Amazon Reviewers Love this $15 Ceramic Curling Iron

We updated this article in January 2023 to ensure all products were in stock and up-to-date, and included additional information on the extensive testing conducted by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab.

There's no way to create perfect beach waves or cascading curls without a great curling iron; one that's easy to use and maneuver, heats up quickly to curl your hair fast and reaches a high enough temperature to set curls without damaging your hair — and fits in your budget. But choices can vary greatly "depending on the texture of the hair and the type of curl you are looking for," says Eugene Toye, stylist at Rita Hazan Salon in New York City.

With so many options on the market, from titanium to ceramic, tourmaline and even clamp-less curling wands, hair rollers and heat-free hair curlers, it can be difficult to know where to begin to find the best curling iron for you. That's why we tested curling irons in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to find the ones that are actually worth your money. Our Beauty Lab pros evaluate features like preheat time, temperature range, overall settings and ease of use. We also had a panel of at-home testers try the irons at home and report on factors such as the lasting power of the resulting curls and ease of use. All said, our scientists and beauty pros parsed through over 103 measurements and 836 survey answers to find the only curling irons worth your money.

Our top picks:

For more information on what to keep in mind as you shop for the best curling irons (including material, barrel size, temperature and more), scroll to the bottom of this article. In the meantime, these are the best curling irons you can buy.