The Best CHI Flat Irons: Reviews and Top Picks

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CHI is a powerhouse in the hair styling industry. And for good reason – they produce salon-quality styling tools and products designed by professional hairdressers. 

But with the variety of straighteners they have, it’s not always easy to know which is the best CHI flat iron for you.

Worry not – I’ve done the research and picked out the winners you should consider if you’re looking for your first or next hair straightener. You’ll also learn how to avoid getting a counterfeit CHI – because yes, they’re out there.

Best CHI Flat Iron Reviews

Best For Frizz Control: Tourmaline Ceramic Hairstyling Iron (Onyx Black)

The CHI Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron can be a great addition to your styling regime.

It’s got curved, floating plates that allow you to straighten with ease or create beautiful waves, curls, or flips. It’s especially good at combating frizz and static. The combination of tourmaline and ceramic plates produce negative ions when heated, leaving you with shiny, soft, and silky hair. 

It reaches a maximum temperature of 410°F in 30 seconds. You can adjust the heat setting with the temperature dial that’s located on the inner edge. If you don’t need a ton of heat, it goes as low as 180°F, giving you total control over the amount of heat you apply.

There’s also auto shut-off after 60 minutes, a 9’ swivel cord, and a 2-year warranty for good measure. This is one of the better mid-range flat irons that CHI produces.

Best Beginner Flat Iron: Original 1” Ceramic Hairstyling Iron

CHI’s Original 1” Ceramic Hairstyling Iron is their flagship ceramic straightener, and for good reason. It’s popular with professionals and hair enthusiasts alike. 

It features solid 1” ceramic floating plates that can reach up to 392°F. Heat is evenly distributed throughout, so you get consistent temperatures without hotspots or spotty burning on your strands. 

If you’ve ever used a flat iron before, you know that static can be a problem. You finish straightening your hair only to look like an electrical science experiment gone wrong. You shouldn’t have that issue with this one – the solid ceramic material both creates shine by infusing your locks with negative ions and reduces static at the same time.

There’s also a super-long 11’ swivel cord for easy maneuverability. 

However, the biggest downside to the Original Ceramic Flat Iron is that you can’t control the temperature. For this reason, it’s best to use this on healthy tresses that aren’t too fine or coarse. 

Best Professional Flat Iron: G2 Ceramic and Titanium Hairstyling Iron

If you want professional, salon-grade quality, you’ll get it with the G2 Ceramic and Titanium Flat Iron. 

Available in both 1” and 1 ¼” widths, it’s great at heating up in a pinch while keeping a consistent uniform temperature. The wider width is great if you’re trying to save some time straightening long hair by allowing you to pass larger sections at a time.

Plates are made of both ceramic and titanium, making it both safe for finer hair as well as powerful enough for thicker locks. It’s got a very smooth glide due to the curved edges, and it’s resistant to corrosion and excessive wear and tear.

Perhaps the most convenient feature of the G2 is the preset, color-coded temperature options to get you started if you don’t know what setting to use:

• Red at 425°F for coarse, thick hair 
• Blue at 395°F for medium and wavy hair 
• Green at 370°F for fine, thin hair 

If you do know the appropriate temperature for your hair, simply adjust the digital temperature controls located on the inside to your preferred setting.

The sleek design, combined with the technology this appliance possesses, makes it one of CHI’s best flat irons to date. 

Best For Fine or Damaged Hair: Lava Ceramic Hairstyling Iron

CHI’s tradition of innovating with new technologies and materials is on full display with their Lava Ceramic Hairstyling Iron. Founder Farouk Shami was inspired to design a hair styler with volcanic lava after learning about the use of lava stone and ceramic in cooking while he was traveling.

He brought the idea back to his research and design team to experiment with. They ended up producing a lava-infused ceramic plate that leaves hair straight and soft while reducing the amount of high heat needed to be effective. 

The effect is pretty darn noticeable – you’re left with incredible softness, it doesn’t kill your ends, and it lasts, even in humid conditions. You know you have a real winner when your tresses can stand up to rain and humidity.

The power button is located on the inside of the iron, so you won’t accidentally turn it off while styling. It also has a nice, long 11’ cord for plenty of freedom.

As you might expect, all these benefits make this flat iron pretty pricey. However, it’s a worthwhile investment if you’re able to invest in a high quality straightener. 

Because it’s both gentle on fine, damaged hair and powerful enough to tame thick, curly locks, it’s also a good choice if more than one person uses it in your household. 

