Chi’s auto-rotating curling iron introduces an unconventional way to curl your strands as fast and effortlessly as possible
4.7 out of 5
Price: $119
Shape: Rotating Curling Iron
Size: 1”
Best For: Medium Length Hair, All Hair Types
What We Like: Very Fast And Effortless
What We Don’t Like: Hard To Master
How It Stands Out: A Uniquely Shaped Curling Iron With A Rotating Barrel That Sucks Your Hair In, Providing You With An Effort Free Session
Chi spin and curl is a strange-looking hair tool that may seem a bit intimidating in the beginning. But it gained our full respect after seeing it in action and confirming the success of its results. This tool basically has two directional buttons that automatically suck your hair in and rotate the curler. The left button is for the left side of your hair and vice versa. It does take some getting used to but don’t get disheartened if it feels weird in the beginning. Eventually, you will get a hang of it and it will make your life considerably easier. It frees you from arm fatigue as you don’t have to maneuver the tool, all you have to do is hold it and wait till it beeps. It heats up very fast and comes with three different timer settings to choose from, according to your styling needs and your hair type. The curls that it creates also depend on the timer setting that you choose, the longer it is the greater the precision it provides. However, it doesn’t come too close to your scalp, which is why we don’t recommend this tool for very short strands. It has a ceramic barrel that makes it gentler on the strands, as well as a very low minimum heat setting of 280°F. Considering both, this tool is perfectly safe to use even for the finest hair types. It also is suitable for the unruly ones with its 410°F maximum temperature. We really like the fact that you just hold it anywhere on the tool and your hands won’t burn. Its surface stays perfectly cool. One thing that we need to mention is the fact that it’s a bit difficult to handle the back of your hair with this tool. It also is an investment that doesn’t fit all budgets. But it has high material quality and is very sturdy to hold. Below we share our experiences with “CHI SPIN AND CURL”.
If you’re looking for the best curling iron for fine hair, rest assured, that Beachwaver S Curling Iron has you covered.
Shape
While hair curlers usually have barrels that look similar to each other, Chi Spin And Curl has a completely different shape. It still does have a barrel inside which rotates, but it’s not really visible. This unique tool automatically sucks your hair inside when you press its button and wraps your hair around its barrel. All you need to do is hold it and wait till it beeps before you unwrap your hair again. It’s meant to provide you with an easier session than usual and eliminate arm fatigue. It’s a straight-barrelled tool that holds your strands in place. The results that it creates are quite precise. But actually, it depends on how long you keep your hair inside the tool. It comes with three different timer settings which are 15, 17, or 19 seconds and the decision will be about your hair type and styling needs. If you leave it for 15 seconds, it provides you with looser beach waves, and the longer you keep your hair, the greater the precision gets. The tips of the strands have a fine finish, but the base of the hair actually gets a bit neglected as the tool can’t really come too close to them. So, this tool is not for the ones that need great volume at the base of their hair.
Size
This tool comes with a 1” barrel which is the standard number in the market. This size usually fits almost all hair lengths, but in this tool’s case, things are a bit more complicated. As there’s a whole structure that covers the tool which is quite large, it can’t really get too close to the base of your hair. If you have shorter than chin-length strands, we have to say that it probably won’t provide you with very successful results. When it comes to long hair, it does do the job, but the quality of the results drops after mid-back length. So, this tool is perfect for medium-length strands, but we don’t recommend it for very long or very short hair. Its barrel length is 5” and is close to being average-sized, which also fits perfectly on medium-sized strands.
Heat and Variable Settings
When it comes to variable heat settings Chi Spin And Curl is very generous. First of all, it has 25 different temperatures to choose from for every single hair type. It also has a very wide range starting from 180°F, and reaching to 410°F. Its minimum heat setting is very pleasing for fine strands and it provides a very gentle session safe from heat. We really love this tool for fragile strands. Its maximum setting is also impressive as its more than enough to tame even the most stubborn and unruly strands. Another thing we really like about this tool is how cool its outside surface remains. Even on its highest setting, you can actually grab the larger, upper side of the tool with your palm without any heat damage to your hands.
Material and Performance
CHI Spin and Curl comes with a ceramic barrel. Ceramic heats up slowly which leaves more room for mistakes. Ceramic also has the capacity to tame strands with less heat than titanium. So, this is a very gentle tool that is safe from heat damage, unless you use it on its highest heat setting.
After testing this tool, we can say that it’s one of the fastest heating curling irons on our list and it styles the strands in less time than usual. It also wraps the strands around its barrel very quickly. If speed is your priority, we recommend giving it a chance.
It’s a luxury tool with a luxury material and you don’t need to worry about its quality. It’s very sturdy to hold and will last you for a long time. It does come with a luxury price tag as well but considering its very high performance, it’s worth the investment.
Features
Chi Spin And Curl has many little features that make it unique.
Regarding its buttons, firstly, it comes with two rotation buttons that allow it to spin left or right. It also has a lock feature to make sure that you don’t accidentally turn the tool off while using it. It comes with three different timer settings which are 15, 17, and 19 seconds. This allows you to choose how long the curler should wait until it starts beeping. This is a great feature that helps with extra precision. You can also lock the settings that you choose so you don’t have to set it up each time you use it.
It has a very elegant LED display and digital temperature control, which makes things much easier for beginners and provides extra precision as you can see exactly which temperature you’re on.
It has a super smooth barrel which is very beneficial as it helps your hair not get tangled inside the tool.
It comes with a 60-minute auto shut-off, which is the usual number in the market, to be as fire-safe as possible.
It has dual voltage which makes things easier for travelers as it functions anywhere in the world.
Ergonomics
This tool has a very different design compared to any other curling iron. Let’s face it, you’re not choosing this tool for how compact it is and it certainly isn’t the most lightweight option in the market at 14.3 oz. It does have dual voltage if you want to travel with it but it for sure will take space in that suitcase. But its weight isn’t really an issue in terms of arm fatigue because this tool does all the maneuvering for you.
Its handle is very thick with 4.25 and it can’t really compare with other tools which are around 1” on average. Let’s just say that someone with very small hands may experience some discomfort holding it.
It doesn’t come with a cool touch finger grip, but it doesn’t need one as the whole tool stays cool and you can hold it while using it.
It has a 9 feet cord which is one of the longest in the market. It’s swivel and very comfortable to walk around with.
Price & Warranty
$120 is definitely an investment that doesn’t appeal to every budget. It’s a luxury tool that you get to pamper yourself with a gentle yet fast and effortless tool. It has great material quality and we think it’s great value for money. It also comes with a 2-year warranty which is the usual number in the market. But there are many affordable and efficient options in the market for the ones who are on a tighter budget.
Competition
Beachwaver S1 Rotating Curling Iron is another rotating tool that is probably the biggest competition of CHI Spin and Curl. While CHI is a winner when it comes to effortlessness, Beachwaver is appealing in terms of weight. Chi Spin and Curl is a heavy tool with 14.3 oz and it’s way too bulky for some, while Beachwaver is only 10. oz. It also is much easier to figure out as it looks almost exactly like a regular curling iron. Beach waver also appeals to very short strands because it can come close to the base of your scalp.
Beachwaver Pro Rotating Curling Iron is another excellent alternative when it comes to automatic curling irons. With its high heat capacity ranging between 310°F and 450°F, the Beachwaver Pro is particularly effective on thick, coarse hair.
