Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm the kind of girl who has no problem dropping a load of cash on a hair appliance if I think it's what will work best for my very long, very thick, very coarse hair. I've used all the top brands, from Chi to GDH - everything, and my most expensive curling iron was over $150. So I feel like a bit of an idiot to discover that this Hot Tools XL is less that $40 (including tax and delivery), considering it's the best curling iron I've ever used. Yes, dramatic statement, but there's no way to understate the greatness of this curling iron for women with hair like mine. It no longer takes two tries to make one curl (with regular length barrels, my hair was too long to curl the entire length at once). The extra length is amazing, and because I bought the 1.5 inch, my curls are always loose and bouncy, never tight. I do have a few tips, however, for anyone considering purchasing this: 1. It gets very hot if you turn it up to maximum heat. Even if you're confident that your hair can handle it, start with less heat the first few curls to get a sense of how it really is for you. This might be the hottest curling iron I've ever used. That being said, my hair likes the maximum heat, but it took a few curls before I learned how much hair I liked per curl, and how long to hold the hair in the iron. Better to be safe than sorry. 2. Another reviewer complained about the clip not going all the way up the barrel, and she gave the curling iron a 1-star because of this. My question is, why do you need the clip to go all the way up? If your technique is correct, you only need a clip at the bottom of the iron to hold the ends of your hair in place. As you wind the curling iron up your hair, your hair should lie flat against the iron, and you should be pulling the iron away from your head a little to give your hair a very gentle stretch. No full length clip is needed - and with the length of this barrel, a full clip would be really long, super clunky, and you'd risk burning your face with it. I mean, think about it. Even when I've used irons that had full length clips, my hair was wrapped around the OUTSIDE of the majority of the clip anyway, secured only at the ends. 3. For the best, most long-lasting curls, remember that you can technically use a curling iron as a flat iron, too. That's how I used to do it back in the day before they made flat irons! The best curls happen when you straighten AS you curl (which is why curls made with actual flat irons last forever). Here's what I mean: Take the section of hair you intend to curl, and starting near the top (closer to the roots), use the curling iron like a flat iron to smooth the section of hair from top to bottom. When you reach the bottom, clip the ends and then spiral the iron to make a curl like you normally would. Because you straightened it first, your hair should be extra flat and smooth as it's wrapped around the iron. Hold for however long you need, and then release. I find that smoothing the hair shaft first from top to bottom and then making a curl keeps the curls extra smooth, extra shiny, and they last all day - without any hairspray. (If you're a newbie to this technique, try it first without any heat - but this technique is a game changer).