5 Best Flat Irons For Natural Hair 2024 (Type 4c, 4b And 4a) – We Review And Compare

You love your natural black hair, but you’re thinking about straightening it for a little while. There’s nothing wrong with that – as long as you do it safely! Without proper technique and heat protection, you could damage your hair beyond repair.

Where do you begin?

First, you’re going to need the perfect flat iron.

Now, what are the best flat irons for natural hair? We’ve sorted through hundreds to bring you the top 5.

GHD Classic Styler 1″, The Best Flat Iron For African American Natural Hair

The good:

GHD is a well respected name, and the Classic Styler is a worthy addition to their product range!

This flat iron’s plates are thin, which is great for thick hair, because it allows you to focus on one small section at a time.

If your hair is naturally dry, then the aluminum added to the ceramic plates will reduce frizz.

The universal voltage and plate guard are perfect for travelers; this straightener will work in international outlets.

The bad:

While not always the case, for some it’s got glitchy after a few months, so get the two-year warranty. As you’re dealing with GHD and they’re usually good with sorting out any faults that come up, I wouldn’t let this be something which stops me from buying.

Perfect for:

Natural African American hair. Also anyone with dry, thick hair of any type.

HSI Professional Digital Ceramic Flat Iron with Tourmaline

The good:

The HSI Professional has ceramic plates are infused with tourmaline, which is perfect for straightening out loose curls.

The LDC temperature gauge also makes it easy to monitor the amount of heat you’re using.

The bad:

This flat iron has a light touch, which is fine for Type 3 or Type 4a African American hair, but it fails on hair with tighter curls. If you use this on Type 4b or 4c hair, you’ll find yourself going over the same sections of hair so many times that you’ll burn them.

Perfect for:

Anyone with Type 3 – Type 4a hair. A top flat iron from HSI.

Paul Mitchell Neuro Smooth Flat Iron

The good:

Next we have the Paul Mitchell Neuro Smooth flat iron. This flat iron is small but powerful. It’s lightweight enough so that if you have thick hair, your arm won’t get tired.

The titanium plates will straighten your hair on one pass, no matter how curly, so you won’t ruin your locks with heat damage.

Best of all, its Smartsense microchip detects when your hair is getting too hot and will automatically lower the temperature.

The bad:

Don’t rely on the microchip to keep your hair safe. This flat iron can get very hot, so make sure you keep an eye on the temperature setting! You can get more tips on using a flat iron safely here.

Perfect for:

Type 4b and 4c hair.

If you’ve never heard of this company before, you can check them out here.

Onei MK-I Halo Ceramic, The Best Flat Iron For Relaxed Black Hair

The good:

Ok, so let’s look at The Onei MK-I Halo Ceramic. This iron goes as low as 140 degrees and has a handy digital adjuster so that you can monitor the heat.

The multiple layers of ceramic coating mean that you’ll always get a sleek shine.

It is gentle enough to use on relaxed or dyed hair.

The bad:

It heats up very, very quickly, so if you accidentally leave it on an unprotected surface, you might find scorch marks.

Perfect for:

Anyone with chemically treated or hair more on the fine side (Type 4a). This flat iron from Onei Beauty is worth checking out.

OSIR Professional and Digital Nano-Titanium Wet & Dry Flat Iron – A Good Budget Choice

The good:

This powerful flat iron, the OSIR Professional, does it all. The nano-titanium plates are designed to straighten thick, kinky hair without damaging it.

The temperature control is easy to navigate, so you won’t find yourself accidentally frying your follicles.

The bad:

It’s a bit small, so if you have a lot of afro hair you may find yourself working on it for hours.

Perfect for:

Type 4c hair.