| Image | Product | Features | Price |
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Best Value  |
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Best Full Size Replacement  |
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Best Pixie Straightener  |
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Best for Natural Hair and Beards  |
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If you’re anything like me, finding the best mini flat iron I can travel with is a challenge. Regular-size flat irons can be bulky and take up too much space when you’re trying to travel light. Smaller straighteners don’t always straighten as well as full-size ones, particularly if you have long or thick hair.
Which means you’re stuck choosing between looking your best and squeezing your full-size into an already full bag, or packing a small one that doesn’t quite get the job done.
On the other hand, if you have fine or short hair, a mini flat iron might be the only tool you need, at home or on the road.
Best Mini Flat Iron Reviews
Best Value: Lovani Mini Flat Iron
- ½” Anti-Static Titanium Plates
- Compact Travel-Size
- One Temperature Setting - 410°F
- Dual Voltage + Hinge Lock
- Insulated Heat Resistant Carry Bag
Say goodbye to frizz and static once and for all with the Lovani Mini Flat Iron. It’s ½” titanium plates heat up to 410°F in less than a minute, and the compact size fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. (It’s actually smaller than I expected, even for a mini flat iron.)
The On/Off switch is located on the inside of the iron, and there’s an LED light indicator that turns red when it’s switched on.
It’s perfect for styling bangs and taming frizz after a workout or in high humidity. The flat iron comes with a heat-resistant pouch that you can pack it in even while hot.
The outer casing has a soft matte grip that’s comfortable, ergonomic, and easy to control. You can also curl and flip your hair at different angles with the rounded edges.
Because it’s so compact, you’ll have a hard time straightening long hair efficiently. It’s really best for shoulder-length or shorter styles, so if you do use it on longer, thicker manes, be prepared to do multiple passes.
For those that have experienced issues with the flat iron, the good news is several users gave top marks for Lovani’s stellar customer service. The straightener comes with a satisfaction guarantee, so if you find yourself less than pleased with it’s performance, you can contact them for a replacement or refund.
- Floating plates keeps contact with hair at different angles
- Heat-insulated carrying case for immediate storage after use
- 100-240V worldwide compatibility
- Titanium plates reduce static and frizz
- 100% Money Back Guarantee
- Not as effective on long, thick, or coarse hair
- Some have experienced the power switch in the Off position during use
Best Full Size Replacement: BaBylissPRO Nano Mini Flat Iron (1”)
- 1" Nano Titanium Plates
- Travel-Size 6" Length
- Max Temperature 440°F
- Dual Voltage
Small in size but big in value, the BaBylissPro Mini Straightening Iron measures just 6″ long, making it easy to fit into your purse or any travel bag. It comes with a handy thermal pouch to boot. If you’re in a hurry, you don’t need to wait until it has completely cooled down before packing it up.
Like most mini straighteners, it’s best for smoothing hair near your scalp or touching up flyaways and bangs. It’s pretty versatile though – the nice thing about this straightener is that it comes in a 1” width, unlike most mini flat irons with narrow ½” plates. It works pretty well on longer hair too, but it’ll still take more time to straighten than a full-size iron.
The sole temperature setting is 440°F, which is plenty hot even for coarse, curly hair. You do need to be careful holding it as the short handle means you may grab onto the housing behind the plates, which gets very hot. Even the rubber grips get pretty hot, which is my biggest beef. Wear gloves if you’re not used to holding high heat.
The plates are made of titanium, so it conducts and transfers heat well. If you’ve got super fine or fragile hair, the heat may be too much for your strands to handle.
It’s dual-voltage compatible and works wherever you go if you’re travelling overseas (with the appropriate adapter plug). For BaBylissPRO fans, it’s a very decent travel-size iron from a trusted brand.
- Super compact and portable
- Creates shiny smooth locks nearly as well as full-size irons
- Hot enough (440°F) to handle thick, curly locks
- Comes with a thermal pouch
- Heats up quickly
- Outer housing gets very hot to the touch
- Single temperature setting may be too hot for fine, thin hair
Best Pixie Straightener: AmoVee Mini Flat Iron
- ½” Floating Tourmaline Ceramic Plates
- Compact Travel-Size (~8" long)
- One Temperature Setting - 410°F
- Dual Voltage + Safety Lock
- Swivel Cord + Heat Resistant Glove
The quality of mini straighteners from brands I’ve never heard of before is pretty amazing these days. Take AmoVee, for instance, and their Mini Flat Iron.
It’s one heck of a straightener for short, pixie styles in particular because of the slim design that allows you to get near your scalp and between sections of hair. The whole thing measures less than 8” long, and the plates are ½” wide.
It’s got floating plates that tilt from side to side, ensuring good contact while you’re gliding. I will say that if you have especially fine or thin tresses, you might find your strands slipping out of the iron. You’ll probably want to hold the ends or use thicker sections as you straighten.
Again, as with most mini straighteners, there’s no choice in temperature settings. For some reason, even without the choice, there seems to be a range that it heats to, which is between 383°F and 430°F. This is on the lower end of most mini heat ranges, but the nice thing is it still manages to straighten effectively.
