6 Types of Flat Irons and What They’re Made of

Wondering which type of flat iron you need for your hair type?

Featured Image of a Guide on Different Types of Flat Irons

This guide will help you make an enlightened decision.

Find out which iron is suitable for your hair type!

It is important to know about the types of flat irons available. 

The Different Types Of Flat Irons

In this article, we talk about the types of flat irons according to their materials, their uses, and which one is best depending on the type of hair you have.

Generally, the materials are the main aspect where most of the flat irons differ and where you should spend most of your time buying a new flat iron.

Mainly there are 3 types of flat iron materials you find in the market:

  • Titanium Flat Irons
  • Tourmaline Flat irons
  • Ceramic flat irons

There are other materials too like 

  • Ionic,
  • Professional, 
  • Wet to dry flat irons.

We will cover all of them below. 

Don’t forget to check our guide: Top 5 best flat iron hair straighteners

1- Titanium Flat Iron

Madami Nano-titanium Hair Straightener - Big INS016

Titanium is a durable metal found on the earth, and it is now widely used in flat irons.

Titanium flat irons are extremely beneficial for thick or coarse hair because of their heat transfer system.

It can transfer heat quickly and evenly. So, if you are tired of wasting time straightening your hair, you should get one of these.

Titanium flat irons distribute (and generate) heat perfectly by producing negative ions.

Negative ions produce infrared technology, which can tame your frizzy hair really well. It not only tames the frizz but also makes the hair look shiny and sleek.

On the other hand, those with thick hair struggle with straightening because it takes so much time.

Titanium-made straighteners use a modern heat transfer process to transfer heat from the iron to the hair fast and evenly. So it takes less time to straighten the hair.

But those who have thin hair also can use it without any hesitation. Titanium flat irons generally have a wide range of heat settings.

The temperature can be controlled as needed. So, you can always avoid hair damage with it. Furthermore, titanium is a well-known flat iron material that does the least possible damage to your hair.

It is a long-term investment in your hair care. Moreover, titanium is one of the most durable flat irons available, so you won’t have to worry about replacing it for a long time.

Although good quality titanium flat irons can cost a little more than the other flat irons, they are completely worth the price.

Learn more about the best titanium straighteners in this detailed guide.

2- Tourmaline Flat Iron

Red by Kiss 1/2″ Ceramic Tourmaline Root/edge Straightener - Big INS301A

The negative ions found in titanium flat irons are also available in tourmaline flat irons.

Therefore, if your hair is frizzy, damaged, or unhealthy, this flat iron will suit you best.

Because such kind of hair is rich with positive ions, negative ions can perfectly tame it down.

It will give your hair a shiny and healthy look by securing the moisture in the hair.  On the other hand, tourmaline flat irons need less heat to straighten hair, so there are fewer possibilities of your hair getting damaged.

One of the many reasons flat irons damage hair is the lack of smoothness on the flat iron’s surface.

Since tourmaline is not a single metal, it cannot be used as a single material. Generally, it is used as a coat of dust over the ceramic surface.

Ceramic is one of the smooth surfaces used in flat irons. So the surface of tourmaline flat irons is so smooth that it should never cause any hair damage.

Tourmaline flat iron distributes heat evenly to your hair, requiring no more than a few seconds to straighten one section of your hair.

It will cut your hair styling time in half. Moreover, tourmaline also helps repair your hair’s damage and prevent further damage as tourmaline dust protects the hair from excessive heat.

Another cause of hair damage and frizziness is the lack of moisture in our hair. Flat iron generally brings out all the moisture and makes it drier.

But tourmaline flat iron prevents this process and locks the hair’s moisture, making the hair healthier and shinier.

Read this guide about tourmaline flat iron reviews

3- Ceramic Flat Iron

GHD Gold Professional Styler, Ceramic Flat Iron - Big INS016

What is ceramic? It is an inorganic, nonmetallic material that becomes very hard through heat. It is also corrosion-resistant.

