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10 Best Beard Straighteners Review for November, 2024 to Prevent Hair-Raising Problems
Many men with beards often receive compliments about their facial hair, sometimes.
However, the people giving these compliments, unless they also have a beard, might not understand how challenging it can be to maintain a well-groomed and attractive beard. Curly hair, in particular, is hard to control, but even straight hair can cause ongoing styling problems like frizzy strands, damaged ends, and hair that grows unevenly. That’s where the best beard straightener comes in.
Beard wax is one way to solve the problem. It’s not ideal for shorter beards, though, and many men don’t like the feel, smell or look of a product that makes their facial hair look stiff and shiny. And some very unruly beards are resistant to nearly every product except Super Glue. (Just kidding, but those of you with lumberjack beards know what we’re talking about.)
If you’re a beard-wearing guy tired of curly, uncontrollable facial hair, and are sick of using razors, beard trimmers, scissors and whatever else you have lying around in the never-ending quest for a straight beard – one more appliance in your arsenal could make life a whole lot easier.
We’re talking, of course, about beard straighteners.
A lot of guys, even those who’ve had beards for a long time, might not know about something called beard straighteners. Basically, there have been tools available for a while that can help control unruly beards. For example, some women use a flat iron or straightening tool to tame their hair, and it can work on certain beards too.
But as usual, when there’s a need, new products come along. Nowadays, companies make and sell special brushes and combs that are made specifically for straightening men’s facial hair.
And the good news is, many of these tools aren’t too expensive, so it’s worth investing in one if you plan to keep your big, thick beard for a long time.
The Groom+Style review team for art of shaving has checked out all of the straighteners currently available, and compared them with more generic hair care appliances like flat irons, to choose the ten best beard straighteners which will keep those compliments coming. We’ve also put together a comprehensive beard straightener buying guide for readers who’ve never heard of these useful tools.
Settle in, and we’ll get started.
Image | Product | Features | |
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Best Beard StraightenerKuschelbär Heated Beard Straightener Brush by Jeff Chastain |
| Check Price on Amazon → | |
Best Moderately-Priced Beard Straightening BrushCNXUS Ionic Hair Straightening Brush |
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Best Beard Straightening CombAndis High Heat Press Comb |
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Best Beard Mini Flat Iron StraightenerAmoVee Mini Flat Iron Hair Straightener |
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Best Combination Hair Curler/Beard StraightenerMexitop 2-in-1 Hair Straightener/Curler |
| Check Price → | |
Best Lower-Heat Beard Straightening BrushAberlite Beard Straightener For Men |
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Best Lower-Heat Beard Straightening CombForher Ionic Beard Straightener Comb |
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Best Budget Beard Straightening CombMIRUOC Electric Beard Straightener |
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Best Budget Beard Straightening Mini Flat IronMHU Professional Travel Size Mini Flat Iron |
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Best Cordless Beard StraightenerKolodogo Cordless USB Beard Straightening Brush |
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Best Beard Straighteners
1. Kuschelbär Heated Beard Straightener Brush by Jeff Chastain
You won’t see the Kuschelbär heated brush (which is a little closer to a comb than a brush) in discount stores or drug stores; this ultra-expensive tool, designed by New York celebrity hairstylist Jeff Chastain, is usually sold in high-end salons and boutiques.
It’s recently made its debut on Amazon, however, which makes it more widely available – and definitely worth consideration if straightening your beard is worth a cool C-note to you.
So what do you get for that kind of money? First of all, you get a straightener with ionic technology that seals moisture into beard hair and reduces frizz and flyaway.
Second, there’s a proprietary “heat barrier” in the comb which effectively prevents too much of the 374° heat from being transferred, protecting against burns and facial hair damage.
Third, the unique bristles are the smoothest we’ve seen, making them able to quickly straighten your beard without getting stuck.
The Kuschelbär can be used with either 110 or 220 volts so it’s perfect for travel – but most importantly, this is definitely the best heated beard straightener brush for use either at home or on the road.
Only men who are seriously dedicated to caring for their beard would be likely to pay the high price of this Kuschelbär straightener brush, but it’s able to do the job on tough-to-manage beards that many competitors simply can’t. Facts and figures for the Kuschelbär Heated Beard Straightener Brush by Jeff Chastain:
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2. CNXUS Ionic Hair Straightening Brush
No products found.And here’s the best straightening brush for those of us who don’t have tons of money to spend on a beard straightener.
