature settings up to 450 degrees
    Cons:
    • No auto-shutoff feature
    • Hair clip could be more robust
    • Can burn hair at the highest heat settings

    This nano titanium curling wand is engineered with advanced technology to create textured curls and waves. Because nano titanium is an exceptional conductor of heat, it maintains stability in ultra-high temperatures. The far-infrared heat penetrates your hair shaft to deliver exceptional curls, without damaging your hair. With 50 heat settings, up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, this clip-style curling iron is easy to manage. To give your curls even greater staying power, its styling wand has a turbo heat button that instantly delivers added heat to set them in place.

    The smooth barrel means no bumps, and the cool touch tip keeps your neck safe from burns. With an eight-foot swivel cord, the tool can hold up to the daily rigors of salon use. The spring-loaded clip keeps even the thickest hair secured for smooth, beautiful ends that don’t look spikey or straw-like.

    This professional curling iron is easy to approach for both home and salon use because it’s so affordably priced. We also like the location of the controls, which means you don’t accidentally press the off button, mid-hairdo. Plus, you can get this curling iron in four sizes, the largest with a 1.5-inch barrel.

  5. 5. CHI Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron

    Pros:
    • Creates gorgeous curls that hold for hours
    • Heats up fast
    • Smooth, easy-to-use barrel
    Cons:
    • Buttons don't blend in (easy to turn off unintentionally or miss them & get burnt)
    • Stand is flimsy
    • Fine line between hot enough and too hot

    CHI’s 1″ ceramic curling iron features innovative technology that uses non-stick ceramic and even heat distribution, to deliver many far infrared and negative ions that put static electricity and that awful frizz to a minimum to help create your go-to style. If you’re worried about damaging your hair and need something gentle yet effective, this tool’s for you. You’ll be left with silky smooth, luxurious curls that shine like the stars all day long.

    The best part? It takes just 30 seconds to heat up, so you can get those gorgeous curls and move on with your day in no time. And with the automatic shutoff, you won’t have to worry if it’s still on hours later.

  6. 6. HOT TOOLS Professional 24K Gold Curling Iron

    Pros:
    • Gives beautiful, bouncy curls
    • Super easy to use, even for styling newbies
    • Great size and price point
    Cons:
    • Gold plate weighs hair down a bit
    • No heat-resistant cover
    • No auto-shutoff feature

    This 24k gold-plated curling iron from HOT TOOLS is ideal for professionals and home use alike, with its extra-long cool tip and long-life, heavy-duty heating element. It features a rheostat control dial with heat settings up to 430°F, and the standalone power switch lets the unit memorize your favorite setting, so you don’t need to set it each time you use the tool. The heat setting options here also make this iron ideal for any hair texture and type.

    The quick heat-up, even heat disbursement, soft-grip handle, and 8-foot swivel cord make styling a breeze and help you get the gorgeous, voluminous curls you’re after. Plus, the unit’s Pulse Technology senses any temperature shift and restores it immediately to where it was, meaning the iron stays hot consistently.

  7. 7. SKYPRO Professional Series Hair Curling Iron

    Pros:
    • Gives gorgeous beach waves, especially on fine hair
    • Long-lasting curls
    • Adjustable & lower heat settings protect hair
    Cons:
    • Power and temperature buttons are easy to hit when styling
    • Not hot enough for some
    • Firm clamp can be hard to work with

    This 1.25″ pro-series curling iron from SKYPRO provides consistent, even heat quickly. Whether you’re after tousled, messy beach waves, cute, feminine ringlets, or luscious, loose, voluminous curls, this midsize barrel and firm clamp – ideal for any hair length – can help you get them and for the whole day, too. And the fact its made from ionic tourmaline ceramic means your hair will look healthy, shiny, and frizz-free.

    The great thing about this iron is that it’s designed for salons, meaning it can hold up to hours of use every day. It features a 30-minute auto-shutoff plus adjustable temperature settings up to 430 degrees. Plus, it comes with a handy heat-proof travel pouch, perfect for protecting surfaces when hot and taking it wherever you go.

