From rushed mornings to glam nights out, the right curling iron can completely change how your hair looks and feels.
In this expert-curated guide to the 12 Best Curling Irons for Short and Long Hair, we cover professional curl styling tools designed for effortless waves, lasting curls, and healthy shine.
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, discover top-rated curling irons trusted worldwide for all hair types, lengths, and styling goals.
1. The Beachwaver Co. B1 Rotating Curling Iron
Highlight: One-touch rotation creates effortless, long-lasting curls with salon-smooth shine—no skills required.
Supportive Review: I’m beyond impressed with the Beachwaver B1 Rotating Curling Iron! This automatic 1-inch ceramic curling iron has completely transformed my hair routine. The rotating feature makes it incredibly easy to use—no more awkward wrist twists or worrying about uneven curls. It creates beautiful, long-lasting curls with just a press of a button!
The ceramic barrel is a game-changer, leaving my hair smooth and shiny without any frizz. The 1-inch size is perfect for creating loose, natural-looking curls that last all day. I also love how quick it heats up and how easy it is to adjust the temperature for different hair types.
Overall, this curling iron is a must-have for anyone looking to create effortless, professional-looking curls at home. It’s super easy to use and gives amazing results every time! Highly recommend!
Trending Review: I have never been able to curl my hair. After seeing this in videos on line a few times I thought I would bite the bullet and give this a go; I am so glad I did!!!! This heated quickly and was easy to use!! I was able to curl my long hair within 30 minutes the first time I used it and even quicker the next time, I think it was around 20 minutes.
Someone with shorter hair could probably be done with their hair in 10 minutes I’m guessing. The curls are perfect! My hair doesn’t hold curl well, but I find after using the beachwaver and some hair spray that I have curl for at least 3-4 hours before it becomes more wave like and the waves are usually there until I brush my hair or wash it.
This is huge for me because my hair dresser curls my hair with a regular curling iron, uses mousse and hairspray and the curl is falling out before I get to my car! This was worth every penny I spent and I will buy another when I need one again!!
2. TYMO CurlPro Plus Automatic Rotating Curling Iron
Highlight: Effortless, salon-quality curls in seconds with automatic rotation and tangle-free, heat-smart styling.
Supportive Review: I have waist length hair. It’s thick and pretty straight and never holds curls from a regular curling iron for more than a couple of hours. This worked so well! It’s so simple and very fast. I used no products, just dry regular hair and you can see in the photos it lasted for days. Even after brushing it out several times to see what would happen in those few days, it was still curly, bouncy, and soft!
This was using the 1inch barrel on the medium heat level at 365 degrees. TIP: I saw another review that said twisting the hair at the root helped get it in the slot a little easier and that definitely did help with the back pieces.
Trending Review: Finally an automatic curling iron that does exactly what it claims to do! This TYMO automatic rotating curling iron is an absolute game changer. I have long hair, and this makes curling it fast and effortless. The rotating feature works flawlessly and, most importantly, does not tangle your hair.
It creates beautiful, smooth curls without any tugging or tangling. If the hair does happen to get snagged, which can happen with user error, it automatically turns the opposite direction to release the hair. Aside from user error though, this iron does not tangle your hair. I can’t stress that enough bc I’m so amazed that it actually works!
It’s also well designed so you can’t burn yourself and it’s very comfortable to use, even when I’m in a hurry. You can make smaller, kinkier curls by only curling a small strand at a time. Or, you can make bigger, bouncier curls by curling thicker strands.
The ceramic barrel leaves my hair shiny and soft, not fried, and the curls last all day. It heats up quickly with three different settings, is easy to hold, and the gold finish looks sleek and high-end. Whether you’re a beginner or someone who curls often, this tool makes styling incredibly easy and stress-free. Hands down one of the best hair tools I’ve purchased—I highly recommend it!
3. ELLA BELLA® Curling Iron
Highlight: Effortless, long-lasting curls with adjustable heat and a smooth ceramic barrel for salon-worthy shine.
Supportive Review: The Ella Bella 1” barrel curling iron did not disappoint. It’s awesome and simple to use. It has a long barrel and the temp control is so ridiculously fast that it was mind blowing. Definitely worth your investment if you curl your hair often. It’s fast and efficient. It comes with a silicone pad/case that you can set your iron on when in use.
After unplugging you can immediately place hot iron into the case if you need to stash or put away right after using. It also supplies you with a glove so as not to burn your fingers. Works great and I felt comfortable with using the glove in minutes. All in all I am loving my new curling iron. It’s worth every penny I spent lol. For reference my hair is not quite shoulder length and is softly layered. So glad I purchased.
