The Best Curling Irons for Effortless Curls and Waves (2024)

Curling irons have come a long way from the clunky, damaging rods of yore. Gone are the days of spending hours, going to great lengths trying to style your strands into bouncy ringlets and cascading spirals, only for them to fall flat instantly. These days, there are tons of curling irons that make styling hair a breeze.

But between the many clamps, wands, and the various barrel sizes and widths, narrowing down the right hair styling tool can be a challenge. According to hairstylist Harry Josh, it all comes down to the look you're going for. "There are three main types of curling irons: a marcel, a spring clamp, and a wand," explains the pro. "If you’re looking for a polished, pro-level result, use the marcel. The spring clamp will give you a sleek, glam style with traditional curls or Hollywood style S-waves. The wand will give you tousled curls and more of a beach wave type look."

Below, we break down the best curling irons money can buy—plus, Josh, as well as fellow celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons, share how to use these devices to achieve on-trend hair goals.

Love the look of old Hollywood waves? In just one pass, this curling iron cuts hair styling time in half and leaves you with a gorgeous voluminous 'do. One Sephora reviewer, who was "blown away" by the tool says: "The big barrel allows me to wrap the entire length of my strands around it and makes curling my hair so fast and easy! I love these beautiful bouncy curls and the sleek design of the tool!"

If you have long hair, Bio Ionic's longer-than-average barrel streamlines the process of hair curling. "I have long, thick, naturally wavy hair that is fairly difficult to manage and barely ever holds curls!" writes a reviewer. "This iron is easy to use, creates great curls with no clamp marks and the curls last all day and overnight!"

This wand will help you get the look of Drybar's beloved Cosmo-Tai style from the comfort of your own own. It can reach up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and has an innovative no-slip barrel that delivers flawless waves and spirals each and every time. The wand "made me fall in love with curling my hair," raves a Sephora reviewer. "The curls set quickly and stay all day, it’s seriously amazing. Would absolutely recommend this. Plus it has such a long cord, so nice."

Moroccan Oil's hair products have long been a haircare favorite, but the brand's styling tool also gets top marks. Thanks to its titanium barrel, the curling iron can achieve all sorts of shiny, frizz-free styles on all hair types, especially for those with thicker tresses. "This curling iron has cut down my time in curling my hair," writes one reviewer. "The extra long rod and the heat from the iron makes the curl last longer into the next day!"

For those with a shorter hairstyle, reach for a curling iron with a 1-inch barrel size. Fitzsimons touts them for being incredibly "versatile." This smaller-sized option, with a titanium barrel, was specially created for those with shorter hairstyles and works wonders at curling while never tugging at strands or leaving undesirable creases and dents. According to an Amazon reviewer, their "curls stay in" and the iron styles "very quickly."

Another great option for beachy waves, the three-barrel iron, with adjustable heat settings to up to 390 degrees and negative ion technology for sealing the cuticle, can help you embody the mermaid-inspired style. Raves a Sephora reviewer: "It creates amazing beach waves that last and last. Never had waves last this long with hot curlers or a curling iron."

If you like to change up your looks often, this NuMe set won't disappoint. It comes with eight different interchangeable tourmaline ceramic barrels that allow you to style your hair in a number of different ways, from bombshell S waves to tighter ringlets. A reviewer writes: "You won't even notice the curler is there because to its svelte and lightweight design, which makes it comfortable to use on your head. It is more durable and will undoubtedly always be useful!"

As you can see, this device is not your typical curling iron. Sections of hair are drawn into a heat-isolating curl chamber for 15-19 seconds (depending on your length and texture) and each come out looking beautifully bouncy with not a fly-away in sight. The Chi gets "A+ on absolutely everything!" raves a reviewer, adding: "Perfection on the lowest setting! Faster than my straightener, easy peasy."

Not only can the Lunata be turned into a curling wand by simply removing the attachable clip, but it is also wire-free and offers up to 45 minutes of styling time uncharged. Meaning you'll never have to worry about getting tangled up in wires while styling your hair. "This cordless curling iron is life changing," raves a reviewer. "I am a woman on the go and this product was developed with women like me in mind. Not to mention my hair never looked so good!"

According to Josh, a curling iron with a 1.25-inch barrel is the most popular size because "it works for most hair lengths." However, if you want tighter curls or have shorter hair, the pro recommends reaching for a 1-inch barrel. Fitzsimmons also notes that 1-inch barrels "allows you to do loose waves or tight curls depending on the size of the section you use."

Selecting the best curling iron all comes down to your hair type and the style you're going for. "If you have thicker hair, you should use a titanium barrel since the heat will be able to curl your hair best," explains Fitzsimons. "If your hair is on the thinner side, a ceramic barrel would be better suited for you."