A closer look at one of the market’s most expensive and award-winning smart straightener that promises of minimal heat damage
Price: $280
Available sizes: 1”
Heat settings: pre-set 365°F
Plate material: ceramic
Best for: medium thickness to thick coarse hair, all hair lengths, color-treated or vulnerable hair, silk press for natural hair
How it stands out: a high-quality flat iron that uses advanced heating technology for styling with minimal damage
Rating: 4.6/5.0
What we like:
- evenly flattens out waves and curls with each pass
- great maneuverability for creating waves and curls
- has a plate protection cap for convenient travel and safe storage
What we don’t like:
- no variable heat settings
- no different sizes available
- doesn’t have an ion generator
GHD Premium Plus is a tool that is significantly more expensive compared to other products on the market, yet it is selling rapidly. But what makes this tool so special? Let’s find out.
When it comes to straightening hair, everyone wonders: am I damaging my hair? Every hot tool causes some damage, but what is really concerning is exposing hair to extreme heat. This happens when using higher temperatures than necessary or repeatedly passing over the same strand, causing overheating.
GHD Premium Plus is preset to 365°F. And its standout feature is its sensors that monitor heat 250 times per second, ensuring even heat across the entire plate. Means, you won’t need to repeatedly pass over the same strands.
All these means it is very hard to overheat your hair with GHD Premium Plus. This is a tool that exceeds expectations when it comes to the quality of a damage-free styling experience.
Lets get down to the details!
Shape And Size
At first glance, the GHD Platinum Plus catches your eye with its wishbone-shaped joint between the plates, which improves maneuverability for snag-free styling. Its rounded plate edges also make it versatile for curling strands.
It also has multi-directional, floating plates that keep better contact with the strands at all times for even results.
When it comes to size of plate width, they go for the most commonly found number in the market which is 1”. This size is preferred more as it’s the most versatile one which fits most strands. It’s narrow enough to come close to your roots if you have a shorter style and is large enough to cover enough area at one pass, which provides a faster session. But it does not offer any other size options.
Length of its plates are also average-sized. With 3.82”, it’s slightly less than the average in the market and you don’t need to worry about if it’ll fit you or not, unless your hair length is extremely long or short.
The length of the tool is 10”, and while not being the shortest, it still is compact enough to travel with.
Heat And Variable Settings
GHD takes a unique approach to heat styling that is worth mentioning. Unlike most hair tools that offer variable heat settings for different hair types, GHD claims to have perfected optimal styling temperatures. They advocate for 365°F as the ideal temperature, safe for styling yet effective in taming strands.
Unfortunately, this theory only works if you have strands with medium-thickness hair. For those with thin or fine hair requiring gentler temperatures around 250°F, this tool is too harsh. Similarly, if you have very stubborn hair, 365°F will not be sufficient to style effectively. In summary, while we appreciate this tool for medium hair types, it may not suit all hair textures and needs.
The most crucial aspect to test about this tool was GHD’s claim of ensuring consistent heat at 365°F. This means no hot spots to overheat hair or cold spots that could lead to uneven straightening and excessive passing over the same strand. After inspecting the whole area of the plate, we can confidently say that they are right! We couldn’t find any spot under 360°F or above 370°F, which is within a reasonable ±5°F range. This level of consistency makes the GHD Platinum ideal for achieving a flawless silk press.
This tool also has a highly heat-resistant housing. Its handle and cool tip stay cool to the touch, so you can hold them comfortably even for long periods of time.
Material And Performance
The material of GHD’s plates is ceramic. Ceramic is known to be the gentler option compared to titanium as it heats up much slower. But actually, this tool comes with a technology that allows it to heat up very fast, so we can’t say that this fact applies to GHD Platinum.
Ceramic, though less durable than other materials, helps protect hair from heat damage by styling effectively at lower temperatures. It’s a more beginner-friendly option as it leaves more room for mistakes.
We love this tool’s performance, it’s one of the fastest that we’ve tested and you don’t even need to pass it through your strands more than once in most cases. This also protects your strands from heat damage more than usual. It is extremely sturdy and durable, but what you will need to consider mostly with this tool is its price of $280. We’re more than aware that this is a number that not many home stylists are willing to pay for a hair tool. This tool appeals to only hair with medium thickness. So, we think it has great performance vs price, in case you fit in this group. Otherwise, it probably should be considered overpriced.
Features
Its auto shut off is 30 minutes and is less than the usual number of 60 minutes. While it may be appealing for some, we think it’s too short of a time and it may get frustrating to have your tool turned off by itself while you’re in the middle of your session.
It comes with floating plates, which is a great feature that most luxury flat irons provide. It helps your tool to keep in contact with your hair at all times and provides a faster and more efficient session.
It has sound indicators to let you know when the tool is heated up and ready to use, which we find very helpful.
Ionic technology is one important feature that this tool is missing, which eliminates frizz from strands. If you have relatively thick strands, you may want to aim for a flat iron that provides this.
It does not have a hinge lock, but it comes with a heat-resistant protective plate guard which allows you to cover your tool right after you use it, without having to wait for it to cool down. This accessory is great if you want to bring your tool to use at work or at gym and helps you gain some time. It also has dual voltage which means that you can use this tool anywhere in the world. Considering these combined with its compact design, we can say that this tool is travel-friendly.
Ergonomics
If a flat iron is too heavy, it can easily cause arm fatigue and it’s worth going for a lightweight tool, especially if your session takes long. GHD Premium has an average weight of 9.7oz, which we think is on the limit of being too heavy. It most likely will be comfortable enough, but if you have weak arms, it may be a bit frustrating at times.
The thickness of its handle is 5” and is comfortable to hold. It’s a very ergonomically designed tool and it most likely will fit your hands perfectly.
It comes with a very long cord which is 8.8ft. It also is swivel and very easy to maneuver.
It doesn’t have an LED display, but since you don’t need to change temperature, it’s actually not needed at all.
Comes in 2 colors which are black and white, and has a very smooth and elegant surface. We really like the design of this tool.
Price And Guarantee
This is one of the most expensive flat irons on our list this year and certainly is one of the most luxurious ones. If we were to discuss value, we can say that it is of great value for money, only if you have hair of medium thickness. But if your strands are very thin or thick, it may not satisfy your needs.
Another thing we appreciate with this tool is that it offers a 3-year warranty. This number is longer than usual which puts minds at ease.
Competition
In need of a pick-me-up? The Dyson Corrale is a tool that has all the features you’re looking for and more. It boasts outstanding flexing plates technology that reduces hair breakage, and intelligent heat control to prevent heat damage. Additionally, Dyson offers cordless functionality for up to 30 minutes of styling, something none of the other tools in our list offer.
As a fairly expensive flat iron, we know that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. If you want a solid flat iron with decent performance and don’t want to spend over $200, we recommend checking out Ghd Original Flat Iron.