The CNXUS is less than half the price of the Kuschelbär but does almost as good a job, utilizing ionic technology to produce negative ions, and shielding and diffusing heat throughout the brush by means of a ceramic/metal shell.
One feature of the CNXUS that the review team really liked was its shape; the placement of the firm plastic bristles is slightly curved (like a crescent), to accommodate the natural shape of a man’s chin.
We also liked the five heat settings between 300° and 450° which let you compensate for the thickness and length of your beard, and the 60-second heat-up time of the metal-ceramic heating elements.
What we liked most, though, was the performance of this heated brush. It can quickly and effectively straighten out all but the most stubborn birds’ nests on any man’s face. This brush has a swivel cord for ease of use, an auto-shutoff feature, and is dual-voltage.
The CNXUS straightening brush isn’t quite as good as the Kuschelbär, but it comes quite close at a much more affordable price. More details for the CNXUS Ionic Hair Straightening Brush:
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3. Andis High Heat Press Comb
Here’s the first heated comb in the Groom+Style rankings, and it is a versatile appliance which can be used on your hair as well as your beard. In fact, it’s designed as an all-purpose hair straightener, but when used properly works wonders on curly beards.
At first glance the Andis seems to be a normal comb, mounted on a large handle with control buttons. The comb, though, is actually made from ceramic material which efficiently transfers heat throughout the hair for quick styling or straightening.
This isn’t the easiest beard straightening tool to get used to – there’s a learning curve. It gets extremely hot even on lower settings; there are 20 of them in all, with the highest settings (ranging up to 450°) primarily suited to thick, kinky hair on the head. We’d caution you to start at very low heat and work your way up, and completely avoid the highest settings when straightening your beard – unless your facial hair is so long that there’s a good distance between the bottom of the beard and your face.
This is a dual-voltage comb with a swivel cord and auto-shutoff, it’s available with either a gold or black comb, and it’s very reasonably priced. One design flaw can make the Andis a bit annoying until you’re used to it: the power control is placed in a spot on the handle where it’s easy to hit by mistake, turning the comb off while you’re using it.
You’ll have to start slowly and get used to the Andis Press Comb, but it’s an effective tool once you’ve mastered it. Looking closer at the Andis High Heat Press Comb:
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4. AmoVee Mini Flat Iron Hair Straightener
If you’ve ever dealt with or seen a flat iron designed to straighten hair, you know that those appliances can be as long as 12 inches. The type of flat iron which will work to straighten a beard, though, has to be shorter and more maneuverable to be able to grasp shorter hairs and work around the chin and face.
Meet the AmoVee Mini, which is less than eight inches in length and has a heated section that’s just about ½ inch wide.
It may be unsuitable for shorter beards since you have to be able to grasp the hair between the AmoVee’s two ceramic/tourmaline plates, but it’s difficult to use an electric tool of any sort until facial hair is at least 1½ inches long.
Incidentally, ceramic/tourmaline is one of the best materials for this purpose since ceramic distributes heat evenly, while the tourmaline coating is a terrific negative ion emitter and won’t stick to beard hair.
You can’t change temperatures with this mini flat iron; it’s permanently set at 428°. That number is a bit hot for the review team’s tastes, but not all of that heat transfers out, so G+S finds the AmoVee relatively comfortable to use on beard hair.
There’s a swivel cord and 110/240V capability, it heats to temperature in 30 seconds, and it even comes with a heat-resistant glove for convenience, safety, and comfort.
The AmoVee can turn curly beard hairs into straight ones quickly and inexpensively, but it’s not the best choice for shorter beards. Specifications for the AmoVee Mini Flat Iron Hair Straightener:
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5. Mexitop 2-in-1 Hair Straightener/Curler
You read the name of this product correctly.
This unit can both straighten and curl hair, because it has three heated sides designed to be used for different purposes. We won’t go into detail about the curling function of the Mexitop, since that’s really not important to our discussion – but it does a nice job of curling hair, if you have someone in your life who would find this tool useful for that purpose.
