This $15 Revlon Flat Iron Has Surprisingly Good Results

How good will this $15 Revlon flat iron be?

Not all of us need fancy hair tools with all the bells and whistles. Yes, my favorite, holy grail hair tools are these, because they’re often the safest, but there are plenty of budget-friendly tools on the market. If you’re someone just starting out with styling your hair, a cheaper tool is a great place to start. There are several flat irons at the drugstore, but where to start? I’ve tested a bunch, and I think Revlon Smooth & Straight is the most consistent, most accessible, and, it’s the cheapest.

Promises vs. Performance: Precise, one-pass results.

This Revlon Flat Iron promises ultra straight, smooth results fast. The ceramic plates have even heat distribution and help reducing damage from over-styling. It has 1″ ceramic plates that make it easy to get to the root of hair for ultimate precision. Revlon Smooth & Straight has 2 heat settings that go up to 400°F for high heat styling.

Note: Revlon has added a swivel cord to their newer model of this flat iron.

My personal thoughts.

You know, I didn’t expect much from a hair straightener under $20, but I was pleasantly shocked at how well this Revlon flat iron performs. The 1″ plates are super close to the edge which allow you to get really precise results from root to tip. Honestly, I was shocked at how sleek my hair looked after straightening with this hair tool. I don’t have to go over sections multiple times, which prevents heat damage in the long run. For ultra-straight hair on a budget, Revlon does the job.

This Iron is compact and easy to travel with, but due to its size it would take longer to straighten hair. Also, this hair iron is not ideal for many hair types because of its lack of controls and plate technology. E.g. If your hair is too coarse this iron might not provide enough heat, because of its ceramic plate technology (usually one would need titanium, gold or copper plated plates technology because they transfer heat faster). If your hair is too thick, it might take way too long to straighten the hair due to its compact size. It’s great if you are in that right spot, thick fine hair and hopefully it’s short, where it can deliver enough heat and you do not need a lot of time to style hair.

Furthermore, when it comes to creating straightener curls, this Revlon flat iron isn’t the best. You can definitely create curls, but the design doesn’t allow for the best results. Because the packaging has ridges, you get creasing in your curls. The packaging also isn’t the most rounded, which makes getting uniform, consistent curls tricky. This wouldn’t be my pick for curling or waving hair.

Quick Rating Rundown

THIS PRODUCT

(3.5)

:Revlon Smooth & Straight 1″ Ceramic Flat Iron

Price: $13.99

Value

(5)

Perormance

(3.9)

Controls

(2)

Technology

(2.9)

BEST VALUE

(4.1)

:Conair InfinitiPRO 1″ Rainbow Titanium Flat Iron

Price: $49.99

Value

(4.5)

Performance

(4.2)

Controls

(3.5)

Technology

(4)

TOP DRUGSTORE

(4)

:Kristin Ess 3-in-One Flat Iron

Price: $90.00

Value

(3.5)

Performance

(4.4)

Controls

(3.9)

Technology

(4.1)

^{Our Rating Criteria}

How It Compares: Revlon flat iron is a basic, no frills hair straightener.

For straight hair on a budget, Revlon Smooth & Straight does the job. Retailing for under $15, this Revlon flat iron gives smooth, sleek results in just one-pass. It is pretty basic and only has 2 heat settings up to 400°F, which means you can’t really customize your styling. The ceramic plates do have even heat distribution and glide through hair easily. However, the design of the flat iron isn’t very rounded and has ridges, so it doesn’t give the best curl results. You can definitely create curls, but you will have creasing!

Which hair straightener to choose?

The Conair Infiniti PRO Flat Iron with rainbow titanium plates is the perfect entry level, budget-friendly option. The titanium plates provide even heat distribution that allows for faster, consistent styling. You can easily create straight, wavy, or curly hairstyle with this hair tool. With 6 different heat settings, you really can customize your styling to your specific hair type.

If you’re looking for something with a little more oomph, Kristin Ess 3-in-One is a great option. At $90, you get a flat iron that rivals the performance of higher-end hair tools. The user-friendly tool allows you to easily create multiple hair styles. It has 4 heat settings for more styling control, and gives snag-free, crease-free results.

The holy grail of hair straightening tools is the Dyson Corrale. The most pricey of the bunch, but it is worth it for someone who straightens/styles their hair daily. Its intelligent heat control ensures the temperature never exceeds the heat setting you have selected. The flex plates are what make this hair tool really special. They move as you style, shaping to gather hair, keeping it together for excellent styling results. Plus, it has a cord-free design for easy styling.