Not all hair curlers are created equal, but these ones I really rate
Want more tried and tested recommendations from the Editors of Women’s Health? Sign up to our new weekly newsletter The Edit. Click here to subscribe.
When it comes to styling your hair, whether you fancy finally treating yourself to some tongs or are in dire need of an upgrade, we’ve rounded up the best hair wands, tongs and wavers that give you failsafe curls every time.
Best curling tongs, at a glance
How we test
The curling wand arena is a competitive space, with many tools and brands vying for our attention. So to make this a winning edit of curling tongs, the curler had to be easy and intuitive to use, while offering multiple heat settings for a customisable styling experience – with exception for ghd, which famously sticks to the standard 185°C.
We also looked at how well the tool created the look – whether that's beachy waves or bouncy curls – and how long it lasted. And, of course, add-ons, like a travel pouch, are very appreciated.
Below, see our edit of the top-rated curling wands that live up to our beauty team's standards. There's one for every kind of hair type and budget, so all that's left to do is scroll, scroll, scroll.
Our edit of the best curling tongs and wands for every hair type
Curve Classic Curl Tong
It’s no surprise that ghd's Curve Classic Curl Tong gets first place position. Whether you have short or long hair, the 26mm wand creates effortless curls that are bouncier than your classic blow-out wave.
The tool is also set at the standard 185°C, which ghd recommends being the best temperature to deliver results without singeing your strands.
Rose Quartz 38MM Curling Tong
If you're after Cindy Crawford, Hollywood-style curls, this is the gadget to take you there. The BaByliss Rose Quartz Curling Tong has a 3mm barrel – which is quite thick in the curling world – to master that XXL blow-out look.
The rose tinge isn't just for the aesthetics either. The barrel is coated in quartz-ceramic, helping to ensure even heat distribution which will result in a sleeker look – oh, and fewer flyways too.
Creative Curl Wand
Anything ghd and we're on board. We love the tapered barrel of this wand, ranging from 28mm to 23mm, meaning you get looser XXL curls at the root and tighter curls at the bottom.
It also comes with a ceramic coating which ensures hair stays smooth and frizz-free – but if you fancy a more textured look, you can rustle your hands through the curls to break them up. And while some may prefer the option to switch up the temperature, we're fans of the set temp, making styling as quick and easy as possible.
FlexStyle Limited Edition Teal
We're major fans of the Shark FlexStyle here at WH – in fact, our beauty writer loves this gizmo so much that she wrote a dedicated love letter to it. What's so impressive about this tool is that it offers many of the benefits of one other – similar – luxury player but with a noticeably smaller price tag.
It uses coanda technology to automatically wrap your strands around the barrels, while heated air locks the curl in place. And because it measures heat 1,000 times per-second, the tool will never cause extreme heat damage (although we still recommend that you use a protective spray).
There's more! The heart of the tool is a powerful hair dryer and this specific model comes with two hot-brush-style attachments if you wish to opt for a sleeker look. But if you're using the curling barrels, expect a Hollywood-esque bouncy blowout.
Read our full review here.
The Curling Wand
Those with bobs and lobs don’t need an unnecessarily long barrel, which is where this wand is particularly handy.
Its compact size is perfect for popping in your gym bag and it managed to leave most of our editors with healthier-looking hair. It gives an almost snag-free styling experience too, and comes with a handy travel case.
The Wand
Newbies will love Hershesons' The Wand. Firstly, it's one of the lightest tools we've tested, making it incredibly easy to style the back of your head, sans aching arms.
Then, its got a 360°C rotating temperature gauge, ranging from 80°C for fine hair to 210°C for thick or textured hair, so you can personalise your styling experience depending on your hair type.
As for the finish, the 25mm barrel creates different kinds of texture – whether that's beachy waves, loose curls or tousled lengths. The protective pouch is a handy feature for travel, too.
PROluxe Hair Curling Wand
Frizz is tough to beat, but this wand manages to minimise flyways, leaving smooth and symmetrical curls.
Quite cleverly, it features Remington's OptiHeat Technology meaning most of the heat is concentrated at the base of the wand (where the thickest segment of hair is) and less at the tip. So, alongside a frizz-free finish, the wand will deliver minimum damage to your precious lengths.
Airwrap multi-styler and dryer
It doesn’t get more luxe than this Dyson treasure chest. Yes, it's a high-end investment, however there's a clear reason why this innovation is loved by editors all over.
The kit is full of attachments which allow you to create whatever curl you desire, from defined ringlets to bouncy blow-out waves.
How's it done? The AirWrap uses the Coanda effect to draw hair to the barrel, dry and set the style in place. With genius heat control technology too, the styler will never reach above 150°C, preventing long-term heat damage.
Whirl Trio
Helping to declutter your hair tool draw, this device comes with interchangeable heads, so you can create an array of different-sized curls with just one wand.
The various barrels fashion everything from relaxed waves to bouncy curls, without snagging strands. But, above all, our editors love it for creating an effortless beachy look.
Jumbo Waver
This waver works well on all hair types and creates some seriously glam curls. It comes with a mammoth 28 different temperature settings too, making it ideal for those who are conscious of heat damage.
As for the finish, the S-shaped tool creates natural-looking waves, and it delivers on volume that won't deflate by the end of the day.
What size curling wand should I use?
The thicker or longer your hair, the bigger the barrel should be. This helps speed up your styling as you can wrap more strands around the wand. Thicker barrels are also ideal for those looking for larger curls, loose waves and a bouncy look. The options on our list go up to 40mm, so if you’ve got XXL lengths like J.Lo, the bigger the better.
On the other hand, if you’ve got fine hair or are rocking a bob, maybe if you want tighter ringlets, there’s no need for the extra space, so opt for a thinner, smaller barrel (the smallest on our list starts from 21mm). These tend to be lighter and more suitable for travel, or for taking with you to the gym for post-workout styling.
Are wands or curling tongs better?
The biggest difference between the two hair tools is the shape. A wand is just as you’d imagine — a wand that can be straight, bubbled or tapered — whereas tongs have a clamp on the side to hold hair in place.
While they both pretty much do the same thing, wands are usually better for beginners who want to keep things simple, as they can give you a bit more freedom in your style. You can also create different-sized curls easily.
A curling tong, on the other hand, can create more uniform curls and tends to provide more of a frizz-free finish, due to the clamp that holds strands in place.
We've also featured a hair waver, which is a three-barrelled styling tool that's designed to create mermaid or beach waves with ease.
You Might Also Like
