Tired of unflattering, damaged hair? Here are some steam hair straighteners that you can try to get flawless hair.
Are you someone who loves experimenting with different hairstyles and often use hair straighteners, hair curlers and blow dryers?
Then there definitely is a lot of use of heat treatment on your hair and this can be damaging to the hair in the long run. Trust me I’ve had this happen to me.
But, what if I told you there is a way out and you do not have to stop styling your hair, but you can simply use a steam hair straightener to straighten your hair. Sounds good right?
You can save your hair from a lot of damage that is caused by the application of heat on the hair for extended periods of time by hydrating your hair during the straightening process.
I’ve reviewed the top steam hair straighteners, so you can now very easily make your choice and I’ve also made sure to answer a couple of your frequently asked questions down below.
Here are the details!
Related: Best Hair Straightener For Short Hair
Related: Best Hair Straightener For Curly Hair
What are steam hair straighteners and how do they work?
Steam hair straighteners also commonly known as steam flat irons use steam in order to keep the hair hydrated during the straightening process.
This is through using a technology called ‘vapour infusion’ that helps prevent the hair from drying out when heat is applied.
These steam hair straighteners help not only straighten your hair but will also reduce hair damage and leave it looking moisturized and healthy.
How I tested the best steam hair straighteners?
After using the steam hair straightening irons on my own hair, I rated them on a scale of 1-5 using the following parameters.
- Straightening Power – The steam flat irons should be able to straighten your hair effectively in one use
- Damage Control – I checked the plate material for ceramic that will make the straighteners less likely to damage hair
- Functionality – I also checked which steam flat irons had the most tech features like dual voltage, auto switch-off, etc.
Top Steam Hair Straighteners 2023
Paryoe Steam Flat Iron
My curly hair always is really frizzy and I was looking out for the perfect steam hair straightener and I was really happy with this buy – The Paryoe Flat Iron. It literally had everything I could as for in a hair straightener (and that is why it tops my list).
I love the two-in-one feature of being able to do both straighten and also curl my hair with just one device.
Also it was very helpful that this product has 5 steam vents that release vapour and this helped hydrate my hair and make it feel softer after I had straightened it.
The ceramic tourmaline plates are 1¼ inch in size and make it easy and smooth to glide all the way over the hair.
What I loved about this product is that it heated it within just 30 seconds and had adjustable temperatures which ranged between 300°F to 455°F, so it suited my curly hair fine.
It also has a dual voltage feature and it suited me perfectly because I love travelling and I could carry it everywhere I went.
I also liked that it had a 360 degree swivel cord that made my straightening process very flexible.
The only disadvantage is that the steam gets activated only over 212°F.
Pros:
- There are several heat settings making it suitable for all hair types
- Heats in just about 30 seconds
- The ceramic tourmaline plates heat up well and do not damage hair
- Long swivel cord makes it easy to use
- Dual voltage makes it efficient to use in different countries
Cons:
- You need to heat it to over 212 F to make it a steam straightener
- Doesn’t work too well on thick hair
My Ratings:
- Straightening Power – 4/5
- Damage Control – 3.5/5
- Functionality – 3.5/5
L’Oreal Professional Steampod
The L’Oreal Steampod is an amazing product that worked perfectly on my curly hair. The plates are anodized and are highly resistant and have a floating plate structure.
This property of this product was definitely a benefit as it made the plates get heated up consistently and more so evenly.
This product has a detachable comb also known as the steam and comb technology which is helpful for detangling hair while the straightening process is going on.
What I liked the most about this product is that it has an integrated water tank that can hold sufficient water, which not many products have and require frequent refilling.
I liked this because my medium length curly hair was taken care of with one filling. This water tank lets out steam that helped keep my hair hydrated during the process.
The few disadvantages of this product in my opinion were its price and voltage options.
It is comparatively more expensive than other such products in the market.
Also, I was quite disappointed that it didn’t have the dual voltage feature and inhibited my use of this product on my travels.
Pros:
- Has an integrated water tank that helps get more steam
- The detachable comb helps straighten African kinky hair easily
- The anodized plates heat up good
Cons:
- Not dual voltage so it can get difficult to use while travelling
- It’s a bit expensive compared to other products here
My Ratings:
- Straightening Power – 4.5/5
- Damage Control – 4/5
- Functionality – 3.5/5
Xtava Steam Flat Iron
The Xtava Flat Iron suited me very well because my hair is not only curly but also relatively coarse.
This product has ceramic and tourmaline plates that are heat resistant and it also has a detachable water tank that comes with a water dropper which is provided by the company.
I liked how it made the refilling process very easy.
What also I really liked is that this product has a 360-degree swivel cord.
This was really a benefit to me as it made my hair straightening process easy because of its flexibility.
