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Beyond material, “some of the aspects that make a great flat iron include the heating element … a good visual digital thermometer, the quality of the plates and the length of the cord,” says Toye. “The best flat irons are ones that sit comfortably in your hands, have an even heat distribution and selection of temperatures so that you don’t damage your hair,” adds Porsche. Here’s what else to keep in mind:

✔️ Heat settings: A flat iron with multiple heat settings allows for more customization and flexibility when styling since you’re able to select a temperature that works for your hair type/needs. Our expert testers preferred having an option of a temperature range for their flat irons, and Hughes agrees: “It is a must for all hair types. Most irons go up to 430-450ºF,” but that doesn’t mean you should crank up the heat all the way! We recommend always starting off at a lower temperature and increase the temperature as needed since temperatures above 450ºF can cause decomposition of hair’s protein content, causing irreparable damage.

Although there is no scientific guidance on the best temperature ranges to use for different textures, our pros averaged all the temperature suggestions from manufacturers for fine, medium and thick, coarse hair:

• Fine hair types should stick to 240-330°F
• Medium to normal hair types can style at 330-370°F
• Thick, coarse hair can handle temps starting at 390°F and go up from there.

✔️ Plate width and length: “1-inch plates are ideal,” says Hughes. “I think if a plate is too wide it makes the tool more difficult to use or maneuver in the hair.” These narrower plates also make it easier to do detailed styling (like curling, bending or waving) and they’re also better for getting closer to the root of the hair. One exception: if hair is super long and you’re just looking to press hair straight, a 1.5-inch or 2-inch width can make faster work of the task.

✔️ Cord length: If you’re planning on styling hair in a bathroom or close to an outlet, cord length might not be an issue, but if you don’t have an outlet by your mirror, you may want to opt for a longer (or “professional”) length. Cord length in our study varied from 5.6 to 10.8 feet, with an average of 8.1 feet — the longer the cord, the more convenience and range you’ll have. “Also, if the cord swivels, that is a great feature so you can move easier,” says Hughes.

✔️ Auto shut-off: “People are busy and we can all forget to turn off an iron when we are running late, so auto shut-off ensures you some peace of mind,” says Hughes. In our tests, auto shut-off varied from five minutes to two hours, which is handy when you can’t quite remember if you turned the tool off — but we still recommend powering off and unplugging the tool after use to ensure it is completely off.