10 Best Flat Irons for African American Hair in 2021 | Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

There are many ways you can style your beautiful natural black hair. you can twist, braid, or loc them just to name a few. But if you’re one of those that love stick-straight strands, then you would need the best flat iron for the job.

And if you’re an African American, then you would need the best flat iron for African American hair. Because black hair is a bit tricky to style rather than fine hair. you need the best styling iron or else you might end frying your mane by accident.

As we all know, there are many hairstyling tools in the market. But choosing the right one for natural African American hair can be a daunting task.

So help you to find the best flat iron for African American hair, we’ve reviewed the top 10 best flat irons for black hair and also provide a buying guide so that you can pick the right flat iron for yourself.

Also, read our latest guide about Best Flat iron for Relaxed Hair

Best Flat Iron For African American Hair in 2021 Reviews

So, if you’re looking for the best flat iron for natural hair, then you’re going to love this post. Because in this article we’ve reviewed affordable and high-end irons including their features, performance, user reviews, pros, and cons.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS
best flat iron for short fine hair	Paul Mitchell	Paul Mitchell	Quality: sleek, ergonomic, and lightweight Feature: : wide 1.25-inch ceramic heat plates More : LCD display screen	Check On Amazon
best flat iron in 202	Paul Mitchell	Paul Mitchell	Quality: Premium quality ceramic material Feature: Take only 60-sec to heat up More: Digital control with an LCD display	Check On Amazon
best professional flat iron	HAI Classic	HAI Classic	Quality: Ergonomic & lightweight Features: Automatic shut off More: 5 diffferent heat settings	Check On Amazon
Hair straightener for natural black hair	Remington S7330A	Remington S7330A	Quality: Equipped with ceramic and titanium plates Feature: LED light indicator More: Up to 420-degree F heat	Check On Amazon
best ceramic flat iron	CONAIR	CONAIR	Quality: Ergonomic & lightweight Feature: 5-foot professional swivel cord More: only takes 30-sec to heat up	Check On Amazon
Straightener for African American hair	Bed Head Pixie	Bed Head Pixie	Quality: sleek, ergonomic, and attractive design Features: ½-inch heat plates More: Heat up to 450-degree F	Check On Amazon
best cheap flat iron	Remington S5500	Remington S5500	Quality: Extremely thin, ergonomic, and lightweight Features: 1-inch floating ceramic heat plates More: LCD display, and automatic shut-off	Check On Amazon
best ceramic tourmaline hair straightener	MONDAVA	MONDAVA	Quality: Ideal for people with curly hair Features: 1 ¼-inch ceramic plates More: Tangle-free 300W swivel cord	Check On Amazon
Easy to use flat iron	RUSK	RUSK	Quality: Sol-gel technology warmth Features: Ryton housing, and ceramic plates More: Desired temperature by simply pressing a button.	Check On Amazon
best budget flat iron	Silky hair	Silky hair	Quality: Best for black hair Features: 475-degree maximum heat up More: Auto shut off	Check On Amazon

1- Paul Mitchell – best flat iron for short fine hair

 

This paul flat iron is considered to be one best flat iron for all types of hair. So, no matter if you’ve black hair, 4A, B, C, 3A, B, or C, this iron will provide you great straightening results.

Moreover, if you’ve fragile hair that is sustainable to damage, then this iron is perfect for you. By using this iron, you will salon standard results. We highly recommend this flat iron for all types of hair.

2- Paul Mitchell – best flat iron in 2021

 

Here is another excellent hair straightener from the house of Paul Mitchell. It is slightly larger than Classic Paul Mitchell Pro Tools making it a perfect option for women with long or thick hair.

Moreover, it also allows you to adjust the temperature from anywhere between 250-410 F. There’s a total of 5 different heat settings to help you easily dial in your flat iron for almost any hair type. We highly recommend this best flat iron for African American hair.

3- HAI Classic – best professional flat iron

 

Here is another amazing flat iron for maintaining natural black hair. However, it is important to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed. HAI is highly experienced in manufacturing high-quality hair styling tools.

This brand feels because of its innovative hair styling tools. The wide temperature settings of this flat iron and 1.25-inch precision plates enable you to experience all the benefits of one-pass styling. This will leave you healthy and appealing.

