Best hair straighteners for thick hair tried and tested for easy styling

Best for: overall performance

Roundly acknowledged as one of the best styling tools for thick hair, GHD’s Max straighteners boast wide plates (up to 70 per cent larger than competitors) to help trim down your styling time. The contoured ceramic plates can reach temperatures of up to 185°C to iron out unwanted kinks and waves, leaving behind nothing but smooth, gleaming hair.

It comes in sleek midnight black, which we think adds a little extra glamour to the dressing table.

Best for: quick and easy straightening

Here to save your arms from hours of aching is CLOUD NINE’s styler, fitted with large floating heating plates to quicken the styling process and make the job easier on hair that’s both thicker and longer.

Plates glide across lengths, cushioning sections rather than clamping them, which should lead to fewer split ends from hot-tool styling. Temperature can also be controlled from 100°C right up to 200°C to suit a range of hair types and drynesses.

Hibernation mode kicks in once the tools have been idle for 30 minutes, so no rushing back home in a panic that you may have left the tools on (although we recommend getting into the habit of unplugging them from the wall socket to be absolutely sure).

Available in black and evergreen shades.

Best for: wireless styling

Forget tying yourself up in knots thanks to the straighteners cord. Dyson’s Corrale design does away with wires altogether, offering a less stressful styling experience that’s portable too.

More suited to finessing thick hair rather than styling from scratch, the flexing copper plate gadget works both as a straightener and a curler for both smooth and sleek dos, as well as curly and textured. There are precise heat settings to choose from - 165°C, 185°C, and 210°C - offering a temperature for all hair types. Choose the lowest if you’ve got damaged or dyed strands.

For high-shine hair you can practically see your face in, Remington’s Shine Therapy straighteners are up to the task. The device has been fitted with 110mm wide plates to slip through sections of hair, taming kinks and curls, while the Moroccan argan oil infusion leaves behind a mirror-like sheen.

The temperature ranges from 150 - 235°C through nine settings, and it’s good news if you’re in a hurry as heat-up time takes just 15 seconds.

From a safety aspect, the automatic shut-off time kicks in after 60 minutes. If you’re taking these on the go with you, stash the straighteners in the included heat-resistant pouch to make it safe for travel.

Best for: locking in hydration

When time is tight but you want to look polished and put-together, reach for Bio Ionic's OnePass hair straighteners.

The hot hair tool is perfect for thick hair, with 1.5-inch plates made to straighten sections from root to tip in one go. The XL plates have been given silicone strips to ensure a finish so glossy it could rival the coats at Crufts.

Straightening is notorious for drying out hair, but Bio Ionic addresses this too by infusing strands with minerals and small water particles to keep hydration locked in. This works so well that the brand claims you can use this as a daily straightener for shiny locks every day. The digital temperature control goes up to 230°C and there's a temperature memory element too, so you don't have to reset the heat every time you switch it on.

Best for: wet styling

Forget everything you’ve ever been told about wet haircare styling; ghd’s device can be used directly on wet strands. The Duet is a straightening innovation that combines the drying and styling process in one handy device.

Simply run it over towel-dried locks in a downward motion, and watch it dry and straighten at the same time. Then hold down the button to initiate the smoothing effect. Poker straight styles have never been easier to create.

Best for: super speed

Weekday mornings are stressful enough without having to wake up earlier than usual to style your mane. Hair tool specialist T3 fast-tracks routines thanks to its wide flat iron, the SinglePass X. The corded gadget is ideal for thick or coarse hair, using 38mm ceramic plates to powerfully iron sections and seal cuticles for a smooth finish that will last for days.

It’s perfect for jet-setters with an auto world voltage that will adjust to foreign sockets and there’s an internal microchip to maintain an even temperature while it’s in use. Choose from five heat settings to suit your style, ranging from 127 - 210 °C. Auto shut-off after 60min of inactivity.

Whether your hair is naturally straight or curly, Revamp’s straighteners are the secret to getting glossy lengths you’ll want to flip over your shoulder all day. In fact, gloss is all but guaranteed thanks to the Progloss infusion, designed to leave a mirror-like finish.

The device boasts wide ceramic floating plates with ionic technology to glide through hair sections like silk for smooth, snag-free results. Turn the temperature up or down through adjustable settings that range from 80ºC to 235ºC. This straightener comes with a heat-resistant mat to protect surfaces while you’re coiffing your do.

Best for: great grip

Using carbon steel plates, this straighter has five temperature settings which can be locked - 140°C, 160°C, 180°C, 200°C and 220°C - to help you achieve perfect results every time. It’s perfect for thick hair with a swivel cord that means you no longer need to wrestle with the gadget around your head (and also means it’s easy for lefties to use too). The anti-slip handle offers excellent grip while a 30-second heat-up time means it’s ready to go pretty much straight away.

Best for: uber-coarse tresses

The extra wide plates of this straightener from Remington mean that smooth and silky strands are effortless to create, even when you have thick and coarse locks. In fact, this heated tool was designed specifically for these hair types in mind, allowing you to tame your mane in record timing – something that comes welcomed to those who like to maximise sleep and minimise get-ready time in the morning.

The ceramic plates are fitted with the brand’s more advanced coating that is said to promote smoother styles with an increase of 75 per cent. The straightener is fitted with an LCD screen too which displays the temperature to give you ultimate control over its adjustment. The heat levels range from 150°C and 230°C, and get there in just 15 seconds of powering up.