The Best Stylist-Recommended Flat Irons for Natural Hair

There is no shortage of flat irons on the market, and while there are many great options, it's important to find the right one for your hair that will smooth and straighten strands and most importantly, not cause excessive heat damage. When it comes to picking the best flat iron for natural hair, the rules are even more specific.

"You want to make sure there is a thermostat to adjust heat settings, large plates, and curved casing around the plates, which will allow you to make curls and waves, as well as straighten," says Leigh Hardges, a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. For natural hair, a flat iron with adjustable heat is super important to prevent damage to strands: "If you have a 4c curl type, never go above 375 or 380º," as this texture is especially damage-prone.

How we test flat irons

To find the best flat irons, the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab runs a series of tests both on the Lab and with consumer testers. First, we conduct controlled testing on swatches of human hair in our Climatology Chamber to see each flat iron's ability to maintain straightness in humid environments. In our most recent test, we took over 100 measurements of width and thickness expansion after 24 hours of high humidity.

We also consider each iron's weight and size, safety, efficacy, and put each flat iron’s durability to the test with the Drop Tester, which replicates falls from three feet onto tile floor. Last but not least, we send flat irons home with real consumer testers to get feedback on ease of use, satisfaction, and smoothness and shininess of the finished style. In our most recent test, we parsed through 4,914 heat data points and 972 survey questions to find the best flat irons on the market.

Check out our picks below, a mix of GH Beauty Lab test winners, expert favorites, and top-rated options for the best flat irons for all of your natural hair needs.