An affordable yet rewarding flat iron that can tame unruly strands very fast
Price: $80
Available sizes: 1”
Best for: all hair types and lengths
What we like: rubberised grip, elegant design, wide heat range
What we don’t like: 2 hour auto shut off is too long, doesn’t have memory function
How it stands out: a simple and straightforward tool that performs extraordinarily well for its price
Rating: 4.3/5.0
Like most flat irons with titanium plates, Hot Tools Titanium Digital Salon Flat Iron caught our attention with its crazy performance on unruly strands. This tool makes taming stubborn strands look so easy. Its maximum heat setting of 450F is one of the highest in the market and creates very smooth results in a very few passes. Don’t get us wrong, this tool also can be very gentle. If you use the lowest temperature option which is 200F, it provides a session which is completely safe from heat damage for fine strands. Its plate material is titanium mixed with ceramic and can distribute the heat evenly throughout the plates, avoiding hot and cold pockets. It also heats up quickly and recovers its heat fast as well. It comes with 1” plate width which is the most common and versatile size in the market. Combined with its very wide heat range, this tool fits all hair types and lengths. It’s an easy-to-use tool and its buttons are very straight forward to figure out. That said, it’s on/off switch is placed inconveniently and it accidentally gets touched easily. Another thing to mention is the fact that its blue outer coating peels off with the heat as some of our users report. This is not a tool that you purchase for its material quality but for its performance. It’s for sure not the most durable flat iron in the market but this is forgivable as it is budget friendly. Below we share our experiences with “HOT TOOLS TITANIUM DIGITAL SALON FLAT IRON”.
Table Of Contents
- Shape And Size
- Heat And Variable Settings
- Material And Performance
- Features
- Ergonomics
- Price And Guarantee
- Competition
Shape And Size
Hot Tools as far as flat irons go, doesn’t have anything extraordinary in terms of shape. It has straight plates with rounded edges. These edges help the tool to avoid snagging your hair while styling, as well as creating smoother locks if that’s something you’re interested in. It comes with multi-directional floating plates, to maintain greater contact between the tool and your hair, which allows a mor efficient session.
This tool comes with a plate width of 1”, which is the classic number in the market. This size is large enough so that you can cover a large enough area in case you have longer strands. But it also is narrow enough so that you can come close to your roots, which is much better for short hair. Its plates are 3.5” long, which is less than the average number of 4”. Since it’s inclined to be smaller, it appeals more to shorter strands. But don’t you worry, even if you have long hair, it does a decent job.
We measure the length of the tool as 11”. This number is slightly above average and can be considered compact enough without issues.
Heat And Variable Settings
We love how wide the heat range of Hot Tools Titanium Salon Digital Flat Iron is. This tool really appeals to both worlds, meaning that it can be very gentle and very strong well. It starts from 200F, changes in 10degree increments and reaches till 450F. It doesn’t really get much versatile than this in terms of heat range in the world of flat irons. If you use its minimum heat setting, it will provide you a session very safe from heat damage, and it’s perfect for thin strands. And if you use the maximum heat, it will tame your very thick and unruly hair very quickly. So, you don’t need to worry about if this tool’s temperature will fit you or not, one of its options for sure will.
Its handle is 80F maximum, which is very safe to touch and use. But we cant say the same thing about its cool tip, which reaches till 160F and can be too hot for your fingers. Back of its plates, on the other hand, are a different story. The heat up till 230F and are way too hot to touch. But they provide a great curling session if that’s what you would like to do with your tool.
Material And Performance
Its material is a mix of titanium and ceramic. We love a tool that combine two materials as this means that the tool combines the qualities of both. It heats up fast and strong, with its titanium plates and it’s a great tool for thick strands. But it also is soft and distributes its heat evenly with ceramic. So, as it’s mentioned in the heat section, we can easily say that this tool is extremely versatile and appeals to all hair types and lengths.
When we look at its performance, we get very pleased to see how fast and efficient it is. But unfortunately, we don’t feel the same about its material quality. This tool is not very durable, and as much as it’s elegantly designed, many users report that its blue outer coating peels off after some use. This may not happen to you, but it says a lot about its quality. Since it’s an affordable tool, this kind of issues are more than expected. And there are many other tools in the market that offers more in this department, but of course, costing more.
Features
As a simple tool, it comes with simple features. Auto shut off is the first one that catches our attention, which in our opinion, is the most essential feature. It does offer this technology, but it’s set to 2 hours, instead of the usual 60 minutes. This much time, is a bit long for it to be completely fire safe.
It comes with dual voltage to make sure that you can bring and use your tool anywhere in the world.
It doesn’t have ionic technology, which helps eliminate frizz from strands, but this is not a surprise in budget products. Another good one missing in this tool is memory function, which means it doesn’t remember your settings and you need to adjust your tool every time you use.
Ergonomics
We can’t say that this tool is the most compact one in the market. Its weight is above average as well as its length. You may have some struggles with it if you want to use it for longer periods as heavy tools can easily cause strain on your muscles.
Its handle is 4.5” wide and can be considered medium sized. It fits most pals comfortably. It also has a rubberised finish which helps with gripping easily. This is highly appreciable and helps with how ergonomic it is.
It has an 8ft cord which is considerably long, compared to most flat irons in the market. Its swivel and easy to manoeuvre.
It has led display and digital temperature control, which are both very helpful, especially if you’re a beginner. One thing to mention is that its on/off switch buttons are placed a bit poorly and it can accidentally get pressed. But overall, it’s an easy and straight forward to use tool.
Price And Guarantee
It costs $80, even cheaper on its website as its discounted at the moment. As a very budget friendly product, it offers simple features but an ergonomic design. This tool’s performance outweighs its cost by far and tames the strands very efficiently. But its material quality is pretty poor. It certainly is less durable than many other options on our list. But it comes with a 7-year warranty, which is one of the highest numbers on our list and puts minds at ease. Considering all, we think it has great value.
Competition
While we appreciate a good budget tool, if you want the crème de la crème of flat irons, Hot Tools Titanium Digital Salon Flat Iron is probably going to disappoint you. If you want the best, we really recommend you to check out T3 Smooth ID. This tool just feels luxurious the moment you hold it and provides a very smooth and fast session, very safe from heat damage. It actually automatically chooses the best temperature for your needs. And of course, it comes with a luxury price tag which is $250.
If you want a compact tool, there are many other options in the market that will satisfy you more strongly. FHI Platform Pro Signature Styler, is one of the lightest flat irons that we know of with 7.7oz, and short on with 10.5” as well. This tool is great to just grab with you and bring it to anywhere, be it your gym or the other side of the world.
