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Best hair curlers in Australia
We’ve put in hours of research, comparing and testing to come up with a list of the 8 best hair curlers in Australia for every hair length, style of curl and budget.
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Alongside extensive research, our editorial team have compared and tested a variety of different hair curlers to determine the best performing ones. For each category, we considered factors like hair length, the style of curl desired and budget to create a list of the eight best hair curlers in Australia.
Our pick for the best hair curler overall is the ghd Curve Creative Curl Wand. It comes with a high price tag, but for good reason.
It has a unique tapered barrel that measures from 28mm to 23mm. Not only is this great for all hair types and lengths, but it also means you can customise your hair-do. You can create deep, voluminous waves or bouncy, tighter curls.
In terms of heat temperature, the whole barrel maintains a temperature of 185 degrees Celsius. This ensures fast-formed and locked-in curls. In fact, ghd recommends holding your hair onto the barrel for only 5-8 seconds.
Our pick for the best hair curler that works well on short hair is the BaByliss PRO Ceramic Black Conical Wand, specifically the 32-19mm barrel size. While you may think a larger barrel would be difficult for short hair, the tapered shape actually makes the process super simple.
This hair curler is designed for versatility. The heat dial comes with 25 different temperature settings up to 190 degrees Celsius. The amount of heat you choose to use on your hair directly affects the style of curl, whether you want something soft and wavy or tight and bouncy.
The ceramic-coated barrel also promotes shine and helps protect your hair from damage.
Our choice for the hair curler best suited to long hair is the Beauty Works Pro Styler. A feature that sets this curling wand apart from others is the extra-long barrel, sitting at 18.5cm. In fact, it was designed with long hair and hair extensions in mind.
The Pro Styler heats up within 60 seconds and comes with adjustable heat control settings, sitting at a range of 80-220 degrees Celsius. The barrel is coated in ceramic to ensure a shiny, frizz-free result.
Our choice for the best hair curler to give you those soft, glamorous curls is ghd's Curve Soft Curl Tong. The professional tong barrel measures in at 32mm, which works perfectly to deliver big, fluffy waves with plenty of volume.
All the hair curlers from ghd, including this one, provide a consistent temperature of 185 degrees Celsius. The ceramic coated barrel ensures a long-lasting, defined curl without damaging your hair.
Our top pick for the best hair curler to give you tight curls is the Hot Tools 24K Gold Curling Iron 10mm. Whether your natural hair is short, long, curly or straight, this extra small barrel will work wonders in creating small, bouncy curls.
This hair curler comes with a temperature control dial with settings up to 230 degrees Celsius. The 24K gold surface promotes even heat distribution and ensures you get well-defined and long-lasting curls.
If you're in the market for an affordable hair curler, you may want to consider our top pick. The Silver Bullet Fastlane Large Ceramic Conical Curling Iron Gold comes in at under $100 and does a fabulous job at curling your locks.
Silver Bullet's curling iron comes with a digital display that's simple to navigate. From there, you've got 25 different heat settings to choose from. It's easy to use and doesn't come with a clamp, in order to promote creativity with your choice of curl style.
All of these factors, plus the 19-32mm tapered barrel, allow for all kinds of curl tightness and styles, giving you bang for your buck!
Our pick for the best high end hair curler on the market is Dyson's AirWrap Styler Complete. Ever since its release in 2018, this hair tool's high price tag has been justified by its performance and innovation.
It's a multi-use tool, based on the concept of styling without extreme heat. It uses a technology called the Coanda effect to attract, wrap and curl hair, all without damaging it.
Dyson's AirWrap promotes good hair health in almost every aspect. The intelligent hair control means that the temperature will never go over 150 degrees Celsius. It also comes with three speed and three heat control options.
Our choice for the best hair curler that's easy to use is the VS Sassoon Unbound Cordless Auto Curler. No cord means you've got total freedom to create beautiful curls and waves.
It's created with auto-curl technology, which gives you up to 45 minutes of styling time before you have to charge it – it recharges via USB.
Your hair's end result is completely customisable. Through the LCD control, you get to choose your curl style and direction. There are also three heat settings – 160, 180 and 200 degrees Celsius – and four different heating times.