Trending Review: I’ve been wanting to buy a new curling iron and I came across Ella Bella. I read what they had to say and it seemed to be what I was looking for. I’m sooo pleased! It heats up immediately and the best part is I have fine hair and this is what I needed since it’s a ceramic iron.
Best for fine hair. I use it at temp 260 and it’s perfect! It comes with a glove and mat to rest the iron on. As with all curling irons, be careful u don’t burn yourself. I highly recommend this iron.
Btw…the curls are great and then I run my fingers through my hair to soften and I love it!
4. HOT Tools Professional Extended Barrel Curling Iron
Highlight: Extra-long barrel creates smooth, long-lasting curls faster—perfect for long hair and hard-to-reach sections.
Supportive Review: I love this curling iron. I used it while on vacation and liked its durability. I purchased it in the 3/4 barrel size and I have thinner hair which struggles to hold a curl and I loved how it managed and held my hair. The heat varies for this barrel so you can choose how high or low you want the heat.
I saw reviews on the clamp length but I didn’t have an issue with it. I loved the plastic end on the end of the barrel so I can hold and roll for a better curl. I noticed that using this iron it’s more user friendly so I was able to curl my hair quickly with the same amount of parting as I usually do. I also have shoulder length hair and the only thing I would be worried for are my long hair girlies running out of barrel to curl. I’m excited to continue to use this I think it’s worth the money for its functionality.
Trending Review: I ordered this because my other one broke after so many years And use, I had no idea they upgraded it . I was a bit confused on the new push button And longer barrel I was going back and forth on returning it .
I realized its just A better upgrade I’m now learning to love the longer barrel because it helps to reach your hair that you might have missed . The curls stayed in better and climbed without Any hair spray it your curling quality us 100% better with this one the Thickness is the same . it heats up quickly And goes to the same 450. the weight is a bit more because of the longer barrel And this one was priced better I say its a winner for sure.
5. KISS Instawave Deluxe Automatic Rotating Curling Iron
Highlight:
Supportive Review: This Kiss Instawave Deluxe takes the guesswork out of curling with its fully automatic rotating barrel that gently wraps your hair into smooth, long lasting curls at the push of a button. Designed for all types, this tool combines ease of use with salon-quality results. Protects hair while adding shine and reducing frizz. Heats up to 425 f, perfect for fine to thick hair. Ready in seconds and safely powers down after 90 minutes. Simple place a section of hair and let the Instawave do the work.
Trending Review: Years ago I had a friend post about this on her social media page. She said her hair doesn’t take or hold a curl easily, and my hair is the same. I ordered it on her recommendation and loved it! Curls hold for over 24 hours! They’re not nearly as tight the next day but I can get away with not styling my hair the next day after using this curler.
I loved it so much I’ve been eyeing it for years to get one for our teen daughter. It’s more expensive now than when I bought it (almost double), but I’ve really enjoyed it and know it’s worth the $. You can use larger sections of hair or use the low setting to get a soft curl.
Or you can use smaller chunks of hair and./or high heat and get a tighter, longer lasting curl. Because you can use larger chunks of hair, this significantly cuts my curling time! I have baby fine hair but a lot of it, and I can do my whole head of hair in less than half the time of a traditional curling iron or even a flat iron.
6. CHI Ceramic Curling Iron
Highlight: CHI Ceramic Curling Iron: effortless, long-lasting curls with salon-quality shine.
Supportive Review: I usually don’t spend this much for a curling iron because there’s not much difference between them, right? Actually, no. I’ve owned multiple curling irons, in many different sizes depending on my hair length, and none of them have been as good as this one. One of my main gripes with the cheaper products is the cord.
All of the ones I’ve owned before have had stupid cords that get coiled up and can lead to burns when you don’t realize how tightly they are coiled. This is the FIRST curling iron I have owned that has a good cord, a tip that won’t burn you and works like it should. Yay! Spend the extra money. It’s worth it.
Trending Review: OMG. I just purchased this again after trying several other brands touted by social media influencers and people in the hair industry. These other brands tend to be quite expensive and so one would think that means higher quality and and more satisfactory results. That is just not true in this case. I find this tool be superior in several ways.
I am not sure why I decided to try other brands but within the past 2 months I have purchased 4 irons and each left my hair more damaged and frizzy than the next. I was becoming paranoid thinking that my hair was changing due to hormones, nutrition deficiencies or weather.
