The 5 best hair curlers 2018

Which hair curler will give you beautiful bouncy curls that stay all day?

Curls and waves are big news in the beauty world right now. Assuming you weren’t blessed with your preferred beachy wave, corkscrew or big and bouncy curls at birth, you’ll have to turn to technology to create them for you. With an ever-expanding array of hair curlers on the market – which will make your hair look perfect rather than poodle? You won’t be disappointed with any hair curler in our top five. But which is THE BEST?

The GHD curve creative curl wand is our pick of the bunch overall. Before you make your decision read all of all reviews though as one curl(er) doesn’t necessarily suit all.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST HAIR CURLER FOR YOU

When choosing the correct hair curler for you, you need to consider the type of curl you want, your own hair type and length, your budget and whether you’ll be curling regularly or for red carpet events only. Additionally, consider how good you are at curling your hair – if things like this don’t come easily to you might be best off with the BaByliss Curl Secret which pretty much does it all for you….

We’ve tested five hair curlers from five of the biggest brands on the market today. The models we’ve tested range in RRP by a massive £190, so do take that into consideration when you read the reviews. 

Our tester has thick hair in a shoulder length bob and tested each curler when hair had just been washed and blow-dried. We recommend that you curl your hair in sections, starting with the underneath and finishing with the top sections that frame your face. 

We were pleased with the results from each and every curler we have recommended here – the straighteners didn’t come out to correct a single one! We feel the Wahl Curling Tong really should get a special mention for creating gorgeous curls at such a tiny price point. 

Of course their can only one curler can take the crown of THE BEST and that goes to the GHD curve creative curl wand. Although we wouldn’t say it’s better than the T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand, it is a lot more affordable and easier for traveling with thanks to the slim build. We love a multi-tasking hair tool and the GHD makes light work of lots of different curls and waves, always leaving your hair shiny and frizz-free. Result.

THE 5 BEST HAIR CURLERS YOU CAN BUY TODAY

1. GHD CURVE CREATIVE CURL WAND

The best all-rounder

REASONS TO BUY        +    Creates a whole host of looks

                                             +Great for long and short hair

REASONS TO AVOID          -Expensive

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Let’s start with looks – as with all GHD products on the market, it’s a desirable looking bit of kit and feels well built in the hand and proves easy to use. The design has been expertly thought out with a great built-in stand and cool tip (a glove is include too) but best of all is the tapered 28mm – 23mm barrel that allows you to create so many different styles from voluminous curls to beachy waves. The GHD wand heats up to 185 degrees, which we love, as this is the optimum temperature for styling, without heat damage – there tri-zone technology also works brilliantly, even distributing the heat across the barrel.  Other features to love include universal voltage, auto sleep after 30 minutes without use and a long cord.

2. T3 WHIRL TRIO INTERCHANGEABLE STYLING WAND

Super expensive but feature packed

REASONS TO BUY               +   Three wands in one

                                                   +Quick and easy to use

REASONS TO AVOID      -Very expensive

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The T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand is a serious bit of kit. It looks the part too in white with rose gold trim. The most expensive on test, it comes with three interchangeable barrels (1inch, 1.25 -0.75inch tapered & 1.5inch) which easily slot securely into the base, allowing you to create loose beach waves, big bouncy waves or tight curls – great for fashionistas who like to change their look a lot. The curls and waves we achieved easily looked great and were frizz-free. It has 5 heat settings, up to 210 degrees. We were really impressed with the precision locking system and the fact that even our thick hair only needed five seconds per curl. Comes with a heat resistant glove and bag.

3. BABYLISS CURL SECRET

Super simple to use and generates big curl

REASONS TO BUY         +    Perfect natural looking curls

                                              +Easy to use

REASONS TO AVOID     -Not suitable for hair below the bust

TODAY'S BEST DEALS           View At Amazon  

The BaByliss Curl Secret is the only hair curler on test that isn’t a wand of some sort. Pick it up and you can instantly tell it’s well made. It’s super simple to use too - you simply clamp it on a piece of hair, which it sucks up and forms into perfect curls and then beeps three times to let you know its done. Perfect, frizz-free curls every time without any real effort. We were impressed with how natural the curls looked – the styler automatically alternates the curl direction each time a section of hair is drawn in to the chamber to achieve this. It has two heat settings of 210C and 230C and 3 timer settings for different curl effects.  Other features we rate include the heat ready indicator and 20min sleep mode function. auto shut off and long cord. Comes with a heat protection mat.

4. WAHL CURLING TONG

A supreme value curler

REASONS TO BUY                  +   Fantastic Budget Buy

                                                      +Easy to use

REASONS TO AVOID           -Doesn't look great

TODAY'S BEST DEALS                          View At Amazon   

The Wahl curling tong isn’t ugly, or indeed bulky, but it is basic rather than inspiring looking. That said the tongs feel fine in the hand, however we did find the on/off switch a little confusing as it lights up red and we’d expect a green light to signal ready to use. The tongs, which heat quickly to a top temperature of 200 degrees, have a clamp which hold hair in place and makes them super easy to use – we found we were immediately able to form perfect bouncy curls in six seconds per curl.  We were super impressed with both the glossy medium sized curls these tongs created and the high-end features including cool touch tip and integrated stand. With an RRP of just £9.99 these can’t be beaten for value.

5. REMINGTON PROLUXE CURLING WAND

REASONS TO BUY          +   Long-lasting curls and waves

                                                     +Great price point

REASONS TO AVOID          -Not for short hair

TODAY'S BEST DEALS             View At Amazon  

The Remington PROluxe Curling Wand looks a lot more expensive that it is, was comfortable to use and felt well made. We loved the digital display, which shows the wands temperature. There are no less than 10 temperature settings ranging from 120°C - 210°C to suit different hair types and styles. We were most impressed with the Pro+ setting at 185°C for styling without heat damage to your hair. The 25mm – 38mm tapered barrel means you can create a variety of medium and large sized waves and curls. The size of the barrel was actually too large for my mid length bob, but it would be perfect for longer hair. Included in the box is a heatproof glove and storage bag.