7 BEST CORDLESS HAIR STRAIGHTENERS FOR SLEEK LOCKS WHEREVER YOU GO
Technology is constantly evolving and everything from the way we communicate to how we heat our homes and even answer the front door is changing.
The world of beauty isn’t far behind either. From fancy treatments, such as LED face masks – which mean you can now zap your way to glowing skin from the comfort of your own home – to high tech hair tools, there’s lots that peaking our interest.
Following in the footsteps of headphones, vacuum cleaners, speakers and so much more, today’s best hair tools come free from cables so you can style your tresses whenever and wherever you may be – whether that’s the changing room after a sweaty gym session or in the back of a taxi on the way to the pub. And the days of cumbersome irons that would fry our locks into submission are long gone.
But, what makes them better than the corded pair you already own? One of the best multitasking beauty tools around, cordless hair straighteners are easier to manoeuvre allowing for simpler styling of both sleek and curly looks. Plus, they’re compact and rechargeable, making them much more travel-friendly than standard models.
When it comes to picking the right tool, there are a couple of non-negotiables worth considering, including temperature settings. While 185C is considered the optimum for heat styling with minimal damage, those with particularly fine or thick locks might benefit from a straightener that lets you adjust the temperature to suit your hair type.
Next comes plate size. As cordless tools are typically smaller, it’s important to consider the size of the irons if you have longer hair or want to use your straightener for curling – wider plates will give loose waves, while narrower ones will give tighter curls.
How we tested
We put a number of cordless straighteners to the test on our long, frizz-prone hair for a number of weeks, using each to create both poker straight and wavy styles. We took them out and about with us to see if they truly lived up to their portability claims and also paid attention to the design, ease of use, versatility, battery power and the end result.
The best cordless hair straighteners for 2023 are:
- Best cordless hair straightener overall – Ghd unplugged cordless hair straighteners: £299, Amazon.co.uk
- Best cordless hair straightenerfor everyday styling – Dyson corrale hair straightener: £299, Currys.co.uk
- Best cordless hair straightener for travel – Balmain cordless titanium straightener: £214.59, Balmainhair.com
- Best cordless hair straightener for festivals – Babyliss 9000 high performance cordless straightener: £81, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget cordless hair straightener – Revamp progloss liberate cordless compact ceramic hair straightener: £62.49, Amazon.co.uk
Ghd unplugged cordless hair straighteners
As its name suggests, the ghd unplugged sets you free from the confines of cables so you can style your hair while on the go. Super lightweight – 300g to be exact – the sleek tool is small enough to fit into your handbag using the included carry case. And, unlike other ghd models, it has a slide power switch instead of a button, which prevents it from being accidentally turned on while in your bag.
When it comes to performance, unplugged takes around two hours to fully charge, 45 seconds to heat up and offers up to 20 minutes of continuous styling. While this doesn’t sound like long, it was more than enough time to ensure our hair was looking sleek and we found it gave us similar results to those when using our regular tool, the ghd platinum plus (£229, Ghdhair.com). This is because it is ceramic plates feature dual-zone technology, meaning a consistent optimum styling temperature of 185C is maintained for healthy-looking results. We tested unplugged for curling too and while the plates are smaller, we managed to achieve a full head of loose waves before the charge ran out.
We also like that the styler can be charged via USB-C cable using a plug, laptop or even in your car and that it comes with a sleep mode, which automatically shuts the straightener off after three minutes of non-use so you don’t waste precious battery. A great option for travellers, unplugged is airport security safe too, meaning you can pop them in your hand luggage without a second thought.
Read the full ghd unplugged review
Buy now £299.00, Amazon.co.uk
Dyson corrale hair straightener
The brainchild of Dyson, a company best known for its high-tech vacuum cleaners and cooling fans, the corrale is packed with innovative technology to help combat heat damage. Flexible copper allow plates that bend to the hair’s strands to avoid breakage and three heat settings (165C, 185C and 210C) so you can tailor the temperature to your needs.
Designed with a four-cell lithium-ion battery, the corrale gives you up to 30 minutes of cord-free styling, which was plenty of time for us to smooth over our locks, which were left looking shinier and noticeably less frizzy. The tool takes 70 minutes to charge fully but if you do run out of battery, fear not, because the good news is that you can use the corrale while it’s plugged in too, making it a great option for everyday use.
You also get a luxurious heat resistant travel pouch, a magnetic charging dock and a magnetic charging cable with a 360C swivel feature. For the jet setters among you, there’s a handy flight feature too, meaning you can take them on a plane. However, it’s worth noting that because of the powerful battery, copper plates and OLED screen, the corrale is one of the heaviest tools in this list – it weighs 561g – which could take up a precious chunk of your baggage allowance.
Read the full Dyson corrale review
Buy now £299.00, Currys.co.uk
Cloud Nine the cordless iron pro hair straightener
If you’re looking for a cordless straightener that comes with all the bells and whistles, this is it. The first portable tool from Cloud Nine, the cordless iron pro comes with a host of accessories, including a chic faux leather carry case, faux leather roll bag and travel pouch, sleek charging pod, heat-resistant guard, universal voltage charger and plug adaptors.