The Mexitop uses metal-ceramic heating elements, which come up to temperature quickly, and it has a crescent-head brush which fits well with the curve of the face.
It’s aptly described by the manufacturer as a “mini” tool; since it’s less than eight inches in length, it’s a good size for maneuvering around the face to trim beard hair. Add in the three selectable heat settings between 340° and 410° and you have a versatile model for straightening (or curling) beards and other hair.
This is a dual-voltage unit with an auto-shutoff feature, is available in blue or red, and comes with a protective glove.
The Mexitop is less expensive than the Kuschelbär and the CNXUS, but a bit more costly than most other competitors. If you want to straighten your beard and have a significant other who would find the curling function useful, though, this 2-in-1 tool is a good buy. More info on the Mexitop 2-in-1 Hair Straightener/Curler:
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6. Aberlite Beard Straightener For Men
Here’s another heat brush that’s priced similarly to the Mexitop, with most of the necessary ingredients for straightening facial hair quickly and effectively.
There are 40 metal-ceramic heating plates ensuring even heating throughout the brush, negative ions to seal hair cuticles and reduce frizz, and an anti-static coating on the bristles to reduce snagging as you work.
One smart feature of the Aberlite is that all of its selectable heat settings are under 400° (the highest is 374°). Most men don’t need more heat than that, and restricting the amount that the tool puts out also reduces the danger of fried beard hairs and facial burns.
Warm-up takes just 60 seconds, there’s auto-shutoff, and the results speak for themselves: a straight beard in just a few minutes. As with most of these tools, you need a beard that’s at least 1½-2 inches long for the Aberlite to work effectively.
You’d think that guys are smart enough not to turn the heat up too high when working on their beards, but many of us aren’t. The heat limits on the Aberlite are a great safety feature on an already very good product. Looking deeper into the Aberlite Beard Straightener For Men:
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7. Forher Ionic Beard Straightener Comb
This is a straightening comb that looks like a brush at first glance, because of its design; the handle is easy to grip, just as a brush would be, but the stiff “bristles” are more like the ones you’d find on a comb.
The construction of the Forher makes it best utilized for straightening longer beards (perhaps three inches or more), because of the length of the comb’s teeth.
40 metal-ceramic plates create even heat, and like the Aberlite, this unit’s three heat settings don’t let you go above 375° where you’d be more likely to burn yourself or your facial hair.
The company also claims that this beard straightener has a “double ionic generator.” We don’t know what that means; either anti-frizz negative ions are generated, or they’re not. As long as they are, that’s good enough for us.
The dual-voltage Forher has a swiveling power cord and an auto-shutoff feature.
Forher’s beard straightening brush has all the features you’d want, but is only suitable for longer beards. Stats for the Forher Ionic Beard Straightener Comb:
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8. MIRUOC Electric Beard Straightener
This is our budget choice for beard straightening combs.
The MIRUOC is lightweight and inexpensive, primarily because it’s made from ABS plastic. Likely for that same reason, this comb heats up extremely quickly (in 15-30 seconds) so it’s not a bad choice for quick touch-ups on stubborn flyaways or renegade hair strands.
The single-temperature 375° heat is generated by metal-ceramic plates, positioned high enough above the teeth so there’s no danger of burning your face as you work.
You won’t get extra features which are standard on more expensive straighteners, though, like ion generation, dual-voltage operation or automatic shutoff.
The MIRUOC is a straightforward, cheaply-made, single-temperature heated comb, but it will straighten most beard hair for a very low price. Details on the MIRUOC Electric Beard Straightener:
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9. MHU Professional Travel Size Mini Flat Iron
There’s a lot to like about this mini flat iron, just the right size (½ inch wide) for use as a beard straightener. There are ceramic/tourmaline floating heating plates which distribute the single-temperature heat (356°) nearly perfectly. Because of the ceramic, the MHU mini flat iron heats up quickly. And because of the smooth tourmaline, negative ions are generated to fight frizz and keep beard hairs hydrated while the hairs don’t get pulled or pinched.
You won’t find bells and whistles common to more expensive beard straighteners like dual-voltage operation or auto-shutoff. But you will find that most facial hair will respond quickly and well to the MHU (extremely bushy beards need not apply), you’ll find that it’s extremely lightweight and easy to toss into a travel bag – and you’ll find that the price is almost as low as the MIRUOC.
