Hot Tools offers versatility in styling with its marcel-shaped tool, which doubles as a wand and comes in a wide range of barrel sizes
Model name/ number: 1106 (3/8″), 1104 (5/8″), 1105 (3/4″), 1108 (1″), 1130 (1 1/4″), 1182 (1 1/2″)
Price: $50
Shape: marcel iron/wand
Available sizes: 3/8″, 5/8″, 3/4″, 1″, 1 1/4″, 1 1/2″
Best for: normal to thick strands, all hair lengths
What we like: rotating handle, versatile size options, elegant design,
What we don’t like: minimum heat setting is too harsh for fine strands,
How it stands out: an affordable marcel iron with holding clamp that closes manually for extra precision and strength
Rating: 4.4/5.0
Hot Tools offers something different this time with its marcel iron. This shape basically is a traditional spring iron with a holding clamp, but instead of closing automatically, the process is manual, allowing you to provide the tension that you need for extra precision. Marcel irons usually are preferred by professionals and there’s some learning to do if you choose this tool. But once you get it, they’re quite addictive. The great part is, you can also use this tool as a wand, without the clamp. This makes it extremely versatile as you can achieve both perfect-looking or undone results as you wish. Talking about versatility, this tool comes with so many barrel-width options that you can choose according to your hair types and the type of curls that you aim to create. Another outstanding quality of this tool is its rotating handle, which is rare to find in the market. This makes the tool much easier to maneuver and handle, which is a breath of fresh air for your arms as it’s a bulky tool. We really like its design, it’s quite elegant. Its heat settings start from 280°F and can be a bit too harsh for fine strands. Its maximum temperature of 430°F is very satisfying and if you have thick hair, you will benefit from it. Its gold barrel is made for even heat distribution which is a quality that speeds up the process, as well as making it safer as it avoids hot and cold pockets. Overall, we are a big fan of this extraordinary tool with a great price of only $50.
Whether you’re seeking the best curling iron for thick hair or short hair, the best curling iron for fine hair, rest assured, Hot Tools Pro Artist 24 Gold Marcel Iron Wand has you covered.
Below we share our experiences with “HOT TOOLS PRO ARTIST 24 GOLD MARCEL IRON WAND”.
Shape
Hot Tools offers something not very common this time, with this marcel iron shaped tool. Like a traditional spring iron, it comes with a holding clamp. But its mechanism is a bit different as it closes manually. This quality allows it to create much more precise results, according to your hair type and styling needs, as you can adjust the pressure and the heat. This shape is usually chosen by professionals that really enjoy precision and don’t mind doing things manually. But if you’re a beginner, it may be worth giving it a second thought as it takes a bit of time to master this tool. But once you do, it really is a joy to use. As any spring iron, it creates perfect-looking ringlets as the tips of strands get exposed to equal amount of heat as the rest of the hair.
Another important thing to mention here is that you can also use this tool as a wand. You can leave the clamp detached to the tool and just wrap your strands around it and hold it with your hands, if you need a more undone finish and s-shaped curls. This is great for the ones that would also like to achieve casual-looking results.
This tool basically brings two shapes together and is perfect for the ones that would like to achieve different styles with their tool.
Size
When it comes to size, this tool is one of the most versatile in the market, especially if you have short hair. It offers a very generous number of barrel width options, which are 3/8″, 5/8″, 3/4″, 1″, 1 1/4″ and 1 1/2″. Let’s have a close look at each size:
3/8” is the only one on our list with this size. Very short strands such as pixie cuts would benefit greatly from this size, as well as the ones that only use their tool for touch ups. It creates very small ringlets that gives volume only to short hair. We don’t recommend this size for very thick hair as it can’t get too hot.
½” is also for bob cuts and shorter hair and creates extremely tight curls. This is a better option that 3/8” if you have very short but thick hair.
5/8” is still for short strand and creates tight curls, but also goes for shoulder length hair and a gives more volume to your strands.
¾”, is considered more versatile than the smaller sizes. It’s still for shoulder length and shorter hair but can create more hair styles.
1” is the most commonly found size in the market and fits almost all hair tyles and can create the widest variety of styles. This is the one to go for if you’re too confused as to which size to choose and your hair is middle length.
1 1/4“ is still considered middle sized but the curls are more bouncy and larger. It fits perfectly on armpit length or longer hair.
1 ½” is specifically for longer strands. This size gives great volume if you have mid back or longer strands.