I have been spending money left and right to find products to repair damage and vitamins to strengthen and promote growth. I was searching on Amazon for reviews of irons that might be safe to use until I got my hair strong again and this one popped up. I recognized this as the one I had prior to switching and figured I would try it again.
I am soooo glad I did. First use was an instant improvement. My hair held the curl? It did not feel fried, it is shinier and I can tell now that the other irons were the problem this whole time. I did one last test and did two curls side by side. I did one curl with this iron and one with the most expensive iron. My hair felt scalded and crispy with the expensive brand. I will be giving my other irons away and sticking with this one from now on!
7. Follexmoe Automatic Curling Iron
Highlight: Effortlessly creates perfect, long-lasting curls with a single touch.
Supportive Review: I was a little skeptical about using an automatic hair curler, but this one completely exceeded my expectations! It’s super easy to use, even for someone like me who’s not great with traditional curling irons. The rotating feature does the work for you — just place your hair in the slot, press the button, and let it curl. No burns, no tangles, and definitely no fuss.
I love that it offers 4 temperature settings and 3 timer options, so you can really customize it depending on your hair type or the look you want. My curls came out smooth and lasted all day without frizz. The auto shut-off gives peace of mind too — I don’t have to panic wondering if I left it on. Easy to use and beginner-friendly No pulling or tangling — glides through hair smoothly.
Trending Review: The automatic curling iron is perfect for everyone, who wants to have perfect curls. It comes in a very professional looking box. The curling machine itself looks really great quality and has a few simple buttons on it. You long press the power button to start it up and then select your temperature dependent on how tight a curl you want. When the light stops flashing it’s ready to use.
You take a portion of hair, feed it across the curler and press a button depending on the direction you want to curl (clockwise / anti-clockwise). This is quite useful for someone like me who has poor spatial skills! You hold the button down until there is a bleep (around 8 seconds) then gently lower the curler. You can also vary how far up your hair you want the curls to go by moving the barrel closer or further away from your scalp.
As the hot curler iron is actually enclosed, you have very little hand contact with heat with this device so this reduces the chances of burns. I think this produced very good results. I had run out of hairspray on the first day I tried this and surprisingly, the curls lasted for over a day and a half even without hairspray which was fairly impressive. I have fairly thick hair and it took approximately 20 minutes to curl all my hair. This is a great machine and I think the more you use it the easier it will become.
8. CONAIR INFINITIPRO Tourmaline Curling Iron
Highlight: Creates smooth, frizz-free curls with lasting shine using tourmaline technology.
Supportive Review: I bought this curling iron after my husband tripped on the cord of my old curling iron and broke it. Very sad, it was my favorite. I was afraid I wouldn’t find another one as good as it was. I found this one and decided to give it a try.
I like the multiple settings on it for the heat and it is light weight in my hand. I have to be careful though because the highest setting can burn your hair if you leave it in for to long. I keep it about the mid range setting and it is perfect heat for curling my hair. One day I had forgotten to turn it off and when I realized what I had done I went back to turn it off and it was off.
I usually don’t do that so I don’t know if it turned itself off or if I did it and just thought I hadn’t. I will have to test that since I didn’t see anything in the description that said it does. The only thing that bothers me is that the clamp that hold your hair around the iron is not real tight and if I have a thin section in it, it will slip out which frustrates me.
Other than that it curls my hair beautifully and they stay curled not just for the day but into the next day as well until I wash it again. By the way people stop washing your hair everyday. You dry it out that way and it reeks havoc on your locks.
Trending Review: I have bought this curling iron three times over a lot of years because I love it! It’s exactly the right size to give my straight hair some lift without bends and curls. I love that it has a built in stand for setting it down without burning the counter, and you don’t have to flip anything like on other brands.
9. Conair Double Ceramic Long Barrel Curling Iron
Highlight: Effortlessly creates long-lasting, smooth curls with dual ceramic barrels for shine and protection.
Supportive Review: I’m so happy with this Conair curling iron. Since I started using it, my styling routine has become so much faster and easier. It heats up in seconds and maintains a consistent temperature, which helps create defined, long-lasting curls without having to go over the same section multiple times.
Easy to use: The ergonomic design makes it comfortable to hold and maneuver, even if you’re new to heat styling tools.
Great results: It creates soft, bouncy curls that look professional, even compared to salon-quality curls.
