Hot Files: Top 3 Easy to Use Flat Irons for Beginners in 2025

Let’s take it back to 2005…

You’re in your room, sitting in front of your floor mirror. Smoke and the repetitive sizzles from your $10 flat iron fill the air. You have one goal in mind — getting your hair the straightest it’s ever been.

Never mind the fact that you’ve turned your strands into crispy bacon. Who cares that your split end are going crazy? As long as your hair is smooth and sleek. 

Now,  if you aren’t from this era, it may be hard to imagine this scene. But as a beginner, sometimes it’s hard to avoid damaging your hair when dabbling into heat styling. This is why EastWay Beauty has created the Hot Files series to educate you on how to safely use heat on your hair. 

To kick of the first installment, let’s talk about flat irons and how to choose the best one for your haircare needs.

What Makes a Great Flat Iron

There are way too many flat iron option on the market and that’s never a good thing for someone who’s new to straightening irons. Couple that with marketing that’s littered with professional jargon that the average consumer has no clue about. 

When looking for a flat iron, there are a few features that you need to be aware of. 

Temperature Control

The $10 flat irons that plagued the early 2000s lacked this very important feature. Most flat irons only featured an on/off switch that heated the iron up but it was almost impossible to what temperature it was set to. This was dangerous because depending on your hair type, you risked burning your hair completely off.

This is why it’s very important to find a flat iron that let’s you control the temperature. It should have temperature control settings where the temperature is clearly shown. We recommend flat irons that have an LCD screen that shows the EXACT temperature versus a dial that forces you to guesstimate. 

Plate Type: Ceramic v. Titanium v. Infrared

It’s so hard to find a flat iron that explains, on the box, what the difference between plate types. But knowing the pros and cons of each type will help you select the best flat iron for your styling needs.

Ceramic 

Ceramic plates slowly increase in heat. This allows for a more even distribution of heat to minimize damage. Ceramic-plated flat-irons are the best flat-irons for beginners with thin, fine hair. 

The only drawbacks are these types of irons will take longer to heat up which makes quick styling difficult and they may require more passes to achieve the straightness you desire. 

Titanium 

Titanium-plated irons heat up faster than ceramic irons making them ideal for styling on-the-go. Most titanium flat irons give you the smoothest finish with fewer passes and they work best for thick, course hair. 

Some titanium flat-irons aren’t recommended for beginners because they can heat unevenly. If used incorrectly, they can cause irreversible damage to your hair. 

Infrared

Technically, infrared technology isn’t considered a plate type. It’s more of an upgrade to titanium and ceramic plates.

Normally, flat irons heat the hair from the outside in but with infrared technology, the flat iron will heat the hair from the inside out. This helps reduce damage and works best on hair that is chemically treated or damaged. 

Plate Size

As a general rule, the plate size of your flat iron will largely depend on how much hair you and your hair type. But it’s deeper than that. 

The larger the plate size the more heat will be applied to your hair. This is why it’s so important to know your hair type. 

½” plates work best for extremely short hair and edges. 

1”-1.25” plates are the average and are best for most hair types 

1.5” or larger should only be used for course, thick, and or extremely long hair. 

Design

Design isn’t super important but you do want to be mindful of how comfortable a flat iron feels to you. Before purchasing, we recommend go into an Ulta or other retail beauty store to test out a few different models to see if they are easy for you to handle. 

You should also be mindful of the sides of the flat iron. A good flat iron will heat the plates ONLY. The cover and sides should never get hot enough to burn your skin during styling.

Top 5 Beginner-Friendly Flat Irons

Now that you understand what makes a great flat iron. Let’s get into our favorite flat iron types. 

Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold Evolve Ionic Salon Hair Flat Iron

This professional flat iron is the absolute BEST flat iron for beginners. It features a cylindrical design that not only allows you to easily straighten your hair but you can create versatile curled styles as well. Another perk is the auto shut off feature that enhances safety by turning off when it’s not in use. 

The Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold flat iron combines the power of titanium, ceramic, and even 24K gold to create even heat distribution. It’s created for professionals but the design works well for anyone who’s new to heat styling. 

Get it here. 

EAP HEAT 1" Graphite & Rose Gold Titanium Flat Iron

The EAP HEAT Graphite & Rose Gold Titanium Flat Iron is the best flat iron for thick or course hair. It even works well on high density wigs. This is a “one pass” flat iron that will almost instantly smooth your hair while minimizing frizz. 

It features the auto shutofff and LCD temperature control for added safety. It beveled edges also allows you to create tight and smooth curls. 

BaBylissPRO Porcelain Flat Iron

The BaBylissPRO Porcelain Flat Iron is beginner friendly flat iron. It’svery easy to use and it reduces the chances of damage by combining Porcelain Ceramic plates with infrared heating. 

It’s not as versatile as the other flat irons on this list but it’s a great tool to have in your collection that’s not pricey. 

Get it here.

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There’s so much to discuss in the world of heat styling and we want to keep you informed. Don’t forget to join the E-Suite to get the latest delivered directly to your inbox. 

Happy Heat Styling!