10 Best Mini Flat Irons for Every Hair Type and Need (Tested and Reviewed for 2024)
Limited suitcase space? I gotchu.
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Let’s just say I’ve been in a committed relationship with my hair straightener for the past eight years. But when I’m going on a trip—or just heading into the office—and have limited packing space, I always swap it for the next best thing, which is my mini flat iron. Not only is it compact enough to fit in my purse, but it’s a genius lil powerhouse for straightening my bangs, styling short hair, and even touching up my hair mid-work-day right from my office desk. And don't let their teeny-tiny cuteness fool you; mini flat irons can be designed with the same heat and power as full-size straighteners.
Which is why I spent eons finding the best mini flat irons for legit every possible situation (like when I needed a go-to travel straightener for a trip, or a mini flat iron with temperature controls after I bleached and damaged my hair). Then, I curated this list of the 10 best mini flat irons with all of my findings, plus some insights from hairstylist Cristina B. King about how to pick the right mini flat iron for your ~needs~:
✔️ FYI: We updated this article in June 2023 to give you the most up-to-date info on mini flat irons, including our editors' favorites and a guide on how to choose the best mini flat iron for yourself, according to a hairstylist.
Our top picks for the best mini flat irons of 2024:
Best Mini Flat Iron With Temperature Controls
Pritech Mini Flat Iron Portable Hair Straightener
Read more
I’m getting into all of the details about the best mini flat irons below. Plus, hairstylist Cristina B. King gave me some great tips on how to choose a mini flat iron, whether you want to style curtain bangs, flip under your bob haircut, straighten your edges, or touch up flyaways.
Pros
- Reviewers love how easy it is to use on the go
- Comes with a matching heat-resistant travel bag
Cons
- Doesn't have a swivel cord so it can tangle easily, wrote reviewers
If it’s going to be humid outside (basically, all of summer), I stash this Eva NYC mini flat iron in my bag for touch-ups. Why? Because the ceramic plates heat at a gradual pace, meaning I don't have to worry about overheating my hair just to smooth my flyaways. I also swear by it for giving my curtain bangs some ~oomph~ mid-day. I just stick it inside the included travel bag and stuff it inside my work tote before I head off for the day, and it takes up even less space than my usual makeup bag.
- Plate width: 0.5”
- Type: Ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “Perfect to smooth out bangs,” writes one reviewer. “This works great for what I needed. Can smooth out flat or give bangs a little flip or twist.”
Pros
- Cordless, so easy to use for touch-ups
- Wide-ish plates are great for bangs, said reviewers
Cons
- Can take up to two hours to fully charge
I can't even count how many times I've dramatically gotten bangs after someone broke my heart. So, trust me: I know how to style bangs, and my number-one tip is getting this cordless mini flat iron to style them instead of a full-size iron. It has a slighter wider plate width than other min flat irons I’ve tried, which has made it great for styling my thick hair quickly, but it’s just small enough that it can get close to my roots to give me lots of volume. And it comes with a heat-resistant case, so you can safely toss it back into your bag without any worries of it burning through anything.
- Plate width: 0.8”
- Type: Ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “I am completely impressed with the compact design and wireless features of this tool,” writes one reviewer. “My hair has some natural curl, and I am able to easily straighten my hair stress-free. I absolutely love this hair straightener.”
Pros
- Has 13 different temperature controls between 210 and 450 degrees
Cons
- Some testers said it was easy to accidentally switch the temperature while using
Unfortunately, most mini flat irons only have one temperature setting, which isn’t always great for fine or damaged hair types who don’t want (or need) to put such intense heat on their hair. Enter: this Pritech mini flat iron, which has 13 different temperature options between 210 and 450 degrees. So, if you have fine or damaged hair, stick below 350 degrees; meanwhile, coarse, thick hair might require 400+ degrees to get straight in a few passes.
- Plate width: 1”
- Type: Ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “Really great deal,” writes one tester. “Its design doesn’t catch around the edges or pull your hair at all. The plates are super smooth. Heats fast. Adjustable temperature!! And, there’s a little switch that locks it closed so you can wrap the cord around it and store it so much easier.”
