A good hair straightener, or hair straightener, has become a must-have styling tool for many people with curly and wavy locks who prefer straight, sleek hairstyles. However, high-end hair straighteners from premium brands carrying features like adjustable heat settings, ceramic-coated plates, etc. can be quite expensive investments. For regular users looking to straighten their hair on a daily basis, the running costs of continuously purchasing salon-style hair straightner can quickly add up.
Thankfully, there are now myriad options for those looking to purchase these extremely useful hair tools at affordable rates. With some smart shopping guided by your specific hair type and styling requirements, securing good-quality hair straighteners for cheap is no longer difficult. This article discusses the top ways to save money when buying your perfect budget-friendly hair straightener.
- Purchase During Off-Season
An effective approach is to buy hair straighteners out of season when demand is reduced, leading to better discounts. For example, the peak hair straightener shopping period is late summer, when people prepare their hair care regimes for the winter season ahead. Prices also tend to rise around popular holidays and festivities.
However, if you purchase hair straighteners during the less popular spring-summer months or other off-peak periods, prices are markedly cheaper for the same models across online and offline retailers. Signing up for brand newsletters and watching out for special sales around off-season periods is a good way to save.
- Go for alternative plate materials.
The heating plates in hair straighteners use various materials, like titanium, tourmaline, ceramic, or nano-silver, with differing durability and functionality. Typically, straighteners with 100% ceramic plating tend to be the most expensive. Opting for tourmaline or titanium plate hair straighteners can fetch substantial savings, though keep in mind differences in smooth functioning for your hair type.
For instance, tourmaline releases negative ions, helping reduce frizz for some hair textures, while titanium transfers heat quicker. Evaluating alternative plate materials based on reviews by those with hair types similar to yours can uncover cheaper-quality finds with equivalent or better performance.
- Consider previous models.
When premium hair straightener brands launch new models, older generations often get steep price discounts to clear out stock despite retaining core features. Stores continue to vend these models at lower rates even after new launches.
Checking out earlier variant straighteners from reputed labels still popular among buyers can lead to major savings, with at most the loss of some advanced recent tech upgrades that you may or may not require depending on your needs. Dipping into the previous generation catalog is worth considering if budget is a priority.
- Evaluate Wattage Requirements
Power consumption, or the wattage required, is another key element affecting hair straightener price. Low-wattage devices obviously consume less electricity during use, translating to cheaper operation costs over the long run. Very high wattage may also not align with styling needs for those with finer hair demanding gentler heat.
Evaluating your specific wattage needs depending on hair thickness and adjustability requirements before zeroing down on a straightener allows you to choose an appropriately powered, reasonably priced option suited for your purpose. Purchasing an overpowered model ‘just in case’ makes little sense if most days require less intense heat settings.
- Take advantage of discount retailers.
Dedicated discount retailers selling manufacturer-refurbished or minimally used return items at heavily reduced prices are another route to affordable hair straighteners. While these may have some signs of previous use or repackaging or refurbishment, tested functional units from branded labels can cost you just a fraction compared to brand new pieces from full-price retailers.
Online liquidators selling returned, warehouse surplus, or lightly damaged boxed stock also frequently list hair tools, including straighteners, at deep discounts, permitting massive savings if you don’t mind an open box item in near-new condition.
- Buy multifunction models
Many budget-oriented brands now offer versatile 2-in-1 straightener-curler combo devices or straighteners with multiple comb or brush attachments. While performance may not exactly match that of dedicated single-function hair straighteners or curling irons, the duplication of functionality in one tool allows you to fulfill both your straight styling and curling/wave requirements without needing to make two separate purchases.
Opting for these ‘transformer’ hair tools, packing interchangeable barrels, pivoting plates, etc., and empowering users to switch between straightening and curling modes using the same device proves cheaper than buying standalone products for each function.
- Wait for sale periods.
Timing your hair straightener purchase around annual sales bonanzas yields some of the lowest procurement rates for coveted products, albeit requiring patience. But the deals you can grab around festival/year-end sales or during high-decibel events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Prime Day, etc. are unbeatable when brands promote aggressive price cuts, surpassing 30–40% off in many cases against fresh inventory.
Signing up for brand newsletters ensures you never miss updates on limited-time sales, doorbuster promos, and seasonal clearance events, which often sneakily offer the steepest discounts matched with purchase incentives like free tools, rare giveaways, etc.
- Evaluate online marketplaces.
Large online retailers and marketplaces have transformed the shopping game with lower overheads, allowing the sale of hair and beauty appliances from a range of brands at highly affordable pricing. Products listed here may not offer the fancy in-store browsing experience or instant gratification, but convenience, quick doorstep deliveries, and after-sales support compensate for it.
While ensuring careful seller vetting, purchasing hair straighteners off popular online channels gives access to massive inventory, including hard-to-find models years off the market, pre-owned straighteners in mint condition, and rare color variants all available at slashed down rates with additional bank discounts. Developing a knack for spotting sweet deals takes time, but it pays off.
Conclusion
The perceived notion that snagging a feature-loaded, salon-style hair straightener necessitates splurging on exorbitantly priced top-shelf retail models no longer holds fully true. Using the numerous money-saving ideas above, those willing to conduct thorough research and filter models matching their specific needs can secure high-grade hair straighteners without cutting holes in their pockets. Remember to evaluate all aspects, like plate materials, heat settings, attachments, warranty, etc., not just the price tag, before deciding. Invest time, not just money, into making the optimal choice.