4- Remington S7330A – Hair straightener for natural black hair

 

As we all know, Remington is a very well-known brand of styling tools that offer high-quality beard trimmers, flat irons, and clippers to their loyal customers. As the name suggests, this tool can straighten both wet & dry hair and provides you amazing straightening experience. We highly recommend this best flat iron for black hair.

5- CONAIR – best ceramic flat iron

 

Conair is considered to be one of the most leading brands in the hair tool industry. As it provides high-quality flat irons to their loyal consumers. This best straightener for natural hair is one of the cheapest products on the market right now.

But it still provides you all the specifications you are looking for. This best flat iron for black natural hair is made with double ceramic plates for maximum performance and provides you straight hair that will love in just a matter of minutes.

That’s we highly recommend this straightener for African American hair.

6- Bed Head Pixie – Straightener for African American hair

 

If you’re looking for a high-quality, durable, good looking, and affordable flat iron for black iron, then this Bed Head Pixie straightener has got you covered. It is ideal for straightening both long and short hair thanks to its ½-inch heat plates.

This best flat iron for black natural hair also comes with a tourmaline ceramic system that will leave your hair shiny and smooth to touch.

Moreover, one of the amazing thing is, it is an Amazon recommended product so you won’t have to worry about quality, performance, price point, and customer service.

7- Remington S5500 – best cheap flat iron

 

Here is another amazing flat iron from the house of Remington. You will be never disappointed by investing in this cheap flat iron. As it is made up of floating ceramic plates and you can control it digitally.

And one of the best things is, it is available in two different colors. So you can pick flat iron of your favorite color. We highly recommend this silk press hair straightener.

8- MONDAVA – best ceramic tourmaline hair straightener

 

This MONDAVA is one of the best hair straighteners in the market right now. By using this hair straightener, your hair will pin straight in just a matter of minutes. As it is made up of ceramic materials enforced with negative ions.

This hair straightener is ideal for people with curly hair. So, if you have curly hair and have tried to straighten your hair, then you’re probably aware of how frizzy hair can be.

9- RUSK – Easy to use flat iron

 

If you’re looking for the best flat iron for your hair type, then you should go with a brand that professionally approaches hair straightening.

This RUSK titanium flat iron takes all the study and facts in achieving the best hair straightener and combines it all into one amazing model that worth the money.

Moreover, this flat iron is packed with some great features and comes at an affordable price which makes it stand out from its other competitors.

10- Silky hair – best budget flat iron

 

The thing we noticed when we came across the silky hair was it 475-degree maximum heat up. And we were like “whoa” that’s too much. As it is with other titanium flat irons because it can get your hair damaged when misused.

Moreover, the temperature and everything of this flat iron was designed by keeping African American hair in mind. So, if you have tried numerous flat irons for your coarse hair, then we recommend using this one!

Buying guide for the Best Flat iron for African American hair

As we promised earlier, here is the ultimate buyer’s guide for the best flat iron for straightening natural black hair. By going through this guide you will able to make a good decision. Because in this guide, we’ve all the information about black hair and flat irons.

Different types of Flat Irons

Commonly, there are two types of flat irons available in the market to straighten your natural black hair. let’s take a look at both to help you to understand which type of flat iron is better at straightening hair and why?

Steam flat irons:

Steam flat irons are specially designed to replenish moisture during the straightening process. Resulting in stick-straight strands that won’t over-dry your natural black hair.

These flat irons come with steam or vapor infusion technology that provides an adequate amount of steam to the hair through a steam vent placed flat iron. This steam helps you to achieve perfectly smooth and straight hair with plenty of moisture and nourishment.

Non-Steam flat irons:

Non Steam flat iron doesn’t feature steam technology, instead, these types of irons provide you an option of using features like ionic technology or infrared emissions. Both of these technologies can straighten African American hair efficiently without causing any damage.

However, both steam and non-steam flat irons are perfect for producing amazing straightening results. When they combine with both infrared and ionic technology.

Moreover, with these technologies, a flat iron might straighten your frizzy hair. but you won’t be as frizz-free, shiny, and smooth as you could have achieved with high-end flat irons.

Different types of African American hair

African American hair comes in different types and textures. So to get the most out of your flat iron or any other hair straightening tool, you have to make sure that your hair type suits the flat iron you are investing in.

4A: This type of hair has defined, spiral, and curl. It is ideal for wash and go with hairstyles but is prone to dryness. That’s why weekly deep conditioning is essential.