As for the tool itself, the styler is finished with a glossy white look and has just two buttons. One button turns it on and lets you choose between two temperature settings (160C or 170C) and another enables “revive mode” – this lowers the temperature to just 150C and vibrates the plates at 8,000 times per minute. The brand says this feature helps minimise friction and heat damage and, while we can’t say whether or not it caused our hair less harm, our locks were left perfectly straight and frizz-free after giving it a go.
Weighing just 290g, it takes 50 minutes to charge and offers 30 minutes of styling time, meaning it is genuinely portable and great for use on a range of hair types while you’re out and about.
Buy now £349.00, Selfridges.co.uk
Balmain cordless titanium straightener
When a product comes recommended by Victoria Beckham, we listen. In 2019, the fashion designer hailed the cordless tool a “life changer”, which is high praise indeed, so we knew we had to put them to the test and, we’re pleased to confirm that the Balmain styler did not disappoint.
Lightweight and travel friendly, the tool has heated titanium floating plates that glide through the hair easily and comes with three heat settings, allowing for tailored styling to suit your hair type. We also liked that the straightener features a handy colour temperature gauge – blue for 160C, green for 180C and red for 200C. It heats up in 30 seconds but has one of the longest charge times, taking four hours for the battery to fully charge, which gives you around 30 minutes of styling time.
The styler works equally as well when creating tousled waves as it does straight looks and comes with a zip-up case for easy storage, meaning you can pop it in your bag for touch-ups while on the go. Looking for something that will stand out on your dressing table? Balmain has also recently released a pink version.
Buy now £199.95, Balmainhair.co.uk
Dafni allure heated hair straightening brush
Unlike any of the other tools in this list, the allure is a cordless straightening brush that’s designed with bristles just like your regular hair brush. Fitting comfortably into the palm of your hand, the tool is an oval shape with a purple ceramic plate in the centre and a number of 3D, multi-length bristles surrounding it that are also coated with ceramic technology to prevent snagging.
The brush takes 3 hours to charge and takes around two minutes to fully heat up to an optimum temperature of 185C. It also lets you know when it’s ready to use by beeping and comes with a thermal bag and safety cover so you can pop it straight back into your bag after use.
Super easy to use, you simply brush the tool through your hair like you would a normal hairbrush. While we were concerned about the coated bristles at first, we found that they have a slight spring to them which helps to protect your scalp from any direct heat. The battery lasts for around 30 minutes and we managed to straighten our hair in just 7 minutes, meaning it should last a few styling sessions before your need to recharge. Speaking of which, to charge the brush you simply plug it into a USB port.
Buy now £169.95, Selfridges.co.uk
Babyliss 9000 high performance cordless straightener
This cordless straightener from Babyliss has a lot going for it, tech wise. It’s designed with a lithium-ion, high-performance battery and comes with three heat settings to choose from, 160C, 180C and 200C. The plates are among some of the biggest we tried, making it a great option for those with longer hair. They’re floating and feature something the brand calls a “micro heating matrix” too, which ensures a consistent temperature through the styling process to help prevent damage.
We also liked the simplicity of the styler, as it’s controlled using a single circular button at the base of the styler which adjusts the temperature and uses coloured lights to indicate battery life. The tool takes three hours to charge fully and offers 30 minutes of styling time.
However, just like Dyson’s corrale (£299.99, Currys.co.uk), it can be used while plugged in. Although the cable is rather short, measuring at 1m long, which can make it difficult to manoeuvre. We used the tool to both straighten and curl our hair, and found that it performed particularly well at taming flyaways and creating a glossy finish.
Buy now £81.00, Amazon.co.uk
Revamp progloss liberate cordless compact ceramic hair straightener
One of the most affordable cordless straighteners you will find, Revamp’s offering still manages to deliver on all fronts. After three hours of charging, it will give you 30 minutes of use so you can create sleek straight locks or waves wherever you are. It’s suitable for use on a range of hair types thanks to its custom temperature control, which ranges from 170C to 230C.
Worried about your hair feeling fried? Fear not, because the tool’s plates are ceramic and floating, which helps them to glide through your locks without any snagging. Plus, they’re infused with oils such as keratin, argan and coconut oil, which we found left our hair looking healthy and shiny.
The straightener also comes with a handy heat-resistant travel bag and a charging cable with a UK/EU interchangeable adaptor, so you can use it for touch-ups while running errands at home or to create a totally new look while on holiday.
Buy now £62.49, Amazon.co.uk
The verdict: Cordless straighteners
For a cordless tool that manages to be truly portable without sacrificing performance, we’d recommend investing in ghd’s unplugged. It’s lightweight, small enough to fit in your handbag and features the same technology you’d expect to find in the brand’s standard plug-in models. We also love how easily it manages to create both straight and curly styles, and the fact you can charge it almost anywhere.
If you’re less concerned about portability, consider Dyson’s corrale, which can be used cord-free or plugged in. While it’s the most expensive on our list, it’s a great option for anyone who styles their hair regularly from home but still wants the freedom that a cordless tool provides.
Streamline your hair regime with the best hot brushes for drying and styling simultaneously
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2022-08-02T09:48:50Z dg43tfdfdgfd