Reduce frizz and stop static from occurring thanks to the tourmaline and ionic conditioning properties of the tool. There's also a ceramic coating which ensures the barrel glides through the hair leaving you with gorgeously smooth curls. Instant Curl technology We record the time taken to style a full head of hair, noting both the hair length and hair texture we’re testing on, and, whenever possible, we test on more than one hair type. We also evaluate the overall ease of use of the curler, how it feels in the hand, and the softness and feel of the hair after curling. We also confirm the weight and dimensions of the curler and note any extras included in the box. Finally, we note how well the curled styles last during a typical day of wear. Automatic hair curlers work by winding the hair around a heated barrel, so you don’t have to do the winding yourself. Most use some kind of mechanical motor to twist hair into place, while others use air pressure to wrap the hair. An automatic curler is a useful tool to have if you’re not confident in your own skills with a tong or wand, or if you have a sensory or mobility issue that makes winding your hair into place difficult. You can either use this brush as a standard hot brush, or you can use the rotating buttons to mimic the curl and smoothing action that hairdressers make look so easy. In reality, this takes a bit of practice but once you nail it, the finish is almost indistinguishable from what we get from the salon. Key specs – Barrel size: 32mm; Temperature settings: Variable; Maximum temperature: 230°C; Cord length: 3m

Reputable retailers always offer warranties or guarantees on their goods. These warranties can actually provide you with much more generous coverage than your statutory rights, so it’s important to know when you do or don’t have one. Sometimes you need to register with the retailer to be eligible, so it’s important to read the fine print. The biggest benefit to buying things online is the fact you don’t need to leave the home. Shopping can be a time-consuming and often exhausting process (for most of us). At busier times around the holidays, shopping can even be frustrating and a source of major stress. It saves you money As with all heat-styling products, automatic hair curlers offer a range of features for styling and protecting hair from excessive heat. The attachment we were most excited to use, and the one that takes this styler from a standard hot brush to a Dyson Airwrap dupe, was the hot tong. After drying our hair to 80% and dividing it into four large sections, we methodically moved around the head, curling small strips of hair one at a time. The best hair curlers for long hair in 2023 1. GHD Curve Soft Curl Tong: Best curler for big and bouncy wavesSafety – Finally, as with all heat styling tools, an automatic shutoff is a useful safety feature to avoid accidental damage. We’ve noted automatic shutoff times below. How do I use my automatic hair curler?

Most automatic hair curlers use a rotating motor to draw a section of hair around a heated barrel – in effect, it’s the same action of winding hair around a tong or curling wand by hand, but with the motor taking care of it for you. Apart from that rotating mechanism, the majority of automatic curlers function in exactly the same way as a pair of tongs, heating a strand of hair while it’s around the cylindrical barrel to set it into a ringlet shape. After a few seconds, the device releases the curled hair and you can move onto the next strand.The Shark FlexStyle uses the same air-powered Coandă effect as the Dyson Airwrap (above) to wrap hair around a barrel, creating soft and natural-looking ringlets. Like the Airwrap, the FlexStyle has three temperature and three airflow settings, which can be independently selected using the two buttons on the handle. Unlike the Airwrap (and many of the other automatic curlers on our list), the FlexStyle doesn’t have a direction switch, but instead comes with two 31.75mm curling barrels that you switch between to change the direction of your curls. You can also use the FlexStyle like a normal hairdryer, and the set comes with concentrator and diffuser attachments, plus a paddle brush to help you smooth hair or add lift. Instead of twisting the hair around a barrel using a mechanical motor, Dyson’s Airwrap styler propels dry or damp hair using air. The difference in pressure created by the air as it blows through the vents wraps hair around a heated barrel to create curls, waves, and ringlets. The use of air rather than direct heat from a plate means you can style hair from damp after washing. In addition, the Airwrap styles hair at a cooler-than-typical 150˚C to keep damage to a minimum, while ionic technology preserves moisture and reduces frizz.

For all three styles, we held the tong in place for around 10 seconds at a time but this will depend on your hair type, how well it holds curls and how damp it is. You might have your sight set on a specific product, but chances are that there’s plenty of other products out there that do the exact same thing. It’s very rare to find a product that’s truly unique, and unless you’re buying parts for repairs, you can usually find multiple items that will suit your needs. Compare prices It doesn’t quite create the same finish as a pair of straighteners would, but then it also doesn’t subject your hair to as much heat exposure and potential damage. It also gives you more control over how much volume you want. The most important thing you’ll need for curling longer hair is a tong with a longer barrel. This will allow you to wrap larger sections of hair around the tongs at a time, reducing the overall amount of time required to style a full head of long hair. A long barrel also means you can wind long hair vertically around the length of the barrel to create pretty ringlets, rather than rolling up from the tip of the hair. Using the length of the barrel to wind vertically means the root and upper sections of the hair are heated for the same length of time as the tips, resulting in longer-lasting curls that are less likely to drop.Let the hair cool in place and then run fingers through coils, or brush out – depending on the look you’re trying to achieve. Finish with your favourite hairspray to hold your style in place. How we test automatic hair curlers Now we know the benefits, it’s time to go through what you can do to stay safe when purchasing over the internet. Take a good look at the retailer There’s a choice of two heat settings – 210ºC or 230ºC – and three timer settings, so you can choose the length of time you want to heat the hair. The Curl Secret emits a friendly beep when it’s time to release the hair. Big brother to the already jumbo-sized Turbo Tong, the Turbo Tong X is the longest curling tong currently available in the UK. Extra-long at 20.5cm in length, the 32mm diameter is ideal for creating larger waves and curls. The ceramic-coated barrel heats up in 30 seconds and a precise temperature between 60ºC and 230ºC can be easily selected using the +/- buttons on the handle. The temperature display provides a readout and lights up blue, green or red to let you know the current heat of the tong as you style.

Key specs – Styling method: Hot air with Coandă effect hair wrapping; Heat settings: 2 (plus cold shot); Auto shutoff: n/a; Cord length: 2.6m Key specs – Styling method: Hot air with Coandă effect hair wrapping; Heat settings: 3 (plus cool shot); Auto shutoff: n/a; Cord length: 2.44mThe easiest look to create with the Remington Airstyler is straight and sleek. To achieve this finish, run the paddle brush down and through your hair in sections until each is dry and smooth. If you want to add volume, you can place the brush at your roots and run it up the underside of your hair, before smoothing it out by running it down the outer side.