Finally, it’s dual voltage and lightweight (less than half a pound!), so taking it with you on your travels is easy and convenient.
- 3D floating plates
- Straightens bangs, roots, and short layers like a pro
- 100-240V dual voltage
- Comes with a good quality heat-resistant glove
- Lightweight
- Not super effective on long, thick, or coarser hair types
- Instructions in box are in Chinese only
Best for Natural Hair and Beards: Red by Kiss 3/10” Pencil Flat Iron
- Narrow 3/10" Ceramic Tourmaline Plates
- Max Temperature 450°F
- Designed For Natural Hair
- Tangle-free Swivel Cord
For my sistahs-in-the-house with short crops, the Red by Kiss Pencil Flat Iron can reach those difficult-to-straighten roots with ease with it’s 3/10” plates. It can also create small pencil curls or old-Hollywood glam waves.
The tourmaline ceramic plates keep your strands firmly pressed between the plates at all times without much pressure, and there’s minimal to no pulling.
It’s fantastic for styling pixie cuts, from super straight to pin-curls and curled-under ripples. The super narrow blades are also perfect for edge straightening and taming stubborn cowlicks.
The main critique I have is that it doesn’t have adjustable temperature settings. It’s On/Off only and gets up to 450°F, so if that’s too hot for your hair, this one isn’t for you.
FOR GUYS: the Red by Kiss Pencil Flat Iron works like a charm in taming unruly beards. (Seriously, I didn’t know some men actually straighten their beards.) One or two passes should be enough to smooth crazy kinks out but still looking natural. Otherwise it might look too straight and overly styled.
- Very thin 3/10" wide plates able to reach roots easily
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- 360° swivel cord doesn't tangle up or get in the way
- Great for curling extra short hair
- Gets quite hot - might burn hair if you're not careful
Advantages of Miniature Flat Irons
First and foremost, mini flat irons are compact in size at about half to two-thirds the size of most standard-size straighteners. They’re also more lightweight, and often come with a convenient carrying bag.
Aside from travel, not everyone has the luxury of living in a large home. If you share an apartment or have multiple roommates, smaller appliances will fit the storage space you have.
The other main benefit is the ability to style bangs or short layers and hard-to-reach areas like the back of your neck or behind your ears. They’re even great on beards if you’re a guy.
Another perk is cost. Mini straighteners are generally far less expensive than regular-size versions. They’re easy to pack in a duffel or weekender bag, or put them in your carry-on. It won’t take up much space in your suitcase, and if you were to accidentally leave it somewhere, you wouldn’t be out of a lot of money because they’re relatively inexpensive to replace.
Disadvantages of Mini Flat Irons
The main disadvantage of using a mini flat iron is the amount of time it takes to straighten hair. That’s why it’s not the best option if you’ve got long, thick, or coarse hair.
Smaller plates have less surface area, so it usually takes a few passes to get a section of hair straight. It’s no easy task if you have thick tresses or springy curls that need extra attention.
Also, there’s generally no temperature control. You’re stuck using one set temperature, which may be too hot (or not hot enough) for your hair.
I’ve found that there’s no way to solve this issue without buying a different model. So it’s important to know what temperature works best on your hair and find one that is close to that setting.
How to Choose the Best Mini Flat Iron?
Generally speaking, the features to look for in a mini flat iron aren’t too different than what you’d be looking for in a standard-size, such as:
- Plate Material – for fine or fragile hair, ceramic or tourmaline ceramic should be your go-to. Otherwise, titanium is more powerful at transferring heat.
- Temperature Settings – adjustable heat settings are always preferable
- Safety Features – always nice if there’s an auto shut-off function, a swivel cord that doesn’t tangle, and a mechanism to keep the flat iron locked in the closed position for storage
- Dual-voltage – handy if you travel internationally to countries with a different voltage than home
The biggest issue I’ve found with mini straighteners is that most only come with one heat setting, usually between 410-450°F. That’s pretty high heat for finer hair, but I guess it needs to be that hot to be effective due to the smaller plate size.
What’s the Best Way to Use a Mini Flat Iron?
Mini flat irons are best for taming frizz, styling bangs or short layers, and smoothing wavy locks into shiny straight tresses. If you live in or travel to a humid place, your straightener will quickly become your best friend (trust me)!
You can even use one to create curls and waves if you want. Many people use a straightener as their all-in-one styling tool because of its versatility.
Rather than having a separate curling iron for curls, a single flat iron can do it all, saving you time, money, and space.
And guess what? Mini flat irons aren’t just for women.
It can be just as useful and versatile a tool for a guy. 🙂
They work great for taming unruly beards. Smaller size straighteners make it easy to relax coarse facial hair without burning it. Some may even opt to use it on their head too, especially for taming cowlicks or sections that stick out every which way.
My Favorite Mini
The best mini flat iron, in my opinion, is the Lovani Mini Flat Iron. For its size, it delivers the most consistent results. You can use it anywhere in the world for quick touch ups, is lightweight and comfortable to hold, and can be quickly stored in the included heat-resistant pouch right after use.
The manufacturer offers a satisfaction guarantee as well as top notch customer service. While any of the ones we discussed are great choices, I personally find the best value in both price and quality with the Lovani.