# Curling irons that heat up fast

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/beauty/curling-iron/heats-up-fast/
Category: Beauty > Curling iron. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 156 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Jun 2009 to Sep 2026.

**Question:** Which curling iron heats up fast?

**Short answer:** Hot Tools Titanium Curling Iron has the best record for fast heat-up: 14 of 14 shoppers said it heated up quickly, though that is a modest group. Conair Instant Heat 1-Inch Curling Iron follows at 25 of 28, and Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron has the weakest record here at 16 of 22. Beyond heat-up, the repeat complaints are curls that fall out and an iron that is hard to use.

**What stands out:** Heat-up is just part of the story. Further down the list, 30% of Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron reviews say curls fall out and 32% say it is hard to use, against 15% and 12% for Conair Instant Heat 1-Inch Curling Iron.

## Ranking (buyers who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Heats up fast | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hot Tools Titanium Curling Iron | 14 of 14 | 100% | yes |
| 2 | Conair Instant Heat 1-Inch Curling Iron | 25 of 28 | 89% | yes |
| 3 | Conair Double Ceramic 1.5-Inch Curling Iron | 20 of 23 | 87% | yes |
| 4 | Kristin Ess Soft Bend Titanium Curling Iron | 8 of 9 | 89% | yes |
| 5 | Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron | 16 of 22 | 73% | yes |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. Hot Tools Titanium Curling Iron

No misses among the shoppers who stated an outcome (14 of 14), though it is a modest group. 67% call the curls nice, 33% say they last and 40% call it easy to use. No complaint showed up more than once.

- Praised for: Nice curls (67%), Easy to use (40%), Curls last (33%)
- Reports counted: 15

### 2. Conair Instant Heat 1-Inch Curling Iron

More reviewers weighed in on this iron than on any other here (28), and 25 of 28 said it heated up quickly. The reviews first posted on Conair's own site agree at 9 of 9, which we show but don't count. 41% call it good value. The repeat complaints are curls that fall out (15%) and an iron that is hard to use (12%).

- Praised for: Good value (41%), Nice curls (26%), Easy to use (9%)
- Complaints: Curls fall out (15%), Hard to use (12%), Tangles or snags (6%)
- Reports counted: 34

### 3. Conair Double Ceramic 1.5-Inch Curling Iron

Strong on heat-up, weaker on curls. 20 of 23 said it heated up quickly and 17% call it good value, but the repeat complaints are curls that fall out (20%) and an iron that is hard to use (14%). 6% mention tangles or snags.

- Praised for: Good value (17%), Easy to use (11%), Nice curls (9%)
- Complaints: Curls fall out (20%), Hard to use (14%), Burns fingers (6%)
- Reports counted: 35

### 4. Kristin Ess Soft Bend Titanium Curling Iron

Just 9 of its 32 counted reviews said anything about heat-up time. 8 of 9 said it heated up quickly. The rest talk about the curls: 31% call them nice, but curls that fall out (25%) and an iron that is hard to use (19%) are the repeat complaints. 12% mention damaged hair and 6% say it stopped working.

- Praised for: Nice curls (31%), Easy to use (9%)
- Complaints: Curls fall out (25%), Hard to use (19%), Damaged hair (12%)
- Reports counted: 32

### 5. Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron

16 of 22 said it heated up quickly, the weakest record here, while 6 of 22 said it was slow or never got hot enough. An iron that is hard to use (32%) and curls that fall out (30%) are the repeat complaints. 15% still call it good value, so experiences vary.

- Praised for: Nice curls (15%), Good value (15%), Easy to use (12%)
- Complaints: Hard to use (32%), Curls fall out (30%), Stopped working (10%)
- Reports counted: 40

## Questions

**Which curling iron heats up fast?**

Hot Tools Titanium Curling Iron has the best record (14 of 14), followed by Conair Instant Heat 1-Inch Curling Iron (25 of 28) and Conair Double Ceramic 1.5-Inch Curling Iron (20 of 23). The leader rests on a modest group of shoppers, so treat the order as a hint.

**Any tips for using a hot curling iron?**

Follow the maker's heat settings. Start on a low setting and raise it just enough for the curl to hold. Keep the hot barrel away from your skin, and unplug the iron and let it cool on a heat-resistant surface after you use it.

**Does an iron that heats up fast also hold curls?**

Not always. This page counts heat-up, not curl-holding, and that part varies. 30% of Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron reviews and 25% of Kristin Ess Soft Bend Titanium Curling Iron reviews say curls fall out, while 33% of Hot Tools Titanium Curling Iron reviews say the curls last.

**Are the Conair curling irons here the same?**

No. Conair has three irons on this page and their records differ: Conair Instant Heat 1-Inch Curling Iron at 25 of 28, Conair Double Ceramic 1.5-Inch Curling Iron at 20 of 23 and Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron at 16 of 22. The two Double Ceramic models come in different barrel sizes, and Conair Double Ceramic 1-Inch Curling Iron has the weakest record here.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/