The Best Wet To Dry Hair Straighteners

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Popular
Remington Wet2Style 1 ¾” Flat Iron
  • 1 ¾” ceramic titanium plates
  • Steam vents allow moisture from damp hair to escape
  • 10 digital heat settings up to 450°F
Lifetime Warranty
Jose Eber Wet & Dry Flat Iron
  • 1 ½” floating tourmaline ceramic plates
  • Limited lifetime warranty
  • Lightweight, ergonomic design
Salon Grade
BabylissPRO Nano Titanium 1 ½
  • Wide 1 ½” nano titanium plates for fast straightening 
  • Great for keratin treatments
  • 5 heat settings up to 450°F

Who has time to blow dry and flat iron their hair all the time? I don’t, that’s for sure. Since I’m barely human in the mornings, I knew I had to find a way to cut down on my styling time so I can get out the door on time without looking like a mad scientist.

That’s how my quest to find the best wet to dry hair straightener began – read on to see where it took me.

What Is A Wet To Dry Hair Straightener?

A wet to dry flat iron works and looks just like a regular hair straightening iron, with the exception that you don’t have to have completely dry hair to use it.

Vents built into the casing allows steam to escape, ridding your hair of excess moisture and drying it while you straighten. It’s a great tool that you can use on dry hair too, giving you lots of flexibility for both when you do and when you don’t have time to dry your locks before straightening.

Will It Work On All Hair Types?

This is where it gets a little dicey. If your hair isn’t too naturally curly or wavy, you’ll generally get good results. Some people find that straightening damp hair actually causes it to frizz rather than smooth out, so it is somewhat dependent on your hair type and how it handles moisture and heat.

Top 3 Wet To Dry Flat Iron Reviews

Remington Wet2Style Ceramic + Titanium Flat Iron

Features
Remington Pro Wet2Style 1 ¾” Flat Iron
  • 1 ¾” Ceramic + Titanium Plates
  • Steam Vents for Straightening Damp Hair
  • Digital Heat Settings From 310°F to 450°F
  • 30-Second Heat Up

If you’re a fan of the old Remington Wet2Straight Flat Iron, you’ll be tickled with their latest wet and dry straightener.

The Remington Pro Wet2style 1 ¾” Flat Iron is the perfect tool for achieving sleek, smooth, silky strands. Like the previous model, it has titanium ceramic plates and special vents to draw moisture from damp hair, but what’s new are the digital temperature display and controls that go from 310°F to 450°F.

The wide 1 ¾” plates are perfect for working through thick, long hair, especially when you consider how much time you’re saving by not having to blow dry your hair before you straighten it.

(You can also get this version If you prefer standard 1″ wide plates.)

For damp hair (remember – it’s damp, not sopping wet!), make sure to press and hold the “+” button until you see the LCD screen turn blue and display a steam icon. This allows the venting feature to work.

Also, be careful about how you hold it on the damp hair setting, as you want to avoid angling the iron with the steam vents facing your scalp.

The Wet2Style flat iron also works great on dry hair too. Some users find the plates hard to press together enough to straighten efficiently, however.

Pros
  • All-digital temperature controls and display
  • Lightweight despite wide plates
  • Works well on natural, thick, or long hair
  • Great value for price
Cons
  • LCD display not backlit (hard to read in low light)
  • Potential scalding with damp hair setting if not angled away from head

José Eber Wet & Dry 1 ½” Flat Iron Straightener

Features
José Eber Wet & Dry 1 ½” Flat Iron Straightener
  • 1 ½” Tourmaline Ceramic Plates
  • Wet to Dry Straightening
  • Adjustable Heat Settings from 265°F to 450°F
  • Dual Voltage + Swivel Cord

The José Eber Wet & Dry 1 ½” Flat Iron is another popular wet to dry straightener, and for good reason. It has a nice ergonomic design, is lightweight, and even comes with a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty.

The floating plates are made with tourmaline ceramic for superior frizz control and snag-free gliding. Keeping frizz to a minimum is something naturally curly gals are always working on, and this one definitely helps with that.

It also helps seal moisture into your locks, leaving hair less brittle and more soft.

Flyaways are also minimized so everything looks sleek and in place. You can even use this straightener on natural hair or extensions, too. It’s also effective at creating nice beachy waves if you want something bouncier and more voluminous.

The wet to dry function works pretty impressively, giving you soft, silky hair with fairly little work. Remember to towel-dry your tresses so they’re just damp instead of soaking wet, and always use heat protectant before flat ironing.

