The Best Hair Straighteners (UK, 2026)

The Remington Shine Therapy is the straightener most people should buy. The advanced ceramic plates heat evenly, so they glide through hair smoothly without snagging or hot spots, the adjustable temperature lets you dial in the lowest heat that works for your hair, which is the most important thing you can do to limit heat damage, and the conditioning coating helps keep hair smooth and shiny. For a trusted-brand straightener that does everything that matters at under £30, it is excellent value.

It is not as fast to heat or as feature-laden as a £130 flagship, and the plates are a standard width rather than extra-wide. But for straightening most people's hair well while protecting it with sensible heat control, it does the job just as effectively as far pricier tools, and the saving is substantial. If you have long or thick hair, the wide-plate version gets through it faster; if you want a salon-style finish, the BaByliss. For the best all-round value, this is the pick.

The BaByliss Smooth Pro steps up to a more salon-style experience: faster heat-up so you are not waiting, smooth professional plates for a sleek glide, and the kind of finish and feel you get from a proper styling tool, from a brand with strong hair-care pedigree. For people who straighten regularly and want a quicker, more polished result, it is a worthwhile upgrade on the basic models without reaching flagship prices.

It costs a little more than the Remington for broadly similar core straightening, so you are paying for the faster heat-up, the pro-style plates and the finish rather than a dramatically different result. But if you style often and value speed and a salon-quality glide, it earns the extra. If you want the best value and sensible heat control, the Remington is our pick; if you want a faster, more professional-feeling tool, the BaByliss Smooth Pro is the one.

If you want ceramic straighteners for as little as possible, the TRESemme does the job for around £17. The smooth ceramic plates glide well, and the high 230°C maximum temperature means it can tackle thick or coarse hair that lower-powered straighteners struggle with, from a trusted hair-care name. For a first straightener, a spare or a tight budget, it is honest, capable value.

At this price it is a simpler tool, so you may get fewer heat settings and a slower heat-up than the dearer models, and that high top temperature should be used carefully, only thick, coarse hair needs anything near 230°C, and fine hair should stay far lower. But a straightener's core job, smooth, even ceramic plates that straighten hair, is delivered cheaply here. If you want faster heating, more settings or a salon finish, spend more; as the cheapest capable ceramic straightener, this covers it.

If you have long or thick hair, the wide 45mm floating plates on this Remington are a genuine advantage: they cover more hair per pass, so you straighten in fewer strokes, which is faster and, usefully, means each section of hair spends less total time under the heat. The floating plates adjust to grip hair evenly, and the conditioning Shine Therapy coating keeps the finish smooth, making light work of hair that narrow plates would take an age on.

For short hair, a fringe or precise styling, wide plates are less nimble, where a standard or narrow plate gives more control. But for long, thick or abundant hair, the wide plates save real time and reduce repeated passes over the same section, which is better for your hair. If your hair is short or you want precision, the standard Shine Therapy is the better fit; for long or thick hair, these wide plates are the pick.