While it comes with all these different sizes, it’s also important to mention the length of its barrel. All the options come with the same length which is 5.4”. This size is the average number in the market that would fit all needs and there’s no need to worry about it while considering this tool.
Heat and Variable Settings
Hot Tools Pro Artist has an average range of heat settings starting from 280°F and reaching up till 430°F. Its maximum temperature is very satisfying and this tool can get really hot, and is able to tame even the unruliest strands. It’s perfect for thick hair as the marcel-shaped mechanism also intensifies the heat by putting more pressure. But its minimum heat setting is not really gentle enough for very fragile hair. While it’s perfectly safe to use on strands with average thickness, if your hair is very thin or damaged, we recommend aiming for a tool with a minimum temperature of 250°F or less.
Material and Performance
One of the signature qualities of this tool is its 24K Gold material. Gold is a quite unique choice and rare to find in the market. It’s known to distribute evenly and avoid hot and cold pockets. This allows you to finish your session in less passes which protects your strands from heat damage. Not only that, but also it makes this tool much faster than ceramic. So it’s a perfect balance of gentleness and strength at the same time and it may just be our favorite material of choice in a curling iron.
This is a budget tool and doesn’t have the material quality of a luxury curling iron, but its quality is not poor either. It’s appropriately durable considering its price and quite sturdy to hold. This is a tool that you choose rather for its high-performance levels as it’s extraordinarily satisfying in that department.
Features
Hot Tools Pro Artist 24K Gold marcel iron has some interesting features. The first one that stands out is its rotating handle. This tool’s handle rotates while styling so you don’t have to twist your wrists all the time, which is really helpful with arm fatigue. Professionals prefer this feature and this tool aims mostly to please them. That said, for the same reason, this tool lacks auto shut off technology. This is a feature that automatically turns of the tool after a certain time. It’s great as it provides extra protection as these tools can be fire hazards. But professionals don’t prefer it as they like keeping their tools on for longer periods.
It doesn’t come with ionic technology which is a bummer. Gold helps a little with eliminating frizz but there are much satisfying tools that has this feature if you have frizz issues.
It comes with a feature called pulse technology and claims to heat up fast, and we can say that this tool is very successful in terms of speed.
It has a red light indicator that lets you know when your tool reaches the desired temperature, as well as a twisting button to change the temperature with more precision.
It has a super smooth surface and your hair glides through it easily when you want to release it. This helps with the smoothness of the results.
It comes with dual voltage to make sure that you can use your tool anywhere in the world.
Ergonomics
Like most marcel shaped tools, it’s quite bulky. While this usually is a problem in terms of arm fatigue, the rotating handle makes things easier for the muscles. But we have to say that it’s not the best tool for traveling as it’s not really compact.
One thing about this design that can get frustrating is the fact that it doesn’t have a cool touch finger grip. This is important in terms of handling and maneuvering the tool, especially if you’re not very experienced.
It comes with an integrated counter rest which protects the surfaces from heat while using your tool.
It comes with a long 8ft swivel cord, another useful addition for professionals that move the tool around a lot.
Price & Warranty
$50 is quite an affordable price for a marcel shaped iron which can also be used as a wand. You’re pretty much getting two tools when you buy this curling iron. It’s extremely versatile so it’s a no-brainer for the ones that want to achieve multiple styles with their tool. Its material quality is suitable for its price as well, it can’t match its luxury alternatives, but it actually offers a 7-year warranty that is very rare to come across. Most tools offer 2 years or less. We’re very impressed by its performance levels as well, it can style fast and effectively. Overall, we think it has great value for money.
Competition
Marcel irons are niche tools and as much as we’re big fans of it, they don’t appeal to everyone, especially beginners. If you want your tool to be simpler in the design and to close automatically, leaving you less job to do, we recommend aiming for a traditional spring iron. A great alternative comes from Hot Tools itself, which is Hot Tools 24K Gold Curling Iron. This tool basically has all the qualities same, including heat range, material and price. The only difference is its holding clamp that closes automatically, offering a simpler styling session.
Another marcel iron that is superior when it comes to gentleness is Babylisspro Porcelain Ceramic Marcel Curling Iron. This tool, is similarly priced, but is very gentle on the strands. Not only it has ceramic barrel, but also comes with a 230 °F minimum temperature. With these two qualities, you don’t need to worry about heat damage at all.