4B: This type of hair has a fluffy and thick texture with defined zigzag curls. It is prone to dryness & brittleness due to the bent ends. Therefore, this hair type appears shorter than it really is.

4C: It is a more tightly coiled version of 4B. This type of hair is fragile and prone to dryness, breakage, and tangles. Therefore, it is recommended to use creamy hair tools to hydrate the tresses.

3A: It features defined, loopy curls. And prone to frizz & dryness. So, it is recommended to use light hairstyle tools with a gentle hold. However, deep conditioning is also essential.

3B: It features well-defined and dense curls. And prone to product build-up. So, it is recommended to go with hydrating and clarifying hair styling tools to avoid sulfates and silicones.

3C: In this hair type, the curls are defined and corkscrew in shape. And the spaces in between are quite small. That’s why it requires weekly deep conditioning for a boost of hydration.

Things to consider before buying the Best flat iron for black hair

Hair type & length:

One of the most important factors consider when shopping for the best flat iron for natural black hair is the length, texture, and condition of your hair. People with fragile hair, do not need a flat iron that gets too hot and you might end up frying your tresses.

However, black hair differs; some are thick, coarse, thin, short,  curly, and many more. Therefore, you must need to consider the hair type before choosing a model.

Although, if you have thick or coarse hair, then you should with an iron that heats up to 450-degree F. if you’ve thin hair that is susceptible to damage or already damaged, then you should go with a gentler flat iron.

You should go with a hair straightener that can reduce the temperature to between 350-380 degrees F.

Adjustable temperature setting:

There are several flat irons on the market that comes with different, advanced ad unique features. And one of the common features you’ll find is “adjustable heat/temperature setting”.

A flat iron that comes with this feature provides you more control over the heat the iron produced. This feature comes very handy as it would allow you to select the desired temperature you want for your straightening needs.

People with different hair needs different temperature. So, you would even need different heat settings to get certain styling.

Therefore, we recommend you go with hairstyling that meets your styling needs. However, do not go with static. Because it may cause hair damage. So, be aware!

Heat plate material & size:

The material that is used to make heat plate is also another important thing to consider. Different brands use different materials to make heat plates.

However, the most popular type of materials used in making plates is ceramic & titanium. These materials for perfect, best, and provide different heat results.

Titanium is stronger and more durable than ceramic. It also heats up quickly. Whereas, ceramic heats up evenly and much smoother. And does an excellent job of distributing the heat evenly.

However, some hair straighteners come with both materials which is amazing. This means that you have a tool that heats up quickly and distribute heat evenly.

Furthermore, the size of the heat plates also matters. There’re different sizes of heat plates out there, but your choice depends on the thickness and length of your hair.

So, if you’ve thick and long hair, then you should go with a thicker plate flat iron. You should go with a thinner flat iron if you’ve short fine hair.

Multi-functionality:

Having a flat iron that can do many things is just amazing. With a multi-functional hair straightener, you’ll able to do more than just straightening your hair.

Although, you can also use a tool to curl or flip your hair. however, if you travel a lot, then this is the must-have feature you need to look for in your flat iron.

Safety:

Safety should be your first priority when buying a power tool. And one amazing feature that comes with flat irons is an automatic shut-off feature.

This feature will come very handy if you are quite forgetful. With this feature, the straightener will automatically shut off after some minutes, when not in use.

Easy to use & comfortable:

Your hair straightener must have an ergonomically designed handle that offers a strong grip. So that you should be able to hold it comfortably. The flat iron you go with should also be light in weight and control buttons that are easily pressable.

Moreover, the straightener should also be equipped with a 360-degree swivel cord for easy maneuverability. Furthermore, a digital display is also an added feature that helps you to keep an eye on the temperature while straightening.

How to select the best flat iron for African American hair

Choosing the best flat iron for black hair is not about grabbing any model on this list. There is more to your decision and we’re here to explain what you should look for.

High heat settings:

For thick and coarse hair, that is impossible to curl and hair to straighten, you need high heat settings. Usually, high heat settings come with hair straighteners that have titanium plates or titanium coating. We recommend avoiding flat irons that cannot reach at least 400-degree F.

Plates generating negative ions:

Using high heat flat irons might burn your hair. Despite the common belief, that is the plates that singe your strands and it’s really lack of moisture in your hair.

We all know, every single hair on our head contains moisture content. And when heat plates touch your locks all the moisture evaporates.

So, using flat irons generating negative ions replenish this water. So your strands can withstand the heat for a long period of time while reducing damage.