We call that a bargain.
The MHU mini flat iron is small, light, effective and inexpensive, but it does a surprisingly good job straightening beards that aren’t overly challenging. What you need to know about the MHU Professional Travel Size Mini Flat Iron:
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10. Kolodogo Cordless USB Beard Straightening Brush
Most electric beard straighteners tether you to a power outlet, often with a rather short cord. The Kolodogo brush does not. It’s cordless and rechargeable by simply plugging the unit’s charging cable into a USB port.
It comes in at the medium price point for beard straighteners for that reason, but you may feel that it’s worth paying more for the added convenience. You’ll get 30 minutes of usage for a three-hour USB charge.
The bristles on this heated brush are tipped with silicone, letting them slip easily through facial hair; the tool works best for beards that are thin or medium-thick, and isn’t as effective on heavy lumberjack beards.
Heat is generated by ceramic plates and the Kolodogo also generates negative ions, for effective and frizz-free straightening. There are three temperature settings: 338°, 374° and 392°, and there are auto-shutoff and anti-scald features.
G+S isn’t sure why more manufacturers don’t make good-quality cordless beard straightening tools. Kologodo does, and the heated brush is a convenient travel companion. Digging deeper on the Kolodogo Cordless USB Beard Straightening Brush:
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Best Beard Straightener Buying Guide
Walking around with a tangled mess under your lower lip may be fine if you’re cultivating a “don’t give a crap” slacker look, or if your primary goal in life is to be chosen for an episode of the TV show “Hoarders.”
It won’t earn you many style points when you leave the house to go to work or head out to go clubbing, though. It may not even play well inside the house, if you have a spouse or significant other living there with you.
Neatness counts in our society. But there are two other reasons to keep your beard straight and well-groomed.
First, simply combing out the knots in your facial hair can be a painful nightmare that causes split ends, and tangled, knotted hair will eventually die. Even before that happens, it will trap oils, dirt and bacteria that cause skin to break out badly and become infected.
Second, curly hair grows in curlicues, meaning that tangled beards grow in length three times as slowly as straight ones. So if you dream of a long, curly beard, be prepared to wait six months for it to be just one inch longer than when you started. Straighten out that facial hair, and your beard will grow three inches longer in the same time frame.
If that curly beard is truly the look you want, at the very least you’ll need to apply beard oil and groom it daily with a beard comb (preferably one with wide teeth) and a beard brush with boar-hair bristles.
When and if you decide all of that work is just too much to handle, or if you’d rather have a longer, straight beard instead of a curly one, a beard straightener is the tool you need.
Now that you understand the “why,” let’s get to the “how.”
Types of Beard Straighteners
Setting aside products such as beard balm and chemical straighteners momentarily, there exist two types of electric tools that efficiently transform curly facial hair into more manageable, straighter hair: combs and brushes.
Flat irons can also be utilized, but they are more suitable for hairstyling purposes as they can leave the beard hair appearing flat and devoid of vitality. Mini flat irons specifically designed for beards offer a better alternative, yet straightening with them can be time-consuming due to their limited capacity to flatten only a small portion of hair at a time.
(It’s true that you can just use regular beard combs or brushes to straighten your facial hair. However, that will require much more effort than working with electric straightening appliances, and the results won’t be as satisfactory.)
Most heated combs look much like a comb attached to a handle; in this case, however, the handle is an electric rod or plate which transfers its heat to the metal teeth of the comb. They’re generally smaller than heated beard brushes, and better suited to thinner, shorter beards. They can also be used for the portions of longer beards which are harder to reach and might be missed by a brush.
Heated beard brushes normally have large handles and wide teeth (usually plastic) with very little “give.” They offer more power, more control and are best suited to thicker, longer beards. A high-quality heated beard brush should even be able to take care of a beard like David Letterman’s in only ten minutes or so.
Mini flat irons designed for beards look much like their larger cousins used to straighten hair, with two opposing heated plates made from materials like ceramic or titanium. You have to be careful not to burn yourself or fry your hair when using these tools, and it could take half-an-hour to straighten a decent-sized beard with a mini flat iron.
