Best Titanium Flat Iron: Reviews and Top Picks

Titanium flat irons are some of the best hair straightening tools around. Known for their power and efficiency, they’re used by professionals and celebrity stylists around the world to create smooth, shiny, pin-straight hair.

If you’re looking to get one for yourself, you’re in the right place. We’re going over my picks for the best titanium flat irons around today for every budget and hair type.

Top 5 Titanium Flat Irons Reviews

Best Name Brand Iron: BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin Straightener

No best-of list for titanium flat irons would be complete without the BaBylissPro Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin Flat Iron. It’s been battle-tested by tens of thousands and consistently comes out as a top choice for it’s lightweight and slim design, extra-long 5” plates, and of course, its straightening abilities.

If any brand is synonymous with titanium flat irons, BaByliss is it.

One of the Ultra-Thin’s biggest benefits is a super smooth glide that leaves hair shiny and straight, even in the most humid conditions. 

Adjustable heat settings that get up to 450°F gives you plenty of styling power, including on thick, coarse, or extra curly type 4 hair types.

The nice thing about the slim design is you can use it to tame bangs and get closer to your roots than other flat irons. The extra-long plates are also great for straightening more hair at a time.

It’s titanium plates are paired with a ceramic heater that heats very evenly and maintains a consistent temperature. One of my biggest pet peeves is when some flat irons start to heat unevenly, forcing you to run multiple passes over the same section over and over. It’s not just inefficient – it’s damaging to your hair too.

Thankfully, that’s not an issue with this straightener.

I do wish the Ultra-Thin had actual temperature readings on the control dial so you know what heat setting you’re using. The placement of the power and controls on the side are also not ideal because you can accidentally change your setting while holding it.

Best Mid-Range Iron: Hot Tools Professional Radiant Blue Flat Iron

If you’re over straightening your hair with a $20 drugstore flat iron but don’t have the funds for a high-end one, the Hot Tools Professional Titanium Flat Iron is a great middle ground.

Before we get into the features, can we just pause a moment to admire the gorgeous electric blue color?? 🙂

As a brand, Hot Tools is excellent value for money when it comes to hair appliances – their curling irons and flat irons are very good quality and work well without getting into the 3-figure price range.

The Radiant Blue Titanium Flat Iron comes with digital temperature controls and an LCD display screen normally found on higher-end irons. It also has a large range of heat settings from 280°F up to 450°F.

The glide is pretty darn smooth, though not quite as buttery as some salon-grade straighteners. Some users have experienced snagging, so it may be dependent on your hair texture.

You also get floating plates with this model, which keeps a firm grip on your strands no matter which direction you’re pulling.

There really isn’t too much to complain about with this flat iron, though it may not be as effective on coarser, curlier hair types.

Best Titanium-Infused Flat Iron: CHI PRO G2 Digital Titanium Infused Ceramic Flat Iron

Why choose between ceramic and titanium when you can have both? The CHI G2 Titanium Flat Iron has titanium-infused ceramic plates, so you get added durability and power alongside frizz-reducing, even ceramic heat.

Like the BaByliss Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin, the CHI G2 has also been around for many years, with thousands of die-hard devotees from professional hairdressers to everyday gals.

There are all digital controls and an easy-to-read LCD temperature display, with a maximum heat setting of 425°F. It’s built for salon professionals, so there’s a crazy long 11’ (!) swivel cord, which may or may not be to your liking.

Temperature settings are adjusted in 10°F increments, which is great for those who like direct control over the amount of heat used. The screen also has a nice color-coded backlit display with blue, green, or red to indicate the best settings for fine, medium, and coarse hair.

It’s got floating plates with rounded side edges, making it easy to glide and create curls too.

Heat up time is quick at around 30-40 seconds, and it even comes with a 2-year warranty for peace of mind. (Note: irons not sold by an authorized retailer or CHI.com are sometimes not eligible for the warranty.)

Lastly, the G2 has a special safety feature where it resets the temperature if you set it down for a while. It’s clearly good for safety, but can be a little annoying if it changes on you while straightening.