The main reason that ceramic is used in flat irons is its even heat distribution and lower price.

Flat iron plates made with ceramic have a smooth finish. Thus, it is most suitable for fine and thin hair.

This is one of the main reasons these plates are trendy. You’ll experience flawless and smooth ironing with an exceptionally smooth finish while straightening or styling your hair with ceramic flat irons.

But why are these ceramic plates preferred by girls worldwide? These plates are extremely safe and ideal for thin and fragile hair.

Moreover, ceramic flat irons do not get heated easily. The temperature is easily manageable.

That means, in ceramic flat irons, you will find a wide range of temperature controls so that you can set the heat suitable for your hair.

However, ceramic hair straighteners are also well known for providing consistent heat so that your hair gets less damaged.

Furthermore, it needs less time to iron your hair, so you’ll have extra protection for your fine strands.

More importantly, the “ionic technology” of ceramic straighteners can keep your hair frizz-free and keep the moisture by neutralizing positive ions.

Lastly, ceramic flat irons are the most economical options among the ones mentioned in this article.

If you are searching for a great flat iron for your fine or thin hair, go for a ceramic one.

4- Ionic Flat Iron

The term ionic means it generates negative ions and neutralizes positive ones.

Our hair generally gets positively charged from the water content (H2O+) and humid weather.

The positive ions cause frizziness, damages, breakages, and other damages to our hair.

Therefore, it needs to eliminate the positive ions to keep our hair healthy and in good condition.

Thus, hair experts suggest using hair tools that provide enough negative ions, which will help make your hair smoother, shinier, and frizz-free.

Ionic flat irons are best for frizzy, dry, breakage-prone, curly, or coarse hair.

You can use ionic flat irons on your fine hair, but you should be careful and set the temperature low.

Ionic straighteners lock the moisture into your hair and make it smoother, softer, and shinier.

If your hair is too dry, damaged, or breakage-prone, you can try the Bio Ionic 10x Flat iron to have smoother and shinier hair.

There are many other ionic flat irons you can find in the market, but this one is our recommendation if you have not used any ionic straightener before.

5- Wet to Dry Flat Iron

These flat irons are specially made to use on wet or damp hair. The venting system will allow you to straighten your hair in just one step.

If your hair is heavy or you have very thick, long, coarse hair, this flat iron is for you. It can also prevent frizziness.

But if you want your hair smooth and shiny, like when you iron with an ionic or ceramic hair straightener, you may be disappointed.

Nevertheless, these irons are a great replacement for blow dryers. If you don’t have much time to blow dry your wet hair, these irons can take care of that.

However, these flat irons are not as reliable as the other irons we talked about, though these are usually high quality.

Moreover, there is no safe technology in these. There are other models with more advanced technology that works really well on damp hair.

Our recommendation goes to these two wet to dry flat iron:

6- Professional Flat Iron

This name indicates the flat irons, which are recommended by professional hair experts.

You can see these hair straighteners are being used in salons or beauty parlors.

These are the flat irons with superior features and have longevity than most straighteners people keep at home.

These flat irons can give your hair incredible texture, glow, and any professional style you want.

But keep in mind that these irons are expensive and you need to be pro to use them. Among some of the popular professional flat irons, we like the MHU professional keratin flat iron

Are There Any Other Flat Iron Options?

You can find other flat irons in the market, but not all of them are good or suitable to use. Some of them are made with silicone or rubber, which can help you sort out the strands when pulled out.

On the other hand, less expensive irons tend to have small Teflon coated plates.

Additionally, there are metal and glass flat irons. But these are very low-quality irons, and iron plates can burn, break or damage, your strands quite easily.

We always recommend staying away from these types of hair straighteners.

Final Verdict

It is very important that you understand the type of flat irons available. With the right one, you can get excellent results while protecting your hair.

Therefore, buy a flat iron that fits your type of hair and helps you save time when you straighten your hair. 

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us.