I really loved that this product had a rubber handle and this was truly an additional safety feature to prevent the user from burning their skin and it also provided me better grip while handling the flat iron.
The best part is the 2 year warranty period that this product has.
The only thing that I didn’t like about the Xtava Flat Iron is that even though the steam vents release water, this water isn’t converted into steam.
Pros:
- It comes with a 2 year warranty
- The flexibility of the 360-degree cord helps straighten hair easily
- The ceramic tourmaline plates helps prevent heat damage
Cons:
- I didn’t get the steam even though it’s heated up
My Ratings:
- Straightening Power – 3.5/5
- Damage Control – 4/5
- Functionality – 4/5
QUICO Hair Straightener and Curler
Finding the right hair straightener for my curly hair is always a task and the QUICO Straightener was a good buy!
This product is not just a straightener but can also be used as a curling iron. The plates are made of ceramic coating and the steam technology it uses helped moisturize my hair and keep it soft even after the process.
All I needed to do was fill up the water tank at the head of the device and then when the plates got heated the steam started flowing from the holes in the plates.
I love the fact that this product had 4 adjustable temperature settings from 330°F to 420°F.
It even comes with a flexible swivel cord that made it really easy for me to complete the process without it getting entangled.
Another advantage of this product is that this device is very light in weight and is perfect to carry when travelling.
The only disadvantage is that the price of this product is relatively higher than other such products in the market.
Pros:
- The hair straightener also works as a curling iron
- It’s lightweight body is easy to carry
- The multiple heat settings make it suitable for straight, wavy and other hair textures.
- The Nano technology helps control frizz
Cons:
- None that I could see
My Ratings:
- Straightening Power – 4/5
- Damage Control – 4/5
- Functionality – 4/5
MKBOO Hair Straightener with Steam
This titanium plated hair straightener is a good buy for me because it worked well on my curly hair.
The MKBOO Steam hair Straightener has adjustable heat settings ranging from 300°F to 450°F which can be adjusted as per your hair type.
The best features of this product in my opinion are the swivel cord that rotates 360 degrees which really makes the straightening experience an easy one.
Apart from which, I really like that this device has 7 holes that release the steam, which is let out from a 40ml removable water tank and this really benefited my hair and made it feel moisturized.
Another thing that I found good about this product is that it also has the shut off feature within 60 minutes of use and this is a much required safety feature in my opinion.
This product also comes with a detachable nano brush. This was very useful to me to detangle my hair while I was straightening it.
If you are someone with a lower budget, then this product may not suit you because it is quite expensive as compared to other such products available in the market.
The actual device design too differs from the product image shown.
Pros:
- Has an integrated water tank like the L’Oreal one
- Comes in a very affordable price tag
- Auto shut-off features helps prevent accidents
- Contains negative ion technology that prevents frizz
Cons:
- The titanium plates can overheat
- They do not suit very thin or fine hair
My Ratings:
- Straightening Power – 4/5
- Damage Control – 4/5
- Functionality – 3/5
Maxiglide RP Hair Straightener
The Maxiglide Straightener comes with 1½ inch ceramic plates that are known to be designed for all hair types and I can endorse that it suited my coarse and curly hair very well.
I liked the adjustable heat option, which ranged from 190F to 450°F so it didn’t feel too harsh on my hair as I could lower the heat whenever I found it getting too hot on my hair.
I love the ‘SteamBurst’ technology this device uses because all I had to do was click a button and the steam was generated. My hair felt really soft and smooth once I used this device.
Another thing that I liked was that the Maxiglide straightener has protective ridges that really eased my fear of burning my scalp.
The 60 minute automatic shut off feature was really helpful as I’m super forgetful sometimes.
The last and best thing I liked about this product is that it has a full refund policy (which I of course didn’t have to use), which gives the user 90 days to test out the product and if the user doesn’t get the best results, it can be sent back for a full refund.
Well, apart from all the advantages of this product, I need to add that this product is quite expensive compared to other such products.
Pros:
- Comes with heat settings from 190-450°F
- The plates have small pins that helps detangle hair
- Comes with a money back guarantee after using it for 90 days
Cons:
- Sometimes it doesn’t get hot enough to produce enough steam
My Ratings:
- Straightening Power – 4/5
- Damage Control – 4/5
- Functionality – 4.5/5
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Steam Hair Straighteners:
1. Do steam hair straighteners benefit your hair?
Yes, they absolutely do! They help keep the hair hydrated and moisturized which can otherwise feel dry, dehydrated and brittle because of the extended application of heat over the hair while straightening it. The steam helps retain moisture in the hair and considerably reduces hair damage.
2. Is using a steam hair straightener better for hair?
In my opinion, I would pick a steam hair straightener any day as compared to a normal one, because who doesn’t like the added benefit of hair hydration and moisture which a regular straightener will not provide you with!
The final takeaway