Best 2-in-1: FURIDEN 2-in-1 Titanium Straightener and Curling Iron

If you only want to invest in one styler to both straighten and curl, the FURIDEN 2-in-1 Titanium Iron is an excellent choice.

Now, lots of gals already use their flat iron to curl their hair. Problem is, angular edges and flat exteriors can leave indentations in your locks. So FURIDEN’s perfectly rounded outer shell is ideal for wrapping hair around for smooth, even curls and waves.

The design and functionality are pretty spectacular. Temperature settings are adjusted by twisting the base in either direction. When you switch it on, you’ll see the temperature count up to the default setting of 355°F. Once it hits 355°F, you can adjust it down as low as 265°F or as high as 450°F.

It’s floating titanium plates are very shiny and smooth, providing an easy, snag-free glide. In fact, they might actually be too smooth to grip fine or thinner strands without a lot of pressure. This may not be for you if your hair doesn’t have a lot of texture.

A lock feature to keep the iron closed for storage and dual-voltage capability make it convenient for travel too.

The plates are a little shorter than average, so you won’t be able to run thicker sections through at a time.

Why Titanium Plates Are So Popular

What makes titanium so great in a hair straightener? Well, for starters, it conducts high heat really well, so it’s ideal for getting that super pin-straight look that most ceramic flat irons just can’t quite achieve. 

In addition to being able to hold high temperatures well, it also excels at transferring heat quite effectively too. This is key because while other materials might conduct heat well, they don’t necessarily transfer it efficiently.

The benefit of efficient heat transfer is less time and passes needed to straighten – which, incidentally, reduces potential damage. This assumes you are using the right temperature setting and a good heat protectant on your hair, of course.

These properties make titanium suitable on coarse or style-resistant locks, but it’s perfectly fine to use on medium or finer hair too as long as it’s healthy.

In addition to its superior heating ability, titanium heats up quickly for practically no-wait time after turning it on. It’s also lightweight and strong – a great combination for any handheld appliance.

Lastly, titanium generally lasts longer than ceramic because it’s less porous and is naturally anti-corrosive. It’s less likely to chip or wear off over time, particularly if you use any sort of product on your strands before straightening. 

Titanium Technologies

If you spend any time comparison shopping for a flat iron, you’ve likely seen all sorts of fancy descriptions for titanium that sound impressive but don’t mean much to the average person.

Things like “nano titanium”, “titanium-infused ceramic” or descriptions of “far infrared” and “ionic” technologies.

So what do these actually mean?

Nano Titanium

“Nano” is short for nanotechnology, which is engineering and technology at the very tiniest of molecular levels. Flat iron plates aren’t made of pure, raw titanium – they’re made of a titanium alloy (or mix of metals). 

Engineering at small atomic levels allows manufacturers to control and improve various characteristics of the material – like it’s strength, weight, and durability – for optimum heat styling use.

As an advanced technology, you’ll usually find nano titanium plates on higher end, salon-quality flat irons like BaBylissPRO or Croc.

Titanium-Infused Ceramic

That’s right, you don’t necessarily even have to choose between ceramic or titanium with a titanium-infused ceramic flat iron.

All this means is that titanium is mixed in with ceramic during production – usually to give it more durability and smoothness – to complement benefits like frizz reduction and gentle, even heat that’s more associated with ceramic.

Far Infrared Heat

Far infrared heat is a longer-wavelength form of radiation that is able to penetrate and heat your body (and hair) from the inside out.

The benefit of this form of radiation is that you can use lower temperatures for styling, reducing the amount of heat applied.

Ceramic is normally associated with superior far-infrared emitting capabilities when heated, so if you see a titanium flat iron described as producing far infrared, that usually means it has titanium plates with ceramic heaters underneath.

Ionic Technology

Another scientific-sounding term you’ll see a lot on hair straighteners is “ionic technology”. All this refers to is the production of negatively charged particles, or ions, by the heated plates.

