T3 with its Smooth ID flat iron takes heat personalization to the next level, catering to your hair texture, length, and color treatments to minimize damage
Price: $250
Model name/number: 77534
Available sizes: 1”
Heat settings: 260°F to 410°F
Plate material: ceramic
Best for: all hair types and lengths except very short or thick, coarse hair
How it stands out: Its precise customization of heat settings, including options for hair texture, length, and even color treatments, minimizes the risk of heat damage to hair
Rating: 4.7/5.0
What we like:
- customized heat settings reduce the risk of heat damage
- elegant design, ion generator
- versatile styling
- superior heat insulation provides greater comfort and control
What we don’t like:
- the touch technology makes it too easy to change settings accidentally
- sound indicators cannot be muted
- limited heat settings; lacks precise manual temperature control
- overpriced
T3 SMOOTH ID takes its name firstly from its capacity to smoothen the strands more successfully than usual with its ionic technology and ceramic plates. Secondly, it comes from its many different hair type settings to apply for the most beneficial temperature for your hair type. This tool takes things to next level by providing different settings for your hair texture, length, as well as color treatments. T3 SMOOTH ID makes the ultimate effort to keep your strands safe from heat damage while being as efficient as possible. We are impressed by how accurate the heat choices are and you can trust this tool to make the right decision for you.
It also has a wide range of heat settings from 260°F till 410°F which means that there is an appropriate temperature for your needs no matter how thin or thick they are. It also has a memory function to remember the setting that you previously chose.
One thing that can be annoying about this is that it has so many buttons on its handle which has touch technology, and it’s easy to press accidentally and change the settings. But other than that, it’s very elegantly and ergonomically designed. It’s a luxury tool and has great quality material, but also comes with a big price tag of $250. While we think it’s a good investment if you can afford it, it’s a tool which can be considered overpriced.
Let’s dig into details and talk about the test results!
Shape And Size
This is an elegantly designed flat iron that has multidirectional floating plates. The plates tilt at different angles, providing 100% contact with hair for effective styling and even results. The rounded edges prevent dents or lines while straightening hair. It also has a cylindrical barrel making it easier to wrap hair around and create defined, spiral-shaped curls with ease if versatility is what you’re looking for in a styling tool.
It comes with only one plate width option which is 1”, and is the most versatile option in the market. The length of its plates is 3.75” and is slightly below the average number of 4”.
This size also can be considered a good fit for most hair lengths, and considering both numbers, this tool is medium-sized and fits most.
This compact design also reaches close to the scalp and those hard-to-reach areas and is ideal for styling short hair.
But it also is wide enough to cover a decent amount of your hair at one pass, in case you have longer strands. So, we recommend this tool if your hair is not very short or long. Even then, it will do a decent job.
Size of the tool is 10.5” and is short enough to be compact and easy to travel with.
Heat And Variable Settings
When it comes to heat, T3 Smooth ID is a special tool. This tool features a heat personalization system that no other tool on the market provides.
There are settings that you can choose that includes your hair texture, length, and even the color treatment. After you put all the information according to your needs, it gives you the perfect heat setting. We tested this tool for many different hair types and we were pleasantly surprised by how accurate it is. Another fact about it is that it has a quite wide range of heat settings starting from 260°F and reaching till 410°F. With 9 different options, there will be a perfect setting for you no matter how thick or thin your strands are.
The back of its plates heats up to 85°F and the cool tip reaches 80°F, both very low temperatures. This ensures your hands are completely safe from heat damage, especially when using the tool to curl your hair. Superior insulation provides greater comfort and control during styling.
Material And Performance
Plates of T3 Smooth ID are made out of ceramic. This is the material which is by far the gentlest option in the market. It’s perfect for fine strands and delicate curly hair that needs gentle heat to maintain its curl pattern and minimize damage. It heats up much slower than its alternatives such as titanium, and can evenly distribute the heat better at lower temperatures.
This is also one to go for if you’re a beginner and want to stay on the safe side, as it leaves much more room for mistakes.
Speed is not its strong suit though. And if this is your priority, titanium may be a much better option.
It’s very durable and will last you for many years to come if you take good care of it. We really appreciate its sturdiness and ergonomic design, as well as its elegant white color. These qualities are all common amongst luxury tools which have high prices and this tool certainly is an investment. It’s worth it if you have the budget, but we do feel like it’s a bit overpriced.
Features
The most outstanding feature of this tool is its “interactive heat ID technology” for obvious reasons. This tool allows you to enter your hair texture, length, and color treatments, and it provides you a personalized temperature that is perfect for your needs. This is a very innovative feature that we only see in T3.
It also has memory function that records the previous settings that you’ve entered in the tool, which saves you a lot of time and energy.
It has sound indicators that let you know when the tool is heated up and ready to use, which is great. But if you don’t want it, you can’t turn it off and it can be annoying if you have a sleeping family member close by.
Ionic technology is a feature that we really appreciate and this tool offers it. This feature for people with frizz issues and it basically emits negative ions and eliminates frizz from strands. It’s true that this tool smoothens strands better than most flat irons on our list.
It comes with a 60-minute auto shut-off to make sure that you don’t forget your tool on. This feature is great to make your tool as fire-safe as possible.
Dual voltage is offered so that you can use your flat iron anywhere in the world, and its essential if you want to travel with your tool.
Ergonomics
Having a compact flat iron is beneficial for the ones who want to travel with their tool. We can say that T3 Smooth ID has a lightweight design which is 9.1 oz, considering the average number of 9.5oz. This weight also is quite easy to hold for longer periods and most likely won’t give you any arm fatigue.
It has a thicker than usual handle which is 4.9” which may be a bit annoying if you have very small hands, but otherwise convenient.
Its cord is 8ft long and swivel. This length is more than enough for home use.
It comes with an LED display and digital temperature settings, as well as hair type settings to personalize the temperature for your needs. While we appreciate all this, the touch mechanism sometimes can get pressed accidentally and it’s too easy to change the settings accidentally. All things considered, this tool is a very elegantly designed flat iron but in terms of ergonomics, it has this small issue.
Price And Guarantee
T3 tools are rarely budget friendly and this tool is not an exception. With a price tag of $250, it’s one of the most expensive options on our list and is a sizable investment. But this tool is extremely durable and versatile, fitting every different hair type as well as being a decent hair curler. Its personalized setting feature is also outstanding and unique. Long story short, we recommend this tool if you can afford it, but we do feel like it’s overpriced. It comes with a 2-year warranty as well, which is refreshing to know.
Competition
If you want to have a T3 flat iron but this tool is way over your budget, don’t worry, there are solutions. T3 Lucea is another tool from T3 that can adjust the temperature based on the texture and shape of your hair to have the best level of heat. The biggest downside of Lucea is the lack of ionic technology. If you are not suffering from frizz, you can pay $100 less compared to the T3 Smooth ID and enjoy your Lucea.
Another flat iron in a more budget-friendly price range is FHI Platform Signature Pro Styler which makes a difference in the plate size. With an option of 0.5″, it becomes more appealing for shorter hair types.
FHI has 3 layers of baked ceramic plates infused with tourmaline. As much as we love titanium, ceramic and tourmaline together make a great team for eliminating frizz in the gentlest way possible. Another superior quality of FHI for fine hair is the fact that its minimum heat setting is as low as 140°F, the lowest number on our list. With these two qualities, FHI may be worth considering if you have fragile strands.