Beard Straightener Buying Considerations
There are the same “obvious” considerations to bear in mind when shopping for a beard straightener, such as price and whether an appliance is cordless or corded.
Beard Type
The most important factor to think about, however, is the type of beard that you have. For starters, if your beard is shorter than a couple of inches you may want to avoid any heated tools, since they’ll be working so close to your skin that you could easily burn yourself.
Shorter Beards
Short beards are better candidates for heated combs or mini flat irons, because larger heated brushes won’t have enough hair to grab onto.
Longer Beards
Conversely, long or extremely tangled facial hair is the best target for a heated beard brush; you’d have to work in small stages to get good results from a heated comb or mini flat iron, and that work would take a long time to accomplish.
Heat Shields and Temperature Control
All of these products, as long as they’re sold by a reputable manufacturer, will have heat shields to prevent you from burning your beard or skin during use. However, if you (or your hair) are sensitive to heat, you’ll find that combs don’t usually hit the high temperatures used by beard brushes. Most combs only heat up to a maximum of 375-400°, while you find many brushes and flat irons can heat to as much as 425-450°. Those extremely high temperatures can fry hair quickly, so be very careful. While we’re on the subject of high temperatures, an auto-shutoff feature is something to look for, since an unattended unit running at 400+° can definitely be a fire hazard.
Ionic Technology
Ionic technology is most commonly found when looking at hair dryers, and it isn’t as big a consideration when working on beards than on full heads of hair. But it’s still a nice feature to have; negative ions produced by the straightener neutralize positive ions found in damaged hair, sealing the hair cuticles, reducing frizz and making hair easier to manage.
Weight
Finally, consider the weight of the appliance. None of the models on the G+S rankings list are particularly heavy, but you’ll ideally be using a beard straightener for at last five to ten minutes in order to do a good job. For that reason, lighter is usually better.
Other Beard Straightening Alternatives
We’ve already addressed the pros and cons of using beard balm, regular combs and brushes, and traditional flat irons to straighten a beard. (In all of those cases except beard balm, there aren’t really any positives, just negatives.)
You might be tempted, though to try one of the other alternative methods that you can find on the Internet.
Chemical hair straightening treatments are, at least to the Groom+Style review team, a scary choice. The chemicals in them are usually pretty harsh, and you could easily end up burning your skin and doing real damage. Even though hair straightening chemicals are primarily intended for use in hair and not on beards, you can find some salons which will use chemical treatments on beards – and that’s by far the best way to try this alternative if you’re determined to do so. Leave chemicals to the pros. (There are also recipes online for all-natural hair straightening treatments, but you’re likely to find that they don’t work well on long, tangled beards.)
Beard relaxing cream is often marketed as a solution to long, curly, stubborn beard hairs. Most of the ones on the market are really just beard balm, and you’ll find that the rest rely on combinations of moisturizing oils and minerals as active ingredients. They’re not bad for you, they’ll make facial hair softer and easier to style, and they may even include ingredients that will firm your hair in the same way as a beard balm. But unless you combine their use with a tool like a mini flat iron or a heated comb, you’re unlikely to find that they’ll straighten your beard all by themselves. They also won’t “uncurl” hair as it grows, so they only work on your existing beard. You’ll still have to find another method to straighten your new facial hair after it grows.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beard StraightenersQ: Can’t I just use a comb and brush to straighten my beard? Q: My beard is only about one inch long. Is there a good way I can straighten it? Q: I’m growing my curly beard long so I can appear in a survival movie. What’s the best straightener to use? Q: Is it dangerous to use a regular flat iron or hair straightening tool on my beard? Q: Is there anything wrong with leaving my beard curly? Q: Can I do anything to “train” my facial hair to grow straight? |
Conclusion
Messy beards may suit certain individuals, but if you want to make a lasting impression, a well-groomed beard is the way to go. This is where the best beard straightener comes to the rescue.
These beard straighteners are specifically designed to tame unruly facial hair, making the grooming process quick and hassle-free. So, if you’re ready to upgrade your grooming game and say goodbye to the tangled mess, look no further than the top beard straighteners reviewed here.
Embrace the power of these grooming tools and unlock a world of stylish possibilities, turning your beard into a well-maintained asset that reflects your sophisticated taste and personality!