Pros
- Least expensive mini flat iron on this list
Cons
- Testers wished it had more temperature options
You can pretty much always find this ceramic mini flat iron for less than $10 on Amazon, which is a great deal for any tool, let alone one with more than 2,500 reviewers who rave about how easy and great it is. So, yeah, TBH, it’s a fairly simple tool, but that’s why people love using it so much. It just switches on with a button and heats up to 410 degrees fairly evenly and fast, making it essentially foolproof whether you’re getting ready on vacation or before happy hour.
- Plate width: 0.5”
- Type: Ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “Saw someone else using this item on IG and glad they linked it,” writes one reviewer. “I needed a small flat iron for edges, and it works perfectly. The temperature gets hot. “I would definitely recommend this item.”
Pros
- Short size (less than eight inches) is easy to hold at the back of your head, wrote testers
- Comes with a heat-resistant pouch
Cons
- Doesn’t have temperature control options
You know those lil itsy-bitsy pieces in the back of your short hair that are nearly impossible to straighten? Not with this titanium mini flat iron. The tiny size makes it easy to reach and get ultra close to your roots, while the half-inch plates help you smooth short sections. Just beware that this iron does get v hot (410 degrees, to be exact), so make sure to always spritz on a heat protectant beforehand.
- Plate width: 0.5”
- Type: Titanium
THE REVIEWS: “Small but very powerful,” writes one reviewer. “I'm contemplating on ditching my regular iron and just using this one at home too.”
Pros
- Automatically turns off after 30 minutes
- Titanium plates heat up in less than a minute
Cons
- Testers noted the outside can get very hot while using
Lowkey, this mini flat iron is better than some full-size hair straighteners I’ve tried. And it’s largely due to the titanium plates, which heat up super fast (we’re talking 380 degrees in one minute) and pass through my thick hair with a nice, smooth finish. Basically, just plug it in, coat your hair in heat protectant, then glide the iron through section by section. It’s obviously ideal for short hair or travel, but it straightens Cosmo beauty editor Beth Gillette’s medium-length, thick extensions in about 25 minutes too. Plus, if you’re forgetful like me, you’ll rest easy knowing it has a 30-minute auto-shut-off.
- Plate width: 0.75”
- Type: ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “Compact size works great on my bangs,” writes one reviewer. “I can get a nice straightness without them being just flat. It also works for directing the ends of my hair.”
Pros
- Has a rounded edge for creating curls and waves
- Comes with a heat-resistant cap for travel
Cons
- Some reviewers found the one heat setting (410 degrees) to be too high
ICYMI, a hair straightener can be used for more than just straightening–it can create curls and waves too, especially when you go for one with a rounded outer edge (like this mini hair straightener from T3). You can get soft, beachy waves—especially on short face-framing layers—without lugging a clunky iron through your hair. Just make sure to take, roughly, .75 inch sections to avoid loading up too much hair on the iron, which can give you limp, uneven waves.
- Plate width: 0.8”
- Type: Ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “Super nice for a travel size,” writes one reviewer. “I have super long and thick wavy hair, and this works great when I’m on the go if I decide to straighten it.”
Pros
- Dual-voltage, so it can be used globally
Cons
- Outside plates get very hot, so you have to be careful
While packing for all of your upcoming vacations, make sure you throw this cute mini flat iron into your suitcase. It’s a mere eight inches long, meaning it’ll take up barely any space (saving you lots of space for sunscreen). Plus, it’s got a dual voltage, meaning as long as you have an adapter, it won’t get fried when you plug it into an outlet with higher voltage outside of the U.S.
- Plate width: 0.5”
- Type: ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “I really enjoy this little flat iron,” writes one reviewer. “I have pretty short hair that comes just below my chin, and after I blow dry my hair, it does this weird flippy thing that I hate! This iron was the perfect size for correcting the ends of my hair that a 1 inch flat iron can't really get to.”
Pros
- Titanium plates get very hot quickly
Cons
- Outside edges can get hot to touch, so some testers recommended wearing gloves
FYI: Titanium plates get very hot, very quickly, which makes them a must for curly hair. This titanium mini flat iron quickly heats up to a whopping 430 degrees to help smooth and style thick and coarse hair in a swift two or three passes. And the small size (hiii, bb half-inch iron) makes it so easy to get super close to your roots when you’re straightening your edges or face-framing layer instead of a bulky full-size flat iron.