  8. 8. MINT Professional Series Curling Iron

    Pros:
    • Removes frizz easily
    • Gives beautiful curls
    • Long barrel makes it very easy to use
    Cons:
    • Clamp can crease hair if not used properly
    • Curls not as long-lasting for some
    • Pricey

    If you’re looking for great small or medium curls, check out this 1-inch iron from MINT. It contains not one but two heaters that heat quickly and stay hot. The clamp easily glides with your hair for controlled, easy styling, and the extra-long barrel – ideal for long hair – means heat is evenly distributed, hair won’t overlap, and you save time while protecting your hair from damage. Other perks of this model are its 60-minute auto-shutoff and its American-European dual voltage, so you can bring it and look amazing on your travels.

  9. 9. BIO IONIC Long Barrel Styler

    Pros:
    • Easy to use for get loose beachy waves & curls
    • Curls very fast
    • Used and recommended by many stylists
    Cons:
    • Pricey (but many users feel it's worth it)
    • Some didn't notice less damage than other irons
    • Curls weren't too long-lasting for some

    If you struggle to style your hair from the back of your head, you’re not alone! That’s where this award-winning long barrel iron from BIO IONIC comes in handy. With multi-level heat control, the nanoionics minerals condition and hydrate hair, making them last longer, while the extra-long barrel helps you achieve waves and curls faster than other irons out there.

    The iron features constant, even heat settings up to 430 degrees to avoid heat damage, an easy-to-reach clamp and fixed kickstand, universal voltage, a protective cool tip for comfortable styling, and a 60-minute auto-shutoff for safety.

  10. 10. Bestope Pro Beach Waver Curling Iron Wand

    Pros:
    • Multiple attachments for different looks
    • Great value
    • Heats and curls quickly and very nicely
    Cons:
    • Not enough heat settings for some
    • Some found it tricky to use
    • Unit spins when set down/hard to keep still

    Ready to hit the beach? Or, get the next best thing with sexy beach waves from Bestope Pro’s ceramic tourmaline Beach Waver Curling Iron Wand. Featuring 3 extra-long barrels which heat longer hair quickly and evenly, this iron offers 4 curling wands for multiple, long-lasting curl styles, including those coveted tight, deep, long-lasting beach waves.

    It takes just 30 seconds to heat up, making this iron convenient when you’re in a hurry. Plus, the two adjustable heat temperatures mean you’ll reduce annoying flyaways and frizz. And there are so many value-adds here: the dual-voltage makes this unit ideal for travel, the glove protects your skin from heat, and the included hair clips make styling extra thick or lengthy hair a breeze.

  11. 11. Prizm 1 Inch Wavy Professional Rotating Curling Iron

    Pros:
    • Great value
    • Easy to use
    • Gives gorgeous waves and curls
    Cons:
    • Not too long-lasting for some
    • Dial turns slowly
    • Clamp is short

    This lightweight curling iron from Prizm is specially designed for medium to long hair. Unique with its auto-rotation to achieve different looks, from small, loopy curls, to soft, sweeping waves, it features quick, even, and adjustable heat at 11 settings up to 450°F. This means you can pick the ideal temperature for your hair and save time every time you style. The iron also comes with an insulated glove made of heat-resistant material to protect your skin. Another great safety feature is the iron’s 60-minute auto shut-off function – so you’ll never be away from home, worried if you forgot to power off.

What Is The Best Professional Curling Iron?

There are many top-quality, highly rated professional curling irons out there. Check out brands like Paul Mitchell, Sam Villa, and PARWIN PRO BEAUTY.

How Can I Curl My Hair Like A Professional?

It's all about the right barrel size, heat setting, and iron material. Learn the steps for curling fine or thick hair, and, finally, be sure to clean your iron regularly.

How Do I Prep My Hair Before Curling?

Before blow-drying and curling, use a heat protectant and hold product, then some hairspray.

What's The Difference Between A Curling Iron And A Curling Wand?

If you're looking for bouncy, classic-looking curls, go for a curling iron, which creates a spiral. If you're after more of a wavy style, try a wand, as these leave more of an "S" shape to the hair.

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