GHD offers a straightforward and uncomplicated tool with the highest quality materials for a safe styling session, avoiding extreme heat
Price: $240
Available sizes: 1”
Heat settings: pre-set 365°F
Plate material: ceramic
Best for: medium to damaged thick coarse hair, all hair lengths
How it stands out: A high-quality flat iron that provides peace of mind for heat addicts and beginners with medium-thickness or fragile thick, coarse hair
Rating: 4.6/5.0
What we like:
- includes all the best features for easy curling and waves
- has a plate protection cap for convenient travel and safe storage
- lightweight and compact for ease during long sessions
What we don’t like:
- heats up to 310°F instead of the advertised 365°F
- no different sizes available
- doesn’t have an ion generator
If you’re a beginner struggling to choose the right temperature for your medium hair or a hot tool styling addict dealing with extreme heat damage, GHD is here for your rescue.
As usual, GHD uses a pre-set temperature of 365°F, ideal for efficient styling for medium hair thickness. Ceramic is its material of choice which makes the process gentler with its slower heating mechanism, but this temperature may be too harsh for very fragile or fine hair.
The 1” wide plates are versatile for most hair types, except very short styles. It is lightweight and compact, making it easy to handle and maneuver. It comes with multi-directional heating plates which are rounded-edged. We appreciate that the outside of the plates remains at a reasonable temperature with 135°F, and this tool will not burn your hands while using it. All these features make the ghd Gold a great versatile flat iron to curl your hair.
GHD is one of the most luxurious brands when it comes to hair tools and their Gold Styler is no different. This tool is not only elegantly designed, but it also comes with the highest material quality and durability.
As you can see, this tool is not for every budget. At $240, it is definitely an investment. The decision is you’re willing to invest in a tool that will protect your strands and will last you for many years.
Let’s dig into details and talk about the test results!
Shape And Size
The GHD Gold Styler has a classic and simple appearance but is intelligently designed with attention to detail. Its rounded barrel and plate edges do a decent job at creating curls and waves. When it comes to versatile styling, this tool is one of our favorites.
When it comes to size, GHD sticks with the traditional 1”. This is the standard size in the market and you’ll see that most brands offer it. The reason for that is it literally fits every hair type and length. It’s small enough to get close to the roots in case you have short hair, and large enough to cover a sufficient amount of your hair at a single pass. When we look at the length of its plates which are 3.55”, we also can see that this is the average number in the market which most hair types benefit from. So, whether you have long or short strands, don’t hesitate to go for this tool.
If you have very short strands such as a pixie cut, while this tool will do fine, you may want to consider an even smaller size such as 0.75” or 0.5”. These numbers are created specifically for shorter strands and they can come very close to the roots.
Another thing worth mentioning in terms of size is the tool’s length, which is 9.5”. This makes it very compact and perfect for travel with your flat iron. Its small size also makes it easier to maneuver when curling hair.
Heat And Variable Settings
Most hair tools come with variable heat settings that allows you to switch and choose according to your needs. GHD on the other hand, has a particular approach when it comes to heat. It offers only one pre-set temperature that they think is perfect for a flat iron, which is 365°F.
Most experts agree that the standard temperature setting of this tool is convenient for hair types ranging from medium to coarse. But if you have fine and delicate strands, you will need temperatures as low as 250°F, and this tool will be too harsh for you. If you have very thick and unruly hair that needs higher heat to tame, you probably will need temperatures such as 400°F or even more. So, this tool is perfect if your hair type is not on the extremes.
Another important thing to mention here is that after measuring the heat across several spots on the plates of this tool, we found that it actually heats up to 310°F instead of the advertised 365°F. So, it’s a bit gentler than we imagined, which may help fine strands, but it definitely is not suitable for stubborn hair.
Back of its plates heat up till 135°F and the tip till 110°F. These numbers are a bit warm but still comfortable enough to hold while styling, which we appreciate.
Material And Performance
GHD choose ceramic as its plate material which means that they’re aiming for gentleness with their tool. Ceramic, has a mechanism of heating up slower than others, as well as heating less. This is a great quality for beginners as it leaves a lot of room for mistakes, and it’s quite difficult to damage your strands with it. But as you can imagine, speed is not its strong suit. It definitely takes a longer time to finish your session compared to titanium and if this is your priority, ceramic may not be the best option for you.
As a luxurious tool with a luxurious price, this tool has extraordinary material quality. It’s so durable that we’ve never seen one die on us yet. This tool is very sturdy and it will last you for as long as you need. It also has a very elegant design and is ergonomic to use. Considering its quality, we think it does deserve its price, as long as you have strands with medium thickness.
Features
It has multi-directional floating plates which keeps your strands attached to the plates at all times, providing a healthier session and even results.
It comes with a heat-resistant protective plate guard, which is a case that you can use to cover the tool while it’s still hot. This allows you to take your flat iron anywhere without needing to wait for it to cool off.
It also has dual voltage and allows you to use your tool anywhere in the world. Combined with its compact size, we can say that this tool is very travel-friendly.
We must say, we’re not impressed with the fact that its auto shut off is only 30 minutes. This is a feature to make the tool as fire safe as possible. But many people are not finished with their session in 30 minutes and it can be frustrating when your tool shut itself off while you’re not done.
It doesn’t come with ionic technology which is a feature that eliminates frizz from strands. If you have this issue, we recommend to seek a tool that comes with this technology.
Ergonomics
GHD Gold Styler weighs 8.8oz which is considered average in the market. This number is usually easy to handle and maneuver and is less likely to give you arm fatigue. It also adds to how travel-friendly it is.
This tool is very pleasant to hold with its 4.6” slim handle and it will fit in small hands comfortably.
Its cord is 8.8ft which is a considerably long size. We like the fact that its swivel and you can twist and control it easily.
Since this is a luxury tool, we must say that we’re disappointed with the fact that it doesn’t have digital display and since it doesn’t have variable heat settings, it also doesn’t have digital temperature control.
Price And Guarantee
We’re aware that a tool with $240 is not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s an investment and what you’re investing on with this tool is its material quality and its capacity to smoothen your strands without damaging them.
It’s extremely durable and comes with a 2 year warranty to put minds at ease. If you ask us, this tool is value for money if you have strands with medium thickness and length, but it may be overpriced if you have very fine or thick hair.
Competition
Choosing the ghd gold means you’re already making a big investment. For a bit more, you can get the Ultra-zone™ technology with the ghd platinum plus model, which features Ultra-zone technology. This technology ensures even heating across all spots on the plates, enabling single-pass, damage-free straightening. This quality is particularly beneficial if you want to use your flat iron for silk pressing your hair.
As the ghd Gold is a compact and travel-friendly tool, if portability is your main consideration, we also recommend the T3 SinglePass Compact. The T3 is slightly shorter than the ghd at 8.25 inches.
