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The best professional curl machine that makes it easy to get high-level results quickly.
Comes with a built-in steamer and sprayer to apply steam to enhance curling. Heating element works quickly as it glides down thin strands of hair.
Steamer can only use distilled water to work properly. Tap water will not work correctly.
An easy-to-use curl machine by a popular brand with a frequent sale price and exceptional warranty, all of which add to its overall value.
Heats up fast and is easy to use. Made by a recognizable name in hair care and is often available on sale. Five-year limited warranty is one of the best in the industry.
Only has two heat settings with a maximum temperature of 400°F, which isn't quite as powerful as similar options we considered.
While it isn't the best option for short hair, it gets praise for producing soft, defined curls on longer styles with minimal effort once you learn how to use it.
Heat level is easy to adjust to the desired setting; a digital display indicates the exact temperature. Not very heavy, so it's easy to maneuver. Can curl hair in two directions.
Mastering it takes a bit of time and practice for novice users. Somewhat awkward for styling shorter hair. Placing too much hair in the chamber at one time can result in tangles.
Worth considering if you are looking for an affordable and easy way to create soft curls, but it may disappoint you if you want a very curly look.
Has an automatic chamber that produces curls with its 360-degree rotation. Heats up to 450°F on the highest setting. Cord is 7 feet long. Affordably priced.
Curling barrel is larger than one inch, which isn't ideal for creating tight, well-defined curls.
One of the few ionic professional curl machines that offers interchangeable attachments for certain styles.
Comes with interchangeable curl chambers for different curl styles. Curl chamber uses a circular heating element, providing heat around the hair. Heater acts quickly up to 450°F.
Small curling chambers only allow for a small size of hair strand to curl at a time.
We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.
Updated December 2021
Don’t you wish you could instantly create loose curls, easily and without winding hair around a burning hot iron, causing crimps, breakage, and even painful tangles? You can with a professional curling machine. Most curl machines allow you to customize the curl’s tightness, direction, time it’s in the machine, and lets you choose an optional steam setting. You simply feed a section of hair into the machine, set it to start curling, and then it releases when the curl is complete (or alerts you and lets you easily release if hair becomes tangled inside). If traditional curling methods have not worked, a professional curling machine is worth a try. The best models cost just shy of $150, but you can find a budget model for around $50.
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