Two in One Adds Possibility:

We don’t know if you noticed but many of our recommended flat irons are shaped like tubes. That’s because these irons offer 2-in-1 potential. Their cylindrical design allows you to roll hair around them as you straighten.

This produces large curles. Moreover, you can also add waves to other styles all in one flat iron. Furthermore, most of the customers enjoy the potential that comes with a tube-like flat iron. However, one downside is that they cannot straighten as much hair per pass as a wide plate.

Floating plate design:

No matter what type of hair straightener you go with. You must need to have floating plates. Because floating design means the ceramic or titanium plates sit on a suspended system of springs or a harness of wire.

When you press its arms down, the plate bends and stays flat. This ability allows your hair to always touch the heat plates.

Dual voltage:

If you’re a traveler, then you must go with a flat iron with travel voltage. Most American products ship with North American voltage. However, this isn’t an issue with European models.

How to straighten American American hair – Step By Step Procedure

Now you are ready to straighten your hair. and we recommend the following guide. These simple steps will stop you from singing your soft strands!

Start with Dry & Nourished hair:

Hopefully, you read our advice on how to choose the best flat iron for black hair before you straighten them. And if you don’t, then please our section just above this one. Because your hair needs all the attention and protection before putting heat on them.

Try low heat-setting first:

We know that you want to crack up on the heat and see the results. But when you start straightening your hair with a new flat iron, then you need to star low.

Because every hair straightener’s temperature and heat plates react differently depends on your hair type. Starting with a high heat setting might burn holes in your lock. So be aware!

Divide hair into sections:

For great results, tame that wild afro before getting too for into your sessions. You can use hair clips that came with a flat iron or a comb to section your hair. this trick will divide your hair into manageable sections and prevents you from re-ironing sections more than once.

Comb out, iron in:

With your comb, brush out the section of your hair you want to straighten. Then, grab your flat iron which is set on a lower heat setting. However, don’t overload the iron plates just go slow for amazing results.

Don’t Re-Tread Too Much:

When you’re done straightening your hair, be aware not to work over the same strands too many times. Because the more time your hair runs across those hot heat plates, the more like you are to singe them.

Hold Them Straight and Don’t Stop:

The one rule you should remember from this guide is, never stop. Because even on a low-temperature setting, the hot plates may singe your hair if you stop during the straightening process.

Conclusion:

We think that Paul Mitchell Pro Tool is the best flat iron for African American hair. as it is equipped with 1.25-inch ceramic heat plates for a smooth and effective straightening experience.

Moreover, it also features with large digital display for easy temperature control. And comes with a dual-voltage feature for worldwide usage.

Second, we have got HAI Classic, this professional flat iron also features 1.25-inch heat plates. So you will experience one-pass styling for healthier hair

Moreover, it also comes with 5 different temperature settings and advanced heating technology that provides fast heat up and quick recovery.

Last but not the least, we’ve Remington S7330A, this flat iron equipped with large 1.75-inch ceramic heat plates that allow this tool to heat up in just 30-sec. moreover, its unique steam allows you to star styling right out of the shower.

And the best thing is, it features with automatic shut-off and comes with 2-years limited manufacture warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Flat Iron African American Hair

Which is the best hair straightener for African American hair?

• Paul Mitchell
• Paul Mitchell Mini
• HAI Classic
• Remington S7330A
• CONIAR
• Bed Head Pixie
• Remington S5500
• MONDAVA
• RUSK
• Silky hair

Ceramic or Titanium; which is good for African American hair?

Flat irons with ceramic plates can produce even heat. And we found titanium flat iron best for the 4C hair types or for those who want salon-like results in just a matter of minutes.

While on the other hand, ceramic also protects your hair. because the is not as intense thanks to the negative ions.

What temperature is best for straightening African American hair?

The best temperature for ironing your natural black hair is up to 150-degree C to 320-degree F. However, the truth you will need to sacrifice your hair’s moisture to make them straight.

But if your hair doesn’t go straight as you want, then don’t continue to turn up the heat, this can cause significant heat damage.

How do you keep your natural black hair straight in humidity?

Here are some tips for keeping your straight in humidity.

1. Set realistic Expectations: If you live in humid areas, and expect bone straight hair for two weeks, then you will be disappointed.
2. Avoid high humid days
3. Bun hair on humid days
4. Do a protein treatment
5. Use heat protections