An affordable, simple yet solid curling iron that provides versatile hairstyles and can tame the unruliest strands without frizz
4.4 out of 5
Model Number: HTBW44 (1″), HTBW45 (1¼”), HTBW46 (1½”)
Price: $65
Shape: traditional spring iron
Available sizes: 1”, 1.25”, 1.5”
Best for: normal to thick strands, chin-length or longer hair
What we like: super smooth barrel, extra long cool tip, elegant design, 7-year warranty
What we don’t like: technical issue regarding the tool turning off by itself and temperature regulator stopping to work
How it stands out: high heat can tame unruly strands while providing great volume with its large barrel options
If you want a curling iron with the capacity to create a wide range of hairstyles and your strands are below your shoulder length, this tool may be a perfect choice for you. It’s a quite simple curling iron that doesn’t come with many fancy features that luxury tools offer. But what it offers, it offers it with quality. We’re impressed by its durable material and very high maximum temperature. This tool can tame even the unruliest strands and while it’s very effective, it also is gentle. We say this because of its ceramic material which heats up slowly. It leaves much more room for mistakes than its titanium alternatives. While this is great for thick strands, its minimum heat of 280°F is still too high for very thin and fragile strands and you should be careful if this is your case. It comes with different barrel width options and the largest option of 1.5” provides very voluminous results on long hair. It’s a traditional spring iron with a holding clamp, so one of your hands is free while styling. The clamp keeps the tips of the strands attached to the hot barrel while styling and helps create a fine finish. But you can also use this tool as a wand and just wrap your strands around it and hold it with your hand if you prefer a more casual and undone look. We really like its design which comes with an extra long cool tip to make it easier to handle the tool. You can’t really expect luxury from a $65 curling iron and it lacks some of the features such as auto shut off and ionic technology which we usually appreciate. It also has some technical issues such as some users report the tool turning off by itself. But it’s a satisfying tool if you’re a beginner home stylist and would just like a simple and affordable tool with good performance.
If you’re seeking the best curling iron for thick hair, or the best curling iron for long hair rest assured, Hot Tools Pro Artist Nano Ceramic Salon Curling Iron Wand has you covered.
Below we share our experiences with “HOT TOOLS PRO ARTIST NANO CERAMIC SALON CURLING IRON”.
Shape
Hot Tools Pro Artist Nano Ceramic Curling Iron comes with a holding clamp that closes automatically, which makes it a traditional spring iron. This clamp keeps your strands in place while styling, attached to the barrel. So, the whole hair gets exposed to an equal amount of heat. This helps create more perfect-looking results with a finer finish than a wand. The good thing about this tool is that you can also leave out the clamp and use it as a wand, holding the tips with your hand. This way you can create a more undone look that is casual. Versatility is one of this tool’s strong suits and this tool can provide a wide range of hair styles. Traditional spring irons are the most beginner-friendly ones when it comes to curling irons as one of your hands is free while using them.
Size
This tool offers three different barrel width options, from middle-sized to extra-large.
The 1” one is considered the standard number in the market and every single brand offers this size. The reason for this is that this size basically fits all. It’s the most versatile one in the market and no matter how long or short your strands are, it will suit you. It creates medium-sized locks that are tight yet voluminous.
The 1.25” one is still considered quite versatile, but we recommend going for this one if your strands are longer than shoulder length, and/or you want to create larger curls.
The 1.5” size appeals specifically to longer strands. The locks that it creates are very large and loose, which works perfectly on armpit length or longer strands. But may provide the same voluminous effect on shorter strands.
When we measure its barrel length, we see that it has an average length barrel with 5.4” and this middle-sized tool is suitable for all hair types.
Heat and Variable Settings
Heat is one of the most important aspects to consider when it comes to choosing the right curling iron, especially if your hair type is fragile or unruly. This tool’s maximum heat setting is 450°F and is one of the highest numbers in the market. This is perfect if you have very stubborn hair that needs very high levels of heat to tame. But it won’t do well on fine strands and the minimum temperature needs to be used in this case, which is 280°F. This, in our opinion, may be too hot on hair types that are extra thin or damaged, therefore, needs to be used carefully. It’s important to note that this tool has some technical issues and one of them is regarding heat. Some users report that its temperature regulator stops working at some point and overheats even if you put it on minimum heat. So, we don’t really recommend this tool if you have fine hair.
Material and Performance
Ceramic is the material of choice for Hot Tools Pro Artist Nano Ceramic Curling Iron. Ceramic is our favorite for beginners as it heats up slowly and more gently, leaving much more room for mistakes. But this tool’s heat settings prevent it from being extra gentle and even with a ceramic barrel, we still don’t recommend this tool for thin hair. But if you have normal to thick strands, this material will protect your hair from heat damage successfully.
We’re very satisfied with this tool’s performance levels as it heats a lot and tames the strands efficiently. But we can’t say that it’s the fastest tool in the market. Ceramic barrels heat up slower, and obviously, this doesn’t help with speed. Its material quality is above average and its design is ergonomic. But it has some technical issues that make us doubt its quality. Some users complain about their tool turning off by itself, and others about its temperature regulator not working which results in overheating. But its price vs performance is quite high with its affordable price.
Features
It has a feature called pulse technology, which sounds promising in terms of speed. We can see the difference in terms of heat levels, but it doesn’t really add to its speed as it claims.
It doesn’t come with ionic technology or auto shut-off, which are our two favorite features in curling irons. Ionic technology is for the ones that have frizz issues and want to eliminate it as much as possible. Auto shut-off makes the tool fire-safe and prevents you from stressing about forgetting your tool on. It does have an integrated safety stand, which is a great protection feature as it keeps your hot tool detached from surfaces.
It has a light indicator to show you if your tool is on or off. But doesn’t have any digital display. It does provide a precise temperature switch that you can twist and change, which appeals to beginners.
Like all Hot Tools Curling Irons, it has a super smooth barrel that lets your hair glide through it while styling. This provides some extra help in terms of smoother results.
Ergonomics
It’s a tool with a weight above the average, yet still acceptable in terms of being compact. We can say that it is travel-friendly and easy to carry. But when it comes to arm fatigue, it may be too much for the ones with sensitive arms who need to use their tool for longer periods.
One of our favorite things about this tool is its very long and comfortable cool tip. It’s a tool which in our opinion is very ergonomically designed and the cool tip makes it extra easy to maneuver and handle.
It comes with an 8ft swivel cold which is one of the longest numbers on our list. This quality is for the ones that want to move with their tool or the ones that have their mirror away from the plug.
Price & Warranty
$65 is a relatively affordable price tag for a good quality curling iron, and this tool is considered to be budget-friendly. Of course, you may find even cheaper options, but they won’t have their material as durable as this one. It also comes with a 7-year warranty, which is one of the highest in the market, putting minds at ease. It also is favorable in the performance department. We would say that its value is accurate for the price.
Competition
If you have fine hair, you may want to opt for a curling iron with lower heat settings. Babylisspro Porcelain Ceramic Spring Curling Iron is one of our favorites for fine strands this year. It comes with a barrel with a very high ceramic content and is one of the gentlest options on our list.
The Hot Tools Pro Artist 24K Gold Curling Iron is another best-selling curler from the brand, and for good reason. It offers the widest range of sizes available. If you need a curling iron smaller than 1″ or larger than 1 1/2″, the Pro Artist 24K series has a solution for you.