The temperature controls are located on the outside near the base, and small lights on the side indicate what temperature you’ve set it to. It also has a 360° swivel cord, and is dual voltage.

One thing to be careful of is not to get it too close to your head if you’re using it on wet hair because the vents are located on the side edges. It can get too hot to hold near your scalp.

Pros
  • Tames frizz and is able to straighten curls effectively
  • Dual-voltage compatibility
  • Negative ion technology leaves hair shiny and soft
  • Light and comfortable grip
  • Adjustable heat settings from 265°F to 450°F
Cons
  • Temperature read out is in Celsius
  • Can take a while to heat up

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium 1 ½” Wet-to-Dry Vented Flat Iron

Features
BabylissPRO Nano Titanium 1½
  • Extra-Wide 1 ½” Nano Titanium Plates
  • Steam Release Ventilation Holes
  • 5 Heat Settings Up To 450°F
  • 9-ft. Swivel Cord
  • 4-Year Warranty

If you’re looking for serious straightening power for coarse, thick hair, the BaByliss 1 ½” Vented Wet-to-Dry Flat Iron is your best bet.

Their nano titanium plates are second-to-none in terms of efficiency and heat. The wet-to-dry model comes with ventilation holes along one edge of each plate and exterior that allow steam to escape from damp hair.

I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record here, but remember to never use a flat iron on sopping wet hair, even if it’s designed to work on wet hair. This is especially true for this baby since it can get to a scorching hot 450°F.

The temperature controls are on the side, so make sure you don’t use any more heat than necessary.

It has a pretty slim profile, making it easy to get between sections, and the 1 ½”-wide plates make straightening long sections faster.

On the plus side, this is a fantastic flat iron on dry hair too, with even heat and a smooth glide that leaves hair looking shiny and smooth in one or two passes. The Ryton housing doesn’t get too hot thankfully, which is essential when you’re working through long hair for a while.

I wish this flat iron had an auto shut-off function for those days when I’m just flying out the door. It’s certainly a feature all hot appliances should have these days in my opinion!

Pros
  • Enough power for coarse, thick strands
  • Slim exterior housing
  • Plenty of heat up to 450°F
  • Extra wide 1 ½” titanium plates
  • 4-year warranty
Cons
  • No auto shut-off
  • Pricey

Will A Wet To Dry Flat Iron Straighten As Well As a Standard One?

In sum? Yes, it does, for the most part. However, there is no substitute for “the real McCoy”.

A wet to dry iron is ideal for those days that you just don’t have the time to wait til your hair is completely dry. You should never use a regular flat iron on anything but dry hair or you may risk serious damage to it.

For all my girls with REALLY curly or kinky hair: you may still need to blow-dry with a brush first for best results.

How Does a Wet To Dry Flat Iron Work?

If you use a wet to dry flat iron for the first time, the first thing you’re going to hear is the sizzle of damp hair on hot plates.

It can be a bit disconcerting, but don’t worry – that’s just the steam coming off your strands, not the sound of your tresses being fried. wet to dry straighteners feature a ventilation system which lets excess moisture escape as it dries and straightens at the same time.

Other than that, it’s the same as a regular flat iron, and can be used the same way.

Can You Use One on Dry Hair?

Yes, these straighteners are okay for use on either wet hair or dry hair. As always, I recommend using a heat protectant to keep the heat from damaging your tresses.

Tips for Using a Wet To Dry Straightener

woman applying product to damp hair
  • Towel dry hair as much as possible before straightening
  • Apply heat protectant thoroughly and evenly before styling
  • Use the proper heat setting for your hair type (300℉-335℉ for fine, thin or normal hair, 335℉-375℉ for wavy or curly hair, 375℉-450℉ for coarse or thick hair)
  • Glide slowly and evenly for best results and avoid too many passes over the same section

And The Winner Is…

For me, the best wet-to-dry flat iron is the Remington Wet2Style. It’s effective at straightening wet and dry hair and gives you great bang for not a lot of bucks.

It’s lightweight, has plenty of heating power, and is effective at cutting out the middle man (i.e., your hair dryer) when you’re in a pinch.

If you like the familiarity and trustworthiness of a household brand, it’s hard to go wrong with Remington’s Wet2Style.

Emma Lee
As long as she can remember, Emma has been obsessed with beautiful hair. Her favorite look is pin-straight, sleek glass hair. She's had multiple styles from short and permed to long and natural throughout her life, and knows full well that how your hair looks can make or break your day.

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