Fast heat-up: Ready to use in under a minute, perfect when you’re in a hurry. Great value: It feels well-built and reliable without being too expensive.
Trending Review: I wanted a 1.5” curling iron with a really long barrel for my long, thick hair, but I wasn’t willing to pay almost $200 for the one that I kept seeing advertised on my social media accounts. As you can see from the first picture, this curling iron barrel is much longer than the classic Conair Instant Heat curling iron (right), and it’s also much longer than my Hot Tools curling iron (left).
I used this long barrel curling iron for the first time this morning, and I was super impressed. First of all, I was able to curl bigger chunks of hair, so I was able to do it in less layers, which made the whole process faster. Also, there was so much room on the barrel that none of my hair got stuck in the screws of the hinge (which often happens to me with regular sized curling irons), so none of my hair got ripped out!
The 1.5” size was perfect for me and gave me perfect, loose waves. The picture of my hair was taken right after curling and finger combing. By the time I got to work, the curls had loosened up just a little bit to exactly the way I like them.
10. Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Wand
Highlight: Effortlessly creates smooth, long-lasting curls with dual ceramic technology for even heat distribution.
Supportive Review: I got this curling iron for a recent trip to Europe and it worked perfectly! Since it’s dual voltage, I had no issues using it overseas with a simple plug adapter. It heats up quickly and gives a nice, loose curl, exactly what I was hoping for. No complaints at all, and for the price, it’s a fantastic option, especially if you’re just looking for something reliable to use while traveling. Definitely recommend!
Trending Review: I’m beyond impressed with this Conair Double Ceramic 1-inch Curling Wand! As someone with thick, straight hair that usually struggles to hold a curl, this wand delivers flawless, soft waves that last all day—and without that crunchy texture.
The heat-up time is super quick, and I love having 30 heat settings to choose from depending on how defined I want my curls. The Turbo Boost is perfect for stubborn sections, and the bonus thermal glove makes styling safe and easy.
Plus, the rose gold design is beautiful and sleek on my vanity. It gives professional-quality results without the professional price tag. Highly recommend for anyone who wants effortless waves with a smooth, frizz-free finish!
Definitely a 5-star must-have in my beauty routine!
11. Revlon Perfect Heat Triple Ceramic Curling Iron
Highlight: Effortlessly create long-lasting, smooth curls with triple ceramic heat for even styling and shine.
Supportive Review: I purchased this curling iron (did not receive it free for review) after my last Revlon curling iron died recently after like 12 years! This one does not disappoint either, it is super easy to use, heats quickly and curls my hair perfectly. I love the way the tip is shaped which makes it easy to grip and the clamp has just the right amount of pressure to hold my fine hair.
I do find the curling iron to be a top heavy when set down so it tilts forward but I just rest it on my sink lip to keep the heat away from my Formica bathroom counter. I haven’t had any trouble with turning it off accidentally due to the on off button location like some other reviewers have mentioned, I don’t find it to be a problem. I see many years ahead of reliable use if my last was any indication. Great product for a great price.
Trending Review: Let me start by saying I am not a professional stylist. This is for my home use only. I am very happy with it so far. The 1.5 inch barrel creates a lovely loose curl. You can set the temperature to your liking. This is a clip style iron. The clip is easily operated and hold the hair well during use. Good bang for your buck!
12. REVLON SmoothStay Coconut Oil Infused Hair Curling Iron
Highlight: Effortlessly smooth, frizz-free curls with nourishing coconut oil infusion.
Supportive Review: This is the bomb!!! I can’t tell you how many curling irons I have purchased!! The thing I love the most is that it has A swivel cord. No straining the wrist. Heats up fast. And you can grab it at the end without burning up your fingers!!! Bravo Revlon!! I am sick of burning the tips of my fingers. I had to stop what I was
doing and write this review. I love it and it has good grip that is comfortable and it makes tight curls. It also has a long wand.
Trending Review: Bought to use on my daughters hair. Works great, has a wide range of temperatures, easy for me to hold while curling her waist length hair. Color looks sleek. Probably not a great one to travel with due to size, but worth it if you have a bit of extra room.
Final Words For 12 Best Curling Irons
From everyday waves to salon-worthy curls, our 12 Best Curling Irons for Short and Long Hair are tested by real users for results you can actually feel and trust.
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, these professional curl styling tools deliver consistent heat, lasting hold, and healthy shine across all hair types worldwide.
Choose smarter, style faster, and curl with confidence—because great hair days shouldn’t depend on guesswork, no matter where you are in the world.