Best ghd Flat Iron Reviews: Are They Worth The Price?

Does ghd actually guarantee you good hair days? 

To answer that question, we’re going to review the top 3 best ghd flat irons. We’ll also touch on what sets their flat irons apart from other brands – and which ghd flat iron is the best for you.

Best ghd Flat Irons Reviews

ghd Original Styler

The Original Styler is an updated version of ghd’s famous Classic Styler. 

It’s their entry level flat iron, with simple controls and a lightweight build that makes it easy to handle. It eliminates frizz in a flash, leaving hair shiny and silky to the touch.

Like the Classic Styler, it features a classic black and gold color combination. The outer barrel is rounded, which allows for beautiful curls and waves without any creases or dents.

The new and improved Styler has updated heat and sensor technology for good temperature consistency. They also added features that were previously reserved for their higher end irons, like a lighted On/Off switch and beep indicators.

1” floating plates give you a consistent grip while handling. It’s also available in a Mini (½”) for bangs and short hair.

On the other hand, if you have extra-long hair, you can cut down your styling time with their 2” Max Styler.

The plates have ceramic heat technology, with a heat sensor on one side that monitors and maintains the temperature at a consistent 365°F.

ghd claims that the optimal temperature for heat styling is 365°F, which is why they don’t build adjustable temperature controls into their flat irons. While this is debatable, they certainly make it simpler for the user as you can’t turn the heat up to the point where you will damage your hair.

One thing I have noticed about this iron is that the plates don’t completely meet when pressed together – a tiny gap remains between them, and hair can slip through this gap.

While this flat iron works well on my hair (which is medium fine), it also seems to do wonders on those with thick, frizzy manes too.

ghd Gold Styler

The ghd Gold Hair Straightener is an updated version of what was previously called the ghd Mark 5 or the V Styler, featuring improved design and technology.

This hair straightener has two heat sensors, one on each plate, helping it regulate temperature even more accurately than the Original Styler.

It’s also fitted with ghd’s “Predictive Technology”, which monitors the plate temperature over 200 times per second, ensuring that the heat stays consistent throughout your styling session.

If you look closely, you’ll see that the plates are slightly beveled at the edges, making for smooth, kink-free straightening.

The power button is located on the inside, which keeps it out of the way and prevents you from accidentally turning the appliance off while you’re using it.

One thing I found helpful is that the iron makes a 2-pitch beep (or a chime sound) when turning it on, a separate sound when it has completed heating up, and then a long single beep while turning it off. It’s nice so you

a) don’t have to touch the plates to figure out whether it’s ready or not (and burning yourself in the process) 

and 

b) don’t use the iron when the plates aren’t at the appropriate temperature yet.

The Gold Styler heats up in only 25 seconds, which is incredibly fast, and slightly faster than the ghd Original Styler.

I also like that it comes with a silicone plate guard cover, which covers the top third of the iron and keeps it closed for storage.

ghd Platinum+ Styler

The Platinum+ is the crème de la crème of ghd’s flat irons – it’s the best selling and most acclaimed model that’s won several awards.

Like the Gold model, it’s an updated version of the ghd Platinum styler, with newer and improved sensors.

The unique wishbone hinge ensures that the plates are perfectly aligned, which is huge if you’ve ever used a straightener with plates that don’t meet up evenly. (Annoying!) It’s available in different colors too – black, white, and some limited edition hues like a bold cobalt blue.

The ghd Platinum+ Styler is built with “Ultra zone predictive technology”, basically making it a smart flat iron. Each plate has multiple sensors built in to monitor and automatically adjust the heat as you work through your hair.

This advanced ability to monitor the temperature (more than 250 times a second!) and adjust to match your hair needs is what sets it apart. 

You see, whenever you pass a section of hair between any flat iron plates, your strands cool the surface of the plates down. By quickly sensing any heat loss, the iron learns what your locks need to match your glide pace, ensuring quick recovery between passes. 

Naturally, it heats up really fast, but like other ghd flat irons, you can’t adjust the temperature yourself. 

The beveled, floating 1” plates are super smooth, and the iron is really easy and comfortable to move around with. 

Hair glides through this iron smoothly without being pulled, and it adds a nice shine to your strands which I really like. 