You see, frizzy, dry hair is full of positively charged ions, opening the cuticle layer and exposing the cortex to the elements. Applying negative ions to your tresses neutralizes the positive ions by making the cuticle lay flat, allowing strands to retain moisture and look smoother and shinier.

Both ceramic and titanium produce negative ions when heated. Tourmaline, a gemstone that’s often added to ceramic, is known for boosting negative ion production, and is occasionally added to titanium plates too. 

Titanium Flat Iron Buying Guide

Essential Features

• Temperature Controls – after plate material, this is probably the single most important feature. It’s always better to be able to control the temperature for your hair type and condition. Digital controls are best for accurate heat settings, but a control dial is fine too.
• Plate Width – standard flat irons are usually 1” wide, which works well for most users. If you have long hair, you may prefer a wider plate (up to 2”) to cut down on the amount of time it takes to straighten. Likewise, if you have short hair or want to get close to your roots, a narrower plate (as narrow as ½”) may be in order.

Optional

• Floating Plates – if your strands slip out between the plates unless you apply a lot of pressure, look for a straightener with floating plates. This simply means the plates aren’t anchored in a fixed position and can tilt from side to side, ensuring good contact between the surface and your hair at all times.
• Longer Plate Length – some hair straighteners like the BaByliss Nano-Titanium Ultra-Thin come with extra-long plates (5” instead of the standard 4”). This is useful if you want to get through more hair at a time.
• Curved Edges – many people use their flat iron to curl their hair. If that’s you, you’ll want one with rounded plate and barrel edges so you don’t leave creases or dents.

Nice To Have

• Warranty – well-known brands like BaByliss, CHI, and ghd offer warranties on their flat irons for peace of mind. If this is important to you, make sure to purchase from an authorized retailer or directly from the manufacturer to ensure your product is eligible for the warranty.
• Extra-long swivel cord – most flat irons these days come with a 360° swivel cord. Cord lengths are generally around 6’-8’ long, with some as long as 11’ in length.
• Dual-voltage capability – great if you are an international traveler and like to bring your styling tools along.
• Sleep mode/auto shut-off – a nice safety feature if you’re forgetful or prone to running out of the house in a hurry in the morning. Most irons with this feature shut down after 60 minutes of non-use.

Cost

Titanium flat irons are usually more expensive than ceramic hair straighteners. You can expect them to fall into these price ranges:

• Budget – $30-$50. Think Conair (InfinitiPro), Revlon, Remington, or newer brands you likely haven’t heard of before that are only sold online. Cheaper flat irons can certainly get the job done, but you may feel less smoothness in the glide, as well as less frizz control and an overall cheaper feel in the materials and build.
• Mid-range – $55-$100. You can find lots of great titanium irons in this range from the likes of Hot Tools, ION, Rusk, and CHI (though CHI kind of straddles mid to higher-end). Many models have upgraded features like digital temperature controls, floating plates, and a selection of sizes to choose from.
• Professional/Luxury – Salon-quality, high-end titanium straighteners will be in the 3-figures, from around $120 and up. Brands include BaBylissPRO, Croc, FHI, or Sultra. You can expect well-designed ergonomics, higher-quality materials, and advanced technologies like smart chips that monitor and regulate temperature for consistent heat. Of course, high cost doesn’t always mean better.

In general, titanium plates tend to last longer since they’re more durable. If your budget allows, investing in a good quality titanium flat iron can prevent you from having to replace your straightener often.

Best Titanium Flat Iron: Bottom Line

There are lots of reasons to get a good titanium hair straightener, especially if you have difficult-to-style or curly, natural hair. The extra power and efficiency of titanium plates makes straightening much quicker, giving you smooth, sleek tresses without a lot of extra effort.

I tend to favor the tried-and-true BaByliss Nano-Titanium Ultra-Thin for its dependability and lightweight, slim design, but that’s just me. Any of the ones we discussed are excellent choices, depending on your hair type and needs.

What’s your favorite titanium flat iron?