Straighteners test: straightforward hair style

The test was extended. There were 11 stylers, which we had to divide into price categories: expensive and budget. The more interesting it was to see if there were any “points of intersection” and how they differ, and to find out if it was worth paying not 1000 Dollars but 3, 4 or 5 times more for such a device.

HOW WE TESTED

We had to give up the idea of comparative testing and assign certain points for the presence/absence of some function and then add them up. As soon as we saw the first 3-4 models it was obvious that it would be unfair and unjust to compare them in such a way. Each manufacturer attempted to please us with something special and often unique. How can you just give an extra “plus” for, say, Panasonic’s patented hair care technology or Braun’s hair condition scanning and user feedback system if there is simply nothing to compare them with?? Therefore, we have tried to describe each device in as much detail as possible and, in addition, we have conducted several functional tests:

1. All devices were used by a test group of 4 people. The ladies appreciated the quality of sliding of the straightening plates on their hair, the hair’s appearance after styling and the straightening results, the ergonomic design and operation, as well as wrote in the questionnaire their wishes.

2. We subjected all the straighteners to the test of heating speed, because most manufacturers position the fast heating as an advantage. The box may say “heats in 10 seconds” or “ready to go in 30 seconds.”. This is one of the baits for the buyer, and we checked to see if we were being cheated. In most cases we took as a measure of readiness to work the minimum operating temperature in each device, so there was no direct comparison: for some this temperature is 120 ° C, and for others – 180 ° C. But you can tell whether or not each particular manufacturer is cheating on this point. It’s interesting that many do, and many humble! write a longer heating time than in reality. Note that the quality of straightening is not affected by the speed at which the plates heat up this is only important if you don’t have an extra minute in the morning. There is another reason why the heating rate is an important indicator. High speed says not only about the power of the device and the quality of the heating element, but also about the thermal conductivity of the material of the plates. And some manufacturers stipulate it on purpose: here, we have plates of titanium-based alloy or copper , it has a better thermal conductivity than conventional ceramics. Our test showed that there is not much of a difference. There are ceramic coatings that heat up very quickly, there are titanium coatings that do it slowly. That is, the speed of heating depends not only on the coating, another bait is not worth believing.

Almost all of the stylers have the auto-off feature, and we tested each one by turning it on and leaving it on for an hour and a half. The ones that promised to turn off have done so. Those appliances where the auto shut off is not announced were also tested, but unfortunately after 1.5 hours they kept heating up. At the same time such defects are common both in the economic segment and in expensive rectifiers, although the customer always expects the maximum convenience and safety for a high price.

THAT WE DID NOT TEST

This is not a laboratory test, so we didn’t check the heating temperature we trusted the built-in thermostats and the power of the devices it’s not much of a difference for rectifiers . It wasn’t a crash test and we didn’t throw them on the floor, break their locks when they were closed, deliberately damage the plate coating, housing or display, and we followed safety rules. And nothing broke, although in our last test we had isolated cases of breakage of a lock and ringing of covers on the body and plates.

ERGONOMICS

This is what makes it not only functional but enjoyable to use. If the technique is comfortable, you will use it with pleasure, it will “work off” the money invested in it and deliver a lot of positive emotions. If not, then its fate – to gather dust in a drawer. Ergonomics is especially important for “every day” appliances, and rectifiers are exactly that.

Controls: what is necessary and important and what is not so

The display with temperature indication is convenient, but not crucial. There are quality and convenient stylers with swiveling temperature regulators. It is not necessary that the temperature is set to within a degree, a step of 10-20 ° C is enough. More important is the temperature range and legibility of the screen numerals or body markings, because on some models the font is very small or blurred. In most models with a display you first set the minimum or default temperature not the highest and can increase it this is the right technical solution. In one model with a display Smile the highest temperature is set by default, so when you turn it on you must immediately reduce it, otherwise you will have to wait for the plates to cool down.

If the temperature knobs are on the side of the panel, they are right under your thumb. That’s handy, but if you bump them, you mess up the settings. Best if this design includes a button lock. The buttons on the side are not convenient for left-handers: if you take the device with your left hand, they fall not under your thumb, but under your index finger, and the display is covered by fingers above.

For left-handed people the temperature regulator in the form of a wheel is preferable, it will also be convenient to use the AEG model with a rotating system of the body.

It is convenient if the styler remembers the last temperature setting: you don’t have to set it every time and do not waste your precious morning time on it.

About the auto power off we talked above. Everyone will determine the measure of his own forgetfulness and evaluate the possible consequences. Budget Polaris and Rolsen, as well as the rather expensive Rowenta have no auto-off function.

Only 4 models of the expensive segment have automatic switching of voltage, with these stylers – go to the Dominican Republic or the Vatican where the voltage is 127 V .

Apparently, the trend of the future is automation, which is responsible for temperature selection. Already in our test 2 models with hair condition sensors that set the temperature of the plates according to them, they are Braun and Remington models.

Design: What to look for

The wires in our stylers are rotating and do not get tangled. This is what everyone has equally well, we did not even put it in the table. The cord length of most devices is from 1,8 to 2 m, the longest at Valera and the shortest at Panasonic.

Most models have ceramic plate coating, with Braun and Remington using their own developments to improve it, and Valera – ceramic with tourmaline for natural ionization. Philips, Rolsen and Polaris models have titanium alloy as a coating, Rowenta has a copper-silicon alloy. We did not notice any fundamental difference in the sliding of the plates on the hair and the faster heating of the titanium coating.

Spring-loaded floating plates help in even pressure distribution on the hair and reduce the risk of overheating and hair damage. I can find two inexpensive models that have static plates – AEG and Scarlett, but you have to be careful not to clamp the hair too tightly when using them.

In the breaks during styling, the device must be stored somewhere and placed in the pauses in the styling process. It is strange, but on such a seemingly trifle, as a loop for hanging, even premium brands save. Not all models have a thermocover or thermowell, nor does it have a locking mechanism to keep the enclosure in the closed position see accessories . tables .

Some models are adapted for both straightening and curling hair – these are stylers with a rounded shape of the body. But the most experienced girls in the test group managed to curl their hair with almost all devices. The Panasonic and Polaris models are the hardest to do: they have a thicker case shape, there is not enough residual heat on its outer surface. And Philips, Braun, Smile, Rolsen and Remington models with a rounded shape are true “2-in-1” devices.

Ionization negatively charged particles attract moisture to the hair, preventing them from drying out is in some affordable and some expensive models. The difference is that expensive straighteners necessarily have an alternative hair care system in case it’s missing, while cheap ones don’t.

The prices shown were current at the time of printing 15.12.14.