Things to look out for when choosing a hair curler
Your hair type. While there's no specific type of curler designed for thick or thin hair, there are some factors you should consider that will certainly help. Thin hair doesn't require extreme heat – we recommend going for something with adjustable heat settings, with low enough options. Similar can be said for thick hair – there's more hair to work with, so you're going to need a lot more heat to get a long-lasting curl.
Ease of use. Find a curler that you know will be easy to use. Is the handle made out of a non-slip material? Are the switches easy to control? There is nothing worse than deciding to curl your hair before a big event and ending up with a hair disaster.
Lightweight and comfortable. As silly as it sounds, styling and curling hair can be straining on the arms, especially if the tool you are using sits on the heavier side. You need to continuously hold your arms in the air as you manoeuvre through all the different sections and wait for your hair to heat up and curl. Find something that is lightweight to limit aching arms.
The size of the barrel. This is what directly affects the type and style of curls you're going to get. A smaller barrel that measures around 19mm will give you smaller curls. If you're after luscious Hollywood-style waves, go for something at a bigger size.
The material matters. When it comes to the barrel of your hair curler, the most common materials used are titanium, ceramic and gold. They all work towards a specific purpose. Titanium heats up a lot quicker than the others and works to retain moisture. Ceramic works similarly, but it also minimises frizz and reduces heat damage. Gold-plated barrels complement thick and coarse hair well.
How to use a hair curler
For a standard curler, pick up a section of hair and wrap it around the tool. Hold it against the heat for however long is instructed by the product you are using, as it can sometimes differ. You have the option of twirling your hair clockwise or anticlockwise around the barrel, it really just depends on what you prefer.
Moreover, the size of the section of hair you curl will determine the size of the curl so you can customise this to your personal preference.
If you are scared of burning your hands, don't stress. Some hair tools come with a glove to wear while curling, but if it doesn't, you can always purchase one from Amazon.
Some hair curlers, such as the Dyson AirWrap, are based on a new design concept where you simply hold the tool near your hair and the airflow attracts the hair, wraps it and curls it all on its own. This still effectively curls the hair but it can be tricky to use for hair curling beginners. Read our full review on the Dyson AirWrap here.
How to curl hair without heat
If your hair needs a break from the heat of styling tools, you can still enjoy glamorous curls. There are some pretty cool beauty hacks that allow you to rock a curly 'do without the use of a hot tool.
Hack 1: Wash your hair the night before and then braid it. How tight the braid is will determine how tight the curl is. When you wake up in the morning, take out the braids and you have wonderful curls!
Hack 2: Use hair rollers. Sure, it's a little old fashioned but they do work. Roll your hair around the tool and let it sit. You can use a bobby pin to secure the hair down. You will have tight curls in no time!
Hack 3: Put on your favourite headband and twist sections of hair around it. Make sure it's right where the bottom of the headband meets the bottom of your hairline. Allow it to sit and release for bouncy waves!
Amazon prices last updated on 3 December, 2023 at 05:00 pm
Our editorial team has experience in beauty comparing and testing, having looked at over 20 products from over 12 brands.
We excluded some brands that aren't widely available across Australia.
The products on this list were chosen by our editorial team and were not selected based on commercial relationships.
Our editorial team has compared over 20 different hair curlers from over 12 popular beauty brands, and they're all listed below. We eliminated any that weren't widely available in Australia.
ghd
BaByliss PRO
Beauty Works
Hot Tools
Silver Bullet
Dyson
VS Sassoon
Drybar
Mermade
ELEVEN
Cloud Nine
After comparing the most highly reviewed and rated tools on the market, we tested a select few and then sorted them into categories. This was dependent on what style of curl they can deliver and what hair length they work best for. This is how we decided on the list of the eight best hair curlers in Australia.
We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. However, Finder may receive compensation when you click some links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners and why you can trust our guides.
Marina Tatas was a shopping writer at Finder, covering everything you need to know about beauty, fashion, sneakers and more. You can find her words in publications including The Carousel, Women Love Tech, Marie Claire, Women's Health and She Does This. She has a Bachelor of Communications, majoring in Journalism from the University of Technology Sydney.
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