- Plate width: 0.5”
- Type: Titanium
THE REVIEWS: “I've been struggling to find tools small enough to style my micro fringe—until now!!” writes one reviewer. “This flat iron is the PERFECT size to give my bangs some volume and help smooth out some face-framing pieces, while giving my hair a good amount of shine.”
Pros
- Has three different heat settings to choose from
- Rechargeable via USB
Cons
- Testers said the cordless charge only lasted 45 minutes
Jmfone’s mini flat iron may be tiny and pink and cute, but it's a tiny, pink, cute workhorse. Just charge it via the USB plug to 100 percent, then throw it in your gym bag, suitcase, work bag—wherever—and pull it out whenever you wanna do your hair, no cord required. Its ceramic plates can heat up to 392 degrees, meaning it can smooth thick hair, but it has three different heat settings depending on your hair type and density (in general, the coarser your hair, the hotter you should go).
- Plate width: 0.75”
- Type: Ceramic
THE REVIEWS: “I absolutely love this straightener,” writes one reviewer. “I wavered for a long time before finally deciding to order because I already own a fairly expensive flat iron. But I have no regrets and really wish I would have purchased this sooner. I have long, curly hair, and this straightener helps me to turn my curls in to smooth, silky, straight hair. And they last all day long!”
What is a mini flat iron used for?
Mini flat irons are used for pretty much anything you would use a normal hair straightener for, but they’re especially useful for "straightening short pieces of hair around your hairline, the nape of your neck, and short haircuts," says hairstylist Cristina B. King. Plus, mini flat irons are great for touch-ups and throughout the day, like flipping under your ends when you’re on the third day of a blowout or giving your bangs some extra volume. Plus, because they’re so compact and lightweight, mini flat irons are easy to stuff in your suitcase, carry-on, weekender, gym bag, tote bag—you name it.
How to choose the best mini flat iron:
Consider your hair type and condition
Choosing the best mini flat iron for your hair requires considering your hair's thickness, texture, length, and condition. If you have thin or damaged hair, opt for a mini flat iron with lower heat settings (see: under 400 degrees) or with adjustable controls. However, if you have coarse or thick hair, you may require higher heat settings to get your hair smooth, meaning the standard 400 or 410 degrees of most mini flat irons will be great for you.
Similarly, consider if you want ceramic or titanium-iron plates. Ceramic irons tend to be gentler on your hair, as they heat evenly and slowly and usually don’t reach super-high temperatures. Which is why ceramic flat irons are best for fragile hair (read: fine or already-damaged hair), since they can be slightly less damaging. Titanium irons, however, heat up fast to high temperatures, so they require fewer passes to straighten thick, coarse hair.
Factor in your travel plans
If you're looking for a mini flat iron to bring on your international travels, look for one with dual-voltage capability. This ensures that the straightener can adapt to different voltage systems around the world, instead of dying on you the second you plug it in on your trip. Or choose a cordless mini flat iron that you can charge via USB, just like your phone.
Compare plate sizes
Typically, mini flat irons come in a range of plate widths, varying from 0.5 inches to 2 inches. If you have short or fine hair, go with a narrow plate width (0.5 to 0.75). But if you have thick hair, or are planning to straighten medium-to-long hair with your mini flat iron, look for a wide plate size (0.8 to 2 inches).
Meet the experts:
- Cristina B. King is the lead hairstylist at Rita Hazan salon in New York, NY, where she is an expert in haircutting, hair extensions, and styling.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Iman Balagam is a beauty contributor at Cosmopolitan with nearly three years of experience writing beauty stories that range from pre-wash hair oils to losing hair in the shower. She’s an authority in all hair categories, but is an expert when it comes to mini flat irons, thanks to personally testing them on her own hair (especially all the times she’s had bangs).
Sami Roberts was the beauty assistant Cosmopolitan with four years of experience writing about beauty, including hair-straightening products and curl creams. Her mini flat iron picks were based on product reviews, ratings, and personal testing, along with information from experts
Iman Balagam is a freelance writer who has been in the beauty industry for nearly five years. She has written for and contributed to top women’s magazines and digital brands such as Harper's BAZAAR, Allure, Byrdie, Elle and more. She will try *nearly* anything and spends a lot of time looking for new ways to store her beauty products in a small New York apartment.
Sami Roberts was the previous beauty assistant at Cosmopolitan. Keep up with her cat-filled life in New York on Instagram.
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