Best for Short Hair, Touch Ups, or Travel: CHI Travel Lava Hairstyling Iron

For on-the-go touch ups or short hair, CHI has you covered with their Travel Lava Hairstyling Iron. A compact version of the standard-size Lava Ceramic Flat Iron, this one comes with 1” plates, adjustable heat settings up to 400°F, digital temperature display, and an even faster heat up time than the full size.

The floating plates have excellent grip and pressure, even on shorter lengths and bangs. You can also use a lower temperature than you might normally set with plain ceramic since the lava-infused ceramic plates are able to tame and straighten at a lower heat setting.

There’s auto shut-off after 60 min, and it’s also dual-voltage compatible so you can use it worldwide.

The best part is it works just as well as the full-size version, so you can save a bit of money if you want to use this as your primary straightener instead. You’ll want to stick with the full-size version if you need higher heat, however.

Why Should I Choose a CHI Flat Iron?

Trusted Brand Since 1986

CHI hair stylers are used around the world in hair salons, homes, and even the Miss Universe pageant. They don’t just make flat irons, of course – they have blow dryers, curling irons, and a wide variety of hair products including gels, heat protectants, and hair sprays to boot.

They were one of, if not the first company to manufacture the most widely-used plate material for flat irons today – ceramic. With decades of experience behind their designs, CHI continues to come out with stylers using the latest technologies and innovative materials for gorgeous results and reducing damage. 

They’re Designed, Built and Used by Professional Hairdressers

Professional hairstylist Farouk Shami founded Farouk Systems (which owns CHI® and BioSilk®) to serve hairdressers like himself. To that end, not only does the company manufacture high quality products, they also offer educational resources within the hair care industry from international training academies and online courses to hair shows.

If they aren’t committed to providing salon-quality products and training, no one is!

They Use The Best Materials and Advanced Technologies

From ceramic and titanium to volcanic lava, CHI has been at the forefront of using the best materials around for creating smooth, shiny hair. Whether you’ve got fine, damaged strands, coarse, unruly, or curly locks, there’s a model that will smooth and straighten your hair type.

The company stays on top of the latest technologies that help reduce heat damage and leave your hair looking and feeling healthy, sleek, and soft.

Quality

With other brands, it’s common for plates to wear out or lose their heating capability over time. CHI straighteners are professional-quality instruments designed for use in salons, which means they need to be able to hold up after multiple frequent uses.

You can feel the quality of the iron when holding it – the housing is sturdy, well-made and comfortable to handle. You also get plenty of freedom to move around with a 360° swivel cord that’s either 9’ or 11’ long depending on the model.

CHI products last for years when properly cared for – many loyal users have been using the same flat iron for upwards of 10 years.

They Offer a 1 or 2-Year Warranty

CHI guarantees the quality of their flat irons with a 1 or 2 year warranty depending on your model. 

Things To Look Out For

Counterfeit CHI’s

One of the pitfalls of CHI’s success is the plethora of counterfeit flat irons sold as genuine CHIs. Tons of copy cat manufacturers make knock off versions and sell them online for what looks like a great discount.

While it might look like the real thing, you won’t be getting the same quality, nor will you be eligible for the warranty if it’s a fake.

How To Spot a Fake CHI

If you think you might have gotten a fake CHI flat iron from an unauthorized reseller, here’s what to look for:

• Check the logo at the base of the handle. A real CHI logo will be perfectly centered in the circle, where fake ones usually have smaller, more transparent lettering, and are somewhat off-center.
• The product information on the inside panel should be engraved. If it’s just a sticker, it’s a fake.
• When turned on, a genuine CHI’s LED light will be red, and clear when it’s off. Counterfeit CHI’s light is always red whether on or off.
• Most CHI flat irons have a large box plug with a reset button on it. Fakes only come with a standard plug.

Where To Buy A Genuine CHI Flat Iron

To ensure you’re buying the real thing, purchase your flat iron directly from CHI.com, a reputable hair salon, or an authorized seller like Ulta Beauty or Beauty Brands. 

This is key if you want to protect your hair and investment if you ever need to make use of the warranty.

Which CHI Is For You?

It’s hard to go wrong with any CHI flat iron (as long as it’s authentic). They’re all effective styling tools, but if I had to choose, my top choice would be the G2 Ceramic and Titanium Hairstyling Iron for it’s combination of value, features, and straightening ability. 

It’s titanium ceramic plates combines even heating with fast heat up and recovery, which is so important for getting the soft, silky strands you’re after. I love the gold-colored plates, which have round edges that don’t snag or pull on your strands while straightening.

It has good temperature options and the pre-set modes are ideal if you’re just getting started and have no idea what setting to use. I’m not the only one either – many users find it very easy to use and well worth the cost.

What’s your favorite CHI flat iron?