In the world of flatirons there are a few brands that never seem to disappoint.  CHI is one of those brands.  While their products are definitely at the higher end of the flat iron price range, if you are a person who religiously straightens their hair, then it pays to spend a bit more money on a quality iron.  In this industry, word of mouth is huge.

My First CHI…

A few years back, when I was just starting to use an iron on my hair, I purchased a Bion flat iron.  I figured that at $200 it had to be good.  It was even more expensive than the CHI!  So I got it, and tried it, and used it for a year or two.  In college I had a roommate from NYC was was a really city girl.  She was always trying out the latest and greatest new thing.

She told me that her hairstylists always used the CHI flat irons, and that her other friends swore by it.  When she finally broke down and bought one, it meant that I would have my first chance to try CHI for myself. One evening before a Sex And The City-ish night out in her hometown, I put her CHI to the test with my hair.  The difference in my hair was unbelievable!  Unlike the results I was accustomed to with my own, more expensive iron, I didn’t see the dried ends, or the raggedy looking straightened hair that I’d come to think of as normal.  My hair felt like it was able to hold much more of it’s own moisture in…thus making it look much healthier and more natural.

I was so happy with the results that when I got home, I shelled out another $200 for one of my own.  After about 1 month of regular use, my hair looked shinier and healthier than it ever had with my previous iron.  The CHI flat iron was clearly much less damaging to my hair.  Don’t get me wrong though…you put hair under a high heat like this (the iron gets up to 356° Farenheit!) , your going to have some damage.  I don’t care how some of these irons say that they will make your hair MORE healthy…frequently applying heat to your hair and styling it is not going to make it healthier….period.

Let me give you a rundown on my type of hair.  I have blond curly hair (really curly…like the bane of my adolescence, Shirley Temple jokes, curly).  I actually had a guy try and pick me up at a Starbuck’s with the line, “Is that your real hair?”. It’s thick, but very fine and fragile.  Loooooooooots of whispy baby hairs.  My hair stylist

has told me not to use a  flat iron on it more than twice a week, but I cheat sometimes.  Okay, a lot of times.  Thankfully, my CHI lets cheat without consequence.  I take care to put lots of product in my hair before I flat iron it (CHI’s Shine Infusion Oil works really well, as does Lanza’s Neem Plant Silk Serum and Redken’s Align – I actually use different combinations of the three all the time).  That way if it does get too hot it fries the product and not my hair.

Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty

Now that I have shared with you what I like about the product, here are some specifics.

• The CHI Turbo comes in three different widths – 7/10″, 1″ and 2″.  I have the 1″.  It allows me to get close enough to my scalp to get the little baby hairs I have, but it also doesn’t take forever to do the rest of my hair.  They recommend the wider ones for people with longer hair.  (see the image above for a look at all three)

• I like the swivel cord on the flat iron as well (rotates 360° at the base so that it doesn’t get all caught up and twisted).

• The CHI Turbo line has red felt material wrapped around the outside of the heated plates.  This is supposed to  to keep the outside of the iron from getting too hot in your hands.  I honestly don’t notice the difference with or without the felt, but I do like that the texture of the felt keeps it from slipping off of my sink.

• This series of flat irons do not have the new Tourmaline plates, they are just ceramic.  However, I haven’t had a chance to use any of the irons with Tourmaline plates so I can’t vouch for the difference they make.

• Heat settings range from 170° – 356°.  The iron has a slider button on it for setting the temperature, as well as an on/off button for safety.

• Red LED indicator on the iron flashes continuously once the iron reaches the temperature that you have set it for.  This thing heats up quick too!  Much quicker than my old iron.  This is due to the Flash Heating technology that most modern irons have.

• 1 year limited warranty.

• Lastly…in the spirit of going Green and saving the world and being more energy efficient…the CHI Turbo only uses 20-25 Watts of electricity and runs at 110 Volts.  Many other irons run at as much as 200 Watts.

Can’t Buy Me Love?

The CHI turbo may seem little pricey, but when you compare it to some of the other irons out there (remember the Bion I was telling you about that I had paid $200 for?) it’s right on par.  Unless you have hair like Seabiscuit; the kind that can withstand anything, take my advice and don’t go with one of those Hot Tools $40 flat irons.  You will be sorry and may end up looking like you stuck your finger in a light socket.  Now that’s hot!

Overall Grade: A-

While you can’t buy this iron directly from CHI(or Qwowi for that matter), you can get the 1″ iron from Folica.com for $104.95 with free shipping (it retails for $195).  I love Folica.com and personally use it for all of my flat irons. Many of my friends buy from Folica.com as well.  The price is always low, and the quality of the product is never compromised.  I have never been disappointed.