It can tame thick, frizzy hair, but also protects fine, damaged, or colored hair from breakage.

The iron does get extremely hot on the outside though, so you need to be careful while handling it.

Which Is Better – the Gold or the Platinum+?

What Is ghd?

ghd, which stands for Good Hair Day, has been in business for nearly 20 years now. Its tools are used professionally by many salons and hair stylists.

The company produces a full range of products including hair straighteners, hair dryers, curlers and hair brushes, in addition to heat protectants and finishing sprays and serums.

ghd Hair Straightener Features

Superior Design and Build

All ghd flat irons have a rounded outer barrel, which makes them suitable for giving really elegant curls and waves to the hair.

I find it to be a really important feature, because you can get more usage out of your straightener and you don’t need to invest more in a separate tool for curling.

Hair glides very smoothly through these stylers, without any pulling or breakage. 

I also really like that ghd irons are lightweight, so even if you have a lot of hair, working through long or thick manes doesn’t tire your arms out.

Advanced Plate Technology and Sensors

All ghd hair straighteners come with floating ceramic plates, which tilt from side to side as the section of hair moves through, maintaining constant contact with your locks.

The most useful and technologically advanced feature of ghd stylers is the heat sensors’ ability to monitor, adjust and predict the appropriate amount of heat depending on your hair. Different models contain a different amount of sensors.

There is one heat sensor in the Classic Styler, two in the Gold and multiple in the Platinum+.

These sensors, coupled with Predictive Technology, detect your hair type and then automatically adjust the heat of the plates for optimal handling and results.

Built-In Optimal Temperature Setting

ghd flat irons heat to only one temperature – 365°F. According to the company, this is the optimal temperature for styling without damaging or breaking hair.

With just a single heat setting, you don’t have to play around to find the right temperature for your hair type.

ghd flat irons are fitted with various heat sensors and predictive technology that monitors the plate temperature and automatically adjusts it based on your hair type and the speed at which you are working with your hair.

This allows the irons to achieve pin-straight locks even at a single heat setting.

Notable Drawbacks

One Temperature For All 

If you like being able to control the heat on your hair straightener, the single heat setting of ghd tools will most probably be a major turn-off for you.

Although ghd claims that its set temperature of 365°F is optimal for hairstyling, a lot of people with thicker or coarse hair feel that they need higher temperatures to achieve a neat, sleek style.

There are many flat irons on the market, even from drugstore brands, that go as high as 450°F, so if you know for a fact that anything less than 400°F won’t work on your hair, ghd is probably not for you.

Premium Price Tag 

Obviously, a big limiting factor for many, if not most, is cost. ghd is a luxury brand, with a price tag to match. Thankfully, the quality justifies the cost (for the most part), but it’s certainly not worth it if you don’t plan to use your straightener that often.

Comparable Premium Flat Iron Brands

As noted already, ghd is a premium hairstyling brand, and is very much comparable to other luxury flat iron brands like Bio Ionic and T3. 

Bio Ionic flat irons are built with advanced technologies like silicone speed strips (on the One Pass Styling Iron) and vibrating plates (on the 10x Pro), which enhance the efficiency and result of these tools.

Bio Ionic also has the advantage of adjustable temperature settings in 10° increments for excellent heat control.

By comparison, T3 irons offer five fixed heat settings (on the T3 Single Pass iron), while ghd only has one temperature.

Flat irons from all three of these brands offer long swivel cords for easy maneuvering, dual voltage for worldwide usage and auto shut-off safety features. 

Overall, what you get with any of these brands is high quality design and materials, as well as advanced technologies that regulate the appliance to ensure even, consistent heat and smooth, effortless glides.

Is ghd Worth The Price? 

In a word, yes. If you’re after incredibly soft, healthy-looking, shiny tresses, a ghd can do the job with minimal effort. There’s no need to fiddle with temperature controls, and it works flawlessly for both straightening and curling.

The Original Styler is great if a quality, standard flat iron is more in line with your needs. The Platinum+ has top-of-the-line bells and whistles (plus a bevy of awards to match), but it doesn’t necessarily translate into better functionality.

For most people, the Gold hair straightener is the best option when considering price vs. function. Having sensors on both plates maximizes the speed and accuracy of its predictive technology, and it’s easy grip and handling make it a 5-star winner.