15 best curling wands, tried and tested for all hair types and textures

At first glance, this looks like your average straightener, but it’s built to do double duty. The curved outer casing is designed for curling, while the floating plates straighten like a dream. I’ll be honest, I forgot that the outer edge heats up and singed a finger within the first five minutes (no one can tell me beauty journalism isn’t a physical role - my war wounds say otherwise).

Gloves are DEFFO recommended - and luckily they come included! That said, once I got into a rhythm, it delivered beautifully soft, loose curls that looked effortless. The two-in-one design makes it great for travel, though it is a bit chunkier than your typical wand or iron. If you’re someone who likes to mix up straight and curly styles without hoarding tools, it’s a solid choice.

This clever curler has a rotating clamp, which allows for extra movement when styling. The barrel itself features ionic technology designed to seal the cuticles of the hair, for less frizz and extra shine. It heats up quickly (within 60 seconds) and evenly, to give perfect-looking ribbon curls. There's also a 60-minute automatic safety shut-off - so you don't have to get 'the fear' on your daily commute that you forgot to turn it off.

The tapered barrel of this wand goes from 28mm to 23mm, meaning you get a looser voluminous curl at the top of your hair and tighter, defined curls toward the ends. Similarly to the first ghd tong, the barrel has a ceramic coating, so hair stays smooth and frizz-free.

Waves look clean and defined after curling, but you can opt for a dishevelled finish by running your fingers through the lengths and giving strands a blast with some texture spray. It also has a cool tip to help avoid burnt fingers and a 30-minute automatic off-switch for peace of mind.

You can’t top the original Dyson Airwrap for bouncy, salon-like curls – despite its spenny price tag, it’s worth it! This version comes with all the attachments you need to curl your hair in both directions, to reduce frizz and to dry your lengths, all without excessive heat damage thanks to Coanda technology. The AirWrap uses the Coanda effect to attract damp hair to the barrel, drying it into a loose ringlet, so that you aren’t pressing your lengths against two ceramic hot plates.

If you’re after that perfectly imperfect, just-off-the-beach texture, this one delivers. The twisted barrel from BaByliss’s Curl & Wave Trio created big, fluffy curls that looked full, defined, and effortlessly glam. It’s not your average curl pattern either: the twist design helps add variation and depth to each section, so the final look feels bouncy but not too polished, giving the most lived-in, tousled finish of any tool I tried.

The wand heats up fast and is super lightweight, making it ideal for quick styling sessions. As part of a three-in-one set, it’s a versatile addition to your collection if you like switching up your curl style away from the classic looks. Just be aware: this one’s more cool-girl texture than bouncy blow-dry.

Ok, I'm not going to lie, I was a tad sceptical of this automatic curl machine (surely it's easier to just use a wand, right?) Well, not necessarily. This snazzy machine 'sucks in' a strand of hair and rotates it around a heated core, it's then released into a perfectly formed ringlet. It takes a little while to get to grips with how it works, but once you figure it out it actually makes curling the hair really easy.

If you're craving fluffy, corkscrew curls, this one's a winner. It heats up incredibly quickly and the skinny, rectangular barrel curls each section of hair in a mere seconds. So the process isn't as time-consuming as I thought it would be.

Full disclosure: Wet-to-dry tools have never worked for me. They usually leave my hair in a fluffy, confused mess – until now. The Shark FlexFusion genuinely surprised me. It dried and curled my hair at the same time, and for the first time, it actually worked. The two auto-wrap barrels make it easy to curl in the right direction without switching technique, and the results were big on volume with that freshly blown-out look. It gave me loads of movement and lift through the ends, with a polished, swishy finish that didn’t feel crunchy or dry. I did end up with fluffier, slightly frizzier curls than usual, but I suspect using the smoothing or concentrator attachment beforehand would’ve helped.

Tbh, it’s not the easiest to handle - the plug socket is super bulky, my arms were starting to ache by the end and my left-handed cousins struggled when styling their hair. Still, if you want a multi-styler that does the job in half the time, this one is a winner, especially for anyone with fine or flat hair craving extra lift.

Designed by celebrity-fave hair extensions brand, Beauty Works, this curling wand has one of the longest barrels I've ever seen (seriously). Made with long hair in mind, the XL wand ensures that heat is evenly distributed from root to tip. The flat iron bar creates cool S-shaped waves, as opposed to round ringlets. The ceramic coating ensures hair cuticles remain smooth and frizz-free.

My obsession with Cloud Nine’s Wide Iron meant expectations were high, and this wand fully delivered. From the first curl, I knew I was in store for great results. The barrel glided through my hair with zero snagging, and the finished look was everything I wanted: shiny, defined curls that didn’t feel dry or crispy. Unlike the brand’s Waving Wand, this tool creates more traditional curls rather than soft waves, and they held up beautifully all day and night with no hairspray in sight.

One thing to note: the barrel is slightly shorter than I expected, so if you’ve got very long hair, you might need to curl in sections. It comes with a heat-proof glove and carry case, and the three heat settings (plus an auto mode) make it easy to tailor to your texture. If you’re still unsure which setting is right for you, they have a handy online quiz to match a heat level to your hair type.

When I first unboxed The Wavemaker, I’ll be honest, it looked like something that might eat my hair. The hard shell, rotating barrel and auto-curl slot took a sec to get used to, leaving me attempting to curl in my hair à la Ann Widdecombe’s straighteners saga. After a few minutes finding the knack and practising my hair positioning, I was quickly converted.

It’s genuinely one of the easiest curlers I’ve used. Just section your hair, place it in the slot, press a button and let the tool do the rest. It has three temperature settings (50, 150 and 250°C), so you can pick your curl strength, and fan-assisted airflow helps set the shape as you go. The result? Loose, tousled waves that looked even better after softening throughout the day. Great for those who struggle with technique or want a low-effort finish with maximum hold.

If you want a hot tool that earns its space in your drawer, this one ticks the box. The Alfa Italia set comes with three interchangeable barrels, which means you can switch up your style depending on your mood, from tight curls to soft waves and everything in between. I reached for the largest barrel to test first, and the results were dreamy, loose, smooth waves that looked expensive and effortless, and held their shape all day.

Knowing I had a full-on day and softer curls are harder to keep hold of, I used a smidge of Moroccan Oil hairspray for some extra staying power. The soft curls lasted from morning meetings to late-night drinks without dropping. The device heats up quickly, feels lightweight in the hand, and the digital temperature control gives you the freedom to customise for your hair type.

I love everything about the Hershesons The Multi-Tasker – seriously, I don’t think I could fault it. It’s incredibly lightweight, effective, easy to travel with and can create three styles in one tool.

The Multi-Tasker is available in two variations, one for short hair and one for long hair. I opted for the ‘long hair’ version which comes with a 33mm wand, 45mm thermal brush and 32mm waver, while the ‘short hair’ iteration comes with a 38mm thermal brush, a 30mm thermal brush and a 25mm wand. Already, I’m so impressed by this feature as no matter which tool you go for, you’re getting attachments you’ll actually use.

As for the attachments themselves, well, I love them all. The wand creates bouncy, loose waves (my favourite) while the waver gives effortless, just-come-back-from-the-beach vibes, thanks to the wide barrels.

I also have to shout out the thermal brush, a sensational attachment for creating a bouncy blowout. My hair seamlessly glides through the tong and is brushed out by the soft bristles – and the bristles also mean you can push the tong right up to your roots without getting burned. As a result? Soft, volumised curls.