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Being a beauty editor, I try a lot of hair tools for a living. From hair straighteners to hair multi-stylers and hair dryers to curling wands and thermal brushes, I’ve tried nearly all of them. I’ll admit it’s a saturated market, and whenever a new hair tool lands on my desk, I greet it with a bit of scepticism. Can it really do anything different from what’s already out there?
However, when I heard that Hershesons was launching The Great Iron (£120), I already knew it wouldn’t be just like any other hair tool. And after testing it out for the past fortnight, my predictions were correct. Scroll on for what you should know about the new hair straighteners (which do so much more).
Hersheson The Great Iron
Hershesons
The Great Iron
Pros
- Can be used to straight, curl or wave hair
- Straightens hair in one pass
- Adjustable heat up to 230°C
- 1.25″ floating tourmaline titanium plates glide through hair
- 360° swivel cord for effortless styling
Cons
- Plates may be too small for very thick hair
My Experience
Before
I’d describe my hair type as somewhat wavy, thick and coarse in areas (hello, frizz). It’s not often that I straighten my hair, but my biggest gripe with most straighteners is feeling like they’re dragging or tugging through my hair. These, however, glide through my hair like a hot knife through butter and give me a very sleek result in just one pass.
I have a lot of hair, but I could easily straighten my hair in 10 minutes. Of course, if you have curly or coily hair, this will take longer. And if I had to nit-pick, I do wish the plates were slightly wider for straightening larger sections. That being said, the plates are nimble enough to get right to the root and are a great size for short and medium-length hair.
After
It features tourmaline-titanium floating plates that bend and move with your hair as you work it through your lengths. The 360° swivel cord means you never feel tethered by the cord, and there are three different temperature settings (120°C, 180°C and 230°C), which you can toggle through the main power button with ease, so you can tailor the heat to your hair type and texture. I opted for 180°C and applied a heat protector to shield my lengths from the heat. They also heat up very fast, and come with a protective cover and pouch to store when they’re not in use.
Possibly my favourite feature is the curved edges, which means you can do so much more with these than regular hair straighteners. I’ve never mastered curling with hair straighteners (I always end up with kinked curls that look like I’ve curled ribbons with scissors—anyone else?), but the rounded plates and curved barrel on these mean I can get the soft, loose curls I favour. But that’s not all. You can even do S-waves with these to get that piecey Sienna Miller-esque waves that I cannot wait to try over summer. I can see why Hershesons called these The Great Iron and not The Great Hair Straightener, because they really can do so much more than just straighten your hair.
Final Thoughts
(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)
Having put The Great Hair Iron through its paces over the past couple of weeks, I have to say I like it even more than I thought I would. I’m already a fan of Hershesons hair tools (the Multi-Tasker is a favourite 3-in-1 tool I use regularly), but this feels like the missing piece in my hairstyling routine. Not only is it a great hair straightener, but it can be used in so many different ways to add soft bends, waves or curls into your hair. At £120, they’re an investment, but on par with similar hair straighteners on the market and feel like a justified investment. They’re a joy to use, they look chic, they give great results and deliver an incredible shine. But most importantly, the versatility means you’re getting multiple hairstylers in one.
How We Tested
I put The Great Iron to the test over a course of a few weeks to see how well the hair tool performed. I used it to straighten my wavy hair, as well as testing it to create S-waves, soft curls and beachy waves to see how it fared as a multi-styler.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including some skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
